There are many strange theories about the first few
verses of Genesis chapter six, such as stories about creatures from outer space
or fallen angels.
(Genesis 6:1-4) When
man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them,
the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as
their wives any they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide
in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years." The Nephilim
were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came
in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the
mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
However, the Bible is the history of the Earth, not that
of distant galaxies. Angels are not sexual beings, like man is. We don’t have
to rely on science fiction to understand this message. There is a simple
explanation and it is clear in the context of the story. In the previous
chapters we find Cain’s and Seth’s lineages, each one taking a different path.
Some were perverted, while the others sought to maintain a connection with God.
As time went by, the two lineages that had remained
separate started to mix together. However, throughout the Bible it is clear
that mixing together is not good, because it results in contamination.
(II Corinthians 6:14) Do
not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness
with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
(Deuteronomy 7:3-4) You
shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking
their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from
following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD would be kindled
against you, and he would destroy you quickly.
(Ezra 9:1-3) After
these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, "The
people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves
from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the Canaanites, the
Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the
Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken some of their daughters to be
wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself
with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the
officials and chief men has been foremost." As soon as I heard this, I
tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat
appalled.
The problem with mixing together is that evil people contaminate
good people, just like a drop of poison in a glass of pure water contaminates
it and makes it dangerous to drink.
(I Corinthians 5:6) Your
boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole
lump? (Another reference: Gal. 5:9).
(I Corinthians 15:33) Do
not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."
This is what happened at the beginning of the history
of humanity. Seth’s lineage (the sons of God) mixed together with Cain’s
lineage.
(Genesis 6:4-5) The
Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of
God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were
the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. The LORD saw that the
wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
If Seth’s lineage was mixing together with Cain’s
lineage, then soon there would be no one left on the face of the Earth to call
upon the name of God.
(Genesis 6:6-8) And
the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his
heart. So the LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the
face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens,
for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of
the LORD.
The destruction of humanity sounds harsh, but God
knew that if he didn’t save the only righteous man left, humanity would be
completely contaminated and would destroy itself.
(Genesis 6:9) These
are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his
generation. Noah walked with God.
REASONS FOR THE FLOOD
The Torah mentions two reasons why God decided to
send the Great Flood.
1) Man’s
wickedness:
(Gen. 6:5-7) The LORD
saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention
of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry
that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD
said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land,
man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry
that I have made them."
The corruption of man did not only contaminate
humanity, but the rest of creation, which was left under man’s care…
2) Earth’s corruption:
(Gen. 6:11-13) Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was
filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for
all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, "I
have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with
violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the
earth.
Given the circumstances, God decided to destroy
creation and start all over again.
HE WAS SORRY
The Bible says that God was “sorry” that he had made
man.
(Genesis 6:6) And
the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his
heart.
Some translations of the Bible say that “God
repented” that he had made man, but we know this is not so.
(Numbers 23:19) God
is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind
[repent]. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and
will he not fulfill it?
The original Hebrew word in this verse, which is
translated as being sorry or repenting, is Najam, that may also be translated
as: to grieve, console, have compassion or mercy.
The great Flood is generally perceived as being a
punishment and judgment… and it is partly so. However, we should not ignore the
element of compassion in this story. God did not send judgment without first
giving humanity the chance to come to repentance. All the years it took Noah to
build the Ark
The mercy of God was stretched further and further,
until there was only one family left that feared God. Therefore, he decided to
remove the “cancer” from the world and save the only relatively healthy members
left in the world. The cure was to be the Great Flood.
THE PLAN OF SALVATION
God revealed to Noah his plan to destroy all the evil
and corruption in the world. But he also revealed to him how those who believed
might be saved.
(Genesis 6:13-14) And
God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the
earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with
the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and
cover it inside and out with pitch.
The Ark
Just as the pitch saved those inside the Ark
(Romans 3:23-26) for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his
grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put
forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to
show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over
former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he
might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
SAVED BY FAITH
Noah was saved by faith.
(Hebrews 11:7) By
faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent
fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned
the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Noah was righteous and he feared God, but he was not
perfect. He and his family were saved by faith. He was warned about something
he could not see, but with fear he prepared to save his household.
Noah was saved by faith, not by Works (not because he
was perfect). But his works (his obedience in doing everything God told him to
do) gave testimony of his faith. The same applies to us today.
After the Great Flood God said that he would establish
a covenant with Noah and his descendants.
(Genesis 6:17-18) For
behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in
which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall
die. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the
ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.
Noah believed and did everything God commanded him to
do.
(Genesis 6:19-22) And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two
of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and
female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to
their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two
of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. Also take with you every
sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and
for them." Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.
This was the preparation… when we study the following
chapter we will read about what happened during the flood.
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