July 2023 – The Flood & The Tower of Babel

Where should we start with the Flood? It is such a deep subject! Although many people today dispute or do not believe the story of the world-wide flood in the Bible, there is a flood of evidence for it! (Puns intended!)

Using the same evidence, creationist and evolutionist come to vastly different conclusions. Creationist see kinds of animals with difference and similarities, fossils and sediment layers, events like the eruption of Mt. St. Helen’s, and see proof of a world-wide flood. Evolutionist see proof for evolution.

Here is the way I explained it to my kids. Imagine we come home one day and see foot prints under the widow and the screen missing. One siblings may concluded someone broke into the house, and another sibling may conclude Daddy left his keys inside when he locked the door and had to go in through the widow it get them. Both siblings are looking at the same evidence, and both come to different conclusions.

In the case of the creationist and the evolutionist, their conclusion depends on their worldview and whether or not they believe the Bible.

If you have not already done so in your homeschool, now would be a good time to study evidence for the flood so your kids will be prepared when someone eventually tires to convince them the account is just a fairy tale. It would also be a good time to discuss the fairy tale versions of Noah Ark we so often see in Christian material and tell them how the Ark was actually build and how it could hold all the animals for a year. It’s also a good time to look at flood and language division myths from around the world. Seeing the similarities among these legends to the biblical Flood and Tower of Babel greatly increased my faith.

Answers in Genesis has a deluge of material on these and more flood subjects as well as the Tower of Babel!

…………………

Now let’s look at the account in our Bibles.

Encourage pr help your kids to read Genesis 6 – 11. Look for words that repeat throughout the accounts and for words that were used in the creation account. See if you can find any of these words later in Scripture. Be sure to check out the definitions, roots, etc in your Bible app or Strong’s Concordance. The definitions can add new depth to the words.

The Flood

Did you notice several “creation” words in the Flood account? It is almost if God undid or reversed His creation.

• The earth was originally “void….and the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters” – Genesis 1:2. The waters once again cover the earth in Genesis 7:19-20.

• God told Adam to have dominion over the earth in Genesis 1:26, 28. In Genesis 7:18, the waters prevailed over the earth.

• A mist came up from the ground to water the land in Genesis 2:6. Rain fell at the flood. Where else is water mentioned in the Bible? Examples – during the sacrifices, living water, baptism, the river in heaven, etc. Does water seem to represent anything?

• God separated water and land on day three of creation. They came back together when all the fountains of the deep broke forth.

• Instead of increasing and filling the earth, all flesh died except Noah and his family and the animals on the ark. Compare Genesis 2:7 where God breathed breath into the man to Genesis 7:22 where “everything on dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died.”

• Also notice the gentle wind in Genesis 8:1 God provided to blow over the earth and the wind at Pentecost – Acts 2:2. Can you find other occurrences of breath or wind in the Bible? What do you think is the significance?

• The animals came out of the Ark in their kinds just as they were created in kinds.

• God made the animals that crept upon the “earth” in Genesis 1 and promised to never again curse the “earth” because of man in Genesis 8:21. Earth, ground, and Adam all come from the same root word. What does their root word mean?

• God made a covenant with Adam after creation, and God made a Covenant with Noah after the flood. What other covenants did God make throughout the Bible? What was the sign of each? Ex – Noah – rainbow; Moses – sabbath, etc.

• Noah planted a vineyard after the flood – kind of like a new garden but nothing like “The Garden” – the Garden of Eden.

• Adam was naked and ashamed in Genesis 3:7. Noah was naked and shamed in Genesis 9:21-22. Jesus was naked and took our shame at the cross.

• Adam was covered in Genesis 3:7. Noah was covered in Genesis 9:22. We are covered with the blood of the Jesus and will be covered with white garments in Heaven. Are there other times people were covered in the Bible?

It was almost like creation/mankind got a second chance. Nevertheless, Noah was obviously not the Seed promised in Genesis 3:15. When will the Seed come?

Now, let’s look at the Tower of Babel.

• They sought to build a “name” for themselves instead of God – Genesis 11:4 “Name” and “Shem” have the same root.

• They sought to reach “up” to God/the heavens. Nevertheless, no matter how high they reached, God still had to come “down” to them – verse 7. Jesus later came “down” to earth as a man.

• God told mankind to fill the earth in Genesis 1:28 and 9:1, yet they settled in Genesis 11:2 so they would not be “dispersed over the face of the earth” – Genesis 11:4. They were in direct rebellion against God. As a result, God dispersed the people at Babel and divided their languages (11:8-9). He later dispersed Israel after the Assyrian invasions and the Exile.

• God brought the nations back together at Pentecost, and they could understand each other (Acts 2:7-11). Revelation 5:9 and 7:9 also tells us “people from every tribe and every language and people and nation” will worship together at the throne.

• Acts 2 is almost like a new “Table of Nations” found in Genesis 10.

How do these two accounts point to Jesus?

• God provided the means of salvation during the flood and the way of salvation for eternity – John 3:16.

• There was one way in the ark (Genesis 6:16) just as there is one way to Heaven – John 14:6.

• The people did not expect the Flood like we do not know when Jesus will return – Matthew 24:37-44 and Luke 17:26-27.

• People from every tribe, nation, and language will worship the Lamb together at the throne – Rev 5:9 and 7:9! What a day that will be!

I hope you enjoyed connecting the Flood and Tower of Babel accounts to other part of the Bible. Next month we will look at covenants and one of my favorite stories in the Bible!

AGRICULTURE

Wildlife & Natural Resources

God created an amazing world.  This month we are going to look at how He perfectly and seamlessly knitted His creation together for our good and His glory. We’ll also look at how  the Flood affected His creation.

There is not way to cover everything about natural resources in one week or even one month. See what really grabs your kids’ attentions, and dig in there. Have fun exploring God’s creation and remember to remind your kids how natural resources and wildlife point back to the amazing God who created it all!  Following are some suggestions for discussion starters and important concepts to better understand and discuss these topics.

*Ask your kids what they think natural resource are and challenge them to think of something they use that does not include natural resources. (Hint: They can’t! As they name different items, point out what natural resources they include. Even things made in a lab have minerals in them.)

Natural Resources are items people use that are supplied by nature (God) such as light, air, water, plants, animals, soil, stone, minerals, and fossil fuels. Point out how everything we use comes from nature. In other words, God created all the matter there is. We can combine those resources differently to produce different resources or products, but only God created something from nothing!

*Ask your kids how they would define wildlife.

Wildlife are animals that have not been domesticated and use natural resources to provide their own food, water, and shelter.  Talk about different kids of wildlife and discuss some of the benefits people receive from wildlife.  Look for wildlife mentioned in the Bible and see how many you can identify.  The possibilities are endless here when it comes to studying wild animals. Go wild and have a blast here!

God created all the natural resources and wildlife, and he combined them in different ways to make what we call ecosystems – a community of organisms and their environment or the natural resources around them. Ecosystems are not a result of chance and evolution. They were designed and created by God. They can be as large as the earth or as small as a jar on your counter.

*Brainstorm different ecosystems and talk about the various organisms and natural resources in each. Talk about the way God designed each resource or animal to work perfectly in each ecosystem. Many ecosystems would collapse if just one part was removed.

*Discuss how the world was different before the Flood and how changes during the flood gave us the world we know today. (Examples – man did not eat meat before the flood, long-term effects of the Flood such as Ice Ages, land formations and soil structures that contribute to the varying ecosystem we have today, etc.)

*Discuss how we are to manage the natural resources and wildlife God created. He gave us dominion over the earth and told us to protect it. Christians should be some of the greatest conservationist! Nevertheless, we should not worship nature nor place its importance over people. Natural resources and wildlife were created for God’s glory, and we should treat and use the accordingly.

Some concepts to include as you discuss ecosystems:

Life cycle – All living things die; it is part of the Curse.

Water cycle – The continuous circulation of water between the earth and the atmosphere

Mineral cycle – The continuous circulation of minerals from the soil or air through the food chain and back into the soil or air when plant and animals die and are decomposed.

Habitat vs. ecosystem – Habitats are the food, water, shelter, and space people, animals, and plant need to survive. Habitats make up ecosystems.

Producers, consumers, food chains, and food webs – Producers make the food consumers eat. A food chain is transfer of energy from one producer or consumer to another. Food webs are all the food chains in an ecosystem.

Prey vs. predator vs. pest – Predators hunt prey. The damage of pest outweigh their benefits.

Warm-blooded vs. cold-blooded – warm-blooded animals can regulate their internal temperatures while cold-blooded animals cannot.

Weather vs. climate – Climate is the weather patterns in a particular area over an extended period of time.

Carrying capacity – the number of animals a particular habitat can support at a given time

Invasive or exotic species – species that are not native to a particular area. They often do not have a natural predator (population control method) and therefore often out-compete native species. Invasive species can completely change and even destroy a habitat or ecosystem. (Look up invasive species in Georgia. You kids will probably be surprised at what animals and plants are not native to our state.)

Pollution – harmful materials introduced into an environment

Check out the Managing Wildlife file on https://www.georgiaffa.org/page.aspx?ID=129 for more information. (Note: Please be aware the information includes millions of years, etc.) This is some information used to prepare students for the FFA Envirothon competition. 

South GA Taxidermy & Custom Processing

4568 Hwy 441, Jacksonville, GA

July 20th – 10 AM

Tour & presentation by The Turtle Man

Lunch provided – hot dog, drink, snacks.

There will be a water slide.  Bring modest swim suits/clothes, towels, sun screen, etc.

Lunch will be provided courtesy of South GA Taxidermy & Custom Processing.

 Check out their Facebook Page for more information about their business.

Suggested Projects/Activities:

• Research evidence for the flood and the division of languages – Answers in Genesis has tons of resources.

  • Present your research in a creative way: brochure, news report, website, host a debate, write a children’s book, charts, design a t-shirt, etc

• Research flood and the division of languages myths from around the world.

  • Compare and contrast them to the biblical accounts in a creative way.

• Take a walk and see how many animals you can spot. See if you can determine how many are from the same “kind.”

• Make a wildlife ID notebook with names, descriptions, pictures, tracks, where they live, what they eat, etc.

• Make tracks out of salt dough to learn to identify wildlife

• Make a collage of the benefits humans receive from wildlife and natural resources

• Make a display board about wildlife or natural resources for a GA National Fair 4H project – (check with your local agent to see if they have spots left for this year)

• Complete a science fair project related to wildlife or natural resources

• Research wildlife and natural resources in the Bible

• Research an issue related to wildlife or natural resources

  • make a brochure for a non-profit promoting/trying to solve your issue

  • write your congressman about you issue

  • submit a blog post to a website devoted to your issue

  • plan and conduct a community project to increase awareness about your issue

• Research evidence for the flood – Answers in Genesis has tons of resources.

• Research the history of languages.

• Research the Table of Nations and where these families can be found in history. (Note: Historians have found nearly every family listed.)

Bible Drill Verses

(See BibleDrillAndSpeakers.com for more information.

Children – 3^rd-5^th grades*

Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away. – Mark 13:31 KJV

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do it all to the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV

Youth – 6^th – 8^th grades*

Last Things

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. – Matthew 24:14 KJV

Grace

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that way may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. – Hebrew 4:16 KJV

High School – 9^th – 12^th grades*

Steps to Salvation Drill

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. – Romans 3:10 KJV

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23 KJV

• Students can compete for 3 years at each level starting in 3^rd or 4^th grade. The year they start will determine exactly which grades they compete in each level.

Don’t forget to check out TheBibleFromAtoZ.com for ideas about sharing the truths of the Bible you learn this month and the BibleMemory app to help memorize the monthly verses.

Complete these fun family challenges as a way to help illustrate the Biblical accounts we study each month.

Survive the Flood

Object

Family members will need to be creative and use team work to get all their family members to the highest point to try to survive the rising flood waters.

Materials

“mountain peaks” of various sizes – can use sheets, towels, tarps, paint or tape to mark off various sizes, etc.

How to Play

• Have all the “mountain peaks” available but only the largest one visible.

• Set up the story line – There is a flood and all of your family members must get to the highest point – the “mountain peak” – as quick as possible.

• Everyone must then get fit into/onto the provided “peak”.

• Once all members are safely on the “mountain peak”, tell them the water is still over and about to reach their level. They must move to “higher” ground.

• Bring out the next smallest “mountain peak” and have all members get into the smaller area.

• Once all members are safely on the higher “mountain peak”, tell them the water is still over and about to reach their level. They must move to “higher” ground.

• Repeat the process with smaller and smaller “mountain peaks” until they cannot fit onto any “high”/smaller peak.

Purpose

• Image what it would have been life during the flood when the waters were rising.

• Take a few moments to thank God for saving Noah and his family and providing for them.

• Thank God for ways He provides for your family.

Tower Challenge

Object

Team members will will have to use communication skills other than verbal to see which one can build the highest tower.

Materials

• tape measure, yard stick, or other way to measure towers

• various kinds of building material: building blocks, cardboard pieces/boxes, plastic cups, Lincoln Logs, Lego’s, etc.

Options: you may gather all the material before the challenge and have it in one location or let the teams gather their own materials from around the house

How to Play

• Divide everyone into teams.

• Instruct teams they are to see which team can build the highest tower in the given time with provided materials or materials they gather themselves.

• Instruct teams they cannot talk to each other during the challenge for ANY reason. (You may let them use paper and pencil, or your may not.)

• Measure buildings at the end of the specified time to determine which teams built the highest tower.

Purpose

• Imagine how hard it would have been to continue working on any project when you are no longer able to communicate verbally like the people at the Tower of Babel.

• Imaging how hard it would be to live some where you cannot understand the language – verbal or spoken.

• Imagine how hard it is to communicate the gospel to people who cannot understand what you are saying.

• Thank God you have the Bible in your language so you can study His word.

• Pray for Bible translations projects and for those proclaiming the gospel to people who cannot read.