TEXT: Genesis 7 & 8

1. SEARCHING OUR MEMORIES
   1. Discuss what you chose to do from last week's "Searching Our Lives" suggestions.

   2. Last week's lesson introduced us to Noah and his ancestors. Which character did you think was the most interesting and why?

2. SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
   3. How does God characterize Noah in verse one of chapter seven?

   4. What were the instructions concerning clean animals?

      For a listing of what types of animals, birds, and insects were considered clean, see Deuteronomy 14:3-21. It is interesting to note that the instructions in Deuteronomy were not given until the time of Moses, so we can assume that the distinctions between clean animals and unclean animals were either known before the flood or revealed to Noah as the animals came to the ark. Since clean animals were used for both food and for sacrifice, it would be important to ensure that a sufficient number would be available to restock the earth for these purposes.

   5. Who shut the door to the ark? (v. 16)

   6. How old was Noah when the flood began? (v. 11)

   7. For how many days and nights did the rain fall? (v. 4)

   8. What other sources of water contributed to the great flood? (v. 11)

   9. How high was the water? (v. 20)

   10. How long did the waters flood the earth? (v. 24)

   11. What mountain did the ark come to rest upon? (8:4)

   12. 1. What type of bird did Noah send out first?

       2. What happened to this bird?

   13. 1. What kind of bird did Noah send out second?

       2. What happened this time?

   14. What happened the third time Noah sent out a bird?

   15. What did this tell Noah?

   16. 1. How old was Noah when he came out of the ark?

       2. Can you figure out the total number of days that were spent in the ark?

   17. What was Noah's first task upon leaving the ark? (8:17)

   18. What was his second task? (8:20)

   19. What does God say concerning man's inclinations? (8:21)

   20. What promise did God make in verse 21?

   21. The promise continues in verse 22. Fill in the blanks (NIV): "As long as the earth endures, _____________ and _____________, cold and heat, _______________ and _______________, day and night will _________________ ________________."

   22. What does God consistently say regarding Noah? (7:5, 9, 16)

3. MAKING THE CONNECTION
   23. According to Matthew 24:36-39, what were people doing before the flood?

   24. Why did Jesus reveal this information to his disciples? What was he trying to teach them?

   25. In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus tells the story of 5 foolish virgins and 5 wise virgins who were to attend a great wedding banquet. What parallels can you think of between this parable and the account of Noah's ark?

   26. In 1 Peter 3:21-22, what was symbolically portrayed in the great flood?

   27. Romans 3:23 confirms what God says in Genesis about man's every inclination. What tremendous hope, however, are we given in Romans 3:24?

4. SEARCHING THE HEART
   28. In thinking about what people were doing before the flood (Matthew 24:38), tell how that compares with the state of affairs today.

   29. What lessons can we take away from this parallel?

   30. In your imagination, put yourself inside the ark. Listen to the rain pelting the wooden roof. Hear the people beating on the side of the ark, screaming for Noah to let them in as they suddenly realize their fate. This is a picture of the scene that will be at the end of time when Christ returns and people suddenly realize that they are lost forever.
       1. Noah had preached a message of repentance during his lifetime. What message do we need to be sharing?

       2. Is our sense of urgency great enough considering that we do not know the hour of our Lord's return? Why?

       3. Thinking about your own spiritual condition, are you inside the ark (saved) or outside of the ark (lost)? How can we know for sure?

5. SEARCHING OUR LIVES (Choose one of the following to complete and discuss for next week.)
   31. Tell someone about Jesus and why you have hope because of Him.

   32. The five wise virgins were prepared for the bridegroom in the parable that was discussed earlier. Make a list of ways that you can maintain a state of readiness for the Lord's return.

   33. Think about your own repentance and baptism. Every day this week, thank the Lord for saving you through the gift of his son Jesus.

   34. If you have not been baptized for the remission of sins, (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:15-16), why not do it this week?