♰ Bible Study by Abouna Angelos Bad Man (Genesis 6) Homework from last time ... The covenant with Noah 1. Who falls under this covenant? But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. (Genesis 6:18) Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:8-17) Note: Job also falls under the covenant of Noah. 2. What are the promises of this covenant? I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. (Genesis 6:17) The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. (Genesis 9:2-3) 3. What are the stipulations of this covenant? So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. (Genesis 6:14) You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. (Genesis 6:19) Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. (Genesis 9:1) “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man. As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” (Genesis 9:4-7) Five Questions ... Try to answer these five questions each time we study the Bible: 1. Who is the God that the Bible speaks about? Humans were made in the image and likeness of God. That image was distorted. There has to be a means to find the true image of God, not man’s projection of God. We became twisted by sin, and we started to lose that image. John Chrysostom said, “We should have not needed the Bible. Adam, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Moses did not need the Bible. The first mention of writing was when the people were sinning, worshipping the golden calf. The words were given to men who were pure and communicate with God without the written word. When humans lost that communication, they needed something to look at.” (Commentary on Matthew) 2. What is the Church? Why do we need to have a Church? What do we do? 3. What is required of me? What should I (not) do? 4. How can I pray, communicate with God? 5. What is the meaning of this story? Genesis Chapter 6 ... Man’s focus is on the imagination of his heart. However, God sees it all (everything is naked before him), is sorry, and He decides. The salvation of man has to start from changing his heart. Philippians 2:13 It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Fix the problem from the inside, not the outside. I will make a new covenant and put my words in their hearts. They will know me. The saints are those of us who transformed to become like God. What is it like for the evil people? He lets them do whatever they please, which yields destruction or harm that God will then use for the benefit of the good people. So if a young girl gets sick by cancer, which is not her fault, it is a result of the general corruption (corporate problem) of nature, the answer to which is resurrection to everlasting life. God to Jesus: “I’ll take that cup from you after you drink it.” What happens when you mix Saints and Sinners? Saints get persecuted (e.g., Joseph). Movie: Padre Pio Miracle Man Romans 8:18 I consider that the [even unjust] sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Best writing on suffering: Thérèse of Lisieux. She was 15 years when she entered the convent in Normandy. Caught TB in the bones. Died at age 23. The Catholic Church acknowledged her as a doctor of the church. The Story of a Soul. Colossians 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church. Who is the Unjust Judge (nobody stronger than himself, not afraid of God). It is GOD! Why is Jesus putting God in this analogy? Because this is how humans think. Why should I pray? Weary Him with prayer. We think suffering doesn’t bother him. But actually it is precious to Him. Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them All the days of old. Romans 8:28 All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Suffering of the blind man. Who sinned, him or his parents? Argument: Suffering makes you turn to God. We are not individuals; we are a body. If one suffers, we all suffer. If one is glorified, we are all glorified. Homework 1. Remember Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them All the days of old. 2. Read from Thérèse of Lisieux (on suffering) 3. Quick summary of what we talked about today God’s Covenant with Noah • It was with all life on the earth, starting with Noah, and incluing Job. Five questions (when reading the Bible): • Who is God? • What is the Church? • What is required of me? • How can I pray or commune with God? • What is the meaning of the story? Man strays • Focused on his own imagination • All is naked before God • Gen 6:5 God sees, is sorry, and decides • Man’s focus must change in order to be saved • Problem must be fixed on the inside • “Weary God with prayer” The problem of suffering and evil • It is a corporate problem • If one suffers or glories, we all suffer or glory 4. Also check out the movie: Padre Pio Miracle Man