Foundations - Noah and the Ark

Introduction

Has anyone been to the Ark Encounter in KY?

I’ve wanted to go for a long while. It only a few hours away, and one of these days when the girls are a little older I plan on taking them for sure.

I wanted to show y’all a few pictures as we begin today’s lesson. Those at home may not be able to see them. But let me explain about this Ark.

This is in Williamstown, KY about 40 miles south of Cincinnati, Oh. It’s a place you can visit, a museum. The main structure is a boat built to be 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high. They claim its dimensions are the same as the ark built by Noah.

It’s a bit pricey to go, from what I understand, and the project is not without criticism. But where else can you experience something like that?

As you can tell, today we are beginning the story of Noah’s Ark.

Noah’s story actually starts sooner. His story begins in Chapter 5 when we get the genealogy of Adam. You see some pretty amazing ages of these men before the Lord clamped down on age, and it was dwindling ever more over time.

But Noah’s story is tied to the story of us all. The story of man.

There’s a story/meme going around about the “Great reset.” This is by far more a “great reset” than any weird socialist utopia.

It happened because the wickedness of man that started in the garden and spread to the Children of Adam, Cain in particular comes to mind because of the complaint about the situation God is upset about.

But let’s jump into the text and begin.

Genesis 6:1-4

So here in the beginning of our text this morning, I wanted to start earlier than the book and deal with some…interesting things.

Let’s start with Gen 6:1-2

Who are the son’s of God and the Daughter’s of Men?

Big questions that have come from these 4 four verses. Much of this also has to do with an Apocryphal Books.

What are these? Well, they come from the term Greek term meaning “Things Hidden” or “Things put away”. There are about many of these books. They are considered “Put away” or “Hidden” because they are not considered scripture. Some of them are fake writings claiming to be something they are not, some just don’t bear the marks of authoritative scripture. It’s hard to classify them all as “False Doctrine” because many of them don’t claim to be FROM God and doctrine to begin with!

It would be like calling The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn false doctrine, which is asinine because it doesn’t claim or pretend to be such.

So books like 1 Enoch give issues. Which is not a biblical book. This book, which was written YEARS ago anywhere from 300-100 BC was known by many Jews during the days before Christ. But was never even considered by them to be a part of their Canon (Bible). Neither did Christians ever really say it was either, except for a few small groups.

Yet that writing has caused headaches of interpretation and understanding of these few verses here.

So, let’s talk about 3 groups. 1. Daughters of Men. 2. Sons of God. 3 Nephilim.

Sons of God and the Daughters of Men

VIEW 1

1 view comes from 1 Enoch.

It states that the sons of God are divine beings, that are said to have come down and mated with the “daughters of men” (humans), who then gave birth to an extraordinary group of wicked giants (the Nephilim).

This, somehow, is still a prevalent idea today. Even though no self-respecting Rabbi even during Jesus’ day accepted this notion.

Let’s rip this idea apart... with Facts and Logic.

Matthew 22:30

Matthew 22:30 NKJV

30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.

Jesus says here that the ressurection of Humans will be like the angels (divine beings), who “neither marry nor given in marriage.” But who was marrying? Who was having children at that time? The sons of God.

Jesus says that people were marrying until the day Noah entered the ark! Matthew 24:38

Matthew 24:38 NKJV

38 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 since Angels are “deathless” beings, and since the “sons of God” who married the “daughters of men” (along with their offspring) all died in the flood, they must not have been angels.

Mic drop 1

The entire purpose of the flood was judgment of God sent upon the world because of sin. This was not the sin of Angels, or half-angelic children. He determined to blot out man from the face of the earth Genesis 6:7. They were the guilty ones. They were the ones who died.

Genesis 6:7 NKJV

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.”

VIEW 2

The “Sons of God” were probably rulers of the day. They saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and took them into their harems. This was a popular Rabbinic view, but doesn’t hold much weight honestly. Why? Because while it is less weird than the first, it neglects to explain the usage of the words throughout the rest of scripture.

VIEW 3

My interpretation of this is that the “sons of God” were the followers of God.

These were likely the descendants of Seth, who are included in the genealogy in chapter 5.

These men were likely righteous, God-fearing, since they came from the line of Enosh, through whom men began to do what? See Gen 4:26.

Genesis 4:26 NKJV

26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.

They were also descendants of Enoch, who walked with God. Gen 5:24

Genesis 5:24 NKJV

24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Why This?

Well, to further the point — “Sons of God” is used in both OT and NT to refer to God’s People.

Luke 3:38 calls Adam one as well.

Luke 3:38 NKJV

38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Israel was called this.

Ex 4:22-23; Is 1:2,4; Jer 3:14, 22; Hos 11:1

Christians are called this!

Gal 3:26; 4:5

Galatians 3:26 NKJV

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:5 NKJV

5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

And so, “The son’s of God” through Seth sinned grievously because they were attracted to the “daughters of men”.

This probably refers to just people who were NOT son’s of God. They did not follow God. They did not live righteously. They might have been descendants of Cain.

So what happens when two are unequally yoked like this?

These women were beautiful, desirable. But that was their only appeal. They had no spirituality about them. And they were likely just materialistic and worldly minded.

Such as the ones we read about in Is 3:16-4:1

Isaiah 3:16–4:1 NKJV

16 Moreover the Lord says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, And walk with outstretched necks And wanton eyes, Walking and mincing as they go, Making a jingling with their feet, 17 Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, And the Lord will uncover their secret parts.” 18 In that day the Lord will take away the finery: The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents; 19 The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils; 20 The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; The perfume boxes, the charms, 21 and the rings; The nose jewels, 22 the festal apparel, and the mantles; The outer garments, the purses, 23 and the mirrors; The fine linen, the turbans, and the robes. 24 And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; Instead of a sash, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, baldness; Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty. 25 Your men shall fall by the sword, And your mighty in the war. 26 Her gates shall lament and mourn, And she being desolate shall sit on the ground. 1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; Only let us be called by your name, To take away our reproach.”

and in Amos 4:1-3

Amos 4:1–3 NKJV

1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, Who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands, “Bring wine, let us drink!” 2 The Lord God has sworn by His holiness: “Behold, the days shall come upon you When He will take you away with fishhooks, And your posterity with fishhooks. 3 You will go out through broken walls, Each one straight ahead of her, And you will be cast into Harmon,” Says the Lord.

Who then are the Nephilim?

Mistranslation I believe of the KJV, the NKJV does well just to Transliterate it recognizing the error.

It likely comes from the Hebrew root Napal which means to “fall”. These are not necessarily GIANTS, they are “Fallen Ones.”

These are “might men” a phrase the bible uses often for men of war. Warriors. Men who were well known. For what? It would seem their bloodshed and violence. And this would match with the reasoning of God to destroy the world. Too many had become violent. Too many had evil in their hearts. Too many had fallen away from the way of the Lord!

THE ARK

Noah’s Obedience/Attention to Detail

The Contrast of Noah to the World of His Time