Genesis 6

Genesis 6 begins the story of Noah and the flood and it gives us the reason why God destroyed the earth. So why did God destroy? There was no good. There's no what? No good. There's nobody good on earth.

Well except maybe Noah. Noah himself or Noah and his family. Yeah the earth had become totally corrupt and why is that? Well has something to do with these sons of God and the daughters of men. So the main questions we're going to look at.

Number one what led to this corruption? Number two we'll ask how can God be sorry? It says that God was sorry that he made man. Well didn't he know this was gonna happen? How can God? The King James says that it repented God that he had made man.

That God wished that he hadn't. Well how does that work if God knows all things? And then number three we'll get into the whole story of Noah's Ark and the flood but let's start with verse 1. Genesis 6 1 2 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.

Okay so the sons of God are intermarrying and having children with the daughters of men. So we have to first identify these two groups. Who are the sons of God? And there's basically two main theories on this.

The first theory says that the sons of God are what? Okay yeah the first theory says that the sons of God are angels. Alright the second theory says that the sons of God are the godly line of Seth. So let's go over these two views and whichever it is will determine who or what the Nephilim are or the Giants and it will tell us you know what happened why God decided he had to destroy all of mankind.

So who's heard of the term Nephilim? Or let me ask does does your Bible say giant or Nephilim? Whose Bible says giant? Okay who says Nephilim? So it's almost half and half. So who are the Nephilim? This comes from the Hebrew word or who are the Giants?

It comes from the Hebrew word Nephil and Moses writes that they were mighty men who were of old men of renown. So the two theories the sons of God are angels. If the sons of God are angels that would make the Giants or the Nephilim half breeds like half angel half human because the angels are procreating with women human women and then their offspring would be half angel of course they're fallen angels so they'd be like half demon half human and a lot of people will just you know just reject that out of hand and say that's not even possible so a lot of people don't even accept that as a possibility but that's one view I would say that's probably the minority viewpoint the majority report is that the sons of God are simply the line of Seth so the godly line of Seth and I think based on the context I'm inclined to think that yes this these are the descendants of Seth the godly people that are on the earth so once the godly people start intermarrying with the ungodly what happens you know you may if you have purity and corruption and you mix purity and corruption all you get from there is corruption.

So that's what would have corrupted the human race or obviously if demons were procreating with humans that would have corrupted the human race as well. So we know mankind has been corrupted it's just a matter of which position I suspect this room is divided of who holds what position.

The Meaning of the Nephilim and the Sons of God

Okay so let's get into this. The as I said the Hebrew word Nafil in most modern Bible translations it says Nephilim. And the word Nephilim sounds very mysterious. If you look it up online there are all sorts of wild pictures and crazy theories.

Maybe not crazy but in the King James version of the Bible along with the New King James it translates it not Nephilim. It translates it as there are giants on the earth. So most Bible translations say Nephilim and the other two King James.

New King James says giant. Does anyone have a different translation that says giant other than the King James or New King James. Okay so the only other time this word Nafil or for Nephilim is used is in Numbers chapter 13.

If you remember that story that's when the ten spies had gone into Canaan spy out the land. They came back with the bad report. Remember Joshua and Caleb had the good report. The ten spies said we should not go in.

We shouldn't try to take the land because there's no way we can win because the Giants are there in Hebrew to be that you know the Nephilim are there the sons of Anak. And basically they're too big they're too strong and we can't defeat them now that would be problematic.

Because if the Nephilim were destroyed in the flood how did they show up later on in the book of Numbers like if if this really is a half-breed between demons and humans how are they around in the book of Numbers.

Like to me explain it to me if I'm if I'm not getting something. But to me that doesn't make any sense. Now if it's just that they're Giants that they're large strong people. Okay there were there were Giants afterwards after the flood.

Right. You have Goliath and the men of Gath. So Giants being around after the flood not really a problem. But this half-breed creature. Yeah that just that just wouldn't make sense. So then why do people think the sons of God are angels.

Let's turn to Job chapter 1. As I've shared with you my belief is that they are the godly line of Seth. I think that makes the most sense just logically and based on the context. Because in the last chapter you want to go to the you know verses before and after and the verses before are giving the genealogy.

So it all makes sense with the genealogy that we're talking about the line of Seth. However we have to admit that yeah it does seem like there are some instances in the Old Testament where the sons of God does refer do refer to angels.

When you hear sons of God what do you think of. Like who are the sons of God today. Marcus. So today under the new covenant for the past 2 ,000 years it's clear believers are called sons of God children of God.

That is very rare. I'm not saying it never happened in the Old Testament but that's more of a New Testament concept for believers to be sons of God. But I do think it is referring to sons of God here in Genesis as believers as well.

Now as far as Jesus being called the son of God in the old what verse are you referring to in Proverbs there's a statement about God's Son Israel. The nation of Israel was referred to as God's Son. Yeah.

So look at Job 1 6 and 7 it says now there was a day when the what sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan from where do you come.

So Satan answered the Lord and said from going to and fro on the earth and from walking back and forth on it. So is Satan bound in the bottomless pit or is he chained up in hell. No Satan and presumably his demons have free reign and he's going to and fro on the earth.

But the more important thing here is that the sons of God in this context clearly seem to be the angels. So the angels present themselves to the Lord. It doesn't actually say that. So that is an assumption but it most commentators agree.

Sons of God here does refer to the angels. And Satan is an angel. Right. He's a he's a fallen angel. So that's why a lot of people think that the sons of God in Genesis 6 refer to angels. And again if angels are procreating with humans then you have some like half-breed race of creatures.

So that's that's the first point. Let's go to 2nd Peter chapter 2. Now what are some of the problems with the idea that the sons of God are angels. A lot of people would say that this contradicts what Jesus said in Matthew 22 verse 30.

He said in the resurrection the angels neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like people in the resurrection will neither marry nor are given in marriage but they are like the angels of God in heaven.

So according to Jesus angels don't get married. Angels don't procreate. That seems to be what Jesus is saying. So if that's true then that can't be what's going on in Genesis 6. Right. But again there there are some assumptions that we're making so it's hard to say for sure one way or another.

So either way you slice it. I think both both positions have their points. But look at 2nd Peter chapter 2 this is this is the one verse that made me think in the past I used to believe this this theory that the sons of God were angels.

And this is why based on this passage I'll just start in verse 1 for context Peter writes. But there were also false prophets among the people even as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies even denying the Lord who bought them and will bring on themselves swift destruction.

And many will follow their destructive ways because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed by covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words for a long time their judgment has not been idle and their destruction does not slumber.

And here's the part that ties in with Genesis. For if God did not spare the angels who sinned but cast them down to hell or Tartarus I think is the Greek term and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment and did not spare the ancient world but saved Noah one of eight people a preacher of righteousness bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes and so on and so forth.

So the argument goes that Peter is connecting the angels who sin. He's connecting that to the time period of Noah in the flood. So we've asked the question already when did Lucifer fall. When did the angels fall.

There's no real answer except that it was before Genesis 3. But here again this it's another assumption. But yeah he does seem to be connecting the time period of the flood to angels doing something wrong and they were cast down to to Tartarus.

Or this is the abyss or the bottomless pit where they are now in chains of darkness. Also Jude chapter or verse 6 it's only one chapter. Jude verse 6 says the angels who did not keep their proper domain but left their own abode.

God has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. So again the angels Satan and the angels seem to be the fallen angels seem to have free reign right. When Jesus is ministering there's people that are possessed by demons.

The demons seem to be kind of on the loose. But here we're seeing that there are some angels fallen angels that are chained. And the argument goes this. They sinned around the time of the flood they procreated with humans.

The sons of God came into the daughters of men and that's the punishment. They were chained in the abyss. So that would be sort of like a separate fall. So there was angels who fell originally with Lucifer before Genesis 3 and then it sort of happened again a different event in Genesis 6.

So do we understand the two the two arguments. What do you think. What do you think about all this confusing. Okay so long as we understand the main points the sons of God are either and this is another thing.

If they're if they're doing something wrong in their demons then why are they called the sons of God. Because they're clearly doing something wrong. But the sons of God are either angels or fallen angels.

Or they're the descendants godly descendants of Seth.

Okay.

Right. So yeah I mean that you know and I said there are two main theories that is a third theory and there's probably other theories out there. Yeah I mean that's possible. They could have been you know world rulers back then men of renown.

So that's that's a possibility. So what I was taught just what were you taught. Who is taught that they were the descendants of Seth. Okay. Who is taught that they were angels. Okay who has never taught anything about this or you don't.

Okay here's what I was taught. I was taught that they were fallen angels and that Satan had this plot to so corrupt mankind that made the blood of man would be intermingled with you know demons that mankind would be so corrupted that it would be impossible to bring the Messiah into the world.

That that was Satan's strategy. That's why he did it and that these were indeed fallen angels. So that's the position I held to because that's what I was taught. But when I was studying Genesis chapters 1 through 12 a couple summers ago I did a series Genesis 1 through 12.

And based on the context I changed my position because I just thought this this fit the context. So I think it's important that we are able to change our minds on things. But if you consider this whatever happened this is this is a very effective strategy.

Let's go to the this other theory the line of Seth how did how did Israel become corrupt. Remember God told them to be holy be separate have no dealings with the heathen. And what did they do. Yeah they intermarried with non-jews.

And that is one way it happened a couple times in their history. That is one way that the nation of Israel became heathen because they intermarried with the heathen. So that's a very common strategy. King Solomon did this.

Remember he had many foreign wives who believed in other gods and it led his heart away from the Lord so much so that he set up idols in the temple. And that's true even right now there could be a godly teenager a godly young man godly young woman.

They meet somebody. They start dating an unbeliever. And you know within a month or two there they fallen out of church and their lettuce. This this is a an effective tool of the enemy to lure people away through temptation.

So Marcus they took human form many times. Yes.

Perhaps they do have the ability to procreate and again that's this is.

Another this is another point. Let's say there's half the room or there's a third of the room that says that they're they're they're angels and that the Nephilim are a half-breed. Another third says no it's the godly line of Seth and the other third says well we just don't know you know that's okay.

We can agree to disagree like this is not a gospel issue as some people say like your salvation does not depend on your viewpoint here. So I think this is a sign of maturity when you can hear another viewpoint expressed and you just agree to disagree.

And you don't have to freak out because someone believes something different. So it's totally fine if we have different views. But mark you had.

Your hand up. Yeah I agree. I agree with that statement. They see another hand.

Over there yeah.

Right.

And yet I mean why are there some demons that are now chained. They had to know something far worse than the rest of them. Satan and his whatever right who took a stand against God right. And he didn't chain them.

So I mean that that.

Verse in second Peter. And you're right. There are some angels who are chained fallen angels then there are some who are not. So. The flood is such a drastic measure that something really bad had to have happened not just groups intermarrying which has happened throughout history.

I get it I get I can.

I can see both sides. So Marcus right. Let's turn to Matthew 24 for a moment.

Just along those lines because we know that the flood is used as a picture when Jesus is talking about the second advent when he comes to earth and we know this is going to happen again right wicked are going to be destroyed and only the righteous saved.

So Jesus when he talks about his coming again to earth he does compare it to the days of Noah so the idea that well we're doomed well it's true mankind is doomed. It's going to happen again. The first time was with water and we know the second time is with fire.

We see this in Matthew 24 38 through 40 says. For as in the days of excuse me for as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark and did not know until the flood came and took them all away.

So also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field one will be taken and the other left. So life is going to kind of be going on as is and then you know judgments gonna fall.

And he does seem to connect the two the second advent and the flood. So all right we can go back to Genesis chapter 6. And of course 2nd Peter 3 is another passage that seems to connect the flood with the day of the Lord.

But yeah I like I said I can see both sides here all right. Any other remarks on this. No all right. Let me find my place. So verse 3 we're gonna pick up in verse 3 and the Lord said my spirit shall not strive with man forever for he is indeed flesh yet his days shall be 120 years.

So again there's two positions on this one. One side says that there's going to be a hundred and twenty years until the flood that that's what he's saying mankind is a hundred and twenty years remaining now.

The other point of view says that after the flood man isn't going to live to eight nine hundred years man is only gonna live to about a hundred and twenty and that is over. You know Abraham lived to be I think 175.

But after the flood is true the life expectancy dropped drastically. So which is he referring to it's a matter of debate. One translation puts verse 3 like this. I think it's a paraphrase that does it.

But it says. Then the Lord said my spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time that is 900 years for they are only mortal flesh. In the future their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.

So according to some many commentators 120 is is the tops. For how long someone's gonna live all right. Verse 4 we get this statement about the Giants. So the sons of God came into the daughters of men.

Right. There were Giants on the earth in those days. And also afterward when the sons of God came into the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Notice it says. And also afterward this this again would tell me that it's probably the it's probably that they were actual Giants not half demon because after the flood there were no more Nephilim.

Like if there really is a half-breed creature they were destroyed in the flood. But here it says there were Giants and also afterward. So I think that they were really just large. Another way the word can be translated is fierce.

Or like tyrant or bullies that they were just fierce warriors. Large meant like Goliath because those people did exist after the flood. So again that wouldn't to me it wouldn't make sense if they were if they were half demon.

But men of renown what does it mean to be a man of renown or a person who is renowned that people are just talking about you. Right. You're you're famous and that's what happened. Because you see that they're still being talked about their legend lives on all the way to numbers 13.

Of course we're still talking about them today. But verse 5 whatever happened the result of this union this is the result either way. Verse 5 says. 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.

So this is a great verse on the teaching known as the depravity of man. So you know how it is today most people would say about human beings man is basically good. I mean that's the non-christian viewpoint.

The Christian viewpoint is that man there is none good. No not one. Right. This is Romans chapter 3. Jeremiah 17. Verse 9 says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it.

So the Bible definitely teaches the depravity of mankind. There's been only one good person in history and they nailed him to a cross. So the the doctrine of the depravity of man's often misunderstood it.

We're not saying that he's as mankind is as bad as he can possibly be. It's that man is as bad off as he can possibly be. Like we are totally lost fully corrupted in our nature. And man can do nothing in and of himself to to earn God's favor or to work their way to heaven.

So we are as bad off as we can be. Verse 6 and this is that statement where it it seems to describe God in such a way. This has made people wonder how can God be sorry that he did something. You know because we know God didn't make a mistake.

Right. But let's look verse 6 and the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth and he was grieved in his heart. Like I said the King James says it repented the Lord that he had made man. So how can God to repent means to change your mind.

So how is it that God can change his mind if God knows everything. Isaiah 46 verse 10 says it's God speaking I declare the end from the beginning. How can God change his mind. Then if he knows everything because you can do whatever he wants he's God.

You know this is one of those things where sometimes asking questions help so we can dig deeper and learn more. This is probably one of those questions that doesn't really help us. The Bible does say that at times God changed his mind whether that's anthropomorphic language where we're taking human attributes and applying them to God just to help us understand the story better maybe.

But it says that he does change his mind at times. So I'm just going to take it at face value. Marcus.

Three things that God cannot do. I have another one that says four things that God cannot do. There are some things you can't do. We can't lie. I think I bet you could read that track that probably one of them will say you can't change.

But you know what. He cannot create a rock so heavy that he can't. Yeah. Come let us reason together. Say it the Lord. So that's the. That's the best way to look.

At it God is unhappy. He is very displeased with mankind. That's an understatement. All right. Verse 7. So this is what he says. I will destroy man from. I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth both man and beast creeping thing and birds of the air for I am sorry that I have made them.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord so we know that grace is undeserving. God didn't owe Noah anything but it does seem like God chose Noah because he was righteous. It goes on to say that. Look at verse 9.

This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man perfect in his generations and it says Noah walked with God. That doesn't mean that he was perfect as in without sin. But he was he wasn't. He was a man who lived uprightly.

So there was nothing as we're talking about in a Sunday school. Right. The the word blameless. Like there's nothing you can pin on Noah. Yeah at some point in his life he had sin in his heart somewhere but I mean he was head and shoulders above everybody else.

But still he found grace because he still doesn't deserve what God did for him. Nobody really deserves it Marcus.

Debate between time and eternity between the finally and the infinite God. We're created in God's image. I believe that part of that means that God has emotions. We can grieve the Holy Spirit. God can suffer too just like we do and that's just because.

But it's important to remember that time will not always be and eventually everything is going to be made right and in heaven there'll be no more death no more pain no more sorrow no more crying. But in the meantime you cannot tell me that God did not suffer when he had to pour out his wrath on his.

Okay verse 11 says the earth was also the earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence. You know how bad it was was it worse then than it is now. I don't know there's no way to tell for sure.

But so God looked upon the earth verse 12 and indeed it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. If it is the godly line of set intermarrying with the ungodly people. You think that's happened among believers worldwide.

You think that's happened. I mean the real question is are we reaching that point where God is so displeased with humanity that you know he's going to bring. You know the flood 2 .0 with with the second advent.

I don't know. I think I think it's safe to say that mankind we are. We are probably worse than we've ever been. You ask a Christian that's typically what you'll hear. But then if you ask unbelievers they thought we've progressed we are better than we've ever been.

We have a long way to go. But so it's amazing how different we see it. Verses 13 through 16 God gives details about how Noah was to prepare the ark. Verse 14 should be made with gopher wood cover inside and out with pitch.

Verse 15 God gives the dimensions for 16 it's gonna have a window three decks. And I think all these specifics are again given so that we know this is a real historical account. It's a fairy tale it's just a made-up story.

There's not gonna be all these details details prove that it this is real history that we're reading about because I think God knew this. I know we did that you know in the latter times perilous times would come and that there will be pulpits where the pastors Christian ministers are even starting to deny the flood or to say that well it wasn't worldwide it was only a local flood.

But look at verse 17 and behold Lord says I myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life. Does this sound like a localized flood to you.

Yeah on the earth to destroy from under heaven all flesh. Everything that is on the earth shall die. He says that sounds worldwide to me. But verse 18 I will establish my covenant with you that is Noah.

And you shall go into the ark you your sons your wife and your sons wives with you. So this is the first time in the Bible that you read the word covenant. Now has God made a covenant before some people will say yes.

But I would I would point to this as the first covenant that God makes. And we know that a covenant is a promise a binding agreement. And who is God making a covenant with Noah. So this is an act of grace right here the idea that God would make a binding agreement with any human we're not deserving of that again.

Noah wasn't even really deserving. But God is going to preserve. He wants to preserve that godly seed. Because remember all of this is meant to fulfill that prophecy in chapter 3 of bringing the Christ into the world.

So this is all about bringing the Savior into the world. The devil's trying to corrupt the human race. But God is going to preserve the human race in Noah and his three sons. And it says that Noah's three sons their names are what Shem Ham and Japheth.

So it's believed that Shem is the father of the Semitic people in the Middle East. Japheth is the father of you know Europeans I guess or white people. And then Ham is the father of you know the tribes and in Africa.

So any other people group would be a blending of of of these three. Obviously humans have blended throughout history. But that's typically how it is believed to have broken down. Look at verses 19 and 20 God says and of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark.

For what purpose. Yeah to keep them alive. So if this is a localized flood then this is all pointless because they would be living you know other places where the flood didn't reach. Also if Noah was given 120 years to the flood which it probably is about that he had plenty of time to move.

So if you look at the whole flood story there's just no room for the flood being a regional regional flood. When you hear that being taught you know a ministry that teaches a localized flood I would say they're denying the flood account because the flood was worldwide.

They're denying the worldwide flood. They're gonna deny other things. So just just be on the lookout for that. It's like a little leaven leavens the whole lump. You compromise on Adam and Eve in the age of the earth.

You'll probably compromise on the flood being worldwide. And then when it comes to the next controversial thing they'll compromise on that and that. And then it just goes on and on. So we'll end the story with verse 22 it says thus Noah did so after God gave him all these instructions we read thus Noah did according to all that God commanded him.

So he did. And really this is what God wanted all along. God created man so that man would worship God love God. Yes but that man would obey. God wanted obedience from Adam. Did he get it. He wanted it from Cain and Abel.

Did he get it. Well he got it with one of them and then he was killed. But God is getting it now from Noah and just to connect this to the New Testament Jesus said multiple times in the Gospel of John.

You know you are my disciples. If you continue in my word and then John 15 verse 14 he says you are my friends. If you do whatever I tell you so that statement that you know thus Noah did according to all God commanded him.

I realize again we we fall short. I'm sure Noah fell short in some ways. We're gonna see that after the flood. But we want God to say this about us that whatever God tells us to do. You know thus we did.

So that's that should be our goal. But we'll pick up next week with the account of the flood maybe the next two weeks and we will see that the ark is actually a wonderful foreshadow of Christ and the.

The Ark as a Foreshadow of Christ

Gospel.