Sermon July 6
Genesis
Flood
No
Turning Back
As I continue my series of messages in Genesis, today’s text comes from Genesis 6:1-8, “Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 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.” The Nephilim were 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. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
"The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the
earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, “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.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord."
It is hardly necessary to review the
effects of sin that have by this point already infected humanity like an
aggressive cancer. Chapter four tells us Cain murdered his brother. A few verses later some guy named Lamech
boasts to his wives: “Adah
and Zillah, listen to my voice . . . For I have killed a man for wounding
me; And a boy for striking me.” (Genesis 4:23)
But
before I move us into the primary focus of this message, I feel it necessary to
take a few moments to talk about verse four because there is much general
confusion among Christians as to its interpretation. I give you now my opinion
and the Biblical support of that opinion. So, here is verse 4:
“The Nephilim
were 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.”
Two popular theories surround this verse. The
first theory proposes the “sons of God” were angels who had intercourse
with humans (the daughters of men). Their progeny was called “Nephilim,’ who
were known as “mighty men of renown.”
The second theory proposes the ‘sons of
God’ were those from the line of Seth, who was the third child of Adam and Eve
after they were sent from the Garden. You’ll find that reference in Genesis 4:26.
Moses tells us “To
Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh.
Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord.” And, as often happens when the godly intermarry
with the godless, their progeny often – although certainly not always – end up
following the ways of the godless. That is one reason God warns the Christian
against marrying outside of the faith. You will find those references in texts
such as 2 Corinthians 6:14 and Deuteronomy 7:2-4. There
are many, many other examples, but these will suffice for now.
From this point in human history, it seems people
divided themselves into two groups – the one who followed Seth’s line of godliness,
and the other who followed Cain’s godless line – as evidenced by people like
Lamech who boasted of his murders. And so, this second theory postulates that
the ‘daughters of men’ – who were of the line of Cain, intermarried with the
godly line of Seth, and had children from them.
Let’s now look at both theories in light of
Scripture. One of the arguments used
by those who think angels had intercourse with human women is that in the Old
Testament the term ‘sons of God’ is used five times, twice in Genesis and three
times in Job.
In each occurrence in Job (but not necessarily in Genesis) the term
‘sons of God’ refers to angels. However,
in the five times the term ‘sons of God’ appears in the New Testament (once in
Matthew, once in Luke, twice in Romans, and once in Galatians) the phrase
ALWAYS refers to human beings who are born into God’s family through their
faith in Christ.
Furthermore, and of significant importance, the Lord Jesus said that
angels are unable to procreate. You find that text in Matthew 22:30 when He
rebuked the Sadducees’ disbelief in the resurrection: “For in the resurrection
they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in
heaven.
Further, still, Moses identifies the children of this union between the
sons of God and the daughter of men as Nephilim. The word Nephilim means “giant, or ‘mighty
one’, or ‘bully,’ or one who has fallen.” All of those definitions fit the
description of sinners who take advantage of others and does NOT need to imply
the progeny of supernatural beings.
It is also very germane to this discussion to underscore
that ALL of the Nephilim in Genesis 6 were killed in Noah’s flood. BUT we find Nephilim living in Canaan after the
Exodus (Numbers 13:32-33). You will remember from your reading the Old
Testament, the Canaanites – including Goliath—were guilty of horrid and
murderous godlessness.
And so, I think it clear from Scripture that the
Nephilim of Genesis 6 were NOT the progeny of angels and human woman. The title,
‘Nephilim’ is simply a noun describing a powerful and evil group of men.
Okay, back now to our primary text: As we have already seen from the first
chapters of Genesis, and as we know from first-hand experience, sin always results
in more sin. And without detailing humanity’s plunge into the utter
darkness of evil, Moses simply tells us in chapter six: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of
man was great on the earth, and that every
intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made
man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, “I
will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land.’
But
I do not want us to miss the next verse: “But Noah found favor in
the eyes of the Lord. I find here at least two points that are
crucial to our maturity in Christ.
First: God was at the
end of His patience. We must never forget that, or overlook it, or turn a blind
eye to the clear Biblical truth that when we persist time after time after
time, rebuke after rebuke after rebuke – when we insist on going our own way,
God WILL, as some point known only to Him – put an end to rebellion.
Whether it be on a
global scale, as happened with Noah’s flood, or on a national scale, as the Old
Testament prophets tell us happened to ancient Israel, or as happens to ANY church,
whether Catholic or Protestant – as Jesus warned of in the second and third
chapters of Revelation, or as what happens on a personal level – as happens
every day to the godless and the wicked who meet their own disasters . . . We
must never forget or turn a blind eye to this truth: God's patience has its
limits.
Which is why God's call
for our ongoing repentance runs like a crimson thread from Genesis through
Revelation.
Repentance. Turning
from sin. Practicing as best as we can a lifestyle of holiness. There is good
reason why the Lord Jesus, after His baptism and 40 days in the wilderness immediately
went about proclaiming: “The time
is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God
is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15). A few
chapters later, when the Lord sent out the Twelve, Mark tells us, “They went
out and preached that men should repent.” (Mark 6:12)
Christian – you know
this as well as I – the ‘gospel’ is NOT the gospel if REPENTANCE is not also
proclaimed alongside the message of salvation through Christ’s atoning
sacrifice for our sins. And along that thought – I know I speak quite often about repentance, and about
guarding our hearts every day so that we do not offend God.
I know I preach that quite often – but I want you
to know WHY I do so: It is because I so very much care about all of you. I hold
you all in my frequent prayers, bringing each of you by name before God's
throne. And you would be correct to think that when I warn you about sin and repentance,
I ALSO warn myself – every day.
I am not ignorant of Satan’s schemes – and neither
should YOU be. The devil is not done with any of us yet in trying to seduce us
ever so subtly from a holy walk with Christ. So, please – guard your mind. Be
careful what you watch, what you listen to, and who are your close friends. And
make sure you keep short accounts with God. Do not delay in your confession to
Him of your sins.
And now back to verse
eight of Genesis 6 and the second point I want to make about that text: “But Noah found
favor in the eyes of the Lord.”
Of the entire globe,
only Noah found favor in God's eyes. Think for a moment what that means.
God was so fed up with the way humanity was acting, He was sorry He’d even
created them. But then He saw the one man – the one man who was faithful to
Him.
Many Bible scholars say it took Noah
between 50 and 100 years to build the ark. For the sake of this message, let’s
split the difference and say it took him 75 years.
To put things into perspective, if a
75-year-old person today had been born when Noah started building the Ark, he
or she would have heard all their life about some crazy guy who’s been
preaching of God's impending judgment because of their obstinate sins.
But how many of them, even decades after
Noah began preaching – how many, even as Noah hammered the last nail into the
last board of the boat – how many stood around, mocking and saying, “Yeah? So
where is the promise of His judgment? For 75 years you’ve been telling us about
it. And, well . . . ?”
Perhaps that sounds a bit familiar to
some of us in this sanctuary. For decades, as long as we have known the Lord
Jesus, we’ve been telling others of God's love, of the sacrifice of His Son for
their sins, and of His impending Judgment. But – have they said of us – perhaps
even in our own family – “Oh, don’t listen to grandma or grandpa. That’s all
just crazy talk. God if He even exists – God is a God of love. Don’t worry
about what she’s saying about judgment.”
I’ve spoken with people – perhaps you
have as well – who say they’re too intelligent to believe in Judgment. I’ll
never forget talking with an elderly gentleman a couple of years ago who told
me his church doesn’t believe all that talk in the Bible judgment. And the
things in the Bible that speak of morality only apply to an ancient agrarian people.”
The guy closed his argument by telling
me, “We have PhDs in our congregation who assure us we don’t have to worry
about ancient morality or God's judgment.”
And so, Satan’s subtlety continues from
Genesis and to this present moment. And His deception WILL continue even up to
and during the time God sends His final judgment on this planet, as St John
recorded for us in the Book of Revelation.
Think of it again: Noah preached
repentance and judgment for nearly a century, and in the end only Noah, his
wife, their sons, and their son’s wives entered the Ark. Everyone else,
the entire human race, was lost to a place of eternal anguish.
Some of you might know the name of St Athanasius. He lived during the spiritually
tumultuous 4th century AD when the Arian heresy was decimating the
Christian church. The bishop Arius believed Jesus was a created Being and NOT
Almighty God in flesh. Athanasius vehemently
debated the point with Arius’ followers, many of whom occupied high positions
in the church of the day. As a result of his stance against Arius, Athanasius was
exiled from his home country.
On one occasion a bishop urged
him to compromise with Arius. He told Athanasius that the entire world was
against him. To which Athanasius replied: “Is the world against Athanasius?
Then Athanasius is against the world.”
Noah alone found favor
in God's eyes because of his OBEDIENT faith in what God had told him. He could
have compromised with his family and friends and neighbors and lived a peaceful
life without argument and ridicule.
But Noah did not
compromise. He believed and obeyed God, despite the ongoing and decades-long ridicule
and mocking of his neighbors, former friends – even likely some of his family. But
as far as Noah was concerned – and this has DIRECT application to everyone in
this sanctuary – as far as Noah was concerned, it was he against the world if
the world was against God.
So, where are YOU in all
this? Where am I in all this? Noah’s faith did not fail during those many
decades of ridicule . . . JUST AS – and this is important, so please pay
attention – just as many of YOU have not compromised YOUR faith, despite
the ridicule that you have endured because of your obedient faith in
Christ. And don’t doubt for a nanosecond that just as Noah found favor with God
for his faith, so do you because of yours.
As the song lyrics
proclaim, “I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. I
have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back. Though none go
with me, still I will follow. Though none go with me, still I will follow.
Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back. Not turning
back.”
Christian, listen,
please. St Peter warns all who have ears to hear: (2 Peter 3:10-14) “But the day of the Lord will come
like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and
the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth
and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be
destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and
godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of
which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will
melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking
for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to
be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.”
My
brothers and sisters – be diligent to pray for each other – and for Nancy and
me as well – that we all continue day by day to stand against the world when
the world stands against Christ.
May our God empower us
all to remain true to Him, even if we stare death in the face.
No turning back. No
turning back.
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