TEXT: Genesis 9 & 10

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

   2. How did Noah prepare for the impending flood? Compare this to the way we should prepare for the coming judgment.

2. SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
   3. What were God's instructions to Noah and his family in verse 1?

   4. How would their relationship with the animals change? (v. 2)

   5. What dietary restriction is given in verse 4?

   6. For what action would the Lord demand an accounting from animals as well as mankind? (v. 5)

   7. What does "an accounting" mean?

   8. What reason is given for the principle of taking the life of one who has taken the life of another? (v. 6)

   9. What does God establish in verse 9?

   10. What is the definition of a covenant?

   11. What were the terms of this covenant? (v. 11)

   12. Who/what is covered by this covenant? (vv. 9, 10)

   13. What was the symbol of the covenant? (v. 13)

   14. What would God remember every time he saw this symbol? (v. 15)

   15. How does the Bible characterize Noah in verse 20?

   16. What endeavor does Noah set out to do? (v. 20)

   17. Why does Noah find himself in an immodest situation?

   18. What does Ham do to make the situation worse?

   19. How is the situation handled by the other two sons?

   20. Where was Ham in the birth order of Noah's sons?

   21. How is Ham punished?

   22. What is the pronouncement regarding the other two sons?

   23. 1. How long did Noah live after the flood?

       2. How many years did he live altogether?

   Chapter 10 reveals the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. As we have covered in an earlier lesson, Shem is the son through whom the savior Jesus would come. This chapter is thought to be out of order chronologically, as the dispersion of the people is covered in more detail in chapter 11. The descendants of Shem were known as Shemites, probably later modified to Semites, which is a term used to describe Jewish people. One of the descendants of Shem was Eber (10:24), the ancestor of the Hebrews. (It is thought that this is where the name "Hebrew" came from.)

3. MAKING THE CONNECTION
   24. There are many covenants in the Bible. The most important one was initiated by God just as the Noahic covenant was. Read Hebrews 9:11-15.
       1. Who is the mediator of this new covenant?

       2. What parties are involved in this covenant?

       3. What does the phrase "those who are called" in verse 15 mean?

       4. Which covenant was replaced by this "better" covenant? (See Deuteronomy 5 and Hebrews 8:1-13.)

   25. God's promise to Noah was that the earth would never again be destroyed by flood. How will the elements be destroyed in the end? (2 Peter 3:1-10)

   26. What will take the place of our present earth? (Revelation 21:1-4)

4. SEARCHING THE HEART
   27. What thoughts and emotions come to mind as you think about God making two everlasting covenants with you (the promise never to destroy the earth with water again, and the sacrifice of Jesus making a way for you to enter the presence of God)?

   28. If the rainbow was a symbol of the first covenant, what do you think is the symbol(s) of the second covenant?

   29. In the better covenant, what is God's part and what is our part?

   30. Since salvation is a gift of God's grace which can in no way be earned by us, (Ephesians 2:8-10), how do we square this with the answer in the previous question as to what our part in the covenant is?

   31. Noah's son Ham made a bad situation worse. What would be some appropriate responses of a Christian when he/she happens upon someone in a bad situation? Are there any times when reporting the situation, as Ham did, would be the right thing to do?

   32. Alcohol impaired Noah's judgment. What things do we encounter in our society that impair our judgment and thereby undermine our service to God?

5. SEARCHING OUR LIVES (Choose one of the following to complete and discuss for next week.)
   33. As you go through this week, focus on the covenant between you and God. Make it personal. Thank him every day for His wonderful gift.

   34. Make a list of some of the blessings that you have because you are a part of the better covenant.

   35. Write down a few scriptures that you would like to commit to memory in order to focus on our better covenant through Jesus, and place them at various points in your house where you will see them everyday.