SACRED ALTARS AND HOLY GIFTS
Unit I - The Genesis of Altars and Sacrifices (5 lessons)
2. Noah Builds an Altar (lesson 2 of 5)
Daily Bible Meditations by Jasmine Lynch
Sunday, June 1: Genesis 6:11-22
It blows my mind how specific God was with His instructions to Noah. It is good to know that the God we serve is patient and did so much to save one family. That gives me confidence in serving Him. What an amazing relationship Noah developed with God. He was surrounded by evil people, yet he found grace in God's sight and was considered "perfect in his generations" (v.9, NKJV). As a result, God made a covenant with Noah (v.18) and invited him into obedience. Today, Jesus has made a covenant with us and charges us, "to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48, NLT).
Monday, June 2: John 6:15-20
Matthew's and Mark's accounts of this story tell us that Jesus instructed the disciples to cross the lake without Him. Their obedience led them right into a storm. And yet, in the midst of the storm, Jesus was with them. What storms are you going through now? Are they the result of obedience or disobedience? Did you go ahead of Jesus? It is good to know that when we leave Jesus behind in our journey, He catches up with us and rescues us when we are surrounded by the storms of life. He calms our fears when we recognize Him.
Tuesday, Juni 3: John 14:18-27
As I write, the 47th President of the United States will be sworn in after another divisive election cycle. The uncertainty caused by unrest in our world through elections and many other means can cause deep anxiety and lead to our hearts being troubled. As children of God, we can take comfort in Jesus' words, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you... Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (v.27, NKJV). The disciples were afraid and troubled, but were comforted when Jesus assured them that His Father would send them the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. That same Comforter is with us today and will guide us into all truth.
Wednesday, June 4: Genesis 7:11-24
Today, many question the prophecies of Revelation that predict the end of the world and the return of Jesus. The people of Noah's time rejected his predictions as well - laughing at him when he talked about a flood. They had never even experienced rain. The Sovereign God will do what He said He will do. Imagine how God spoke to the animals and all living creatures as He guided them to the ark. Noah did not have to go round them up. Even when the people saw such an unusual event happening, they did not repent. What events are taking place now that are predicted in God's Word? Are you ignoring them?
Thursday, June 5: 2 Peter 2:1-9
These nine verses remind us of God's judgment, by citing a litany of events where God prevailed over the unrighteous: the angels in heaven who sinned, the world in Noah's time, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Peter reminded the new Christians that there would be false prophets and teachers who, through covetousness, would exploit them. Looking at current events, this could have been written today. We can take heart, for just as God delivered the godly out of temptation and reserved the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment (v.9), He will do the same for us and to us.
Friday, June 6: Psalm 77:1-2, 7-19
David was depressed. He was in trouble, and he cried out to God for deliverance. He got to a point where he could not even speak or sleep, and he meditated in search of comfort, but could not find it. His soul refused to be comforted. He reflected on the days of old and wondered if God had forgotten him. Sometimes when we pray and do not get the answer we are looking for, we think that God has forgotten us and so we turn our backs on Him. Since COVID-19, some church members have stopped coming into the sanctuary for worship, but David concluded, "Your way O God is in the sanctuary" (v.13, NKJV).
Sabbath, June 7: Genesis 8:13-22; 9:11-13
Think about God's love; think about His goodness, and what He will do for His children. God kept Noah, his family, and all living creatures safe in a boat that He had directed Noah to build. It took Noah decades to build it, and from the time it began to rain and the time it took for the water to rise and dry out on the land was 365 days-a solar year. Yet Noah and all the animals were safe. God made a covenant of peace with Noah that He would never destroy the earth with water again. Since our God never changes, that covenant still stands today.
Reading:
Study: Genesis 8:13-22; 9:11-13
Background: Genesis 6:1-9:17
Devotional: Psalm 77:1-2, 7-19
Key Verse:
I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth (Genesis 9:13).
Heart of the Lesson:
When people come through harrowing events, they feel grateful. How do people express these feelings? After the Great Flood, Noah built an altar on dry land and offered burnt offerings that so pleased the Lord that He promised never again to destroy the earth with a flood.
Questions for Studying the Text:
- Describe a "harrowing event" you have come through in your life? What feelings did you experience and how did you express them?
- What do you think were the conditions of the earth when Noah and his family left the ark (8:13-14)? What do you imagine they saw? What was significant about Noah's first action upon leaving the ark (8:20) and why do you think he did that?
- What does it mean that the burnt offering was a "soothing aroma" to God (See Leviticus 1:9; Ephesians 5:2)? What does God's response to Noah's offering reveal about His character? How does this idea of an acceptable sacrifice point forward to Christ (Hebrews 10:12-14)?
- What was the purpose of God's covenant with Noah and all living creatures Genesis 9:11-13? How does this covenant compare with later covenants in the Bible (Genesis 15:18, Exodus 24:8, Jeremiah 31:31)? How did the rainbow serve as a "sign" of the covenant? What did it symbolize in the context of God's mercy and faithfulness?
- What reminders do you have in your life of God's past faithfulness? How do you express gratitude for God's provision and protection in your life? How can we offer acceptable sacrifices to God today (Romans 12:1)?
Understanding and Living - Ericessen Cooper
The Global Flood Accounts
Throughout history, stories of a catastrophic worldwide flood can be found. What I find interesting is that these accounts are found from all over the world. There are over 270 nations, races, and tribes that have passed their version of the great flood, either orally or in written form, as a record of what they believe to be the correct version of the flood.
One of the earliest flood records that has been found is called "The Epic of Gilgamesh." Tablets found in various archaeological digs have been found that are dated back as early as 2100 BC-well before Moses wrote the book of Genesis. Over time, these tablets became the source material for the "Gilgamesh Epic", an ancient Babylonian story of Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, and his quest to find im- mortality. In this account, the Babylonian "Noah" is named Utnapishtim.
Why does this matter? All these accounts, from the earliest of tablets to the most recent retelling of the flood narrative looks at the flood through their own perspective - examining these events through their own worldview. Worldviews are subject to change, which can and will influence how one looks at a particular account. While many of these accounts may look the same, they fall apart in the details! As Christ follow- ers, we have something better. We have the Word of God that gives us truth and the ability to apply Biblical truth.
God's Provision for Noah
Genesis 6:1-8 records the evil that had flourished on Earth since the Fall. Genesis 6:7 presents a stinging condemnation of man's sinfulness. God gave His pronouncement to destroy the earth and every living thing on it - no living thing would survive, except for Noah. Why Noah? He was the only person on the earth that had found favor in God's sight (Genesis 6 :8). F rom the time of God pronouncing man's judgement (Genesis 6:3) to Noah entering the ark was 120 years. We know that during this time, God gave Noah specific instructions on how to build the ark - the materials and knowledge to build the ark, to prepare the animals and supplies for boarding, and to get his family on board before the flooding began. This was certainly uncharted territory for Noah.
God's provision for Noah's family continued throughout their time on the ark. Genesis 7-8 do not describe what daily life on the ark was like, but I imagine that after approximately thirteen months in close quarters, they were ready to put their feet back on dry land. God spoke to Noah and told him to do exactly that - leave the ark and bring all the animals with him for the purpose of repopulating the earth (Genesis 8:15-17).
I remember as a child seeing the pictures of Noah and his family leaving the ark. Lush vegetation was everywhere; the sun was shining; and it all took place in a flowery meadow. Scripture certainly does not support that picture. This was a worldwide flood that destroyed everything on earth. The very first thing that they would have witnessed was death and destruction, not the earth as it was before the flood. This was a new situation that they found themselves in.
Noah's Act of Worship
Through the rain, storms, destruction, and environmental changes that were a result of the flood, God never left Noah's family. Noah recognized this and demonstrated his thankfulness to God. How did he do that? Genesis 8:20 says that Noah built an altar on which he offered burnt offerings to God. While thank- fulness can be a part of the burnt offering sacrifice that is prescribed in Leviticus, the main expression is one of total devotion and worship to God. The burnt offering was fully consumed by the flame. You gave everything that you had, the best of your flock. Noah held nothing back in recognizing that it was God who had delivered them.
This act of worship brought about a response from God. Genesis 8:21 says that God smelled the soothing aroma of the sacrifice. God is a spirit, which means that He does not possess the human qualities with which He created us. God does not have a nose. Scripture is telling us that God was pleased with the sacrifices that were offered. He was pleased with the contents of their hearts. This was acceptable worship. In response to true, unpolluted worship, God made the promise that He would never again curse the ground because of man. Noah was saved from the flood not because he was sinless, but because he was righteous.
God's Covenant and Sign
Genesis 9:8-11 describes the covenant that God made with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature. This covenant was an unconditional covenant because it did not depend upon anything Noah or his descendants had to do to fulfill the covenant. God's promise was not based on anything but God's faithfulness to His people! This covenant pertains to all people (9:9). God's promise was that the earth would never be destroyed by flood again as an act of judgement for fallen man.
God gave Noah and his family - and us as well - a sign of His binding covenant. He put His bow in the cloud as a sign (9:12-13) - that is the reason for rainbows. The word "bow" in Genesis 9:13 is not rainbow. In Hebrew, the word is bow - an instrument of war. The next time we see a rainbow, that is God's bow that is hung in the sky as a reminder that God will not use His bow to destroy the earth by flood.
We see God's sign of the rainbow after a storm has passed and it reflects the light of the sun. The rainbow is a picture of God's grace after judgement. Different cultures over the years have misappropriated the true meaning of God's grace as it pertains to His gift of the rainbow. It is not a stairway to the heavens, it has no pot of gold at its end, and it is not a Biblical symbol of the sinful world in which we live. The rainbow is a sign of His covenant with the world as well as a picture of His grace.
Hints for Teaching:
Lesson Goals:
- Take a deep dive into the broader context that called forth Noah's worship.
- Empathize with Noah's felt need to worship.
- Identify an aspect of Noah's worship of God and adapt it for use in your own congregation.
Teaching Activity:
Display pictures of different signs (e.g., stop sign, wedding ring, diploma, handshake) and ask: "What do these signs represent?" Discuss how signs serve as reminders of agreements, commitments, or promises. Next, build an altar of small stones while reading Genesis 8:20-22 and discuss how Noah's altar was a way of remembering and thanking God. Ask: What is something God has done in your life that you want to remember and thank Him for? Have participants take one of the stones from your altar as a tangible reminder of God's faithfulness.
Looking Forward:
Noah's offering helped us consider the importance of expressing gratitude to God for bringing us through difficult circumstances. Next, we will compare Abraham's offering as an expression of allegiance and commitment.
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