Day 4 Reading Schedule: Genesis 6-9

Genesis 6 

Man's Sin and Noah's Ark

(Opening of the Noah Era)

(Righteous Noah (Ark) in an Evil World (->Flood))

Righteous Noah of His Time 

[Overview]

The main content of this chapter is God's judgment on the world that is becoming polluted by sin and God's love to save the righteous even in it. The development process of the world that has fallen into sin is explained (verses 1-4). And God's lament and concern about the flow of this world are introduced (verses 5-7). God's lament and concern are expressed as a fearful judgment and a plan to prepare a new world. God's love and justice are in harmony here. Finally, God calls the righteous Noah to carry out what He has decided and orders him to build a large ark (verses 8-22).

In chapter 1 of Genesis, we see the creation of Adam and Eve, the first ancestors of mankind, and the creation of heaven and earth. God created both humans and the entire world good and beautiful. However, due to Satan's intervention, sin entered the earth and as people began to proliferate on the earth, many sins of the wicked world also began to proliferate. Thus, this chapter prophesies the worst event for mankind, in which humans lost the image of God and became extremely corrupt, ultimately leading to their annihilation by God.

Genesis 7: The Great Flood 

[Summary]

The flood event that God predicted would judge the corrupt world is being carried out in this chapter. First, the preparation before the flood judgment, that is, the content of God evacuating the chosen ones and protecting the lives that will continue to the next generation, is consistent (verses 1-16). Even in the worst situation of human history, God left behind the seed of hope. The next content is a vivid description of the unprecedented flood judgment since creation (verses 17-24). Water, the tool of God’s judgment, covered the world, and the ark that had been prepared for a long time finally floated on the water. The world of sin was submerged in water, and only the ark of salvation remained.

Genesis 7 is a scene where the flood judgment already prophesied in Genesis 6 is fulfilled after 120 years. A week before the rain fell on this land, God instructed the righteous Noah, his family, and all living creatures to enter the ark. Thus, Noah’s family entered the ark according to God’s word. Then God carried out the unprecedented flood judgment.

Genesis 8 : Noah's Altar after the Flood 

[Overview]

The main content of this chapter is that God's judgment of water has stopped and the earth is gradually returning to normal. Also, the story of Noah and his companions, who were saved, establishing a relationship with God in the new world and going out is introduced in this chapter. As the water gradually receded, Noah's ark came to rest on the summit of Mount Ararat (verses 1-5). Then, a raven and a dove appear as the water receded. Noah sent out the two birds one after another to obtain judgment data for the unknown world where the water was receding (verses 6-14). Finally, the water completely receded and Noah and his companions and creatures came out into the new world (verses 15-19), and Noah built an altar to God and God's covenant that He would never judge the earth with water again appears (verses 20-22).

In the previous chapter, the discord between God and creation and the destruction of the world were mentioned, but in this chapter, the world is restored again in God's mercy, and reconciliation is achieved between God and humans. God gave Noah and all the beasts and livestock in the ark a wind to reduce the water on the earth, and the flood came to a close. Noah, who came out of the ark, offered a sacrifice to express gratitude for the grace God had given him.

Genesis 9: The Rainbow Covenant 

[Summary]

This chapter attempts to tell us through the rainbow covenant that God gave to Noah that God's work of redemption is an eternal covenant that remains valid even after the great flood. God promised to continue to guarantee mankind the blessing of prosperity and dominion over nature even after the flood (verses 1-7). He gave the rainbow as a sign and promised never to judge mankind by water again on this earth (verses 8-19). This covenant implies the eternal covenant of salvation of mankind through Jesus Christ. Finally, the incident of Noah's drunken mistake and the curse on Ham's descendants who laughed at it are revealed (verses 20-29).

God blessed Noah and his descendants who came out of the ark after the flood to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. He also stipulated what humans could eat and what they could not eat. Then God blessed Noah and his sons and promised never to destroy mankind by water again. As a sign, he placed a rainbow in the clouds. Meanwhile, Noah got drunk and made the mistake of cursing his children as a result.