Lesson Wrap-up

I need to start by thanking Beth for giving me all that extra time this morning. Secondly, I need to thank the rest of you for all the additional extra time I took from you. It was just one of those lessons - so much to read, so much to say, so much to show - didn't want to save it for another day.

For those of you who are not in the Genesis class, today we got through the flood and finished with that strange story of Noah and his sons, at the end of Genesis 9. We won't go through the Table of Nations, name by name, but we did mention it and will start up with the Tower of Babel in Genesis 10 next week.

As we move away from Noah, I wanted to just give you a few of my wrap-up thoughts that I ran out of time for this morning. (Do I not talk fast enough or what is up with that?) There are a lot of biblical parallels between the coming Day of the Lord, where Christ returns for His people to gather them to Himself and bring the wrath of His Father upon the world and what happened at the flood. Don't miss the fact that the sin of man brought destruction upon the world at the flood. What the earth experienced was the wrath of God, in water form. Water is a highly destructive power - we all can attest to the damage on a very small scale that water can do to our homes and our properties (right Laurie?). God's wrath literally destroyed the world and reshaped it, and after the flood, everything changed.

Then He promised never to destroy the world again with water. The key to that phrase is the words "with water." He's going to destroy the world again, just not with water. We do have water damage in the world - flooding, hurricanes, typhoons, etc. but the entire world will not be completely devastated by a flood again.

No, the next time He'll use fire.

II Peter 3:4-7 begins, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." This is what the world says today - we, as believers, can warn the world of pending judgment, just as Noah did, and their response is disbelief and mocking. It goes on to say, "For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded by water." In other words, when the world laughs at our assertion that Jesus is coming back with judgment, they miss the fact that God created the world from the very words of His mouth and that He re-formed the world with water during the flood. Literal creation and a world-wide flood are widely rejected today, not only outside the church but within.

The passage ends by saying, "But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." Judgment is coming, ladies. Just as God clearly warned Noah and told him exactly what He was going to do, He has warned us and told us exactly what He is going to do.

There are many similarities between Noah's time and ours with one GIGANTIC difference. God has shown favor to a lot more people than just one. I cannot imagine what Noah's life was like before the flood, during the flood or even after. I am so thankful for the body of Christ that is with me to walk through this corrupt world. It breaks my heart day after day to see the God of the universe trampled upon by the evil thoughts and intents of men, but then I realize that there, but for the grace of God, go I. I am those sinners but for the grace of God.

Thank you, Lord, for removing the blinders and saving me. May I boldly proclaim your plan for the world and may I cry from the rooftops that your judgment is coming. Salvation is in your hands, Lord. Obedience is my calling.

Hope you all enjoyed Noah and I trust you will find time to look at the homework this week. May you be blessed by your time in the Word.

Kristen