The book of Genesis offers us so many vast topics from which to choose a theme hymn. As we are starting at the very beginning, I would like to give praise to our Creator of heaven and earth by singing 
Hymn 320 – Lord of Creation and 
Hymn 2 – All Creatures of Our God and King. The stories that follow creation will lean back toward our amazing God and what He has done for each of us in creation.

In the building of the ark, Noah shows just how much he wishes to 
Trust and Obey – Hymn 590 the mighty God who made all things. Noah encourages us to have the faith to do what God commands: 
Hymn 602 – O Brother, Be Faithful, 
Hymn 608 – Faith Is the Victory (victory over death by being in the ark), and 
Hymn 304 – Faith of Our Fathers.

Every creature created by God is spoken of on Monday: 
Hymn 2 – All Creature of Our God and King, 
Hymn 15 – My Maker and My King¸ 
Hymn 93 – All Things Bright and Beautiful and 
Hymn 640 – For Beauty of Meadows.

On exiting the Ark at the end of the flood, there is no doubt that Noah could sing
My Faith Has Found a Resting Place – Hymn 523.

The covenant sign of the rainbow is found in 
Hymn 76 – O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go and 
Hymn 17 – Lord of All Being, Throned Afar.

God’s abundant blessings as we study through the first book of the Bible which our gracious God has given. May we be faithful and all say “Come, Lord Jesus, come – very soon” so we are able to go to our new home in Heaven, as
We Have This Hope – Hymn 214.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing, but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Read Genesis 6:13-7:10. What lesson can we learn from this amazing account of early human history?

Like Daniel, Noah is a prophet who predicts the end of the world. The Hebrew word for the “ark” (tevah) (Genesis 6:14) is the same rare Egyptian loanword that was used for the “ark,” in which the infant Moses was hidden, who was preserved in order to save Israel from Egypt (Exodus 2:3).

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Also, some have seen in the general structure of the ark parallels to the ark of the tabernacle (Exodus 25:10). Just as the ark of the Flood will permit the survival of humankind, so the ark of the covenant, a sign of God’s presence in the midst of His people (Exodus 25:22), points to God’s work of salvation for His people.

The phrase “Noah did; according to all that God commanded” (Genesis 6:22, NKJV) concludes the preparatory section. The verb ‘asah, “did,” referring to Noah’s action, responds to the verb ‘asah, “make,” in God’s command, which started the section (Genesis 6:14) and is repeated five times (Genesis 6:14-16). This echo between God’s command and Noah’s response suggests Noah’s absolute obedience to what God had told him to do, to ‘asah. It is also interesting that this phrase is also used in the context of the building of the ark of the covenant (Exodus 39:32, Exodus 39:42; Exodus 40:16).

“God gave Noah the exact dimensions of the ark and explicit directions in regard to its construction in every particular. Human wisdom could not have devised a structure of so great strength and durability. God was the designer, and Noah the master builder.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 92.

Again, the parallel between the two “arks” reaffirms their common redemptive function. Noah’s obedience is thus described as a part of God’s plan of salvation. Noah was saved simply because he had that faith to do what God commanded him to do (see Hebrews 11:7). He was an early example of a faith that manifests itself in obedience, the only kind of faith that matters (James 2:20).

In short, though Noah “found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8), it was in response to this grace, already given him, that Noah acted faithfully and obediently to God’s commands. Isn’t that how it should be with all of us?

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Image © Pacific Press

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 6:13-7:10, 2 Peter 2:5-9, Genesis 7:1-24, Romans 6:1-6, Psalm 106:4, Genesis 8:1-22, Genesis 9:1-17.

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

“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5, NKJV). The verb “saw” (Genesis 6:5) brings the reader back to each step of God’s initial Creation. But what God sees now, instead of tov, “good,” is ra‘, “evil” (Genesis 6:5). It is as if God regretted that He had created the world, now full of ra‘ (Genesis 6:6-7).

And yet, God’s regret contains elements of salvation, as well. The Hebrew word for “sorry” (nakham) is echoed in the name of Noah (Noakh), which means “comfort” (Genesis 5:29). Thus, God’s response to this wickedness has two sides. It contains the threat of justice, leading to destruction for some; and yet, His response promises comfort and mercy, leading to salvation as well for others.

This “double voice” was already heard with Cain and Abel/Seth, and it was repeated through the contrast between the two lines of Seth (the “sons of God”) and Cain (the “sons of men”). Now we hear it again as God differentiates between Noah and the rest of humankind.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 23.

Sunday–>

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Forgiven in Prison, Part 2

By Andrew McChesney

The next Sabbath, inmate Matías greeted Dante, a 36-year-old theology student from Sagunto Adventist College, with a flurry of happy conversation at the prison in Spain. After several minutes, however, Matías abruptly changed his tone and began to fidget nervously. He spoke about his childhood and adult life. He described a years-long struggle over sinful desires.

Image © Pacific Press

“I don’t feel like I’ve done anything wrong,” he said. “When I leave prison, I’ll repeat what I did.” He stared at Dante, waiting to see his reaction.

Dante understood that he was being tested. Matías wanted to see whether he would reflect a condemning or a loving God. Dante prayed silently, “Jesus, give me Your grace. You forgave me, and You can forgive him.”

Matías, seeing that his visitor sat calmly, spoke again.

“What would you do to me if you caught me?” he said.

Dante, still praying, answered slowly, “If God can give me grace and salvation, He can give you grace and salvation, too.”

Shock twisted Matías’ face. “Aren’t you going to condemn me?” he said.

Opening the Bible, Dante read, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (Romans 7:19-20; NJKV). “We often don’t understand our actions,” he said. “We don’t do what we want to do, and we end up doing what we don’t want to do. Could it be that you don’t feel bad about your actions because you can’t control them?”

Matías grabbed the Bible from Dante’s hands and read the passage.

Dante turned to Romans 8:1-2 and read, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

“God hasn’t condemned you,” Dante said. “He wants to help you, and He loves you all the time. You can live differently. You just have to let the Spirit of God live in you. He wants to help you just like He helped me.”

Deep sorrow filled Matías’ face. The scorn and contempt were gone. Dante understood that, for the first time, Matías was experiencing a deep sense of guilt.

Everything changed from that day. Matías stopped mocking God and the Bible.

“From that moment, I started to study the Bible with him,” Dante said in an interview. “From that moment, he wanted to change his life. He no longer wanted to continue in his old ways but to be on God’s side.”

Matías (not his real name) is among more than a dozen prisoners receiving Bible studies every Sabbath afternoon from Dante and nine other students from Sagunto Adventist College. Your Sabbath School mission offerings help Adventist educational institutions worldwide train students like Dante to share Jesus’ precious promise of grace and salvation to a sin-sick world.

“If God can change my heart, God can change anybody’s heart,” Dante said.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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Further Thought:

The repeated phrase “Enoch walked with God” (Genesis 5:22, Genesis 5:24) means intimate and daily companionship with God.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

Enoch’s personal relationship with God was so special that “God took him” (Genesis 5:24). This last phrase is, however, unique in the genealogy of Adam and does not support the idea of an immediate afterlife in Paradise for those who “walk with God.” Note that Noah also walked with God (Genesis 6:9), and he died like all the other humans, including Adam and Methuselah. It is also interesting to note that no reason is given to justify this special grace. “Enoch became a preacher of righteousness, making known to the people what God had revealed to him. Those who feared the Lord sought out this holy man, to share his instruction and his prayers. He labored publicly also, bearing God’s messages to all who would hear the words of warning. His labors were not restricted to the Sethites. In the land where Cain had sought to flee from the divine Presence, the prophet of God made known the wonderful scenes that had passed before his vision. ‘Behold,’ he declared, ‘the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds.’ Jude 14-15.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 86.

Discussion Questions:

<–Thursday

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