Genesis 6:1-22
Q.1. What was happening to the world’s population? Who were these sons of God who intermarried with the daughters of men? What was the result? How did God limit man’s lifespan? – (Gen.6:1-4 c.f. 2 Pet.2:4-5; Jude 1:6)
With each of the ten patriarchs’ fathering of many sons and daughters, it is likely that millions, perhaps billions of people existed – when men began to multiply on the face of the land (Gen.6:1). Though there was clearly a faithful remnant among Seth’s descendants, only eight survived the Flood. It is straining the record to say that all the daughters of men were in Cain’s line and the sons of God in Seth’s, since there were only eight survivors. The narrative records that something was terribly wrong. We read – 1 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose … (Gen.6:1-2). Does the Bible give us a clue that the sons of God were fallen angels? The book of Job reports that – when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came along (Job.1:6; 2:1). The angels are described as – the sons of God. Something else went terribly wrong, which caused God to decide to take the drastic measure of bringing the Flood. Jude explained – angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day (Jude 1:6). To this Peter added – 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly (2 Pet.2:4-5). The result of these angels’ abandoning of their proper abode was – the Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown (Gen.6:4). It was to these fallen angels that Jesus proclaimed His triumph over sin and death – 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water (1 Pet.3:19-20). The Flood would change the balance of the atmosphere, when -… all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened (Gen.7:11). The Flood not only destroyed almost every living creature, but man’s lifespan would be significantly reduced – Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless, his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” (Gen.6:3).
Q.2. How far did man stray from God? How did man’s pursuit of evil affect God? What did God decide to do? (Gen.6:5-7 c.f. Jude 1:14-15)
In such a short time, man had strayed far from God – … the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Gen.6:5). God was deeply angry – The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart (Gen.6:6). He decided that there was no other way but – … “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” (Gen.6:7). Consistent with Enoch’s prophecy, Jesus warned of future sudden judgment – 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be (Mt.24:36-39 c.f. Jude 1:14-15).
Q.3. In what way was Noah different? How was Noah like Enoch? Why was the Flood needed? Would Noah be surprised with the looming judgment? – (Gen.6:8-13 c.f. 2 Pet.2:5)
Like Enoch in his day – Noah walked with God … and found favour in the eyes of the Lord (Gen.6:8-9). Noah was different from the rest of his generation – Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time (Gen.6:9). It appears that God spoke to Noah when he was five hundred years old, around the time when his three children were born. (Gen.5:32; 6:10). The other patriarchs bore children between ages sixty-five (i.e. Mahalalel & Enoch) and one hundred and eighty-seven (i.e. Methuselah). Noah was much older at five hundred. The Lord – … preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly (2 Pet.2:5). He preached for one hundred years, until the Flood came in his six hundredth year (Gen.7:6). Noah was not recorded as having had other sons and daughters, as were the other nine patriarchs. To have lost some of their own children in the Flood would have been devastating for Noah and his wife. The world of Noah – 11 … was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth (Gen.6:11-12). It would not have been a surprise to Noah when God told him – … “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth (Gen.6:13). Like our day, the violence and treachery make it dangerous to live.
Q.4. How did God provide a way of escape? How complete was God’s judgment? What offer did God make Noah? What was he commanded to do? – (Gen.6:14-22 c.f. 2 Pet.2:5)
God gave Noah and his sons exact specifications to – 14 Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks (Gen.6:14-16). Though there were rivers, and boats would have already existed, this ark was totally huge, being four hundred-and fifty feet long x seventy-five feet wide x forty-five feet tall, with three decks (i.e. longer than a football field, taller than a three-storey building. It was the size of a modern cargo ship). Nobody took Noah’s warning of a world-wide flood seriously. The destruction would be epoch-making – Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish (Gen.6:17). To Noah, God promised – I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark–you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you (Gen.6:18). He was to take two of every kind of animal into the ark, complete with food for themselves and all the animals (Gen.6:19-21). Noah obeyed God (Gen.6:22).