Gen. 6:10-11

The earth was filled with violence

Of course, God loves each of us and calls us all to repent of our sins and trust Him to save us. But, he hates it when people commit wanton, heartless acts to injure one’s fellow man.

But, God hates violence.

In 1st Timothy 3: 3, he insists that the leaders of the church must not be strikers, that is those who will act violently toward others. He mentions not drinking as part of that right afterward but that is not the only thing that causes violence.

God cites the violence which had spread throughout the land as one of those abominations which have so aggrieved him in Ezekiel 8 :17.

So what did the violence entail which had spread throughout the world in Genesis 6: 11? It was one of the things which had caused the whole earth to be corrupt, for all / to have corrupted its way upon the earth. Surely some of this was people  - quite possibly along with fallen angels - taking advantage of others, sometimes in a very violent fashion. The wickedness which occurred during this time was something which caused great sorrow. Noah undoubtedly felt this same sorrow, and perhaps it caused him to not have children until he was 500 years old.

Noah had three sons. We know that Noah waited till he was 500 years old. The Bible reiterates about him and his sons, and then goes on to mention that the whole world was corrupt.

We see in verse 10 and 11 that mankind had corrupted his way on the earth. This idea of corrupting means to make it unusable, the exact opposite of the world without sin which God created.

This breakdown, with mankind not wanting God involved, was inevitable with people who rebelled so much against God. And, it shows itself in scientific principles,  too.

The law of entropy the second law of thermodynamics shows that things break down over time u

unless some force prevents it; just as God would have done had man not brought sin into the world.

This can be gravity in the case of orbits, for example. God is the Sustainer of all life, no matter where it is, but He could not interfere with man's free will every single time without ending cause and effect. It grieved the Lord that people had corrupted it so much.

Gen. 6:9

Noah was perfect in his generations

Perfect here, of course, does not mean without sin, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Rather it means that Noah had matured in his walk with God to the point where he was drawing close and remaining close to the Lord at all times. Ephesians 5 18 tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit; that filling means a total control by the Spirit. While the Holy Spirit did not indwell people at this time, because the curse of sin had not been broken, the spirit did rest on believers. This is how the Lord spoke to Noah and all the Old Testament prophets, along with anyone else used by the Lord for His work. 

There is another theory, that perfect in his generations means he had No genetic mutation  like the fallen angels had created in most people. This could be true even if the fallen ones creating the Nephilim only made genetic alterations and there was no intercourse with humans. One reason this could be is the "in his generations" part. Others say that means there was no descendent of Cain in his genealogy. However, it should be noted that not only is there no stated rule against marrying Cain's descendants, but even where God forbids marrying Canaanites, several such women are listed in Matthew 1 in the line of Christ. God in His mercy permitted them to have a part in the line of Christ, so it's not likely this is referring to whether or not Noah was fully Sethite.

As before when this was discussed, this is not a question of doctrine when it comes ro salvation and therefore not a matter to be too insistent upon. Rather, like the women in Philippians 4:2-3, since it's not fundamental to salvation, we must be of one mind in the Lord, agreeing to be satisfied with being united in our faith as believers.

He was also a just man. As noted, he walked with God, but special note is made that he was just. In a world filled with evil and wickedness he stood out. He likely faced much ridicule for his justice, considering how much he gave up. However, he was determined to do what was right. As Micah 6:8 says, “He hath shown thee oh man, what is good and what the LORD doth require of thee: but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy god.”

Noah did these things, and the combination of justice and mercy shows the character of God. He is always just, yet He is always merciful toward his people, constantly giving chances to repent and be saved by faith. However, His justice requires that a price be paid, and that we each accept, before we die, that this price was for our sins. Praise the Lord that price was paid when Christ took the punishment for our sins on the cross where he died and then rose triumphant plea from the dead. Noah was a symbol of what Christ would one day do for us.

Gen. 6:8

Noah found grace

Wee just saw a world so rife with evil the people only imagined evil all day long. God was so disgusted by that sin, He planned to destroy the world of sin which had grown since Adam and Eve chose to do evil.

Noah surely faced temptation  to follow that evil. B ut, he chose to do good. In fact, he seems to have done so quite actively, since we read he found grace. Some, God simply chooses, knowing what they'll do, like he tells Jeremiah that before he was born God appointed him to be a prophet. He raises up whomever He chooses, not on anything but His unending love, since none of us is worthy of His love and favor.

That grace is a free gift - one famous acrostic defines it as God's riches at Christ's expense. It is unmerited favor, neither earned nor deserved. This is why the Bible doesn't say he earned grace. That, by definition, is impossible.  If it is by grace it is no.more works. It can't be grace and works, because once you start working for something it isn't free.

Noah, however, found grace. It was discovered through his following God very closely. Noah had certainly heard of how his great-grandfather Enoch had  walked with God so closely that God took him. He translated Enoch from life on this world to life in Heaven so he did not see death. This is a picture of the rapture as told about in 1st Corinthians 15 verses 51 to 53 and 1st Thessalonians 4 vs 13 thru 18.

Notice, too, it was in the eyes of God. God is always watching for us to turn to Him, waiting for us to call out to Him, admitting our need for Him. He is willing that none perish but that all would come to repentance.(2 Peter 3:9) We see often that His mercies are new every morning.

In all that wickedness, God kept waiting.  Noah was willing where nobody else was, to follow the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. How vital that he had examples like Enoch, Methuselah, and God Himself in His goodness yet also God's insistence on remaining separate from sin.

It's vital for everyone in this day and age as well to have good Christian role models who will show how to live Godly lives. Yet, if there are none we can turn to the Bible and Jesus Himself to see how we can be the examples of Jesus Christ God wants us to be. A world of people are looking for answers. We have them in God's Word, but often they need to see we are real first

Gen. 6:7

Gen. 6:7

As noted in the previous section, the whole world was corrupted.  Here, we read the extent, because God promised to destroy not only the people, but also the animals.

Why the animals, too? Here are a few thoughts on that and the verse in general.

First,  as noted earlier,  it's possible fallen angels or just people with no help from them had created a lot of genetic combinations, may of which may have been pure evil and rendered the creatures not human and unable to be saved, as noted I the comment on Gen. 6:6 where warning is made of the Mark of the Beast in Revelation. It is only a theory, and we don't know what the technology was then, but the point is, people had become so evil, it's easy to imagine them creating many horrible creatures without regard to the pain they would cause.

Even if this isn't true, though, the mere fact that people cause such pain to others now demonstrates the capacity for evil some possess. If people were doing such horrid things to other people and animals as some cases that have been reported,  especially if there were no protective groups, it's no wonder that God saw no way to protect them, as He won't force people to love. Adam and Eve wanted to know evil when they ate of that tree of the knowledge of good and evil,  and boy, did they find out.

We sometimes complain about too much government interfering in our lives, but let face it, God uses government,  and it's entirely possible He has let things get like they are because we fallen people will not govern ourselves and enforce kindness, love, mercy, self control, and other Godly attributes.  It may well be that before the Flood,  there were no laws about being kind, gentle, merciful,  and so on. It is possible there were no laws against cruelty then, and now people go overboard protecting animals and people from things they don't need protection from, because either way, it shows how much of a disaster mankind causes when it ignores God's plan of gentleness,  self-control,  mercy, and so on.

God calls us to be people who follow Him and do His will, and His will is to show mrrcy, never to abuse. I'm not sure that he has used mankind - which has gone overboard with human-created political correctness - to try to bring about an end to cruelty toward others because we, His churvh, we're unwilling. However, I'm reminded of the Israelite wandering in the wilderness complaining that all they got was manna from Heaven, and God said fine, He would give them quail and prophesied that they would consume it so much unto their lust that it would fill them till it came out their noses.

Yes, God wanted us to end cruelty and abuse of others, and with things such as slavery, to name one example, we refused, consuming that evil unto our own lusts. He knows we are not going to create a perfect world apart from Him.

So, why the destruction? Remember,  God had a plan to redeem fallen people. The plan relied on there being some woman available through whom Messiah,  Jesus,  would be born. There may have been such evil that there were few choices left and He had to start anew. But, consider this as well.

There had to be a way to save these people by their faith. He may well have decreed such destruction so many could get saved, if not through the ark through calling on Him as the waters rose. We know children are saved because Jesus promises their angels  (spirits) always see the Father's face.(Matt. 18:10) Also King David in 2 Sam. 12:23 says he knows he will go to see his son who has died. So, there also are people who would be saved. Other possibilities exist, to such as God shutting the wombs for a time or allowing sickness to claim many before the Flood. The point is that God still loved the dinners, as He has always done, and will try hard to win people to His love, to that wonderful relationship He promises. However, He won't wait forever for people to turn to Him. And, in the end, only eight were saved on the ark

Gen. 6:6

Gen. 6:6

It repented God

Let's be perfectly clear, God is perfect. He never has to say oops, He knows all possible things that could happen and how it will, but He gives us free choice.

This term means God felt sad. In fact,  the verse says also it grieved God in His heart. He wanted so much for people to do what was right, and instead they had become worse and worse.

It wasn't just that, the spiritual warfare was horrible,  as the angels which left their rightful place and followed the devil were totally interfering in people's lives in some fashion. As noted, how isn't as important.

However, one thought that I read about is important enough it bears mentioning as a possible warning about the end times.

Remember that we don't know what the Mark of the Beast will do, but that Jesus warned us that as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of His coming. We also don't know what the technology was in the days right before the Flood,  though that isn't quite as important for this idea. However, an Edison, say, who lived 800 years could do a lot.

So, if fallen angels were interfering with mankind so much back then, and they come back to draw people away in the end times, too, as is plausible, then it is possible the Mark of the Beast could change our DNA to make us no longer human, and thus not able to be saved.

DNA study, after all, is a wonderful thing if done right, to help people live healthier. It can fall into the wrong hands, though, and be used for much evil; look at the horrible tests Hitler s evil followers performed with far less technology.

This could mean, too, that back then people only were worshipping the forces of darkness and trying to be as God in the way the devil tempted Eve. Yet, that people in the End Times will be offered enhancements that would make them no longer human. Or, it could be the Mark of the Beast will just come with something that leads to devil worship.

Either way, the warning in Revelation is clear. The Mark could be implanted in a chip in the skin right now, but the Tribulation isn't here yet as of this writing.(February, 2015).

However, this could be getting read later, during the Tribulation. If you read nothing else, heed this:

If there is a requirement as you are reading this or later to get a mark in your hand or forehead, OR if you have a chip or something like it already and you are required to get something implanted in it, some sort of upgrade, and you won't be able to buy or sell without it,  DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT TAKE THE MARK.

Call on the Lord Jesus Christ to save you and forgive you of your sins, believing He died to take the punishment for your sins and rose from the dead. Yes, it'll cost you a little time on this earth, you may lose your life via beheading for your faith, but you will spend forever in God's perfect Heaven with no pain, no suffering, no tears. Those who take the Mark, though, will spend forever in a place of fire separated from God's love.

Whoever is telling you to take that Mark will seem mighty persuasive.  It may sound like the best thing possible.  But, you must follow Jesus instesd, because the Bible clearly warns that individual or entity or group is evil. Just like the evil before the Flood.

But, if you are reading this before these things come to pass, we are still in the Age of Grace and will be will "him with letteth,' the Restrainer," that being the Holy Spirit, is taken out of the way. . You can trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour now, and unless you are in a dangerous part of the world you won't have to die for your faith - though even if you are, the suffering of this world isn't worthy to be compared to the glory which is to come.(Rom. 8:18) So, trust Chrsit and love your enemies, share Jesus' goodness with them so they can see a difference in you. And, go someplace like www.Jesus2020.com so you can have others to talk with and help you grow in Christ.

However, beware – there will be great deception to come on all those who reject God’s perfect love and salvation.(2 Thess. 2:3-12) You might fall victim to that if you don’t trust in Jesus Christ to save you now. You also might die before you see these things come to pass. So, it’s vital that you trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour by faith now, for today is the day of salvation.(2 Cor. 6:2)

And, by all means, read the rest of this blog, too. I pray it will be a blessing. And, who knows whether in the Tribulation it may be all that is available. There is already so much evil out now, just like it was in the days of Noah.

And, that evil had totally corrupted everything.

Gen. 6:5

Gen. 6:5

Man's mind was on evil continually

The sad state of fallen man is shown here, where wickedness had spread everywhere.  We don't know what government or anything else was like, but whether there were kings, emperors,  or presidents, whether great freedom or harsh tyranny, whatever state people are in, one thing matters to God - the state of one's heart.

We are born with a sin nature, and each of us must choose to reject or accept Christ's forgiveness. Salvation has always been by faith,  as we have seen.  These people, then, had the choice whether to accept or reject God's promise of a future Messiah who would wash their sins away, and in the meantime trust in and follow His ways and precepts. As Job said only a few hundred years after the Flood, at around the time of Abraham, 'I know my Redeemer lives.' He knew he wasn't perfect, but that he would stand before Him forgiven. And, in the meantime,  he served God as best He could.

These people, however, wanted nothing to do with God's love and mercy. They didn't even take the time to consider following God.  We're they doing good works for only themselves?  We don't know,  but it seems unlikely. 

Their minds, after all, were on evil continually, but so was every desire of their hearts, every imagination – that is, all that they thought about. There was no thought of Godly ways. God promised to save Sodom if only ten righteous people were in it, after all. These people didn't even have a desire to be Godly. It brings to mind how people in the End Times will not only blaspheme God, they will even blaspheme those in Heaven. Because even totally vain peoples’ minds will at times be on helping others, for instance, even if for their own glory that is still a noble cause. It would appear, though, that there were no noble causes whatsoever in this time.

Of course, people will point to the fact that all our righteousness is as filthy rags next to that of God.(Is.64:6) But, true as that is, in saying “all our righteousness,” the Spirit accepting that mankind has some desire to do right, some innate sense that it is good to do good. it is very often wrong in deciding what is good, it is very often a self-righteousness like the Pharisees whom Jesus takes to task many times, but there is a “righteousness” there which when compared to that of God is as filthy rags. Even in the most hedonistic societies there may be that person who helps his neighbor or who always speaks kind words, for instance.

God condemns the pre-Flood world here by stating that all the thoughts and imaginations were only on evil,a nd continually on evil. People have said for decades they felt the Lord wouldreturn because it has begun to be ‘as in the days of Noah,” but the evil in the world does keep getting more pronounced, because it is not yet as cruel as the world just before the Flood. This is why it’s vital to pray god come quickly and also to witness to as many as we can of God’s great grace, peace, comfort, etc., and most of all His salvation, full and free, to all who believe..

This is another reason why it appears spiritual warfare must be involved somehow with fallen angels, because the Cainites could have become as wicked as the inhabitants of Canaan in Joshua’s day, but even there a Rahab was present to show her family the ways of God and His love which she had found, even there a Ruth could be found who once she was shown the truth of God’s love she would turn away from the evil idols. So, not every Canaanite desired to sacrifice their children to molech as the vast majority did. (And these children, though sought by the devil, were apparently all below the age of accountability, meaning that they were saved by the cross just as David’s son, of whom the king says that child would not come to him, but he would go to that child someday.(2 Sam. 12:23) So, the devil didn’t even get the satisfaction of hving these souls.)

However, there were far more people in the world right before the Flood than there were in Canaan, and the Bible seems to indicate that there were no Rahabs, no Ruths, who could be won and used to win others to God. Out of potentially billions of people Even if only millions, this shows the intense depravity which occurred, and is more in line with the demon-possessed who would throw themselves intot he fire and cut themselves which Jesus healed. There is even some speculation that the Nephilim were genetically engineered, but while mankind at this time may have been advanced enough to do that and did it for evil only, such discussion of what Nephilim were is speculation, as noted above, and is not the purpose of this blog.

The purpose is to examine Genesis and to consider God’s love rtoward his people, and any such things as the Nephilim are things on which reasonable minds can differ. A consideration of them may be read in the post on genesis 6:2-4, and there may be a small amound of discussion on that topic later, but it’s best not to get off on a tangent but instead to get back to considering sound doctrine. If you know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, ou will find out someday, and it will be worth the wait to be there with Him in glory. That is what I always tell myself; speculation is fun,b u tint he end it is just that, speculation.