SCRIPTURE: Genesis 5" href="http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=51&passage=Genesis+6">Genesis 6
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Sometimes, the Bible has passages that are really hard to understand. Who are the sons of God? Fallen angels (demons) having sexual relations with women (the phrase ‘sons of God’ is used for angels). Believers who become unfaithful (like Solomon) and intermarry with women who do not follow God? I do not know the answer to this, though my gut tells me that it was not spirit beings, but wayward believers.
How could Noah build an ark that would hold every animal kind? Was the whole planet covered? Some people get all worked up about this, but I hesitate to focus on this. I am sure there was a flood of catastrophic proportions. God allows this event because the human situation had gone too far. “The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.”
Do we hear God’s heart in this? Do we sense His pain and sadness when He has to endure such immorality and violence and corruption? “So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.” Do we realize how serious sin is, how painful it is for God to endure it? We think of God as beyond feelings, but this passage reveals the heart of God. Did He enjoy wiping people out? Does He delight in judging people?
No. God does not find pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11). And the truth of John 3:16 was as true then, as it was when Jesus came, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
God is rebuilding His paradise. Sin stands in the way of that. Only serious judgment can remove the stain. The flood and the cross both show how serious sin is, and how far God must go to save us.
PRAYER:
Lord, forgive me for doubting Your love and power. I don’t understand the details of these events, but they show me again the deep pain of Your love, and Your deep commitment to salvage this creation, and us.
…wickedness, heart set to evil continually, corruption, earth filled with violence …
“I am sorry that I have made them” declares the Lord.
Lord have mercy on us if we are not found walking with the You.
The book of Genesis is very interesting. Many people have as many different views on what some of the text is referring to. While I don’t doubt that God can do all things and nothing is impossible for Him, some passages are indeed thought-provoking. A few I was pondering:
– Who was God referring to when He said “Let us make human beings in our image and likeness” (Gen:1:26). Are we then images of God? Does “us” refer to the angels present at creation or God and His Spirit? Were angels present?
– What were the wild animals and tame animals and how were they distinguished? Did wild animals eat tame animals? If they didn’t eat each other, which Gen:1:30 seems to make clear, then what makes some animals tame and others wild? Or was this just from the perspective of the writer of Genesis?
– Why did God need to rest?
– Could a snake talk? If it did then, were other animals able to talk? Or did Eve recognise a talking snake to be Satan and hence was not stunned or perplexed (like I would be)?
– What eventually happened to the tree of life? It is interestng that this tree shows up again in Revelation 2:7 and 22:2,14.
– Why did God not accept Cain’s gift? After all, did Cain know any better? He was a farmer, so it seems natural for him to bring his best produce.
– Who were the Nephilim (Gen:6:4)? Why do they warrant a special name? Some think they were aliens, fallen angels or just giants. Somehow they seem to me to be something other than ordinary humans.
– Why was God sorry for making humans? It almost seems like an emotion an all-knowing God shouldn’t have, since He would know exactly how things would turn out. Besides, He had just created man, only to have him sin, and then instituted a plan to redeem him (see Gen:3 15).
These are just some of the questions I have about this book. I hope that as you read through Genesis, you remember that God has a plan for us and that HIs love shines through. Yes, our God cannot stand sin, but at the same time, he is our Creator and He wants us to love him unconditionally. Max Lucado, in his book “In the Eye of the Storm”, says it well:
” Within the man, God had placed a divine seed. A seed of his self. The God of might had created earth’s mightiest. The Creator had created, not a creature, but another creator. And the One who had chosen to love had created one who could love in return”
LORD, You are a God of such incredible wonder and majesty. You created this world with the intent to for it to be so much different than we have made it to be with our sinful, broken, evil, selfish and prideful ways. LORD, how Your heart must break today as it did in the time of Noah – is our world today not just as evil? Do You not feel the same disappointment, the same hurt as You oversee our lives today? God forgive us.
Like Noah, I pray that believers today will walk in close fellowship with You for it is the only way to protect ourselves in the sinfulness that surrounds us today. We cannot make Godly choices if we are not in close relationship with You, with hearts devoted to loving You, living in You, making a difference in Your Kingdom.
LORD, I can’t help but wonder if Noah was greatly overwhelmed with what You asked of him – the building of such a boat! What a commitment! How many times have I said no to You because I feared what others would think or that it is just too hard or too much to ask of me? God forgive me for these times of unwillingness. What if Noah hadn’t obeyed? What have been the concequences for me; for others when I haven’t obeyed?
Do I believe the warnings of today? The people of Noah’s time must have been warned of the out come or what they would face if they continued to live for themselves- the ark could not be hidden! What signs are we as a body of believers not heeding today? What will the outcome be for our continued selfish living, for the ungodly choices that we make each and every day? LORD, not that we should live in fear but that we should live in peace knowing the assurance of our relationship with You because we are saved by the blood of Christ! LORD, give us the courage and the confidence to live out our lives for You, in daily obedience to Your will. Thank You LORD for Your Grace, that saved a wretch like me! Thank You LORD for Your Redeeming power! Thank You LORD that through Your Son, I can walk in close fellowship with You. Thank You LORD that there is no greater thing than knowing You! Thank You LORD that all that You are is available to me / to everyone because of Your great love. Be my all in all so that I may be who You created me to be.
The sons of God married the daughters of man and the wickedness increased. In all of my life, I must serve the living God, even in the choosing of my life partner so together we can serve Him. The wickedness increased as the the sons of God married any of them they chose.because they were beautiful. The sons of God were not a people of integrity – oneness of heart and mind to serve their Creator God, but followed their own ways. They did what was right in their own eyes and hardened their hearts.
As Enoch walked with God, so too did Noah walk with God. God established a covenant with Noah to save him and his family from death. The world was given a new beginning. Redeemed. Through it all Noah remained faithful because the Lord God was with Him. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. Building the ark was an act of faith but when you walk with the Lord, He will show the way. Help me in my walk today Lord.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.