Bad to Worse

Here’s another throw back pic from 6 years ago. 

Genesis 6

Cain spawned an evil linage that lived without regard to God. At this time men lived 800 to 900 years and couples would produce dozens and dozens of children. The population increased significantly and quickly. The genealogies of chapter 5 indicate that the world was around 1500 years old when the flood came. It is estimated that there could’ve been over a billion people on the earth. 

A walk in the park

God gave Adam and Eve, Seth, a righteous son, to replace Abel and to produce a righteous linage. From Seth’s linage came Enoch who was described as one who walked with God. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” From the context, this is a clear statement that Enoch did not physically die. God simply took him, snatched him or raptured him, per se.  Later in Seth’s linage, Noah was born. Noah grew up as a follower of God amid a wicked population. “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.”

sons of God

Unfortunately, after multiple generations leading up to the flood, even the righteous line of Seth was corrupted. In Genesis 6:2 there is a strange occurrence that may have led to the escalation in the corruption of mankind. “The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.” There are different theories of what is meant by the “sons of God”. These are the kind of passages that Bible College geeks like me used debate on Friday nights with my roommates eating frozen pizza and drinking liters of Coke. There were no frats parties and kegs in my college days. I was a Bible college geek through and through. Anyway, whatever the sons of God are in this case, what is happening isn’t good.

He’s a little devil

Who were these “sons of God” that intermingled with the “daughters of men?” From the best I can understand from what I’ve read, the phrase is always used to indicate angelic beings.  So, it’s a bit of a bad Sci-fi movie, but it seems Satan devised a plan to escalate the corruption of mankind with an infusion of devil children. Once again, whatever happened, it was not good. Genesis 6:5 says, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of all the thoughts of his heart was only continually evil.” God’s heart was grieved. It was time for Him to intervene. There was only Noah and his family who were righteous. God let Noah know that a flood is coming, and he better prepare. God would give him precise instructions and he, his family and two animals of each kind, would be saved.

It could be worse

Lord, we often complain about the evil in the world we live in but it’s not nearly as bad now as it was then. As bad as things are now, your protective grace over those of us who love you is a magnanimous gift. We are blessed, and we are in your care and in your strong hands. Noah is about to follow Your precise instructions and be saved. In the same way, you have spoken to us through Your Word and we can follow Your instructions, believe in You and be saved. Our hearts are filled with gratitude. Amen.