Genesis 6

Turn to Genesis 6 which is one of the blurriest passages in the Bible, but it’s in there for a reason – not to be overlooked because it’s weird.  OT Scholar Michael Heiser often said, “If it’s weird, it’s important.”  I would add that if it’s weird, then it’s probably something that should stretch our faith, because the weird stuff in the Bible has some kind of supernatural significance that connect to other events in Scripture. 

Most are familiar with the Gen. 6 narrative – that God became so fed up with humanity’s depravity and wickedness that He wanted to kill everyone and start over.  He did so by flooding the earth.  I would disagree. I think there is a more plausible and supernatural explanation that fits better with God’s loving redemptive character.  So let’s look at this passage – it’s going to get weird, but track with me because when we’re finished, I think Gen. 6 will make more sense, connect more dots throughout Scripture, and there is some good application to how we live. 

FYI - I’ve included important information in the HO that will not be in the sermon. 

            Nearly every ancient civilization and religion has a creation story in their history - many of which are similar to the Bible.  They also share similar flood accounts.  For example, the Epic of Gilgamesh, which predates the Jewish nation by 1,600 years has a flood story that is nearly identical to Genesis 6.  So, the ancient Mesopotamian world would have been very familiar with the flood narrative.

If we go back a little - in chapter 3, we have the first major rebellion – the serpent or nachash, Adam, and Eve rebel against God, and they’re all expelled from the Garden. Chapter 4 is mostly about Cain and Abel and the beginnings of the human populace.  Notice,

Genesis 4:26 ESV

To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.

Humans are multiplying but also seeking God. 

That’s critical later. 

Then Genesis 5 we have a list of descendants from Adam to Noah.  Then we get to Genesis 6 – the second major rebellion against God when supposedly 200 Watchers (sons of God) defect from Heaven. 

Genesis 6:1–2 ESV

When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.

The word

“Took” can mean seize by force or to receive (as in exchange for something). 

I lean toward received because in the book of 1 Enoch, which is a pseudepigraphical book, meaning it contains useful Biblical information but because the authorship and dating of the manuscript is obscure these are books not in the Bible or Canon.  What makes 1 Enoch particularly intriguing is that in the NT, Jude and Peter quote 1 Enoch in their letters, and Jesus and Paul refer to information that is only found 1 Enoch.  Should it be in the Bible?  That’s above my pay grade.  Is it useful? Absolutely.  1 Enoch states that these rebellious sons of God received human women as their wives in exchange for providing humanity divine secret knowledge. 

Get the scene – These Watchers, sons of God rebelled against Yahweh, defected from the spiritual realm where they belong, manifested in physical form and engaged in human marriage and sexual relationships – which is forbidden by God.

Genesis 6:3–4 ESV

Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

[most likely this refers to 120 years remaining until the ark was completed and the ensuing deluge].

4 The Nephilim [giants] were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the bēna-ělō·hîm came in to [made whoopy] the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These [the children – hybrids – half human/half god] were the mighty men (gibborim – ref. physical strength, heroes - think Hercules) who were of old, the men of renown (or reputation).  

Nephilim - hybrid - a human/divine being.

Almost every ancient civilization has this story (giants) in one form or another.

Gen. 6 is not unique to the Bible. 

For those who scoff at hybrids – what was Jesus?  Fully human and fully God.  For those who say this is too weird – how did Mary become pregnant? 

Genesis 6:5–7 ESV

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

In Gen. 4:26 humanity was seeking God, but now their hearts are evil.  What happened?  Somewhere in Gen. 5 the bēna-ělō·hîm, sons of God and their offspring the Nephilim defiled and perverted humanity and animals (all laid out in 1 Enoch and Jubilees). 

By the time we get to Noah, something has happened to humanity that is irredeemable and irreversible. 

Don’t tell me God flooded the earth just because of sin.  God can work with sinful people to bring redemption and salvation, God is patient not wanting anyone to perish, but to come to repentance, but something about this says they were beyond redemption – beyond saving.  Besides, if the problem were merely human sin, then why kill the animals?

When God said He regretted creating humanity, I think what He was saying is this – “I am sorry that this evil happened to humanity. Humans have become something they were never meant to be.” 

            Skip to v11 and then we’ll come back to v8.  Notice there is a progression of wickedness.  At the beginning of Gen. 6, it was human wickedness, then in v7 it was human and animal wickedness, now in

Genesis 6:11–13 ESV

Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

You can say that with an angry voice, or a heartbroken grieving voice.  FYI – this is more about God preserving humanity than destroying humanity. 

We don’t know what the human population was at this stage in history.  1,600 years between Adam and Noah – so a 100,000 - 500,000 – a million, 10 million?  But we do know this – it was an evil, wicked, dangerous, brutal and perverted time to live.  All the occupants of the earth, human and animal, were so corrupted and defiled, spiritually, physically, emotionally, that God’s only solution was a flood – again to preserve humanity, not destroy it. 

In the midst of all that corruption and perversion …

Genesis 6:8–9 ESV

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

Noah refused to go the way of society, refused to become defiled and corrupt, even when everyone else was.  If Noah remained righteous and blameless and raised a family, we can too. 

Noah shows us that it is possible to live righteously in an unrighteous world.

How did Noah do it?  What was his secret? 

Before I answer that, let’s make sure we understand his character.

1) Noah was righteous. 

Righteous does not mean sinless, but it does

Righteous - to be in a right relationship with God and with others. 

Righteous means to be virtuous, moral, honest, just, and pious – highly committed to God.  To live a life of obedience – and if there is disobedience then it’s followed by confession and repentance.  So, in this corrupt Gen. 6 world, Noah found a way to be all the above – righteous, virtuous, obedient …. 

2) Noah was blameless. 

Blameless in this verse means to be free from defect, whole, intact and/or uncompromised.  

The rest of humanity was so defiled and tainted it’s like they became something other than human (which is happening again in our world), but Noah refused to become compromised.  He remained pure, in a sense, because he remained human – the way God designed.  When all of society was heading toward Hell – Noah chose a different path.  He resisted becoming corrupt.  He remained whole ….  

Lastly,

3) Noah walked with God. 

I walk this life with Susan, meaning we go through life side by side, mutually devoted to another, our lives are centered upon one another and Christ, we share life at a deep level, we love and enjoy each other, we do life together.  That’s what it looks like to walk with God.

So what was Noah’s secret? 

He chose (i.e. determined) to live righteously and blamelessly, and he chose to walk with God. 

And it was Noah’s choice that caused God to find favor with Noah and choose him and his family to be the one through whom God would rescue humanity. 

3 questions: 

A) How are you choosing to live?  Uncompromised.  Virtuous ….? 

B) If Genesis 6 were written today, would God be able to insert your name in Gen. 6:8-9? If not, what needs to change? 

C) Have you received God’s free gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ?