Scriptural Background
The account of Noah and the ark is often taken as mere fairy tale. The Bible, however, is the true history book of the universe, and we can have confidence in what it says about the ark. Scripture reveals the basic dimensions of Noah’s ark—the length, width, and height. According to God’s Word, it was massive—300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide,
and 30 cubits high (approximately 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high based on a cubit of 20.4 inches). This is not like the whimsical drawings that depict the ark as an overgrown houseboat with giraffes and other animals sticking out the top.
In addition to its size, God gave other specific information about the ark in Genesis 6:14–16. Details in his instructions to Noah include the type of wood (gopher wood), a pitch coating inside and outside the ark, a window finished a cubit from
above, three decks, and a door set in the side of the ark. The specificity in Scripture gives us confidence that this was a ship ordained by God to withstand the watery judgment soon to cover the entire earth.
However, a detailed design of the ship’s hull is not given. Biblical creationists have historically depicted the ark as a simple rectangular box. You will notice that the ark shown in Answers Bible Curriculum goes beyond that rectangular configuration. This particular model was considered after much study and the determination that the ark had to have been equipped to handle rough seas. This design was made by a mechanical engineer who studied the flood and the ark for nearly 13 years. The rough seas confronting the ark during the flood are alluded to in Scripture.
• Genesis 6:15—The ark had the proportions of a seagoing vessel built for waves.
• Genesis 7:18—The ark moved about on the surface of the waters.
• Genesis 7:19—A mountain-covering, global floodwould not be dead calm.
• Genesis 8:1—God made a wind to pass over the earth.
• Psalm 104:8—The earth’s landmasses were shifting during the flood. As they moved, it would cause tremendous turbulence in the waters.
By considering the full counsel of God’s Word as wellas historical information, we can be certain that the ark large enough to withstand a global flood and had room for all of the animals God intended to be saved.
Historical/Apologetics Background
For centuries, scoffers have mocked the account of Noah and the flood by arguing that it would have been impossible for the ark to hold two of every species of animal. This supposition leads to the conclusion that the flood account was not inspired by God, casting doubt on all of God’s Word.
There are some serious misconceptions here that need to be corrected. First of all, God did not send representatives of all the “species” of animals to Noah—but the “kinds” of animals (Genesis 8:19). For example, Noah would not have had two
African elephants, two Asian elephants, two mastodons, two mammoths, and two stegodons (these last three are now extinct). He would have needed only two representatives of the elephant kind.
Then after the flood when the animals spread out over all the earth, different species resulted from the tremendous amount of information God had designed into the genes of each of these animals as they adapted to their environment. Noah didn’t need the number of animals many people think he did. There was plenty of room!
People think that most land animals are very large like elephants and giraffes. But only about 11% of land animals are larger than a sheep. So, the average size of the animals on the ark would have been smaller than the size of a sheep.
Something else we often hear is that there is no way all the dinosaurs could have fit on the ark. Although there are about 700 names of dinosaurs, all of them fall into approximately 50 different kinds of dinosaurs. And not all dinosaurs were huge like the brachiosaurus—many were much smaller. Even these larger animals were probably young when they boarded the ark, taking up less room and still having their reproductive lives ahead of them.
The study of created kinds, called baraminology, is dependent on biblical truth. One of the tenets of this science is that the various kinds created by God do not interbreed with other kinds. Genesis clearly states that animals reproduce after their kind. And this is what real science shows—dogs produce dogs, cats produce cats, horses produce horses, etc. Secular scientists, however, continue to defend their belief that all life has common ancestry even though observable science has never recorded any “kind” changing into another “kind.”
Another criticism of the ark is that no wooden ship of this size would have held together. One of the greatest challenges in the construction of large wooden ships is finding a way to lay planks around the outside that will ensure little or no leaking. However, marine archaeologists have recently discovered a method of planking used on ancient Greek ships that had been lost for centuries. This may have been the method handed down for years—even from Noah’s day!
It is important to remember—and repeat to your students—that we have the history book of the universe—the Bible. We have an eyewitness to the account of Noah’s flood and the judgment it brought. That eyewitness is God, our Creator; the source is the Bible, his infallible Word..
Studying God’s Word
Introduction
.? What is the most important piece of information we have when it comes
to understanding the flood?
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? What about the text of Genesis 6–9 suggests the flood was global?
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? How does the rainbow covenant confirm that the flood was global?
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? How do the legends of floods from various cultures around the globe
confirm what the Bible teaches about the flood of Noah’s day?
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The Size of the Ark
? When you see depictions of the ark, how is it typically portrayed?
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Genesis 6:13–16
? Who provided the “construction plans” for the ark?
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? Who was to make the ark?
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? What was the ark to be made of?
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? What was to cover the ark, inside and out?
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? What were the dimensions of the ark?
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? Were there to be doors and windows in the ark?
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? What other features of the ark does the text mention?
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Discover the Truth
Let’s examine some of the phrases in this passage to make sure that we are interpreting the construction of the ark properly.
The Hebrew word for ark is tebah, and it is used in reference to Noah’s ark (Genesis 6–9) and to the small reed basket used to carry the young baby Moses down the Nile (Exodus 2). It is not the same word that is used for the ark of the covenant. There is not a lot of other information about this word in Scripture, so we can only say that this is some kind of a boat. The dimensions vary greatly in the two accounts—I doubt Moses’ ark was 300
cubits long—and give us only a general idea about the shape. Some think this term refers to its purpose more than its shape—a lifeboat, if you will.
? The text gives the proportions of the ark in cubits. What a cubit is?
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? The text talks about coating the inside and out with pitch. What is pitch,
and why was it used on the ark?
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? Does anyone know what gopher wood is?
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Animals on the Ark
The next issue we will deal with involves the animals that were taken on the ark. This is another point of attack from those who do not believe the Bible’s account. You may have heard objections like “it would have been impossible to take two of every animal species on the planet onto the ark.” So, let’s think biblically about what animals were aboard the ark.
Genesis 6:17–22
? What was to be destroyed according to verse 17?
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? What was the purpose of bringing the animals on the ark, according to
verses 19–20?
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? What three groups of animals are mentioned in verse 20?
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? What phrase is repeated in verse 20?
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? How many of each kind were to come into the ark?
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? Did Noah have to go and get the animals?
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? What does the text say about food for the voyage?
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? How did Noah respond to God’s directions?
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Discover the Truth
In a past lesson, we described what perished in the flood. We used the phrase “land-dwelling, air-breathing animals” to describe what died. This applies to birds, animals, and creeping things.
? In Hebrew, the word translated here as “birds” is owph and actually refers
to anything that flies—winged creatures. What types of creatures would
be included in the category “birds”?
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Genesis 7:2–4
? Look at Genesis 7:2–4. What additional information do we get about the
pairs of animals?
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? What types of creatures would be included in the “animals” and“creeping things” that were taken on the ark?
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? Why did Noah need more representatives than one pair (whether 7 or 14) of the clean animals?
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? What would have constituted food for Noah and the animals?
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Application
When we stop to examine the details of the text in light of other
information that is available, the account of the ark takes on a whole
new perspective. The ark was not a tiny boat crammed full of animals,
but a massive vessel designed to preserve representatives of all of the
land-animal kinds and mankind. It carried elephants, lizards, bats, doves,
sauropod (long-necked) dinosaurs, pterosaurs, cats, dogs, bears, deer,
and every other kind of land creature. Despite the claims of skeptics, God
provided a rescue plan for a world that had fallen into extreme sin. God
was faithful to fulfill his promise of judgment just as he was faithful to
Noah to fulfill his promise of salvation. Refer to the Attributes of God Poster.
There was plenty of room on the ark for those who might have responded
to Noah’s preaching, but none responded. Only eight were saved from
God’s judgment against sin by boarding the boat God had provided for
their salvation. We all need to make sure that we have found rescue
in Christ just as Noah and his family found it in the ark. As we have
opportunity to engage with skeptics, let us not only tell them how big the
ark was, but also how big are the mercy and grace of God—who is willing
to forgive his enemies and receive them as sons and daughters in Christ.
? What misconceptions about the ark did you have that were corrected
from this discussion?
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? What types of doubts about the size of the ark have you heard from
others? How can you respond to those objections in light of what you
have learned today?
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? How might pictures of an overloaded, miniature ark influence people’s
view of the accounts in Scripture?
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? What questions have been raised in your mind by this lesson, and what
can you do to better understand these truths?
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Group Prayer Time
• Praise God for his faithfulness.
• Ask God to help the students to understand the truths of the ark and
how to apply that knowledge to their lives and share it with others.
• Thank God for salvation through Christ and the picture we have of
this in the account of the ark.
Additional request:
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Scriptural Background
Even though Noah was a preacher of righteousness, calling people to repent for nearly 75 years, no one but his family came into the ark with him. The people who heard Noah’s message of imminent judgment refused to believe. When the flood came, Noah and his family were safe in the ark, but every other person and air-breathing, land-dwelling animal on the earth was destroyed: all flesh died that moved on the earth (Genesis 7:21), every man (Genesis 7:21), and everything on dry land with the breath of life (Genesis 7:22). So God destroyed all living things from the earth, and only Noah and
those who were with him in the ark remained alive (Genesis 7:23). God was faithful to his promise that he would provide and protect in the midst of this severe judgment (Genesis 6:18).
God revealed his patience with the people of Noah’s day by giving them time to repent. But because of his holiness and justice, he finally had to punish the wicked and those who were suppressing the truth. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18).
While the rest of the world was being destroyed outside, Noah and his family were safe in the ark. God mercifully rewarded Noah’s faith and obedience by saving him and his family from the flood. God continues to demonstrate his mercy to all of us through Jesus Christ. We can think of the ark as an example of how we can be saved from God’s judgment of our sin. Just as Noah entered the door of the ark to be saved, so we are saved if we repent, turn from our sins, and trust Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation.
Historical/Apologetics Background
The Bible is very specific about the timeline of the flood. Although biblical skeptics arbitrarily dismiss this account as pure mythology, Christians stand on the Word of God and our Creator who was there rather than the opinions of fallible men who were not.
The flood came in the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month. Scripture records that on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst open (Genesis 7:11) and the waters prevailed upon the earth for
150 days (Genesis 7:24). As we examine the flood account in Genesis chapters 6–8, we can determine the overall progression of the year-long global flood.
The flood was a real event, specifically recorded in God’s Word. This catastrophic judgment by God on man’s wickedness lasted more than a year.
Because the Bible is the true history book of the universe, you can be confident that the flood was a real event—it occurred just as the Bible tells us. Many people wonder how Noah could have possibly built an ark of this proportion, even in 75 years! Although the biblical record is not specific about this, we do know a few things.
Building the ark was a huge task—one that had never been accomplished before. And, although the Bible doesn’t record much information about the world before the flood, we know that the people of this time were very intelligent. Genesis gives us insight into these folks and what they were capable of. For instance, they built cities (Genesis 4:17), raised and cared for livestock (Genesis 4:20), made and played musical instruments (Genesis 4:21), and were metalworkers in bronze and iron (Genesis 4:22). When God created Adam, he was perfect and intelligent. Noah and the people of his day were fairly recent descendants of Adam—probably maintaining much of the intelligence God originally gave man
Many people dismiss this historical event as impossible—both the flood and the ark that survived it. But with God’s guidance, Noah’s faith, and man’s intelligence, the ark’s construction was accomplished in God’s timing according to God’s purpose.
Studying God’s Word
Introduction
? Compared to the world around him, how would we describe Noah’s
character?
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? Why was it necessary for God to judge the sin of the earth?
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? Was Noah righteous because of his actions, or was there another source?
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The Worldwide Flood
Genesis 6:1–9:19
? How do fairy tales typically begin?
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? How is this passage different?
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? What words are used to describe what perished in the flood?
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? What words are used to describe what survived the flood?
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Discover the Truth
? Based on what we have read in the text, is it accurate to say that every
land-dwelling, air-breathing animal that was not on the ark perished?
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? Based on this description, did Noah need to prepare an aquarium on the
ark for the dolphins?
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? What language did you notice in this passage that connects back to
the creation of the animals?
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? Who was saved on the ark?
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1 Peter 3:20
? How does 1 Peter 3:20 confirm this?
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2 Peter 2:5
? How does 2 Peter 2:5 relate to this?
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Hebrews 11:7
? How does Hebrews 11:7 relate to this?
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? Looking at the timeline in light of the text, what interesting things stand
out to you? What things surprise you? What things have you thought
of in the wrong way in the past?
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Christ, Our Ark Activity
In Genesis 6:9 we read that Noah found favor (grace) in God’s eyes and
that he was saved on the ark through that grace.
? How is that reflected in the salvation that is in Christ? What Bible
passage supports this?
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Connect to the Truth
There are certainly many ways in which salvation in Christ is seen in
the account of the ark.
Ultimately it is the mercy of God that saved Noah and his family and
the justice of God that brought judgment on the ungodly inhabitants
of earth. Because God is just and holy, he must judge sin. However, he
also shows mercy and grace and rewards those who follow him. We see
God’s consistent character on display as his actions throughout history
demonstrate that perfect character.
Application
? How would you use the text of this passage to respond to someone who
thought this account was just a mythical story about a man and a boat?
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? Many people have a Noah’s ark theme for their nursery or children’s
play area. What is the real message of the flood?
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? What can we learn about God’s character by comparing salvation by
means of the ark with salvation in Christ?
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? How should we approach God, knowing that he is holy and will judge
mankind for their sinfulness?
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? We see Noah as an example of faith and obedience in the face of many
unknowns. What unknowns are you facing in your life, and how can
you walk in obedience to God through those unknowns? What can you
expect from God as you do that?
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Group Prayer Time
• Praise God that although we have sinned against him, he has shown
mercy through the cross.
• Ask God for understanding of how to use the flood account to share
the gospel with others.
• Thank God for extending his grace toward all mankind.
Additional Request:
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Scriptural Background
The account of Noah begins in Genesis 6. Genesis 6:5–6 says that God saw the wickedness of man and that he was grieved and sorry that he had made man. Scripture describes the situation on the earth: “wickedness of man was great,” evil thoughts continually (Genesis 6:5), “corrupt” (Genesis 6:11–12), “filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11, 6:13).
Hebrews 11:7 tells us that by faith, Noah was divinely warned of things not yet seen. He was warned by God of the coming destruction, and it was Noah’s faith that led to his obedience and the salvation of his family. Because Noah is described as a preacher (herald) of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5), we can imagine that he spent his time while building the ark trying to persuade the people to be righteous and to warn them of God’s coming judgment. However, only Noah’s family believed and joined him in the ark. Noah was a “righteous man” (Genesis 6:9), he “walked with God” (Genesis 6:9), and it
was by faith that he believed, obeyed, and was saved (Hebrews 11:7).
God shows in this account that he does judge all sin. The flood wiped out the entire population and was a bitter judgment. But, just as God saved Noah and his family in the ark, he also showed us his mercy and grace by providing salvation from our sins through his own Son, Jesus Christ.
Historical/Apologetics Background
Looking at the full counsel of the Word of God, we see that several other biblical writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit to confirm the historical account of Noah and the flood. It was more than 1,700 years after the flood that the prophet Ezekiel mentioned Noah (Ezekiel 14:14, 14:20). And about 2,400 years after Noah lived, Jesus Christ referred to Noah as he described his own return and coming judgment (Matthew 24:37–39).
The writer of Hebrews also confirmed Noah’s existence when he included him in the “Hall of Faith” chapter (Hebrews 11:7). Peter writes of both Noah and the flood (2 Peter 2:5), again confirming that this watery judgment occurred just as we read
in Genesis. Noah was a real person called by God during an amazing time in history.
In addition, the sheer size, dimensions, and directions given by God to Noah for building the ark show that this vessel was seaworthy and able to withstand a year-long global flood. In other words, the ark itself confirms the flood.
A careful reading of Genesis confirms God’s precision in handing down the history of the universe. Noah was born 1,056 years after creation (Genesis 5). He was 500 years old when he began to build the ark. It could have taken up to 75 years for him to complete the project. It is a good practice to take special note of details when God so specifically gives them.
In the years following the fall, mankind became more and more self-willed. They were filled with violence and the thoughts of their hearts were only evil continually. Because God hates sin, he had to judge the world. This judgment came via the worldwide flood.
Studying God’s Word
Introduction
We are continuing our walk through the Bible and the Seven C’s of History. We have covered the Creation of the universe and the Corruption that entered as a result of sin. Today, we start a discussion on the Catastrophe that is described in the book of Genesis. We will spend five lessons examining this topic.
God Called Noah
Genesis 6:5–7:1
? What type of literature is this passage?
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? How are the people of earth described in this passage?
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? What was God’s attitude toward mankind at this point in history?
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? What did God plan to do about the corruption?
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? How is Noah described in the passage?
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? How are verses 8 and 18 connected?
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? How are Noah’s sons described?
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? What commands did God give to Noah?
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? How did Noah respond to God’s commands?
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? What is the main point of the passage?
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Discover the Truth
? How long after creation did this take place?
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? Examining this passage, what do we learn about mankind’s character
in general?
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? Do any other passages speak of this condition?
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2 Peter 2:4–5
? Was Noah a sinful man? How can we know?
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By Faith Noah . . .
Hebrews 11:7
? What ideas in this passage are similar to the Genesis passage we read
earlier?
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? Why did Noah do what God told him to do?
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? How did Noah act on his faith?
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? What were the two results of Noah’s obedience?
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? Where does righteousness come from according to this verse?
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? What is the main point of the passage?
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? What does the passage tell us about God?
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Discover the Truth
? What is the connection between Noah’s being a preacher of
righteousness (2 Peter 2:5) and the condemnation of the world?
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? If Noah had faith and acted on that faith, where did that faith come
from?
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Ephesians 2:8–9; Philippians 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:8–9
? What is the source of faith and righteousness according to these
passages?
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? Was the source of righteousness different for Noah?
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Corruption and Righteousness
I would like you to take a few minutes to mark in your Bibles (or on this sheet). Turn to Genesis 6 and pick three colors
to use. Use one color, maybe black, to denote the darkness of sin, and
underline all of the descriptions of mankind’s character. Use another color
to mark the references to Noah’s character, and use a third color to mark
God’s actions in the passage. Mark from 6:5 through 7:1. If you would like,
you can continue through chapter 9 after class to get a peek at some of the
other ideas we will be discussing in the next few lessons.
Also add a cross-reference between 2 Peter 2:4–5 and Hebrews 11:7 if
those aren’t already in your Bible’s notes.
Genesis 6
The Wickedness of Man
(Matthew 24:36-51; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 12:35-48)
1And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
5And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Noah’s Favor with God
8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Noah Builds the Ark
13And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 17And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 18But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. 19And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. 21And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. 22Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Genesis 7
Entering the Ark
1And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. 2Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 3Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. 4For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 5And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.
The Floodwaters Arrive
6And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. 7And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. 8Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 9There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. 10And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. 11In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
13In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; 14They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. 15And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. 16And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.
The Duration of the Flood
17And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. 18And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. 19And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. 20Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. 21And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: 22All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. 23And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. 24And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
Application
After examining these texts, we can make some clear statements about the condition of mankind and the calling of Noah.
? What have we learned about mankind’s condition at the time of Noah?
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? Has the heart of mankind changed since the days of Noah?
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? How did God feel about seeing the sinfulness of mankind?
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? What was God’s response to the sinfulness of mankind?
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? Why was Noah saved from the flood?
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? How did Noah respond to God’s grace in his life?
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? Was Noah righteous because of the things he did?
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? Having talked about the source of Noah’s righteousness, how can you
apply that to yourself?
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? What is the importance of faith as we consider the call of Noah and the
call God has for each of our lives?
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? People often claim that God is cruel to have wiped out every person on
the face of the earth in the flood. How would you use the texts we have
discussed today to help them understand that God’s actions were just?
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? Noah is described as a preacher of righteousness to an ungodly world. Is
our situation any different from his? How should we live in light of this
truth?
(MULTILINE)
? Why is it important to recognize that our righteousness does not come
from us, but is found in Christ alone?
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Group Prayer Time
• Praise God for his gracious acts of saving Noah and his family.
• Praise God for his holiness and justice.
• Ask God that he would give each student boldness to proclaim the
righteousness that is found in Christ alone to the ungodly world
around them.
• Pray that God would help each student to rest in Christ’s
righteousness alone for salvation.
Additional request:
(MULTILINE)
Scriptural Background
We saw the effects of sin begin to ravage the world in the children of Adam and Eve. The first murder occurred when Cain killed his brother Abel most likely out of jealousy, selfishness, and hatred. The Bible tells us that evil company corrupts good
habits (1 Corinthians 15:33), and it appears Cain was quick to influence those around him.
The Bible tells us of Lamech—the fifth generation from Cain. We know that he took two wives (Genesis 4:19) in rebellion to God’s ordinance of marriage (Genesis 2:24). We read how he spoke with seeming pride of another murder—one he committed (Genesis 4:23). As the moral fiber decayed from generation to generation, we can only imagine what the Lord
saw as he looked upon the earth. For he was grieved in his heart that he had made people and knew that he must destroy them (Genesis 6:5–7).
And what does the Lord see today? More sin, evil, and corruption. Since Adam and Eve were sent from the garden, the sin nature that provoked them to disobey God has been passed on to all humans. The Bible states that death spread to all men through the sin of Adam (Romans 5:12).
We have all inherited a sin nature. David knew that he was conceived in sin—an inheritance from Adam (Psalm 51:5). And Jeremiah reminds us that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick (Jeremiah 17:9). Our sin demands judgment by a holy God. Jesus tells us that judgment is coming. Speaking of the final judgment, he warns that just like it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man (Luke 17:26). He is coming to judge the world in righteousness and faithfulness (Psalm 96:13).
So what are we to do? We know that our holy, jealous God is a consuming fire who will not tolerate our loyalty, love, honor, and respect being placed anywhere else (Deuteronomy 4:23–24). He is intolerant of sin, and we are all sinners (Romans 3:23).
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57)! For God had always known that he would send his Son so that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Through Christ alone we are brought from darkness into light and from the power of Satan to God. Through Jesus our Savior we receive forgiveness of our sins and a place in eternity with him (Acts 26:18).
Historical/Apologetics Background
It is not surprising that just 1,600 years after Adam and Eve were sent from the presence of God, he once again had to judge the sin of the world. This time, it was a worldwide flood that would destroy all but Noah and his family (Genesis 6:13, 6:18). Sin continued to pervade the lives of the people.
It was just over 100 years after God destroyed the world that his judgment fell at Babel. The people were disobedient to God’s direct commands and desired to build themselves a city and a tower to the heavens. They longed to make a great name for themselves (Genesis 11:4). These plans angered the holy God, and he judged them by confusing their language and scattering the people across the face of the earth (Genesis 11:7–8).
And man continues to sin. God is now withholding his judgment on the unjust—but it will come (2 Peter 2:9–11). He is coming to judge the earth in righteousness (Psalm 98:9). His judgment is realeternal, and will come by fire. He tells us as much:
“But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly” (2 Peter 3:7). But thanks be to God that we can escape God’s wrath and judgment through faith in Christ (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9).
Man has always suffered from a self-centered arrogance that bristles at the very thought of being sinful at heart. Many truly believe that humans are inherently good and that it is unthinkable that we are born into sin. Couple this thinking with the self-esteem-building rhetoric that maintains that we are great, and we can see that we are raising a generation that can’t fathom that they are deceitful, wicked, and rebellious against God (Jeremiah 17:9).
Children are told to follow their hearts. Whatever they imagine they can do, they can do. Their dreams are theirs if they only wish for them. Whatever they, feel in their heart is okay—and they must pursue their heart’s desire. However, this is not what God’s Word tells us. We are leading our children astray with this type of teaching. Our feelings cannot lead our decisions. Our hearts are fickle and wicked. Our lives should be directed by Scripture alone. The Word of God will direct us in all righteousness. The righteousness of his testimonies is everlasting—with understanding in these, we shall live (Psalm 119:144).
Without a proper understanding of the depth of the sin in our hearts, how can we properly rejoice at the forgiveness that is ours through Christ? If our sin is minor or inconsequential in our eyes, what would make us turn from it and accept the free gift of forgiveness and salvation from God? If we long for the pleasures of our heart and pursue those desires without considering God’s Word, how would we make him the Lord of our lives? With our own needs and comforts so much in view, how would we ever be able to properly humble ourselves before God to plead his mercy and forgiveness? Do you see? The very gospel is at stake when we consider the self-esteem-building philosophy so many are accepting.
The Apostle Paul sums it up well this way: “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out” (Romans 7:18). We are sinners. Our righteousness is like a polluted garment before the Lord (Isaiah 64:6). And it is only through humble repentance and belief in the gospel of Jesus
Christ (Mark 1:15) that we will escape the judgment and condemnation of our sins.
But the good news is that God promises a new heart for those who trust in Christ and thereby become partakers of the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:33–34; Hebrews 8:6–12). We become new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and can walk
in newness of life, no longer living as slaves to sin (Romans 6:1–7).
Studying God’s Word
Introduction
Last week we looked at the first murder in the world. Cain murdered his brother Abel most likely out of jealousy and despite a direct warning from God to master his sin.
? What did we learn about the sacrifices of Cain and Abel and how that
applies to our lives?
(MULTILINE)
All People Have a Sin Nature
In this lesson, we will be turning the focus to mankind in general, and
then we’ll take a closer look at how sin impacts each one of us.
Romans 5:12–21
? What type of literature is the book of Romans?
(MULTILINE)
? Who is the one man referred to in verse 12?
(MULTILINE)
? What was the result of his actions?
(MULTILINE)
? Who is Adam contrasted with in this passage?
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? What common idea is found in verses 12, 15, 17, 18, and 19?
(MULTILINE)
? How many people face the consequence of Adam’s sin?
(MULTILINE)
Romans 3:23
? How does Romans 3:23 relate to this idea?
(MULTILINE)
Genesis 6:5
? What does Genesis 6:5 tell us about mankind?
(MULTILINE)
? Is this description before or after Adam sinned?
(MULTILINE)
? When the Bible speaks of the heart, what is it referring to?
(MULTILINE)
Genesis 8:21
? After the flood, God speaks of the nature of man. What do we learn
about the heart of man from Genesis 8:21?
(MULTILINE)
Psalm 51:5
? After David committed adultery and murder, he penned a psalm of
confession. In Psalm 51:5 what does David reveal about the origin of his
sinful nature?
(MULTILINE)
Jeremiah 17:9
? How does the prophet Jeremiah describe man’s heart in Jeremiah 17:9?
(MULTILINE)
? How could we summarize the teaching of the origin and extent of sin
according to what we have just read?
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Discover the Truth
All of this is the basis for the inherited sin nature that we refer to as original sin. Some people misunderstand that term to refer to Adam’s first sin, but original sin actually means that every person is born with a sin nature that causes us to rebel against God—even from birth.
Some people try to object to this idea and claim that it is unfair because we shouldn’t be blamed for what Adam did. There are a lot of theological nuances to this discussion that we are not going to take time to explore today, but there is one very important idea to consider. If it is unfair that Adam’s sin is accounted to each person, then it is also unfair that Christ’s righteousness and payment for sin should be accounted to anyone else.
To be consistent, and to make sure we are conforming our thinking to what we just read in Romans 5, we must accept the teaching that our sinful nature came from Adam as our representative head. This actually should give us great hope, knowing that just as we have all sinned in Adam, we can all be made righteous through Christ. If we are going to deny that Adam made us sinful then, to be consistent, we should deny that we can be made righteous in Christ.
However, this concept of original sin is very contrary to what the world teaches. Popular psychology and the media try to teach people that they are basically good or that they are born as blank slates and that if they just follow their hearts, all their dreams can come true.
Pop Culture vs. Scripture Activity
? How many of you allow your children to watch movies produced by Disney or have watched them yourself? Most should raise their hands. Disney, Pixar, and countless other production companies produce movies that reflect a worldview. In most cases, that worldview is directly opposite of Scripture, and the messages they communicate need to be weighed carefully against what Scripture teaches. Pass out the worksheets.
On this worksheet, there are two different excerpts from movies. Take a few minutes to think about the messages that are being communicated and how they compare to Scripture. Keep in mind what we have just learned about original sin.
Pop Culture vs. Scripture
The messages that we receive from the culture are very influential. Advertisers and movie and
television producers are promoting an agenda. If we think they are just trying to tell us nice stories, we
are deceived. One of the most prominent messages in media that might be labeled “inspirational” is the
notion of following your heart or your dreams. According to pop culture and pop psychology, this is the
ultimate aim in a fulfilled life.
Part 1
The following lyrics come from a song called “Follow Your Heart” from Cinderella 2. For each verse,
describe how the ideas presented line up with Scripture, and identify any passages that would provide
support for your description.
Who’s to say the rules
Must stay the same forevermore?
Whoever made them had to change
The rules that came before
So make your own way
Show the beauty within
When you follow your heart
There’s no heart you can’t win
So reach for the sky
It’s not high as it seems
Just follow your heart
Go as far as your dreams
Dare if you want to
Don’t fear you’ll fall
Take a chance ‘cause it’s better
Than never to chance it at all
There’s a world for the changing
And you’ve just begun
Don’t let them tell you
It’s simply not done
When you follow your heart
You’ll shine bright as the sun
Part 2
The following is an excerpt from the movie Fireproof. Answer the questions after the dialogue.
Caleb: What? You were married to someone before Tina?
Michael: For one whole year. I got married for the wrong reasons, then I turned around and
got a divorce for the wrong reasons. Man, I thought I was just following my heart.
Caleb: Michael, I have worked with you for 5 years. You’ve never told me that.
Michael: Because I’m not proud of it! It was before I gave my life to the Lord. Man, I was only
concerned about my rights and my needs. Man, I ruined her life. But when I gave my life to
God, I tried to find her, but she’d already remarried. So believe me when I tell you, I’ve got
a big scar. Man, God meant marriage to be for life. That’s why you gotta keep your vows
to Catherine. You gotta beg God to teach you to be a good husband. And don’t just follow
your heart, man; ‘cause your heart can be deceived. But you gotta lead your heart.
1. How had Michael’s view of his heart changed?
(MULTILINE)
2. What influenced his counsel to Caleb?
(MULTILINE)
3. Do you agree or disagree with Michael? Why?
(MULTILINE)
Connect to the Truth
? After reading over the Cinderella lyrics, what did you conclude about the
message the song presents compared to the Bible?
(MULTILINE)
? With that in mind, how does what Michael says about his heart compare
to Scripture?
(MULTILINE)
Knowing what the Bible says about our heart—in our default setting we are selfish creatures—we must be careful to make sure that our hearts are in line with God’s. We know that at conversion we are made a new creation and that we can now overcome our sinful desires (2 Corinthians 5:17). But this is only possible because we have the power of the Holy Spirit to help us in that battle. As Paul explains in Romans 6, we have been crucified with Christ that we may “no longer be slaves to sin,” and we can now obey God as “slaves of righteousness.”
It is not by following our hearts or chasing our dreams that we should be living our lives, but by seeking to follow the example of Christ in putting others before ourselves (Philippians 2) and seeking to obey God with his strength.
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Jesus Paid the Penalty for Sin
We have talked about the sinful side of human nature—the part that brings judgment. But there is a great hope for us despite our sin.
John 3:16–21
Most of you can probably quote verse 16, but a lot of other important information follows this statement. And it is important not to forget to examine the context of a familiar verse. We are jumping into the middle of a conversation between a prominent Jewish teacher and Jesus.
? Who was Jesus speaking to?
(MULTILINE)
? What caused God to send the Son?
(MULTILINE)
? What is the result of believing in Jesus?
(MULTILINE)
? Why did God send the Son into the world?
(MULTILINE)
? What brings condemnation to mankind?
(MULTILINE)
? Why do men hate the light?
(MULTILINE)
? How does this passage relate to the condition of the heart of mankind
that we talked about earlier?
(MULTILINE)
1 Corinthians 15:21–22
? We know that God the Father sent his only begotten Son, so how does
1 Corinthians 15:21–22 help us make the connection between Jesus,
Adam, and the condemnation of sin?
(MULTILINE)
Psalm 51:5–6
? Many people deny that we are born into a sinful state. What does Psalm
51:5–6 have to say about our nature at birth?
(MULTILINE)
Discover the Truth
Despite our tendency to love darkness more than light, a condition that leaves mankind condemned, Jesus was sent to pay the penalty for that condition—called sin. Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again of the Spirit of God to be free from the condemnation that came with his first birth—a birth that left him with a sinful heart.
Although we were all born in original sin, God was gracious and merciful to us in sending his Son to die on our behalf. Jesus calls everyone to believe in what he has done as the Savior of the world.
Application
Although Adam brought sin into the world through an act of rebellion, Jesus freely offers to remove that penalty for all who believe in him. Just as death spread to all men and all are born with a sinful nature because of Adam, Jesus made a way to avoid the penalty of death for all who trust in him.
The world encourages us to fulfill our selfish desires while we follow our hearts and chase our dreams. The Father calls us to serve others and be like his Son. Scripture is very clear in its description of the evil that is within the heart of every person from conception. If we examine the desires of our own hearts, we must admit that there is selfishness at our core. It is that sin that condemns us before a holy God, and he would be just to condemn us to hell for that rebellion.
But God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to pay the penalty that we deserve. God’s love is demonstrated in this act, and those who were stained because of Adam’s sin can be washed clean in the blood of Christ. When we look to the Son in repentance and faith, we have passed from death to life—from perishing to eternal life.
? What evidence could you offer to someone who doubts that all people
are sinful from conception?
(MULTILINE)
? If a person believes that the doctrine of original sin is unfair, are they
being consistent when they look for salvation from sin through the
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross?
(MULTILINE)
? If sin is passed to all of Adam’s descendants, why is it important to
affirm that Adam and Eve were the original parents of all people?
(MULTILINE)
? What hope do you find in knowing that for assurance of your salvation
you can look to what Christ has done rather than looking to your own
works to commend you to God?
(MULTILINE)
? In what ways do you think you may have been deceived by the world’s
message of “follow your heart”? What do you need to do to repent of
that?
(MULTILINE)
? As you look at the culture we live in, how do you see the false message
of the goodness of humanity promoted? How can this be an opportunity
to share the gospel?
(MULTILINE)
? How has this lesson helped you to understand the need to share the
gospel with those around you?
(MULTILINE)
Prayer Time
• Read 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 as a prayer of thanksgiving to God.
• Ask God for compassion and boldness to share his gospel with others
who have accepted the false messages from the culture.
• Thank God for the truth of his Word that can dispel falsehoods in
the culture
Additional Request:
(MULTILINE)
Scriptural Background
The sin committed at the fall of man through the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:6–7) brought corruption on the human race. Adam and Eve were cursed by God (Genesis 3:16-17) and sent out of the garden (Genesis 3:24). Eve had two sons—Cain and Abel. As they grew, Abel became a keeper of the sheep, but Cain worked the
ground (Genesis 4:1–2). After some time, they each brought an offering to the Lord. Cain brought some of the “fruit of the ground,” and Abel brought “the firstborn of his flock” (Genesis 4:3–4). In Genesis we are simply told that the Lord had regard for Abel’s offering but not for Cain’s (Genesis 4:4–5). But why?
Various Scriptures from the New Testament help to solve this puzzle. The book of Hebrews records that Abel made his offering “by faith” and that he was righteous (Hebrews 11:4). Cain, however, was of the evil one and murdered his brother because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous (1 John 3:11–12). Cain’s actions spoke loudly of the desires of his heart. Because of his jealousy, he killed his brother—who walked by faith in righteousness toward God.
God used this unlikely scenario to display his gracious mercy. God is holy and had to judge Cain’s sin. But instead of requiring a life for a life as the law demanded (Exodus 21:23–24), God spared Cain, making him a fugitive and wanderer on the earth—a fugitive specially marked by God and protected from those seeking revenge for his offense (Genesis 4:14–15).
The effects of the fall came quickly. In the first generation after Adam and Eve, we see jealousy, selfishness, murder, and hatred. And yet, God was already revealing the depths of his mercy—a mercy that has repeatedly been demonstrated as man continues to disobey God in his sinfulness.
Historical/Apologetics Background
Cain’s Wife
Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch (Genesis 4:16–17).
One of the most-asked questions about the book of Genesis is, “Where did Cain get his wife?” This question is often used by skeptics to discredit the historical truth of the book of Genesis because most Christians don’t know how to answer it. If Adam and Eve were the first humans, and if their first two sons were Cain and Abel, then where did Mrs. Cain come from? Some have answered this by saying that God must have created other people or races on earth who did not descend from Adam and Eve.
However, Scripture is very clear that ALL people are descendants of Eve (Genesis 3:20). And since only descendants of Adam and Eve can be saved, believers need to be able to show that Cain’s wife—like all other humans—was a descendant of Adam and Eve.
The answer to this question is, in fact, quite simple: Cain married his sister or perhaps another close relative like a niece. Genesis 5:3–4 states:
“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:”
Notice that the Bible tells us that Adam had “other sons and daughters.” Exactly how many, we aren’t told, but given that Adam lived more than 900 years, it could have been a lot! One Jewish tradition states that Adam had 33 sons and 23 daughters.
Many people reject this very clear answer, citing the law against brother-sister marriages. But back then (about 6,000 years ago), close relatives could marry—they had to in order to start their own families. Even Abraham married his half-sister (Genesis 20:12). It was not until much later—2,500 years after Cain married his wife—that God commanded Moses that people were not to marry close relatives (Leviticus 18:6). We know now that this command, directed by the providence of God, protects us from many genetic deformities that could result from the marrying of close relatives. These deformities are one of the results of sin and its consequences. Cain and his wife, living near the beginning of creation, wouldn’t have had as many genetic mutations as we do today, so marrying a close relative was no problem. God’s Word gives us answers. We need to approach all questions with biblical glasses, standing on the authority of the Scripture—knowing that the Bible is our starting point.
Animal Sacrifices
In the account of Cain and Abel, we see that God had regard for the offering of Abel (Genesis 4:4). Abel’s offering was the firstborn of his flock—an animal offering presented with a pure heart. As we look at animal offerings throughout biblical history, we can see the amazing foreshadowing and significance of them.
The very first animal sacrifice was made by God himself to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve after they had disobeyed and introduced sin to the human race (Genesis 3:20–21). Adam and Eve deserved instant death because of their sin, yet we see God displaying his glorious mercy as he killed the animal(s) to make garments as coverings for them. In hindsight, we can see how this is a fore shadowing of the substitutionary death of an animal to pay for sin. The foundational elements of God’s plan of redemption are shown here on the occasion of the first sin in the garden of Eden.
Scripture tells us of more customary animal sacrifices ordained by God. Noah sacrificed animals after the flood (Genesis 8:20), Job sacrificed animals for the sins of his family (Job 1:5), and Abraham sacrificed the ram that God provided as a substitute for Isaac (Genesis 22:13). Clearly, God had revealed the concept of substitutionary sacrifice long before the time of Moses and the law.
However, it was at the time of Moses that God specifically appointed a sacrificial system to cover the sins of his people. Leviticus 17:11 states, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” In this system, the life of the animal atoned for—or covered—the offenses of the sinner; the animal died as a substitute for the sinner.
We know, of course, that animal sacrifices can never cleanse us from our sin. Scripture states, “. . . in these [Old Testament] sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:3–4). The ultimate purpose of the sacrificial system was to demonstrate that the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23). It was God’s way of preparing us to believe in the perfect Lamb of God whose blood would finally take away the sins of the world (John 1:29).
Before the universe was created and man was formed, God knew that we (in Adam) would sin. He also had a predetermined plan of salvation from the penalty of our sins through the perfect sacrifice— Jesus Christ.
Studying God’s Word
Introduction
Last week we continued our study of the corruption of the universe at the time Adam sinned. We said that the impact of the fall was universal.
? What are some of the specific impacts of Adam’s sin and the
curse God pronounced in Genesis 3?
(MULTILINE)
Even though God had cursed his originally perfect creation, he also hope. A Savior would come to take the penalty for Adam’s sin (a penalty that we all bear, being “in Adam”) and for our own sin, and eventually to restore the creation. At the consummation, there will be a new heaven and earth where the effects of the curse no longer have a hold. There will be no more death, disease, and suffering for those who are “in Christ,” but eternal death for those who do not trust him. We have a glorious hope of redemption provided through Jesus and a great opportunity and responsibility to share that hope with those who do not know Christ.
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Two Offerings
Genesis 4:1–15
? What is the historical context of this passage?
(MULTILINE)
? Which son was born first?
(MULTILINE)
? What were the occupations of the two sons?
(MULTILINE)
? What did Cain bring as an offering to the Lord?
(MULTILINE)
? What did Abel bring as an offering to the Lord?
(MULTILINE)
? How did God respond to the two offerings?
(MULTILINE)
? How did Cain respond to God’s disfavor?
(MULTILINE)
? What caution did God give to Cain?
(MULTILINE)
? How did Cain respond to God’s warning?
(MULTILINE)
? How did Cain respond to God’s question about Abel’s location?
(MULTILINE)
? How did God respond to Cain’s sin?
(MULTILINE)
? Cain responded by telling God that his punishment was too great—a
form of asking for mercy. What did Cain fear would happen to him?
(MULTILINE)
? How did God demonstrate mercy to Cain?
(MULTILINE)
? Was God still communicating to humans after the fall?
(MULTILINE)
? What parallels do you see in this account and the account of the fall in
Genesis 3?
(MULTILINE)
? What was Cain’s motive for killing his brother?
(MULTILINE)
? How would you summarize the main point of the passage?
(MULTILINE)
Discover the Truth
Although we do not have specific details about how Cain and Abel knew that they were to offer sacrifices to God, or what that process looked like, still they knew it was expected. As the brothers brought their offerings, presumably to the same altar at the same time, Cain’s sacrifice was rejected by God, and he likely became jealous of Abel’s acceptance. As a
result, Cain killed his brother and faced God’s curse.
But God was merciful to Cain by not taking his life as he rightly deserved, and by placing a mark on him so that others would be afraid to take vengeance for Abel’s murder. Cain was openly disobedient, and God judged his disobedience mercifully. This is another example of the intersection of God’s justice and mercy that reminds us of the gospel.
Even though our sin deserves to be punished, Jesus Christ willingly offered himself as the sacrifice to pay for our sin.
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An Acceptable Sacrifice Activity
Connect to the Truth
? What are the differences between the two offerings described in
Genesis 4:1–5?
(MULTILINE)
Read Leviticus 2:1–2, 2:14, and 4:27–31.
? How do these offerings compare to Cain’s and Abel’s offerings?
(MULTILINE)
? What information does Hebrews 11:4 give about the two brothers
and their offerings?
(MULTILINE)
? How is Cain described in 1 John 3:10–12?
(MULTILINE)
? What do the following passages tell you about God’s attitude toward
sacrifices: 1 Samuel 15:22; Hosea 6:6; Proverbs 15:8, 21:3?
(MULTILINE)
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Where Did Cain Find a Wife?
Another common challenge to the biblical history of man has to do with Cain and what we read in Genesis 4:16–17. People often ask where Cain got his wife if Adam and Eve were the original parents of all of humanity.
Genesis 4:16–17
? When do these events take place?
(MULTILINE)
? Where does Cain settle?
(MULTILINE)
? According to the text, where did Cain marry his wife?
(MULTILINE)
? What two things did Cain do in Nod?
(MULTILINE)
? Are there any people in the land of Nod?
(MULTILINE)
? To this point in the Bible, how many people have been identified?
(MULTILINE)
? If Adam and Eve are the parents of every human, how was Cain related
to his wife?
(MULTILINE)
Genesis 3:20
? How does Genesis 3:20 confirm this?
(MULTILINE)
Genesis 5:4
? How does Genesis 5:4 give us more insight into this topic?
(MULTILINE)
____________________________________________________________________________________
Discover the Truth
Cain is described as the first son of Adam and Eve, but Genesis 5:4 tells us that there were also other children. We are not told the order or names of any of those children except for Seth, but we know they must have been born. It may sound a little funny to our modern ears, but Cain married either a sister or a niece (or some other very close relative).
Rather than going to Nod and finding a wife there, he likely already had a wife and took her with him to Nod. And this is consistent with what the text actually says.
? What are the immediate objections to this idea that come to your mind?
(MULTILINE)
? Why might it have been acceptable for close relatives to marry in the
beginning?
(MULTILINE)
Many Christians suggest that there were other people groups already in Nod, groups that God either had created or had allowed to evolve, and that Cain went there and took a wife from among them. Looking at Genesis 4:14, we read that Cain was afraid that “anyone” would kill him if they found him. So, it must have been his family that Cain was afraid of, not some other tribe of people who lived in another area. Why would another group want to kill Cain for killing someone they didn’t even know? It just doesn’t make sense with the text.
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Application
? How do the things that we do to please God (our offerings) relate to the offerings Cain and Abel presented?
(MULTILINE)
? Hebrews 13:15–16 calls us to “offer up a sacrifice of praise to God”
not neglecting “to do good and to share” as God is pleased with such
sacrifices. How is this apparent in the account of Cain and Abel and in
your life?
(MULTILINE)
? How does sin’s pattern found in James 1:13–15 compare to what we see
in the account of Cain, and how can that help us understand why we sin
and how to avoid it?
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? Abel offered the firstborn of his flock, and elsewhere we see the idea of
God’s honoring the firstfruits offered to him. How can we apply this idea
to our offerings to God today?
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? How does the mercy shown to Cain relate to the mercy shown to you
through Christ?
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Group Prayer Time
• Praise God for his patience in withholding judgment and for calling
sinners to repentance.
• Ask God that each person would offer his first and best to him each
day and in the strength of the Holy Spirit.
• Thank God for providing a substitute for sinners.
Additional request:
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Scriptural Background
God created a perfect universe—one that he himself called very good (Genesis 1:31). So when and how did sin enter the world? Because the creation was perfect, we know there was no sin at that time. We can thus conclude that Satan sinned against God and was cast out of heaven sometime after the seventh day of creation and before he tempted Eve. Satan’s temptation of Eve and the disobedience of the first couple marked the point that changed God’s perfect creation to a world filled with death, disease, and decay—all a result of sin.
In the account of the temptation and fall into sin from Genesis 3, Satan challenged the authority of God and deceived Eve into eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:4–5). Adam, who was with her, also ate of the fruit (Genesis 3:6). This first sin was not just the eating of some fruit; it was disobedience toward a holy God. God now had to punish the sin and disobedience of Adam, Eve, and Satan (Genesis 3:14 -19).
As they ate, their eyes were opened, and they knew they were naked (Genesis 3:7). They felt shame for their nakedness and tried to fashion clothing from leaves to cover their shame. These coverings were not adequate to conceal their sin from God. Nor were they able to hide from him when he came to the garden (Genesis 3:9). This is when they quickly and easily fell into the “blame game.” Eve quickly blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:13). Adam, in turn, blamed Eve then ultimately cast the responsibility of his sin onto God (Genesis 3:12).
God’s justice requires that he punish any disobedience of his commands, but his mercy allows many to avoid that punishment. The sin that plagues every human entered the world through Adam and was consequently passed to all of his descendants. The doctrine of original sin (demanding God’s justice) and redemption (displaying his mercy) is present throughout the Bible and is presented concisely in Romans 5:17–21. It seems unfair that all of us would pay the consequence of one man’s sin—but the Bible tells us that our hearts are deceitful and desperately sick (Jeremiah 17:9). If we honestly examine our hearts, we know this to be true. We would have sinned just as Adam and Eve did had we been faced with that same temptation. And that is why we praise God for his immeasurable grace through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:7). For it is only by his grace that we can be freed from the wages of our sin—death and eternal punishment (Romans 6:22–23).
There is hope in this account of the very first sin. Adam and Eve’s rebellion did not take God by surprise. God is omniscient—he knows all things. And he did not leave Adam and Eve in despair but offered them the promise of a Savior who would bruise the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). Some Bible translations use the word “Seed” or “offspring” to refer to the coming Savior, Jesus, who would bear the sins of the world on the cross. This preordained plan for redemption was in place before the foundation of the world and would perfectly exhibit God’s mercy to sinners who, through Jesus Christ, would believe in God (1 Peter 1:20–21).
Sin entered the world shortly after the creation of Adam and Eve. Although Scripture does not specifically tell us how long Adam and Eve lived in the perfect creation before sinning, we can determine that very little time passed before the fall. Scripture tells us that God commanded Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28), and, because of their perfect bodies, conception would have occurred quickly. We also know that Cain, their firstborn was not conceived until after they had sinned and were sent out from the garden (Genesis 4:1).
How sad that they would sin so soon and that they would disobey the God who had created them and everything good around them. God had given them freedom to enjoy every good gift (Genesis 1:28–29). However, God did prohibit them from eating the fruit of one tree—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eating from this tree would bring death (Genesis 2:16–17).
The very thing God told them they couldn’t have was what they wanted. Their sin led to the first death—the death of an animal that provided skins to cover their shame. This very first death was a foreshadowing of the sacrificial system revealed to Moses for the atonement of sin and further pointed to the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for the complete forgiveness of sins. Scripture tells us that “without the shedding of blood there is no remission” of sin (Hebrews 9:22). The first blood had been shed—it pointed toward the perfect, redeeming blood of the coming Savior. This glorious account of God’s intervention in covering the sins of Adam and Eve gives us solid scriptural grounds to refute evolutionary thinking. Since we understand from Scripture that there no animal death before sin entered the world, any
fossilized remains of dead animals cannot be dated before Adam and Eve. Evolutionary thinking cannot be partnered with a biblical worldview. Anyone who says the rock layers and fossils are billions of years old are accepting death, disease, and suffering before sin when, in fact, they are a consequence of the first sin in the garden (Romans 5:21; 1 Corinthians 15:21–22). Animals could not have been dying millions of years before sin entered the world since, according to God’s Word, they started dying after Adam’s sin about 6,000 years ago. When we maintain our biblical worldview by the plain reading of Scripture, we can confidently answer the questions the world presents.
Studying God’s Word
Introduction
We are going to move on to the second of the Seven C’s of History— Corruption. Over the past weeks we have been looking closely at the events and doctrines connected to God’s creation of the world. We have seen that God created everything in the universe in six days about 6,000 years ago. That included the special creation of man and woman in God’s image.
? What are some of the topics we’ve covered that have helped you
understand these various issues more fully?
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The Fall of Man into Sin
God created a perfect universe and placed Adam and Eve in a perfect garden where they enjoyed communion with God. These next several lessons will look at how that perfection was marred and how the world we live in today is a corrupt version that will someday be restored. We can all look forward to that glorious day.
Genesis 3:1–7
? Who are the characters?
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? How is the serpent described in verse 1?
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? Whom did the serpent approach?
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? How does the serpent’s question in 3:1 compare to God’s command to
Adam in Genesis 2:16–17?
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? How did the woman’s response compare to God’s command?
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? What was the penalty for eating the fruit in 2:17?
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? What was the serpent’s reply to God’s warning?
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? What did the woman notice about the fruit?
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? How did the woman respond—by listening to God or to the serpent?
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? Where was Adam?
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? What was the result of eating the fruit?
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? How did their reaction to their nakedness change from how it is
described in 2:25?
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? How did Adam and Eve respond to their realization that they were naked?
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Revelation 12:9
? Many people mock the biblical account of the fall for including a talking
snake, but there is more to the story. What extra information about who
was behind the serpent’s words do we find in Revelation 12:9?
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Discover the Truth
This is where the corruption of God’s perfect creation begins. Satan had rebelled against God and had now led mankind into rebellion against God. Passages in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 talk about how Satan fell from his position as an angelic being. This must have occurred sometime after day seven of the creation week since God had proclaimed everything
he had created “very good” at the end of day six, and this would have included the angels since they are created beings.
So, Satan must have been cast out of heaven sometime after day seven and prior to his temptation of Eve. Although Scripture does not give a clear time frame, most scholars would suggest the fall was not far removed from the creation—just a few days or weeks.
Many religious and spiritual movements have repeated the same lie that Satan offered to Eve—you can be like God. But the Bible clearly teaches that God is infinite, and we have no hope to ever be like him—apart from the righteousness that we can claim as those redeemed with the blood of Christ. As we read the Old Testament, we cannot forget to look for
Christ in its pages. Jesus does not first appear in the pages of the New Testament in the opening chapters of the Gospels; he was present before creation, at creation, and throughout all of history.
God’s Curse and Mercy
Read the remainder of chapter 3, but we will come back and look at more of the details over the next few weeks
.
Genesis 3:8–24
? How did Adam and Eve respond to hearing God walking in the garden?
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? What question did God ask of Adam?
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? Was God unaware of Adam’s location?
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? Why did God ask Adam where he was if he already knew?
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? What question did God ask in verse 11?
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? Did God know the answer to the question?
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? How did Adam respond to God’s question about his obedience?
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? How did Eve respond to God’s question to her?
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? In general, how did God act toward these three parties?
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? We said earlier that the serpent was acting as a mouthpiece for Satan.
Looking at verses 14 and 15, how is that distinction present in the curse?
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? As God pronounced the curse on the serpent, what does verse 15 say
about the future?
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? How should we understand the imagery of offspring/seed in this verse?
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? What will the Seed (offspring) of the woman do to the serpent?
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? What truth about humanity is clearly stated in verse 20?
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? After pronouncing the curses, God expelled the couple from the garden.
But before that, what else did he do for Adam and Eve before kicking
them out?
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? Was it necessary for God to punish the sin of Adam and Eve?
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? If God made tunics of skin, where did he get the skins?
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? How had Adam and Eve tried to cover up their shame of being naked?
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Hebrews 9:22
? What does Hebrews 9:22 add to our understanding of God’s killing of the
animals?
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? Why do we refer to this event as the fall?
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Discover the Truth
Adam had been told that he would die when he ate of the fruit of the tree— when he disobeyed God’s command. This included both physical death and spiritual death—spiritual separation from God. Adam died spiritually immediately when he sinned, and his fellowship with God was corrupted. But the promise of physical death was ultimately fulfilled more than 900 years later when Adam died and returned to the dust he was made from.
God displayed his mercy when he covered the sin of Adam with a sacrificial animal. God could have rightly given Adam the wages of his sin—death—immediately, but he allowed a substitute to stand in Adam’s place. Ultimately, the substitute would be the Seed of the woman who would take the penalty for Adam’s sin—Jesus.
It is remarkable that even this early on we see glimpses of God’s grace, and how his gospel, or good news, is woven together throughout all of Scripture. Even when people first rebelled against God, he provided for them. Throughout Scripture, there is a concept called atonement that is taught. In Scripture, atonement is the reconciliation of the relationship between people and God. God and his people are thought of as being at one with him (thinking of “at-onement” is a way some people remember the meaning of the word).
In the Old Testament, animals were used to represent atonement, as they were sacrificed in place of the people. All of this foreshadowed Christ’s ultimate, once-and-for-all atonement on the cross. He died for his people so that they do not experience any condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1). Atonement is described by the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 3:18 when he tells us that “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put
to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” It was God’s merciful provision of a substitute that offered Adam hope. This is the same hope that the Apostle Paul spoke of in Romans 5:19 when he said, “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”
Connect to the Truth
? What are the four phrases that describe when God had planned to
redeem mankind?
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God knew before he created the world that Adam would rebel against him, but he created mankind anyway. Not only that, but the triune Godhead had a plan to redeem mankind. The Father would send the Son to bear his wrath against sin, and then he would credit Christ’s righteousness to those who repent and trust in him and send the Holy Spirit to dwell in them, sealing their redemption. The gospel was not “Plan B.”
What a gracious and merciful God to provide a way for those who have rebelled against him—that includes each of us as we have sinned in Adam and individually—to be restored to a right relationship with him! This should give us great hope in what God has done for us and give us a great reason to praise him for his kindness extended to us before we
were even born. (Consider reading Romans 5:6–11 to emphasize this point.)
Application
God created a perfect world where Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect relationship with God. He provided everything they needed and had forbidden them from eating only of one tree. Eve was deceived when Satan, speaking through the serpent, questioned the words of God. Adam ate of the fruit after his wife and willfully rebelled against God. Rather than carrying out immediate justice for their rebellion, God was merciful and covered their sin and shame with a sacrificial animal. This foreshadowed the sacrifices that would cover the sins of people until the Lamb of God would come as the final sacrifice to take away the sins of the world. The scarlet thread of the coming Messiah who will eventually come to crush the head of the serpent is woven throughout the narratives of the Old Testament. The gospel message is not isolated to the New Testament—its foundation is in Genesis, and we see glimpses of it throughout the 4,000 years that passed until the Messiah was born in a humble state in Bethlehem. Born as the Seed of a woman, Jesus Christ crushed Satan on the cross and bore the wrath of God for those of Adam’s race. His resurrection demonstrates that he has conquered death, and his sending of the Holy Spirit empowers us to live a life of holiness in a corrupted world. One day, those who have trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins will live forever with him in the new heaven and the new earth where the curse has been removed and the perfection of the original creation is restored. This is the hope that every Christian has and the hope that we have the privilege of sharing with a world full of people that are still in rebellion against their Creator.
? How is the question that Satan asked Eve in Genesis 3:1 still found
in our world today?
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? Many people, even some who claim to be Christians, will make the claim
that God did not know Adam and Eve would sin when he created them.
How could you use the Bible to demonstrate the flaw in their thinking?
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? If you were discussing the gospel with someone and they said that God
was too harsh in cursing Adam and Eve for eating a piece of fruit, how
would you respond to help them understand the gravity of the situation?
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? Adam and Eve tried to cover up their sin by sewing leaves together.
This was an attempt at self-atonement—trying to cover up their own
sins. God stepped in to provide a proper atonement according to his
prescription and plan. In what ways do we try to cover our own sins
today, even though we know Christ has already paid for them?
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Group Prayer Time
• Praise God for providing a sacrifice to take away our sins.
• Ask God to embolden each person to share the gospel with others.
• Thank God for his mercy in pardoning us from our sin.
Addition Request:
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Scriptural Background
What was life like before the fall of man? Can we even imagine it? Probably not. However, there are some clues in Scripture that help us understand a bit about life in a perfect world.
First of all, there was no death. Death came as a result of Adam’s sin (Romans 5:12) and is called an enemy that God will one day destroy (1 Corinthians 15:25–26). Second, the earth that God created was “very good” (Genesis 1:31; Deuteronomy 32:4). There were no hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, or other destructive events. God upheld his creation perfectly. Third, man and the animals were vegetarian (Genesis 1:29–30). No animals ate other animals, and Adam and Eve did not eat meat. In fact, permission to eat meat did not come until after the Genesis flood (Genesis 9:1–3). Finally, Adam and Eve had a perfect relationship with their Creator. He spoke with them, and they experienced unbroken fellowship with God.
The day that Adam and Eve disobeyed their Creator has been called the saddest day in the history of the universe. God had given them a perfect creation— no death, disease, or suffering. They had been given dominion over the animals and were told to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). However, Eve was tempted by the serpent (Satan) and ate the fruit that God had forbidden them to eat. Adam joined her in her rebellion, and the world has never been the same.
As a result of their disobedience, God punished the serpent (Genesis 3:14), the woman (Genesis 3:16), and the man (Genesis 3:17). The serpent was cursed more than all the beasts; he would crawl on his belly and eat dust. And, in a spiritual sense, one day Satan’s head would be crushed by the Seed of the woman—Jesus (Genesis 3:15)! The woman was subjected to increased pain in childbirth and the desire to rule over her husband (Genesis 3:16). The ground was cursed on account of the man; it would now bring forth thorns and thistles, and with difficulty man would eat of its fruit (Genesis 3:17–18). Man would now die: “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out
of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19).
The fall and the subsequent curse brought disaster to God’s very good creation. We are now experiencing the futility, the groans, and the pains of a universe subject to darkness because of sin (Romans 8:19–20).
We are all affected by the fall, not only by the curse God placed on the universe but also by sin. Because every human is a descendant of Adam and Eve, we are born with the same sin nature found in Adam (Romans 3:23). Consequently, we are all bound by the curse and must endure the distress, pain, suffering, disease, and natural disasters that accompany it. But that is not the end of the story. For we know that Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, has overcome death (1 Corinthians 15:54–55). And all who repent of their sins and turn to Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness will be redeemed to enjoy eternity in the perfectly restored universe—a universe that promises the end of death, mourning, crying, and pain
(Revelation 21:4). We eagerly await this with hopeand expectation of finally seeing our Savior face to face (Job 19:26–27).
Historical/Apologetics Background
The account of the fall often presents controversy. One controversial issue involves animals. If everything was perfectly peaceful in the garden, as Genesis 1 and 2 indicate, then why are so many animals today equipped with features and structures that seem suited for attacking, tearing, killing, and eating? Scripture tells us that animals were originally vegetarian (Genesis 1:29–30). So, how did they acquire their ability to kill? Where did these defense/ attack structures come from?
Creationists have suggested several answers that make sense and fit within the biblical text:
• Originally, these features had a good purpose, but as the environment changed, the purpose for these features had to change as well.
• God added new features to creatures at the curse so they would be able to withstand the onslaught of violence provoked by sin.
• Although not necessary in a perfect world, God designed the original creatures with the features they would need to live in the fallen world God knew was coming.
God placed designs for these features in the genes of the original creatures, but they did not become active until after the curse.
While we do not know exactly how the animals acquired these defense/attack structures, we do know this: according to God’s Word, animals will once again get along with each other and with man (Isaiah 11:6–7). This will happen at a time called the consummation.
The history of the Bible can be divided into three great periods: the pre-fall world, the post-fall world, and the consummation.
The pre-fall world: God’s original creation was perfect—no sin, no disease, no death. And Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect relationship with one another and with their Creator. Because our present sin cursed world is riddled with decay and death, it is hard to even imagine the pre-fall world!
The post-fall world: The fall of man and subsequent curse of Genesis 3 affected the entire creation. This is why the Apostle Paul describes our present world as “groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Romans 8:22). The creation is broken; it is in “bondage to corruption” (Romans 8:21). Sin, disease, carnivory, natural disasters, and death are the course of this present world—“red in tooth and claw,” as Tennyson wrote. The sin in the garden of Eden affected the whole cosmos.
The consummation: At the consummation, when Christ shall return as Judge and King, the curse will be removed. God will sum up all things in Christ, putting all enemies under his feet, and death itself will be destroyed. The new heaven and new earth will be a return to Eden-like agricultural fruitfulness (Ezekiel 47:12; Revelation 22:1–3) and to perfect harmony in human relationships (1 Corinthians 13:8-12), in animal life (Isaiah 11:6–8), and in everything under the rule of the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus. Earth will receive her King, and all will be restored. What a glorious hope we have!
Studying God’s Word
Introduction
In our last lesson, we began our look at the corruption that entered into God’s perfect creation. We saw that Adam rebelled against God’s command and ate the fruit after Satan deceived Eve. Because God is just, he must punish sin. However, he showed mercy to Adam and Eve by covering their sin with the skins of an animal. This was a foreshadowing of the blood sacrifice which was used to cover mankind’s sin until the Perfect Lamb who would come to take away the sins of the world offered himself on the cross.
Adam and Eve had tried to cover up their sin and shame with some leaves, but their efforts were insufficient, and God stepped in to cover their sin. We often act the same way, trying to make up for our sins by praying more or serving more in order to please God, or by doing other good works. We have to remember that Christ was the perfect sacrifice for sin—once and for all—and that we cannot add to that work. God’s grace and mercy are the basis of our standing before him. He planned to redeem us before he even created us, and we can find great comfort in knowing that Christ has covered our sins.
We are going to look at the effects of Adam’s fall and the curse which God pronounced on his creation as the result of sin, as well as the future hope of those effects being reversed when God restores the creation.
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A Cursed Creation Activity
Connect to the Truth
Study the various aspects of the curse from the following list:
• The curse on the serpent included parts aimed at the serpent (crawling on belly
and eating dust) and parts aimed at Satan (enmity/hatred between the offspring
of Satan and the woman, and a Savior who would eventually bruise/crush
Satan’s head). The curse is split into two different aspects directed at two different
creatures. We will see similar layering of prophecy as we move through the Bible.
• Eve’s punishment included increased pain in childbirth and a desire to rule over
her husband.
• Adam’s sentence included hard labor to produce food from the ground and his
eventual death (returning to dust).
• The ground was cursed and would now bear thorns and thistles.
• Since the serpent was cursed “above” the other animals, we can infer some sort
of curse on all animals, even though the details are not spelled out.
Understanding the effects and extent of the fall is essential if we are
to understand the nature of the world that we live in and the nature of
mankind and the relationships between people and God.
One major effect of the fall and God’s curse is the tension in the
relationship between husband and wife. In Genesis 3:16, Eve is told that
her desire will be contrary to her husband and that he will rule over her.
? What authority structure did God establish at the creation of Adam and
Eve?
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Since the fall, women have the desire to be in control in the marriage, and husbands have a tendency to not be the leaders that God has called them to be. Only the gospel can reverse this condition. With the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, we can overcome these sinful tendencies and live a life worthy of the calling of Christ. When we try to
do this apart from Christ, we fail.
God cast the couple out of the garden. He did this to prevent them from continuing to eat the fruit of the tree of life; it was also a sign of their broken fellowship with God.
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No Death before Sin
Another impact of the fall was on the food supply. This might seem like
a trivial issue, but it ties into a very important concept—the connection
between death and sin.
Genesis 1:29–31
? What did God command Adam and Eve to eat after he had created them
and called them to rule over the earth?
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? What did God command the animals to eat?
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? How did God describe the condition of his creation immediately after
giving this command?
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? Let’s look at a cross-reference as we seek to let Scripture interpret
Scripture. What does Deuteronomy 32:4 tell us about God’s works?
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? How would you summarize the diet of everything God had created?
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? If we accept evolutionary thinking—that animals evolved—were animals
and man vegetarian as they were evolving?
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? Assuming that God used evolution to create the world, and that animals
were eating one another and man eating animals, would they have been
obeying God’s command to eat only plants?
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? If the animals and man were disobeying his command to eat only a
vegetarian diet, would God have called this “very good”?
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? The fossil record contains much evidence of death, suffering, disease,
and destruction such as cancer and animals eating one another. Would
God call these things “very good”?
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Discover the Truth
This idea of a vegetarian diet is confirmed in Genesis 3 when God told Adam that he was to eat the “plants of the field” in the sweat of his labor (Genesis 3:17–19). Adam would also be fighting against the thorns and thistles that were a part of the curse on the ground. God had provided food from the garden, but he was, in essence, saying, “Go plant your own
garden, you rebel!”
Genesis 9:1–3
Another important passage that confirms this idea is found when God
addressed Noah after the flood. This is the first time that man was allowed to eat animals (but probably not the beginning of rebellious people eating meat). God says very clearly that he had given them herbs before. If there was not an earlier command to eat only herbs, then this allowance to eat meat is nonsensical.
This raises some interesting questions from skeptics of the biblical view—why did T. rex have giant teeth? Why do snakes have venom? Why do armadillos need protective plates?
Creationists have suggested several answers to explain these defense/ attack structures that make sense and fit within the biblical text:
• Originally, these features had a good purpose, but as the environment changed, the purpose for these features changed as well.
• God added new features to creatures at the curse so that they would be able to withstand the onslaught of violence provoked by sin.
• Although unnecessary in a perfect world, God designed the original creatures with the features they would need to live in the fallen world that God knew was coming.
• God placed designs for these features in the genes of the original creatures, but they did not become active until after the curse.
Isaiah 11:6–7
While we do not know exactly how the animals acquired these defense/ attack structures, this we do know: according to God’s Word—our final authority—animals were originally vegetarian, and one day they will once again get along with each other and with man as it states in Isaiah 11:6–7. Read the passage which talks about a future state of restoration.
A Groaning Creation
Romans 8:19–22
? What does “the creation” refer to?
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? What is the creation waiting for?
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? Why is it waiting for this event?
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? How did the creation come to be futile?
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? How is the creation acting in light of its curse?
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? In light of this passage, how much of the creation is suffering under the
curse?
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? If the whole creation has been impacted by the curse, how much of the
creation needs to be redeemed?
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Revelation 21:1–5
? What does this passage tell us about the extent of the reversal of the
curse?
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? What parts of the curse are specifically mentioned in this passage?
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? If death, disease, and suffering have always been part of God’s creation,
from an evolutionary perspective, does it make sense that this would
be reversed as part of the result of Adam’s sin?
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Discover the Truth
If death, disease, and suffering were part of God’s “very good” creation from the beginning, the reversal of those aspects of the creation seems to be a bit backward. Why would God reverse something that was very good?
The fact that there was a fall of mankind shows that there was a previously perfect creation and the need to restore it to that perfect state. If the creation is to be restored to its original condition, that original condition could not have included the death of animals or the suffering we see from diseases and natural disasters.
When we talked about the Seven C’s of History, we called the final C—which is actually a future event—the Consummation. God has promised to reverse the curse that mankind brought into the world through sin. That future state—a new heaven and new earth—is compared to the past condition. If that past state included death and suffering and earthquakes and tsunamis, we can expect the future state to include those things, too.
Paul tells us that death is an enemy who will finally be destroyed in the consummation (1 Corinthians 15:26). If death was God’s tool to bring about the different kinds of life on the Earth, it cannot be called an enemy.
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Application
To recap, Adam’s fall impacted everything in creation. From the death that would come to Adam—and every person—to the death of animals, beginning with those that were used to cover Adam and Eve’s sin, the entire creation is now groaning under the effects of sin.
We must remember that the judgment of the curse reflects God’s character. Because he is a holy and just God, he must punish sin. If he did not, he could not claim to be just. A just judge (Psalm 7:11) cannot turn a blind eye to sin.
? How does God demonstrate his mercy toward sinners?
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? We have been using the phrases “the fall” and “the curse” throughout
this lesson and others to refer to the events of Genesis 3. What things
do we need to watch out for as we speak to one another and others
with this type of biblical jargon?
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? To be fair, many people who claim to be followers of Christ and accept
evolutionary teachings have never thought through these issues. What
approach might you use to demonstrate the inconsistency in this type of
thinking?
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? What assurance do you find in thinking about the future consummation,
knowing that the original creation of God was perfect and included no
death or suffering?
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? How can an understanding of the nature and extent of the fall help you
to understand the evil that exists in the world?
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? How can understanding the fall help you find comfort when you face
a situation like cancer, the death of a child, or the chaos of a tornado
striking your town?
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? How could you use that knowledge to proclaim the gospel to someone
you know who is facing those trials without Christ as their Savior?
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Prayer Time
• Praise God for providing a way to restore the brokenness that came
through our sin.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to convict the students of sin in their lives and give
them boldness to share the hope of Christ with those who are lost.
• Thank Jesus for offering himself as a sacrifice on our behalf.
Additional request:
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Scriptural Background
Our God is the Creator and Sustainer of all the universe—everything we have comes from him, and it all belongs to him. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). “The sea is his, for he made it; and his hands formed the dry land” (Psalm 95:5). “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). “For every beast of the
forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10). “Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast” (Psalm 119:90). God’s creation clearly brings him glory, and he rejoices in his works (Psalm 104:31). We can rejoice, too, in God’s graciousness to us each day as we appreciate the beauty and wonder around us. However, we must be diligent to respect this world because it does not belong to us.
When God created the world, it was perfect—it was all very good (Genesis 1:31). Man and all of creation lived together without any stress in a harmonious environment. But God did provide a hierarchy of authority. He intended that Adam and Eve be the ones to tend the garden and keep it (Genesis 2:15). He instructed them to multiply and fill the earth and to have dominion over it and all of its creatures (Genesis 1:28). This “Dominion Mandate” ordained by God gives all of us, as the heirs of Adam, a special responsibility—to care for God’s earth with diligence and concern from a biblical perspective.
What this means, however, is not always easily determined. Because of the high profile of this issue, you will come across many strong opinions. God did create resources for man to use to sustain life. But we find today those who want to abuse the resources out of greed and selfishness, causing needless loss and destruction in other areas. We see also the overly
enthusiastic conservationists who appear to worship the creation more than the Creator—clearly a position not ordained by God (Romans 1:25). What we need to remember is to consult the full counsel of God’s Word in these matters. Because this is a sin cursed world, we must weigh each specific decision in this area based on the circumstances and the expected results of that decision while asking the question, “How does this line up with biblical principles?”
As you consider this issue, remember that Solomon in all his wisdom reminds us that there is a time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, a time to keep and a time to cast away (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8).
Ultimately, this is an area that must be covered in prayer and balanced carefully between abuse of God’s creation and environmental idolatry. It is God’s creation. He made it, and he will destroy it by the Word of his mouth at his appointed time (2 Peter 3:7). Meanwhile, he has promised to preserve it: “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22)
Historical/Apologetics Background
Today the big issue surrounding the earth’s environment is global warming, or climate change. We are barraged with claims and facts that may leave us more confused than ever. There appear to be five recurring claims. We’ll take a quick look at those here.
Claim #1: Global warming is really happening. Yes, this is true. According to the National Climatic Data Center, the average global sur face temperature has risen approximately 1.2°F (0.7°C) since 1880. We do not know exactly what has caused this warming.
Claim #2: Humans are causing global warming. Again, it seems to be true that the addition of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by man’s activities has increased the global temperature. However, the carbon dioxide
(CO2) in the atmosphere is not the sole cause of this warming. And it has been determined that the warmer climate itself can actually produce more CO2 — giving a distorted measure of the cause and effect of CO2 in the atmosphere. It has also been determined that the changes in atmospheric CO2 do not always correlate well with changes in the earth’s temperature. For example, between the years 1910 and 1940, the temperature of the earth rose at a higher rate than did the levels of CO2 found in the atmosphere.
Claim #3: Global warming will cause the extinction of animals. First of all, many animals became extinctlong before the issue of global warming was considered, and species continue to go extinct. The woolly mammoth and the Miohippus (a
small, three-toed, woodland horse) are examples of animals found in the fossil record that are extinct today. Although there are predictions that many animals will become extinct by 2050 due to climate change, currently there are no documented extinctions resulting from global warming.
Claim #4: The oceans will rise dramatically in the next century. There is no hard scientific evidence currently available to back up this prediction.
Claim #5: Global warming will cause more weather catastrophes than normal. Again, there is not sufficient evidence to make this claim. In fact, there are conflicting reports. Some blame global warming for an increase in hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures, while other studies have determined that global warming is not to blame. From a biblical perspective, we know that we live in a world that is far from perfect and is groaning from the effects of sin (Romans 8:22). We also know that the earth has been established by God, its future lies in his hands, and he has made us its caretakers. We have no idea how long the earth will last. But because of the credibility of God’s Word, we can be sure that the earth will be purged by fire in the future (2 Peter 3:10–12)—not destroyed because of CO2 emissions.
Studying God’s Word
? Can recycling become idolatry?
(MULTILINE)
Take notes as you study the following passages.
Dominion
Genesis 1:26–31
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Genesis 2:15
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Genesis 2:19–20
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Stewards of God’s Creation Activity
Complete the Stewards of God’s Creation worksheet.
Take notes as you study the following passage
Climate Change
Genesis 8:20–9:3
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Application
? 1. How can we reach out with the hope of Christ to people who
honor Mother Nature as some sort of deity?
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? 2. How can we make the biblical case for using the earth’s
resources for our benefit?
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? 3. What are the dangers of becoming too involved as a church in environmental causes?
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? 4. How can we use Scripture to share the truth of global warming
with those who have genuine fears about it?
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? 5. The media is constantly presenting messages that promote
worship of the creation rather than the Creator. How do we
guard ourselves against these false influences?
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Prayer Requests
- Praise God for his faithful character.
- Ask God for opportunities to communicate the truth to those who worship the creation rather than the Creator.
- Thank God for allowing us to be stewards of his creation.
- Other Request: (MULTILINE)
Scriptural Background
So, now that you’ve read the key passages for this lesson, is your head spinning? We often rush through the genealogies of the Bible, laughing at our inability to pronounce the difficult names. But this time, take note of the details given in these two chapters. Genesis 5 recounts the 10 generations before the flood; Genesis 11 lists the 10 generations after the flood. When God includes such specific details, he intends for us to take notice.
Unlike a genealogy that simply lists the order of lineage, these passages contain ages and enough detail for the reader to determine the time span. They serve as “birth certificates” and allow us to calculate the time from Adam to Abraham. Each generation builds on the one before it, so we can add the years together to determine when Adam was created
and the approximate age of the earth.
As we add up the years from Adam to Abraham, we get approximately 2,000 years. Historically, Christian and non-Christian historians alike agree that Abraham lived about 2,000 years before Christ. If we add the 2,000 years that have passed since Jesus’ birth, we get an accurate age of roughly 6,000 years.
Were there billions of years that passed before Adam was created? No! The Bible says that Adam was created on the sixth day of creation (Genesis 1:26, 31) and that God created at the “beginning” (Genesis 1:1). Jesus himself confirmed his belief in the creation account when he acknowledged that Adam and Eve were created at “the beginning of creation” (Mark 10:6).
In an attempt to make the universe older than it is, many Christians and non-Christians will say there are gaps in the genealogies recorded in Genesis. They argue that the word fathered (or begat in some translations) allows for generation skipping. However, the Hebrew word for begat (yalad) means a literal father/son relationship. Nowhere in the Old Testament is yalad used in any other way than to mean a single-generation (father/ son or mother/daughter) relationship.
The genealogies are important to our history and should be read just as they are written. They are given to us
to verify that the Bible is real history and that we are all descendants of a real man, Adam. We can trust these
genealogies to give us accurate information because they are a part of the infallible, inerrant Word of God.
Historical/Apologetics Background
The belief that scientists have “proved” the earth to be billions of years old is a major reason many in the church have abandoned the biblical account of creation. However, contrary to popular belief, radiometric dating does not prove the earth is old.
All radiometric dating methods are based on the rate that radioactive elements decay in the rocks. Geologists refer to “parent” elements in rock decaying to “daughter” elements in the rock. By measuring how much “parent” and “daughter” elements are in a specimen, scientists try to calculate how old it is.
However, these methods are based on assumptions that are neither testable nor provable. These old-earth geologists come up with faulty dates because they are relying on the faulty assumptions below.
• The assumption that we know the starting conditions of these rocks—particularly the ratio of parent atoms to daughter atoms in the rocks to begin with. No one can definitively explain the starting conditions because no one was there when they were formed. It is impossible to know the ratio when the rock was formed, so secular scientists assume there was 100% parent and no daughter.
• The assumption that all of the daughter atoms found in a rock were formed from the parent atoms in the same rock. We have no way of knowing for sure that all of the daughter atoms in a rock came from parent atoms in the same rock.
Contamination of some sort, from ground water, for example, could add or eliminate parent and/or daughter atoms to the rock, making any dating of this type unreliable.
• The assumption that the rate of decay has always been constant. This is a dangerous assumption because we weren’t there when the rock formed, and we don’t know if the rate of decay has been the same over thousands of years.
In addition to these assumptions, there are documented examples of inaccurate radiometric dating. The following are just a few examples.
• A sample of the lava dome in the Mount St. Helens crater (that had been observed to form and cool in 1986) was analyzed in 1996. It contained so much argon-40 (daughter atoms) that it had a calculated “age” of 350,000 years!
• Lava flows on the sides of Mt. Ngauruhoe, New Zealand, known to be less than 50 years old, yielded radiometric “ages” of up to 3.5 million years.
• The same basalt flows on the top of Grand Canyon were tested using three different dating methods. The “ages” calculated were 916 million years, 1.143 billion years, and 2.6 billion years!
For centuries Christians have believed that God created the world in six literal days roughly 4,000 years before Jesus’ birth and that he judged the world by destroying it in the flood of Noah’s day. It is only over the last 250 years that questions about the Bible’s record of time have arisen. Why? Christians and non-Christians swayed by the words of men began to try to fit billions of years of earth history into the Bible. The anti-biblical, philosophical assumptions that
were used to interpret rocks and fossils threw the door wide open for doubting, manipulating, and questioning God’s Word.
Even before the technology of radiometric dating was available, the shift in belief from the young earth to the faulty old-earth theories invented by man was leading to the idea of Darwinian evolution. Consequently, an avalanche of anti-biblical science appeared on the scene. It wasn’t long before many church leaders began to embrace the old-age theories and made efforts to fit the ages into the Bible. Today, placing man’s knowledge above what Scripture says has become commonplace. Sadly, interpretations of science and tradition often influence Christians more than Scripture itself.
If we are unable to take the book of Genesis—which includes God’s detailed genealogy account—as documented history, then how are we to believe the rest of the Bible? God’s Word unmistakably teaches a young earth and universe. God has ensured the accurate recording and preservation of his eyewitness account of the earth’s history, which Jesus endorsed repeatedly during his earthly ministry. We must have confidence in what God has revealed to us in his Word
and not allow man’s ideas to cause us to reinterpret it or compromise it in any way. We dare not presume to know more than the Creator God.
Studying God’s Word
? Does the age of the earth matter?
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Chronogenealogies
Genesis 5:1–11
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Genesis 11:10–26
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1 Chronicles 1:17–27
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Luke 3:34–38
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Calculating Earth’s Age Activity
Complete the Calculating Earth’s Age worksheet
Long Life Spans
Genesis 5
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Application
? 1. In what areas of our culture do the questions about the age of
the earth typically get asked?
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? 2. As we think about the vast difference in the descriptions of the
age of the earth—6,000 versus 4.5 billion—how is this debate
primarily a debate about the authority of Scripture?
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? 3. What should our goal be in a conversation with an unbeliever
about the age of the earth?
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? 4. How could you use the passages we looked at today to help
answer the questions of those who doubt the Bible’s authority
on the issue of the age of the earth?
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? 5. Because you are standing on God’s Word, how might you expect
to suffer for Christ’s sake when this issue is raised?
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Prayer Requests
- Praise God for his wisdom.
- Thank God for the truths in his Word and the ability to study his world.
- Ask God for wisdom in understanding how to discuss these ideas with skeptics and how to point them to the hope of Christ.
- Other Request (MULTILINE)