Bible Discussion Questions for Genesis: Chapter 6

Genesis Chapter 6 Summary

Flood announced. Compromise of sons of God with daughters of men.

Discussion Questions for Genesis, Chapter 6

1. Genesis 6:1-4 goes into a discussion of the Nephilim, or sons of God. They began to marry the daughters, or women, because they were attractive. Who do you think the Nephilim were, as they were mentioned in addition to man? What do you think their influence was on humankind? Why?
2. The Lord places a limit on the length of man's days in Genesis 6:3. “Then the Lord said, 'My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh; his days shall be 120 years.' Why do you think God chose to begin to limit man's days? Beyond the limit in age, what do you think are other consequences of the Lord's decision that His Spirit shall not always abide with man?”
3. Genesis 6:5-6 describes how the Lord saw man as being wicked and that man's every intention was evil, causing the Lord to regret making man. How does our current society compare with the society before the Flood? If there is hope in our current society, what is it and how much influence does it have on the culture?
4. Genesis 6:8 tells us that Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Yet, we have no evidence of Noah's faithfulness to God before building the ark. What do you think were some of the things Noah did to find favor with God? Please remember that God had not made the covenant with Abraham at this time, so Noah did not have the law to model his worship of God. To restate the question, what do you think were some of the things Noah did to find favor with God?
5. Genesis 6:15 gives the dimensions of the ark Noah built as the length being 300 cubits, the breadth being 50 cubits, and the height being 30 cubits. A cubit is approximately 18 inches (46 cm). That would make the ark 450 feet (137 meters) in length, 75 feet (23 meters) in breadth, and 45 feet (14 meters) in height. Later in Genesis, Noah was to bring at least two of every kind of animal onto the ark. Do you think it was possible for every known species today to be on the ark? Why or why not? If not, how did they come into being?
6. Genesis 6:18 says that God formed a covenant with Noah to keep him and his family safe on the ark. Would you have built the ark without the covenant? Why or why not? Would you have built the ark even with the covenant, knowing all of your friends and extended family were going to die in the flood? Why or why not?
7. Knowing that God wiped out all living life, how does this affect your belief in God and your worship of Him?
8. Genesis 6:12 states that God determined that all flesh was corrupt, including animals, since God had Noah save only a male and a female of each species. How does an animal become corrupt? What does this communicate about a living being's natural tendency?
9. According to Genesis 6, there were three levels in the ark, and Noah was to build rooms in the ark. In a general sense, what would be your layout of the ark with all of the animals, Noah's family, and the food needed to feed everyone on the ark? What criteria are you using for the layout? How many rooms do you think were needed?
10. After the flood, Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives were the only humans on the face of the earth. Many say that Adam and Eve are the ancestors of all of mankind. After the flood, is the statement still true? Why or why not? Would you modify the statement? Why or why not?

Key Words/Phrase

Flood, v. 17.

Characters

Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth.

Strong Verse(s)

8,9,18,22.