Lesson 5 Review: All Nations and Babel

 

Introduction

Memory Text: “Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the earth”(Genesis 11:9, NKJV).

His father cursed Canaan, the son of Ham; there was also a curse from God that confused the language of man. These curses, however, turn out to be a blessing because first, it is through the subduing of that Shem will inherit Canaan and be a blessing to the rest of the nations would be blessed and by confusing the language of man the whole earth will be filled.

What is the parallel between Noah’s act in the vineyard and Adam’s act in the garden?

Adam and Noah both ate of the fruit, resulting in nakedness, then a covering, a curse, a blessing.

Why does the curse of Ham not justify the theories of racism?

The prophecy was restricted to Canaan, Ham’s son. The Biblical author has in mind some of the corrupt practices of the Canaanites and it is a gross theological mistake and ethical crime to think that this text justifies racist theories.

What are the functions of the genealogy in the Bible?

First, it emphasizes the historical nature of the biblical events, which are related to real people who lived and died and whose days are precisely numbered. Second, it demonstrates the continuity from antiquity to the contemporary time of the writer. Third, it reminds us of human fragility and of the tragic effects of sin’s curse and its deadly results on all generations that followed.

Why were the people of Babel so keen to achieve unity?

They were so keen to achieve unity because they doubted the promises of God, they believed that the flood was from a natural cause and they desired to achieve unity to prevent the effect of another flood. Their keenness to achieve unity shows a desire to take the place of God. God said in the beginning, “Let Us…” the people of Babel said “let us build…”. Building the tower to reach to the heavens, and their plans to avoid been scattered abroad on the face of the earth all support the fact that they wanted an autonomy of their own.

What does God’s coming down to meet the people of Babel teach us?

God’s coming down to meet us teaches us first that no matter how much we try to be more than God, God is still superior to us, while men built the tower up to meet God, God descended to see them. It also points to the fact that whatever we do cannot save us, it is only God’s actions that is able to save us.

Why is God’s dispersion redemptive?

God confusing their language was to redeem man back to the initial design and blessing, which is to “multiply and fill the earth”.

What crucial reason caused the men of Babel to stick together to build the tower?

They sought to “make a name for themselves”, a powerful indication of their arrogance and pride.

In Conclusion,

The event of the tower of Babel was in total defiance of what God intended for man, they did not only go against God’s blessings to “be fruitful and multiply” they also sought to make a name for themselves, which caused God to confuse their language. In many ways, we seek to make a name for ourselves and claim glory for ourselves but God is forever supreme. I pray that we glorify God in our lives and not seek to make a name for ourselves in Jesus’ name.

Lesson 4 Review: The Flood

 

Introduction

Memory Text: “ ‘But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be’ “ (Matthew 24:37, NKJV).

The world was full of evil continually and it caused God to regret that He had created man, but in His regrets, there were elements of Salvation. God’s response to the wickedness has two sides, it contains the threat to justice, leading to destruction for some, and yet His promises contain promises of comfort and mercy leading to salvation, as well, for others.

Why did Noah act obediently and faithfully to God?

Noah “found grace in the eyes of the Lord” and this is why his response to God was in faith and obedience.

Why does the description of the Flood remind us of the creation account and what lesson is there?

There are many parallels in the flood and creation, they help reveal that the God who creates is the same God who destroys. Some of the common words include: “seven” (Gen.7:2, 3, 4, 10 & Gen. 2:1-3), “male and female” (Gen. 7:2, 3, 9, 16 & Gen. 1:27), “after its kind” (Gen. 7:14 & Gen. 1: 11, 12, 21, 24, 25), “beasts,” “birds,” “creeping things” (Gen. 7:8, 14, 21, 23 & Gen. 1:24, 25) and “breath of life” (Gen. 7:15, 22 & Gen. 2:7). The event of the flood also prefigures the future salvation of the world at the end of time.

What does it mean that God remembered Noah?

The word “remember” means that God had not forgotten. Remember refers to the fulfillment of God’s promise and it often refers to salvation.

What did Noah do first when he got out of the ark?

He offered burnt sacrifices in thankfulness to God for saving Him.

How did the flood affect the human diet?

The flood affected the human diet because plant food was no longer available as it used to be hence God allowed Man to eat animal flesh, thereby affecting the relationship between man and animals.

What is the basis for God’s commitment to preserve life and how does God fulfill the commitment?

God’s commitment to preserving life was an act of grace and not a result of human merits as Man was evil. God was giving humanity a chance to start over.

How does the sign of the covenant, the rainbow relate to the sign of the covenant, the Sabbath?

Like the Sabbath, the rainbow is firstly the sign of the covenant. The rainbow has a universal scope as the Sabbath. Just as the Sabbath as a sign of creation is for everyone, everywhere the promise that no other worldwide flood will come is for everyone, everywhere as well.

In Conclusion,

God regretted the fact that He created man but in His regret, there were elements of mercy and grace. Also in response to God’s grace upon Noah, He obeyed and trusted in God. God is a God of love, justice and wisdom and He is willing to save us though we are evil. I pray that we act obediently and faithfully to God and because His grace is sufficient for Us He will save us from the consequences of sin in Jesus’ name.

Lesson 3 Review: Cain and His Legacy

 

Introduction

Memory Text: "'If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it' " (Genesis 4:7, NKJV).

Adam and Eve after the fall saw these prophecies and predictions given to them play out. Cain was born to Adam and Eve and they may have thought of HIm as the seed God was referring to but after the crime of Cain, they became sure He wasn't Lamech too was born but made an error, Abel was killed, but amidst all these conflicts, all hope was not lost.

How did Adam and Eve see Cain and Abel?

Adam and Eve saw Cain as the Promised Son, they saw Him as the one through which they will be saved from the punishment of the knowledge of sin. Abel on the other hand is translated as Vapor, which is emptiness, vanity, and the like. They thought, however, that the promise will be fulfilled through Cain and not Abel.

Why did God accept Abel's offering and reject Cain's offering?

Cain's offering was rejected because there was no bloodshed, for without the shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin. However, we can also understand that Cain was trying to get please God by works because He acquired from tilling the ground, however, Cain only kept the sheep and He gave the best of Sheep as Sacrifice.

What is the process that took place before Cain killed his brother?

Cain was very angry and his countenance fell because his offering was not accepted. His anger may have been directed at God and Cain. However, God asked him questions to counsel Him from falling in Genesis 4:6 and God further told Him to exercise self-control over what is yet to happen.

Why does God ask the question, " Where is Abel your brother?"?

The question God asks Cain after his sin brings to memory the questioning by God to Adam and Eve after they sinned. As it was with Adam, these questions were a means to bring them all to the knowledge of what they have done but unlike Adam's answer when he was questioned for his sin, Cain's answer was in total defiance.

What is the connection between Cain's sin and him becoming " ' a fugitive and a vagabond ... on the earth ' "?

Abel is in the ground, a direct link back to the Fall and to what the Lord has said would happen to Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:19).

What is the significance of Cain's words that " 'I shall be hidden from Your face' "?

Cain knows that only God provides protection, and without God, he fears for his own life. Cain made the statement based on that, however, God showed mercy on him and provided him with protection lest any man should kill him.

What are the comparisons between Cain's sin and Lamech's sin?

While Cain keeps silent about His only recorded crime, Lamech boasts about his. Cain asked for God's mercy, it was not recorded that Lamech asked for it. While God will avenge Cain seven times for his crime, Lamech believes that God will avenge him seventy times. Lamech was also polygamous in contrast to what Cain was.

In Conclusion,

Cain was angry with his brother not necessarily because Abel his brother's sacrifice was better but because Cain was wicked. When we hurt the vertical relationship we have with God, we can also hurt the horizontal relationship we have with our brother. God seeing this counseled Cain against the looming evil. We too have in one way or the other done things that can hurt the relationship we have with God and this affects how we relate with our brethren, however, God is counseling us as He did to Cain, we can choose to either do well or not. I pray that we all heed God's voice so we can keep our relationship with God and enjoy all its benefits in Jesus' name.

Lesson 2 Review: The Fall

Introduction

Memory Text: “’And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel’” (Genesis 3:15, NKJV).

God gave man in the beginning everything good, but the knowledge of evil was kept away from man. However, disobedience led to Man’s fall, and the relationship was broken. Amidst this tragedy, God made a promise to save us from the consequences of our sins, which should lead to death, this hope is called, “protoevangelium” or “the first gospel promise.”

Who is the serpent?

The Serpent according to Isaiah 27:1 is the enemy of God and is explicitly called “the Devil and Satan” (Rev 12:9, NKJV). Likewise, in the ancient Near East, the serpent personified the power of evil.

What is the best defense against the deceptions of Satan?

The best defense we have against the deceptions of Satan is the word of God, it is the defense that Jesus used against Satan when He was tempted and it is only by it and God’s mercies that we can be saved from the deceptions of Satan.

What were Satan’s two arguments on the commandment of God?

Immortality of the Soul – God said in the day that man eats of the forbidden fruit He shall surely die, however, Satan contradicts this statement by saying, “…shall not surely die”

Being like God – God already made man be like Him, but the knowledge of evil was to be kept from them, but Satan argues thus “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Why did Adam and Eve feel the need to hide before God?

They felt the need to hide before God because they were naked, the glory of God that covered them had been taken away and because of this, they could not behold the face of God. 

Why did God ask the question “Where are you?”?

God asked the question for the benefit of the guilty, He wanted them to understand what they had done and also it was a means of bringing them to repentance.

How did Adam and Eve seek to justify their behavior?

They sought to do so by shifting blame, which did not justify what they had already done.

What hope is implied in Genesis 3:15?

The hope implied in Genesis 3:15 is the hope of redemption. Despite the troubles that the knowledge of evil may have brought on us, those troubles will be gone.

What happened to Adam and Eve and how were they supposed to find hope in all that had happened to them?

The knowledge of evil brought curses on the serpent and the ground, the woman would now go through painful childbearing and man would have to till the ground. However, there was hope in all of these, the woman’s painful childbearing was to be seen in a positive way of salvation, and the Seed that would come through her will bruise the head of the serpent.

In Conclusion,

Everything God created was good until man disobeyed God. This disobedience led to curses, but amidst this tragedy, God provided them hope, despite the fall, He did not give up on us. His will is for us to come to repentance, and by so doing we will be able to share in the Salvation God has prepared for us. I pray that we all share in this hope in Jesus’ name.