A World Corrupt: Learning from the Days of Noah

 

A World Corrupt: Learning from the Days of Noah

Genesis 6:1-12

The Bible begins with, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” And then, with minimal historical detail provided about those early days, we quickly arrive at Genesis 6, where we read:

Genesis 6:5-6 (NKJV) Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

How bad must things have been for every intent of the human heart to be only evil continually? It was bad enough that it broke God’s heart. This verse says, “He was grieved in His heart.” God was heartbroken!

Earlier, when Cain was angry because God did not accept his sacrifice, God warned him:

Genesis 4:7 (NASB95): “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

What does God mean by “You must master it?”

We are going to explore this question. 

We are going to look at what the Bible says because the Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to us. As such, every word must be true, or we cannot trust what it says. When Genesis 6 describes the world before the flood, it does so as accurate history and also to teach us about God and ourselves. The New Testament Epistle of James compares the Bible to a mirror that shows us ourselves. So, in looking at Today’s passage, we see in ourselves the need to master sin.

There are three areas in which we must work to master sin: 1) our desires, 2) our thoughts, and 3) our actions.

Mastering Sin in Our Desires

Genesis 6 tells us:

Genesis 6:1-2 (NKJV) Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

Something unusual is happening here. That is why God singles it out for us. To understand what is happening, we first need to identify who the sons of God are.

The phrase “sons of God” appears several times in the Old Testament, each time referring to angelic beings. The Hebrew word used is “Elohim,” the same name for God that is used in Genesis 1 when the Bible says, “In the beginning, God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth.” From our human perspective, these are powerful spiritual beings created by God to serve Him. The devil and his demons are also of this kind.

The devil’s henchmen, who we know as fallen angels or demons, took human wives and produced offspring, “giants,” as described in Genesis 6. I believe this is where myths about demigods come from. Jude 1:6 refers to these fallen angels when it says:

Jude 1:6 (NKJV) And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

For the demons, creating hybrid offspring was an act of defying God and defiling God’s creation. For the women, becoming the wife of a supernatural being was so attractive that Genesis 6:2 tells us that the Sons of God “took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.” For example, Genesis 6 tells us that these offspring were “men of renown.” So, for the women, this was a way to gain powerful, invincible husbands and offspring. We cannot pretend to know what motivated these women, but whatever made these angelic beings so appealing, they willingly participated, desiring something they knew was evil.

Throughout the Bible, we see the need to resist sinful desires. Romans 6 warns us not to yield to sin, lest we become slaves to it. James 4:7-8 tells us:

James 4:7-8 (NKJV) Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The women who were approached by demons needed to resist these devils. As simple as that may sound, they chose evil. Just as Cain’s evil intentions led to his actions, the women’s desires led them to choose evil. This brings us to our second point: we must master sin in our thoughts.

Mastering Sin in Our Thoughts

Genesis 6:5 (NKJV) Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

The heart is the very essence of our problem with sin. Have you spent time trying to discern the intentions that give rise to your thoughts? What is the goal that moves your mind to start thinking? Understanding and then putting the purpose behind our thoughts into words is very difficult. At some level, everyone hides some of these intentions from themselves, even lying to themselves about what is happening in their hearts. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us we deceive ourselves.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV) “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

This seems extreme! Surely, a person can trust their own heart! Trusting one’s heart is, actually, not wise. In the Proverbs, the wisest man that ever lived, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool!” (Proverbs 28:26) It is hard to accept that the axiom of our day, “Follow you heart,” is foolish, but this is what the Bible seems to say. However, the Lord God wants to help us. He says:

Proverbs 3:5-7 (NKJV) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

God not only knows our thoughts, but He knows the intent behind them. God knew Cain’s thoughts and intentions and warned him. Cain’s thoughts and intentions were evil, which ended with him murdering his brother. The same pattern holds true for all sin: thoughts lead to actions.

Mastering Sin in Our Actions

Genesis 6:11-12 (NKJV) The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

The wickedness of human thoughts filled the world with violence, making it utterly corrupt. The Hebrew word for corrupt used here describes something spoiled, like sour milk or rotting flesh. The world was rotten with sin.

Our actions reflect what is in our hearts. The condition of the world around us exposes our thoughts and intentions. If humanity had pure thoughts and intentions, there would be no war, murder, rape, theft, or evil. But, alas, our world tells a different story. The realities of our world reveal our need to master sin.

But what does it actually mean to “master” sin? Can such a thing even be done?

The word translated master is the same word used in Genesis 1, where God creates man to rule over the earth. It conveys authority, control, responsibility, and stewardship.

We have a responsibility to govern our bodies, take care of what God has entrusted to us, and exercise self-control. Self-control is the key concept here. Each of us is responsible for ourselves. We hold each other responsible for our actions. If a person steals, they must repay it and often pay a penalty. If a person kills another person, we call it murder and insist they pay for it. 

However, nothing anyone has tried seems to be working. The world is a mess. Is there any hope?

The Hope We Have in Christ

As we journey through the Bible, we see that people have always failed to master sin. Whether before the flood, under the Law of Moses, or under the grace of Jesus Christ, the world has remained filled with violence and corruption. 

After the Flood God said, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth." (Genesis 8:21) God’s statement in this verse shows that we have no hope of mastering sin on our own. We need to be resucued, to be saved from bondage to sin.

Praise God, who has provided a way of escape! Through Jesus Christ, we have been set free from the bondage of sin.

When Paul wrestled with his sinful nature, he cried out:

Romans 7:24-25 (NLT) Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Bonus Thoughts

1. If you want to know the intent of your own heart, start with God’s Word.

Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

2. If you want to be saved from the corruption of sin, call on God.

Romans 10:13 (NKJV) For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Conclusion

God is heartbroken when He sees sin corrupting His creation, just as He was in Genesis 6. But He has made a way for us to be redeemed.

The question is, will we surrender our desires, thoughts, and actions to Him? Will we master sin, or will it master us?

The answer is found in Jesus Christ. We must ask Him to save us.

The World Before the Flood

 

The World Before the Flood

**Genesis 6:1-8**  

Please take the time to read the passage. The Word of God is more important than what anyone else says!

I don’t think we would recognize the world that existed before the Flood. For one thing, conditions had to be different for people to live so long.  

Let’s read the first two verses of our text today:  

Genesis 6:1-2 (NKJV)  

1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,  

2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.  

As the first step of our journey today, let’s take a look at what it means when it says, *“When men began to multiply on the face of the earth.”*  

We will start with Genesis 4:1-2, where it speaks of Adam and Eve’s first children:  

Genesis 4:1-2 (NKJV)  

1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the LORD.”  

2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.  

Eve was very excited at the birth of Cain. The name *Cain* means *to acquire,* or it could mean *spear.* Even more to the point, Eve actually said, “I have acquired a man, the Lord.” The Lord had promised that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head:  

Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

So, Eve thought her first child was the promised offspring who would be both God and man—the God-man. However, she soon discovered that this was not the case. Her second son was named Abel, which means *emptiness* or *vanity.*  

After these first two children, Scripture shows us how humanity multiplied on the earth. Adam and Eve and their descendants had many children. Genesis 5 provides an account of the early generations. Look with me at Genesis 5:4-7:  

Genesis 5:4-7 (NKJV)

4 After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters.  

5 So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.  

6 Seth lived one hundred and five years and begot Enosh.  

7 After he begot Enosh, Seth lived eight hundred and seven years, and had sons and daughters.  

Notice that, besides having more children, they lived extraordinarily long lives, allowing the earth’s population to grow rapidly. How many children could a human couple have in 700 years? Even if they had two every hundred years, that could easily result in 14 children!  

There are reasons why people may have lived so long before the Flood. The earth was different then. In Genesis 1, it says:  

Genesis 1:6-7 (NKJV)

6 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”  

7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.  

Why does the Bible mention waters *above* and *below* the firmament? Is this some sort of mythology? When Scripture describes these waters, could it be referring to a canopy of water that enveloped the earth before the Flood? A canopy that later collapsed, causing the great deluge?  

If such a canopy existed, it would have had significant effects. A greenhouse effect could have made temperatures stable worldwide, likely tropical. With the entire planet covered in lush vegetation, the air would have contained more oxygen. Higher air pressure would have made oxygen more readily available, increasing stamina and improving healing. This canopy might have also shielded the earth from harmful solar radiation—gamma rays, X-rays, and other forces that damage the human body.  

Could this explain why people before the Flood lived for 900 years or more? After all, the human body repairs itself. Without harmful radiation damaging DNA, would our lifespan have increased dramatically?  

Other passages in Scripture suggest that such conditions existed. Consider Genesis 2:5-6:  

Genesis 2:5-6 (NKJV)  

5 Before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground;  

6 But a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.  

The fact that there was no rain yet sufficient moisture suggests that conditions were vastly different. Using our imaginations, we might envision an earth with high humidity. Would the cooling at night cause heavy dew to form, providing enough water? And wouldn’t these conditions also reduce evaporation, preventing dryness?  

Some might say, “Well, imagination is fine, but that’s how fairy tales are written!” True, fairy tales and scientific hypotheses are both born from imagination. However, many people don’t realize there is ample evidence for creation. Believing that God created everything is not the same as believing the world is flat.  

We do not know exactly what happened before the Flood. God and those who lived then know. We are simply examining what God has told us. Everything else is speculation. What we do know is that before the Flood, the world was a vastly different place, and people lived extraordinarily long lives.  

Now, let’s consider another statement from Genesis 6.

Genesis 6:3 (NKJV)  

And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”  

Here, God makes a decision regarding the lifespan of humans. There are two key points to examine:  

1. What does He mean by *strive?*  

2. What does He mean by *forever?*  

Let’s start with the second question. What does God mean by *forever* in this context? The Hebrew word used here is *olam.* According to Strong’s Lexicon:  

"TheHebrew word 'olam' primarily conveys the concept of eternity or an indefinite, unending duration."  

Let’s apply the definition of “an indefinite, unending duration.” Have you ever heard someone say, “This is taking forever!”? This is similar to the expression in Genesis 6. God is saying, “I have had enough! If a person cannot make peace with Me in 120 years, they never will.”

This brings us to the idea of God’s Spirit *striving* with humanity. How does God’s Spirit strive with people? After all, He is the Almighty. What strength do we have to resist Him?  

God created us in His image, and part of that image is the ability to choose. He does not violate the free will He has given us. However, He pleads with us. Consider this passage from 2 Samuel 14:  

2 Samuel 14:14 (NLT)  

All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, He devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from Him.

God makes a way for us through Jesus Christ. In Ezekiel 33:11, He declares:  

Ezekiel 33:11 (NKJV)

*‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die?’*  

Jesus promised to return, and we know this will happen soon. But why does God wait? 2 Peter 3:9 explains:  

2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)  

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to repent.  

God will not *strive* with us forever. He pleads with us, offering reconciliation through Christ. But if we continue to reject Him, our time eventually runs out. None of us will have more than 120 years to decide—but why wait? God seeks to bless us. Why not be reconciled to Him today?