29 January 2019

Genesis 6

When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not contend with humans for ever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.’

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days – and also afterwards – when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created – and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground – for I regret that I have made them.’ But Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord.

This is the account of Noah and his family.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 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. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: the ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. 16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark – you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.’

22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

We should never have come this far (January 2019) in human history yet, here we are.

What happened to still the LORD’s anger and stay the LORD’s hand? Above all, it was His amazing grace!

We can see that all the action in this account occurs as a result of the divine initiative.

Noah foreshadows the Saviour who came (more than 2000 years ago now) to bring not just salvation to eight people, but complete salvation from God’s righteous anger for all believers. 1 Peter 3:18-22 records for us a reference to Noah and comparing him to Christ who ‘died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God…’

Dear Christian, do you see the lengths this gracious God had to go to have you and me for Himself? Do you see how much He cares for you? Do you see that despite your wickedness and the evil that is in your heart how He provides salvation through a person because you can’t save yourself?

Do you see that at first, according to Genesis 6 that saviour was a mere man who‘found favour in the eyes of the LORD’  but now that Saviour is no one other than God’s one and only Son who, unlike Noah, suffered and died a horrible death – for you, and for me?

So, before you rush off into the day and the things that demand your attention, spend a moment thanking God for His mercy, grace, and favour. And ask Him to help you to obey Him in everything He commands (verse 22).

Do it! He demands that of you.