GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES (Genesis 8-9) Teen Bible lesson

In this study on Genesis 8:1-9:17, we will learn about the end of the flood, the covenant God made with Noah and his descendants, and the responsibility that came with this covenant.

This lesson relates to pre-teens and teens and by the end of this lesson, they should have learned about the following:

God never forgets about us
The importance of worship and thanks
God always keeps His promises

BIBLE READING: Genesis 8-9

MEMORY VERSE: “God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”” Genesis 9:17

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GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES pdf – preteen and teen Bible lesson

BIBLE STUDY NOTES FOR TEENS

BACKGROUND TO THE PASSAGE

Genesis 8 begins with the Ark of Noah, his family and all the animals inside the Ark sailing on the tumultuous waters of the flood. The earth had been completely covered in water for 40 days, and only those in the Ark were safe. The rain that had been pouring down relentlessly for weeks had finally stopped.

The water that had covered the earth began to recede. After a hundred and fifty days, the floodwaters had gone down enough for Noah’s Ark to touch land again. It came to rest on one of the mountains of Ararat, located in present-day eastern Turkey.

Noah opened the window and sent out a raven. It searched for land but could not find any. So, it returned to the Ark. After seven days, Noah sent out a dove to search for dry land, and this time it came with fresh olive leaf in its mouth.

After leaving the Ark, Noah built an altar to the Lord and offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving. The Lord was pleased and blessed Noah and his family. As a reminder of God’s promise never to destroy the earth again with a flood, He painted a rainbow across the sky. This was His covenant with all of humanity.

KEY POINTS

1. THE LORD REMEMBERED – GENESIS 8:1

Genesis 8 begins with ‘The Lord remembering Noah’ and his family on the Ark.

Noah, his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, their wives, and all the animals were stuck inside the Ark for a long time. It must have felt like an eternity. Noah was undoubtedly feeling a mixture of emotions during these long weeks on the Ark. He might have wondered if God would speak again or even if God remembered them.

But verse 1 reminds us God did remember Noah. In fact, He never stopped thinking or caring about them. He was aware of their situation the entire time, protecting them from the flood, and when the floodwaters slowly receded, he had a plan for what to do next.

Even when we feel alone and isolated, it’s important to remember that God never forgets us. He knows everything and is always with us, even during those dark moments of doubt and fear. Despite the darkness, God’s love and care for us never waivers. He is always there protecting us and working out His good plans.

2. BEGIN WITH WORSHIP – GENESIS 8:20

After months at sea, Noah and his family were undoubtedly ecstatic to be stepping back on dry land. What would be the first thing you’d do back on dry land?

The first thing Noah did after leaving the Ark was to build an altar to worship God. Noah’s first act was an acknowledgement of God’s grace and salvation. Worshipping God should be our first priority.

Despite God’s faithfulness and love for us, it is all too easy to take God’s blessings and provision for granted. We can become so wrapped up in our own lives that we neglect expressing gratitude to Him.

When God answers our prayers, it can be easy to get so caught up in the excitement of answered prayers that we forget to thank Him. In this way, we have much to learn from Noah and his response to being saved from the flood.

We should make thanking and worshipping God a priority in our lives. Worshipping God should be integral to our daily routine as we express our love, gratitude and devotion to Him.

3. AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH GOD – GENESIS 9:9

God is a God of His word and keeps all of His promises. God made a covenant with Noah and placed a rainbow in the sky, symbolizing his promise never to flood the earth again.

The Bible tells us that God is faithful and true to His word and will always keep His promises. This is a recurring theme throughout the Bible. God’s faithfulness is a foundational part of His character.

No matter what we find ourselves facing in life, whether tragedy or joy, we never need to doubt God’s promises. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God has proven faithful to all His promises.

Reflecting on the promises God has kept in the past helps to build our faith, giving us confidence that He will keep His future promises. Studying examples of God’s faithfulness strengthens our trust in Him and allows us to rest assured that He will fulfil His plans for our lives.

4. A CHANCE FOR A FRESH START – GENESIS 9:6-7

God gave Noah and his family a chance to start anew. He again reminded them of His commandment to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden: to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it (Genesis 1:28). This was God’s original plan for humanity, and he wanted Noah to continue on in. God also reminds Noah that people are important to Him because they are made in God’s image (Genesis 9:6).

When we turn to God for salvation, He gives us a new beginning. He opens the door for us to put the past behind us and move forward in faith. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

The Bible tells us that anyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ is reconciled with God and becomes a new creation. When we surrender our lives to God, we are transformed in mind, spirit, and heart. Our old nature passes away and is replaced with the new life God gives us.

CONCLUSION

Genesis 8-9 reminds us of the faithfulness and mercy of God, who remembers His people even in their darkest hours. The story of Noah speaks to the power of God’s covenant with humanity, that He will always keep His promises no matter the circumstances.

YOUTH GAMES AND ACTIVITIES FOR GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES

Rainbow Relay

Set up an obstacle course in an open area. You can use a variety of obstacles such as cones, hula hoops, or ropes.
Create a set of colour cards, with one card for each colour of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).
Divide the players into teams.
Have one player from each team start at the beginning of the obstacle course.
On the go signal, the first player must complete the obstacle course and choose one colour card from a pile at the end. They must then return to their team and hand off the card to the next player, who will complete the course and choose their own colour card.
At the end of the game, have the players arrange their colour cards in order to match the colours of the rainbow.

Don’t forget

Have the players sit in a circle.
Choose a category (e.g., fruits, animals, countries, etc.) and have the first player say one item within that category.
The next player must then say the first item and add a second item, and so on.
If a player forgets an item or says an incorrect item, they are out of the game.
Play continues until there is only one player left.
The last player wins the game and chooses different category for the next round.
Talk about how God never forgets.

Thankfulness board

Gather supplies such as a large poster board or corkboard, markers, and push pins.
Encourage everyone to take a few minutes to think about something specific that they are thankful for. It could be a person, an opportunity, an experience, or anything else.
Each person should write their thank you on a piece of paper and decorate it if they’d like. They can also draw a picture or use stickers to decorate their note.
Have them pin their thank you note to the board. Encourage them to read the notes of others and add their own comments or notes of thanks if they’d like.
Consider having a regular time during your week or youth group meetings for youth to add new thank you notes to the board. This can be a visual reminder of all the blessings God has given and a way for youth to express gratitude on a regular basis.