A Study of Noah’s Flood (Genesis 6-8)
Lesson #4: Changes after the Flood (Genesis 8-9)
In this lesson we will look at some of the changes that took place after the flood of Noah’s Day. For instance, you will not see this specifically in Genesis 9 but when studying the ages of men, they lived fewer years after the flood. They also started having children at a much younger age.
The changes in the atmosphere pressure, that took place during the flood, were probably one of the greatest causes of the changes that we see after the flood. Think about how the atmospheric pressure changed during the flood when the sea level increased to a little over 29000 feet. Having that much water on the earth could have also caused catastrophic changes to the earth.
Genesis 8:20-22:
In these verses Noah builds an altar unto the Lord and offers a sacrifice with the clean beast and fowl. After what Noah and his family had just been through it is no wonder that they offered a sacrifice to God. This is the 1st mention of an altar. After the law comes into effect (Exodus 19) altars are not allowed to be built in high places.
Regarding Noah’s sacrifice the Bible says that “the LORD smelled a sweet savour”. This is the same thing said about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ Ephesians 5:2.
God said that he would not curse the ground anymore. We must remember that the ground was still under the curse from when Adam sinned.
Genesis 9:1-7:
These verses show us some changes that God made for man and beast after the flood.
- Notice in verse 1 that God blesses all 3 of Noah sons. This is the reason Canaan was cursed instead of Ham for his sin. (Genesis 9:25)
- Also in verse 1, that Noah and his sons were given the same command as Adam and Eve. “Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.”
- In verses 2-4 there is a change with the animals. They are now going to fear man. And the reason is obvious, it is because man is going to eat them. Before the flood both man and beast did not eat meat (Genesis 1:29-30). From this point in Genesis, man can eat meat, but he cannot eat blood.
- Three times in the Bible man is told to stay away from blood. Before the Law (Genesis 9:2-4) ; Under the Law (Leviticus 17:14) ; After the Law (Acts 15:19-20)
- Now why do you think that Satan worship, demonic practices, and rituals are always centered on blood or drinking blood? It is because Satan always seeks to directly oppose the word of God.
- In verses 5-6 we capital punishment is instituted. Many say that Jesus did away with capital punishment in Matthew 5:38-39. But this passage in Matthew is not doctrinally aimed at the Church Age. It is for the Millennium. To prove this Paul said in Acts 25:11 that if he was guilty of something worth of death, that he not refused to die. So clearly Paul believed in the death penalty after the Church Age began.
- As with the forbidden blood, capital punishment is found before the Law (Genesis 9:5-6); Under the Law (Numbers 35:30-31); After the Law (Acts 25:11)
- What about the executioner, is he committing murder when he kills someone who has been condemned to death? The answer is no. This matter is discussed in (Romans 13:1-7) where he is referred to as the minister of God in verse 4.
- What about the commandment that says, “thou shalt not kill”? Jesus clarifies this for us in Matthew19:18. Jesus says murder instead of kill when he quotes the commandment because self-defense killings are justified in the Bible (Number 35:11-12), so is armed combat (Deuteronomy 20:15-18 and Ecclesiastes 3:1-11)
Genesis 9:9-19:
In these verses God promises to never again destroy the earth with a flood, and he makes a covenant with Noah regarding this promise. The token of this covenant is God’s Bow (verse 13).
Note that God calls it his bow. There is a rainbow around the throne of God in Revelation 4:3. This is interesting because we are told that a rainbow is formed when the light from the sun passes through the moisture in the air which acts like a prism and parts the light into the colors of the spectrum. But remember that God is light (1 John 1:5) and God knows about parting light also (Job 38:34) so why would he not have a rainbow around his throne.
Once again, we see the proof that the flood of Noah’s Day was a universal flood. If it was only a local flood, then God would not have had to promise to never destroy the entire earth with a flood.
A Study of Noah’s Flood (Genesis 6-8)
Lesson #4: Changes after the Flood (Genesis 8-9)
Handout
1) What is the most likely reason that people did not live as long after the flood.
2) What is a good cross reference for the sweet savour in Genesis 8:21?
3) What is the change concerning the animals and man?
4) What part of the animal can man not eat?
5) Give three times in the Bible that man is told to stay away from blood?
6) What is the change regarding man and mankind?
7) Give three times in the Bible that we see the death penalty.
8) Give a verse showing that the executioner is not committing murder when he kills someone who is condemned to death.
10) Give a reference showing that self-defense is not murder.
11) Give a reference showing that armed warfare is not murder.
12) What is the token of the covenant that God made with Noah regarding never flooding the earth again?