GENESIS 6

"By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." Heb. 11 7

"When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any (all- KJV) of them they chose. (Polygamy – the beginning of harems?) 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days-and also afterward-when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown."

"When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases." (Prov. 29:16) This certainly seems to apply to our times today as Jesus said it would. (Matt. 24:12) There are many interpretations on who the "sons of God" were but for sake of space I will only mention the one that seems correct to me. That is that the "sons of God" were human beings that were indwelt by fallen angels (demons) as we see in Ezek. 28:11-19 when the King of Tyre seems to have been indwelt by Satan and as the human antichrist will be (1 Thess 2:8-9). This also helps explain passages such as Jude 6-7 ("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") and 2 Peter 2:4 in reference to God's judgment of demonic activity in context of Genesis 6.

"They were the heroes of old, men of renown." (v. 4) Here we see how the bad example of "heroes" or leaders, can so adversely affect their societies. Government leaders (a la Clinton – Hussein, Hitler) pastors, dads, friends. In fact, we are all leading others closer to God or away from Him by how we live our lives (not just our talk but our walk).  Heed Rom. 14 21-23 NLT "It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. 22 You may believe there's nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don't feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. 23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. (or the Msg says, If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.") Of course anything done against the Word of God is wrong regardless of our opinion.

3."Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."   "The time of God's patience and forbearance towards provoking sinners is sometimes long, but always limited: reprieves are not pardons." (Matthew Henry) 1 Peter 3 and 2 Peter 2 both refer to Noah and how he was a preacher of righteousness for 120 years as he built the ark. God gave them a lot of time but no one repented (maybe some of his children or in-laws were away from God and repented.) Is your family in the ark (in Christ)? Remember judgment comes suddenly. (Heb.9:27 Matt. 24:36-39)

5. "The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth." This is one of the saddest indictments on mankind in the Bible. It fits with Paul's quotation of Psalm 14 in Romans 3:10-18 and Jesus' words in Mark 7: 20-21 describing our hearts apart from God. The only hope for transformation is seeing our true condition and asking God to change us. (Phil. 2:12-13) Our sin still grieves the heart of God. (Eph. 4:30)

8. "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God." "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them-yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." (1 Co. 15:10) Grace is opposed to earning but not opposed to effort.

13. So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth." The flood was a universal flood as the end time judgment of fire will be for the whole world. (2 Peter 3:3-13 esp. v. 6) (More about the flood next week.). 14 So make yourself an ark. God told Noah what He was going to do. He confides in those who walk closely with Him and guides them through this perilous life. The secret of the Lord is with those that fear him (Ps. 25:14);

 22. "Noah did everything just as God commanded him" and it saved his life and his family's life. Jesus says the same about obeying God's Word: "The Father who sent me gave me orders, told me what to say and how to say it. And I know exactly what his command produces: real and eternal life. That's all I have to say. What the Father told me, I tell you." (John 12:50 NLT) Sin is either out and out rebellion or believing the very first lie Satan told Adam and Eve – God is holding out on you and you will be better off if you take care of yourself. Like Noah and our Lord Jesus we would be wise to "do everything just as God commanded."

Discussion Questions FOR APPLICATION OF GOD'S WORD

At your table discuss how alone Noah must have felt living and speaking out for the Lord (2 Peter 2:3-5) in the midst of a very wicked world ( 5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.(Gen 6:5).Where are you alone as the Lord's witness – at home, work, friendships, golf course, and are you speaking up for the Lord?

 In fact, we are all leading others closer to God or away from Him by how we live our lives (not just our talk but our walk).

Share (not mentioning names) where you have been led astray by a leader, parent, brother in Christ or others by their bad example. Paul's point in Romans 14 and 1 Cor. 8 is that we deny ourselves even legitimate things out of love for others if it may cause someone else to stumble. Who is watching you and where are you leading them?

The only hope for transformation is seeing our true condition and asking God to change us. (Phil. 2:12-13) Our sin still grieves the heart of God. (Eph. 4:30) Tozer says that spiritual complacency is anathema to Christian growth. How intensely do you want to grow and change more into the likeness of Jesus?

"But Noah found favor (grace) in the eyes of the LORD.   Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time." (Gen. 6:8-9) Paul says, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them-yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." (1 Cor. 15:10) Grace is opposed to earning but not opposed to effort. Cheap grace is presuming on God's mercy and not applying His power for obedience to our daily lives. How can we be more like Noah and Paul and make a difference for the Lord "among the people of our time"? How can we apply God's grace to our lives?

Scripture memory verse: "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him." 2 Peter 3:11-14