Sermon Tone Analysis

Two legacies collide

Cheesy films of 1981 – did they make any good films from 1960-1985?

And now we are faced with remakes of these poor films

Let’s catch a glimpse of the trailer for one of these remade films

Three gods fighting among themselves for mastery of the world and humans.

But some of these humans/almost gods themselves / fight back/ and war ensues / and of course men (with the help at times of some of the gods) wins.

The story is about Fear and power and courage and victory – the Gods and man are mixed / warring against each other – But man dominates by his own determination.

Makes for exciting movies, but poor theology.

The problem men face is not the lack of power / but of a desire for power / a desire to be self determined / a desire to satisfy themselves / to push God out of the way / This is called sin.

The destruction he faces in the inevitable result of his defiance to the great God that he opposes.

It has been with us since the beginning.

We have seen two lines proceeding through the early chapters of Genesis.

Today we will see the clash of these two lines – and the power of sin almost seems to win – until God steps in.

The Clash: Grace in the midst of judgment

Grace given

(NKJV) Genesis 6 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

An offer of rest in a wicked world

A means to escape judgment

Judgment delayed

A future time set – 120 years / time to repent

Not immediate

(NKJV) Genesis 6 3 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.”

Patient to wait for the right time /

(NKJV) 1 Peter 3 20 … once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

The Clash: A Collision of legacies

The corruption of the godly

(NKJV) Genesis 6 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 (good); and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

A problem early – since they began to multiply

Alternative ideas of who these are

Sons of godly (Seth) and Daughters of world (of Cain)

traditional Christian interpretation since the third century, supported by Luther and Calvin, understood the sons of God and the daughters of men to be the sons of Seth and the daughters of Cain, and the sin the mingling of the two seeds, defiling the line

Recent idea from the middle ages

However, in context and if you include NT references, it seems a bit forced to make this distinction

Angels and human women

Evil angels (sons of god-angels in Job) become flesh and intermarry

1 Peter 3:19-20 seem to refer to demons imprisoned because of disobedience at the time of Noah

Early thoughts from the church fathers

However this interpretation also contradicts Jesus’ statement that angels do not marry – why would mankind be responsible – flood judgment comes against humanity (flesh) not angels

flood judgment is against humanity (Gen.

6:3–5) and not the heavenly realm.

God specifically labels the offenders in 6:3 as “flesh” (bāśār “mortal” in niv).

Judges/rulers

Jewish view / especially from later ages

Combination of ideas

Demon possessed people – judges or otherwise

Cooperation and yielding to influence

Like Daniel’s spiritual entities behind the nations

People accountable for response but influence from the evil supernatural

Initial problem: Going beyond the boundaries set by God for marriage

Sexual activity outside marriage the most commonly mentioned sin

Homosexual sin always regarded as sin on the outer boundary of sins

Unbeliever/believer unions as well outside the boundaries for godly marriage

All seek to find self gratification without regard to God’s boundaries

Wreck havoc to the institution of marriage and propagation of the image of God / Devastates society

Defaces the image of God to our future heritage of children

A cycle that continues until destruction

A return to the appeal of sin

.

The Hebrew reads literally: “saw … good … took.”

Their sin repeats the pattern (“saw … good … took”) of the original sin in 3:6.

They are driven by lust, not spiritual discernment.Wickedness – external

A culture of sin

(NKJV) Genesis 6 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them.

Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

5 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.

Nephlim

Term used to describe the giants in the land of Israel at the time of conquest

Either giants when they had children in those days and afterward

Or Giants and afterward when they had children there were famous offspring

Mighty men - Heros – famous men

Men of power – but without godliness / prosperity, fame, success often comes with pride and ultimately evil

Evil intentions – internal - everywhere

A demand for judgment

(NKJV) Genesis 6 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

7 So the Lord said, “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.”

(NKJV) Genesis 6 3 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.”

Grieved

No longer strive – difficult word – protect?

– limit the blessing He has given – His patience will end and sin will have its full ramification

Acted – changed behavior toward /repented

Blessings will be removed

Full judgment will come

The certainty of judgment comes with the pronouncement even if the final act is delayed

An opportunity for God to work

Hardening in deserving judgment

Pharaoh – choices result in the glory of God over human power

Cannanites – 400 years for iniquity to become full before God wipes them out

Repentance and delay/withholding of judgment

Nineveh

Withhold immediate judgment – came later

Kings – repent and delay ultimate judgment

An opportunity to respond

Today – judgment declared / delayed for 2,000 years for God to work / people to repent and come to Christ

As in the Cannanites – iniquity not yet full – opportunity

A remnant extracted

(NKJV) 2 Peter 2 5 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;

Grace accepted by a few

Message of grace given to many

delay to provide opportunity

The Clash: A hero of grace

A recipient of grace