Sunday, October 28, 2018 Lesson: Genesis 6:1-10; Time of Action: Nobody knows; Place of Action: Nobody knows Golden Text: And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5). I. INTRODUCTION. Sin had entered the human race, and it didn t take long for the corruption it spawned to spread and defile God s creation. Like a cancerous tumor, evil infected civilization and brought death wherever it went. Man and woman, God s vice-regents on earth, created in His image, couldn t manage their own lives let alone God s creation, and things began to fall apart. The Bible teaches that God will not ignore sin. He will deal with it. Many people don t believe this. They continue to practice and encourage sin. But God will eventually judge sin. Many years had passed since Cain killed Abel. As time passed, man s wickedness increased and even though God is patient and merciful, His patience was about to wear out, and judgment on the whole world was inevitable.
II. LESSON BACKGROUND. This week s lesson in Genesis covers over fifteen hundred years of human history (see Genesis 5:1-31), years that were overshadowed by sin and sorrow. After Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden, the results of their sin became increasingly evident as Cain killed his brother Abel (see Genesis 4:1-8). The descendants of Cain, although gifted and creative, built a civilization that was still distant from God (see Genesis 4:16-24). Another son, Seth was born to Adam and Eve, and from him came a godly line of descendants (see Genesis 4:25-26). But by the time of Noah, the earth s population had become tremendously corrupted as we shall see in this week s lesson. III. MAN S UNGODLINESS (Genesis 6:1-5) A. Unholy intermarriage (Genesis 6:1-2). 1. (vs. 1). Our first verse says And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them. Here we are introduced to one of the things that resulted in the wickedness of the old world: the increase of mankind. We are told that it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth. The phrase And it came to pass is a reference to the time that had passed from Adam to Noah when the earth s population grew in response to God s command to Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth (see Genesis 1:28). As a result of people fulfilling God s command, daughters
were born unto them. Only daughters are mentioned here, but obviously there were sons being born as well. But as the population grew, there was also worldwide corruption (see Genesis 6:10-13). Proverbs 29:16 says When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall. In other words, the more sinners there are, the more sin there will be. 2. (vs. 2). This verse says That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. The meaning of this passage has been debated over the years by many scholars. However, there are basically two opinions as to who the sons of God were. Remember, these are only opinions since there are no Scriptures that clearly support either view. Some believe that they refer to godly men who were descendants of Seth who married women who were wicked daughters of the descendants of Cain. Others claim that they were fallen angels. However, it is not likely that the the sons of God were angels for two simple reasons. First, angels don t have physical bodies (see Hebrews 1:14). Angels have been known to take on human form, but that does not mean their bodies were actually human. Second, angels do not marry or reproduce (see Matthew 22:30). Since the Bible doesn t tell us specifically who the sons of God were, it seems best to understand them to be godly descendants of Seth who married wicked daughters of the descendants of Cain. For purposes of this commentary, we will use the view that the sons of God were godly descendants of Seth, and the daughters of men were wicked descendants of Cain. But whichever view is held,
whether the sons of God refers to fallen angels or descendants of godly Seth, it is obvious that Satan attempted to so corrupt mankind that the Messiah could not come to redeem man. It is widely accepted that since Seth was an ancestor of Jesus Christ (see Luke 3:38), his line of descendants were godly until many of them married women who were daughters of descendants of Cain so they were wicked. If the sons of God do refer to the male descendants of the godly line of Seth, they intermingled with women from the excommunicated race of Cain, for this verse says that They took them wives of all that they chose. But the way they chose these women for marriages leaves a lot to be desired. First, they chose them for their looks, not for their character, for they saw that they were fair. Second, the phrase all that they chose indicates that among the best looking women they only chose the ones who were most corrupt. And third, their choice of women may not have had God s approval because these sons of God or descendants of Seth, married strange wives, and were therefore unequally yoked (see II Corinthians 6:14). Later, these unions were forbidden by God for Israel (see Deuteronomy 7:1-4). B. Immorality, an affront to God (Genesis 6:3-4). 1. (vs. 3). This verse says And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. With the intermarrying of Seth s descendants with the wicked women from Cain s descendants, the world became wicked and corrupt. As a
result, the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man. This statement reveals God s displeasure with those who married strange wives. He threatens to withdraw His Spirit or His presence from them since they had grieved Him by such marriages. God would not continue to tolerate them and let them go on living. The phrase for that he also is flesh, means that the natural man is corrupt, and carnal, and sensual which hinders God s Spirit from continuing to strive with man. With the phrase yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years God was showing grace and mercy to wicked mankind. He was going to delay the judgment mankind deserved, and give them an hundred and twenty years to repent and turn to Him. If they didn t, He would send the Great Flood (see Genesis 6:17). Note: Some think that the phrase an hundred and twenty years refers to a shorten human life span that would now take effect, but it more likely refers to the time remaining before man s sin would be decisively judged. During that time period, God would try to reach mankind with His message of righteousness and warning through the preaching of Noah and maybe even Enoch (see II Peter 2:5; Jude 1:14). What a patient God we have! Seeing how wicked mankind had become, allowing that much more time shows just how merciful, gracious and kind God is. For sure, He could ve immediately wiped everybody out except Noah and his family, but instead God gave man an extended period of time to turn to Him and start living righteously. God did the same thing with Nineveh in Jonah s day. He sent Jonah to Nineveh to preach to them about their wickedness and warn them
that if they didn t repent and turn to God, in forty days God would overthrow Nineveh (see Jonah 3:4). Fortunately the people of Nineveh took advantage of the Lord s grace and believed God (see Jonah 3:5, 10). Unfortunately, those in our lesson, during those 120 years of God s grace, became even more wicked. 2. (vs. 4). This verse says There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. This verse seems to indicate that during the days that the sons of God intermarried with the daughters of men and after that time, this union resulted in giants who are also described as mighty men which were of old, men of renown. A clearer translation of this verse is There were giants on the earth in those days, and also after the days when the sons of God married the daughters of men, and the children they bore were mighty men of old, men of renown. Note: In the Septuagint, the Hebrew translation of the Old Testament, the word translated giants is nephil or nephilim. The exact meaning of this word is uncertain, but scholars have given it the meaning of fallen ones, tyrants or mighty men of renown as this verse does. Although the King James Version translates the Hebrew word nephilim as giants, it may not mean giants, but may simply be synonymous with mighty men or overlords. Since the true meaning of nephilim cannot be agreed upon, how we interpret it is determined, in large part by how we
understand the meaning of the sons of God. Since in this commentary we are using the view that the sons of God are the descendants of Seth, this would mean that the word giants may simply refer to mighty men which were of old, men of renown. C. Increasing wickedness (Genesis 6:5). This verse says And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Whether the sons of God (see Genesis 6:2) refer to fallen angels or a godly line of people who were intermarrying with ungodly people, the results from those unions were mighty humans who were famous for their wickedness (see Genesis 6:4). As believers, we are commanded to avoid uniting with unbelievers (see II Corinthians 6:14). No good can come from such unions. This verse says God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth. God took notice of human sin. The Lord saw that every imagination of the thoughts of his (man s) heart was only evil continually. In other words, God saw evil in every thought pattern and purpose of man s heart or his inner being. Sin is born in the heart (see Proverbs 4:23; 23:7; James 1:13-15). Everything we think about comes from our heart (see Luke 6:45) and must be cared for before we can have victory over sin (see Philippians 4:8). God noted that man s thoughts and practices were not just occasionally evil, but continually evil. The earth, which God had declared to be very good (see Genesis 1:31) had now become filled with corruption.
IV. GOD S RESPONSE TO MAN S UNGODLINESS (Genesis 6:6-10) A. God s grief and judgment (Genesis 6:6-7). 1. (vs. 6). This verse says And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. God s response to man s wickedness was two-fold. First, it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth. The fact that God repented does not mean that He had made a mistake because originally man was among those things that God called very good (see Genesis 1:31). When it is said that God repented, it has the sense of feeling sadness or grief. Repented does not indicate a change in God s purpose or plan. It indicates a change in His attitude. Man s attitude toward God would result in God s change of response toward them. The word grieved means to be afflicted with pain, sorrow, or grief. The Lord was grieved or pained in His heart at seeing such widespread sin. The use of such anthropomorphisms (descriptions of God using human attributes) as repented and grieved help us as humans get a better idea of what God is like. Note: Does the fact that God repented mean that man s actions caught God by surprise? Certainly not! We know from other portions of Scripture that God is omniscient, or allknowing (see Acts 2:23; I Peter 1:20). God knew what men would do before He created them. He knows all things (see Psalms 139:1-6); yet when sinful actions
occur, they still grieve God s heart. In spite of knowing that man would sin, God followed through with His plan so that He might demonstrate the riches of His grace (see Ephesians 1:6-12). The fact that God was grieved over man s departure from Him should cause us to be concerned for the unsaved (see Matthew 9:36-38; II Peter 3:9). It should also cause us to live holy lives. 2. (vs. 7). This verse says And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. God, being holy could not overlook man s sin. So He determined to judge mankind. The Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth. The earth s total corruption made it impossible for it to be reformed. The words I will destroy can be literally translated as I will wipe out. The picture here seems to be the use of water to wash something as it does in II Kings 21:13, where the Lord declared I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish. In that passage, God meant that when He was finished, the dish (Jerusalem) would be cleansed of whatever sin that was in it. The phrase man whom I have created sees God as the Creator with sovereign control over what He created. Therefore, He has the right to both give life and take it away (see Job 1:21). God took responsibility for creating humanity, but not for humanity s sins. Not only would God destroy or wipe man from the face of the earth, His judgment would be so thorough and complete that it also included the beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air. Fish were not included
because of the nature of the judgment God had chosen water. He would use a Flood. But why was animal life to be destroyed at all? It was because these animals had originally been made for man, so if God destroyed man their purpose on earth was gone. As in all subsequent history, human sin caused other forms of life to suffer (see Zephania 1:1-3; Romans 8:19-23). B. God s grace (Genesis 6:8-10). 1. (vs. 8). This verse says But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Although God had announced that He would destroy humanity, there was one family on earth that was living in a godly manner. While the rest of humanity was corrupt and about to receive God s wrath, this verse says But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. The word grace here in its first occurrence in Scripture means unmerited or unearned favor. Despite sin s widespread influence, Noah found favor in God s sight. God had declared that He would destroy His creation, but Noah and his family would be spared. Noah was a descendant of Seth (see Genesis 5:6-29), one of Adam and Eve s sons (see Genesis 4:25). The Bible gives us no details about Noah s religious life or his dedication to God. We don t know how much he knew about God or how he served Him. What we do know is that the Lord was pleased with him. 2. (vs. 9). This verse says These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. The phrase These are the generations of Noah is a formal
introduction to the account of Noah and his family (see Genesis 10:1-32) beginning with his sons in the next verse. The record of Noah s family is important because the entire world would be repopulated by future generations of Noah s family. Three things are said about Noah. First, Noah was a just man. This means he was a righteous man; a man of integrity. Second, Noah was perfect in his generations. The term perfect is translated from a Hebrew word that means complete, whole, or entire. When used of a person s spiritual condition, it means spiritual maturity. The fact that he was perfect in his generations means that he was blameless before the people in his time. He was not sinless, but he tried to live in a way that would please God. That s why he was the recipient of God s grace. Third, like Enoch (see Genesis 5:22-24), Noah walked with God which means he lived in daily fellowship with the Lord, demonstrating a well-rounded godly life of faith (see Hebrews 11:7). He proclaimed righteousness to his contemporaries by his life and his words (see II Peter 2:5), but his contemporaries paid no attention (see Matthew 24:37-39). As a result, only Noah and his family survived. 3. (vs. 10). Our final verse says And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. In Old Testament times, having children was regarded as a sign of divine favor (see Psalms 127:3-5). Noah experienced God s blessing in this respect, for he had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Although Noah could not have known it when his sons were born, the re-population of the earth would depend on them.
V. Conclusion. This week s lesson has taught us that our God is incredibly patient. However, it also teaches that God will reach the end of His patience. Unrepentant people will face only judgment and destruction. There is a valuable lesson here. We need to remember that we can only continue so far in rebellion before God will give us over to it. If we persist even after the Holy Spirit s repeated warnings, we risk a potential hardening of the soul. When we do that, we are in great danger. If the Holy Spirit is dealing with you regarding some sin in your life, don t delay, repent while there is still time. ***The Bible Expositor and Illuminator, Union Gospel Press***