Genesis 6 Part II

The mysterious beginning of this chapter yields more questions and even some answers. Many have understood verse 3 to mean that men shall not live longer than 120 years. Yet, there are many people, after Noah, who are recorded to live extraordinary lifetimes. Verse 3 indicates that the flood will come in 120 years. This also appears to be the time within which Noah completed the building of the ark. Why did God bring the flood? Well, we probably can’t answer that completely, for who knows the purposes of the Infinite? Still, the Bible does say that God saw the wickedness of man was great, and that all of his imaginations, purposes, and desires, were evil continually.

Verse 6 is an early example of multitudes of Scriptural passages that suggest that God does not exhaustively know the future, nor does He choose to exhaustively control it. No true Christian, I believe, thinks that God’s power is limited in anyway, except as He may choose to limit it. Here, God repents, and is grieved. Calvinists will claim that this is an anthropomorphism; that God cannot grieve nor repent, as He knows the future exhaustively, and is in complete control.

This, of course, makes the role of humanity meaningless. It is my present opinion that God is so great as to be able to create humanity with free will who can disappoint Him and please Him, sometimes to His delight and sometimes to His grief. I believe that God has genuine expectations for us. That is not to say that God cannot control whenever He chooses. That is why we pray for one another. It is also, why we know that prophecy will be fulfilled and that Satan will be utterly defeated. In other words, I prefer to interpret verse 6 fairly literally.

Yahweh resolves to destroy man whom He had created. Surely, humans would argue that is well within His “right” and within His power. He repents of making the beasts and will destroy even them. While we know that God is love, we must also remember that He is infinite and multifaceted. He is not love in the sense that “love is God.” In various Scripture passages God also displays justice, anger, hate, grief, judgment, patience, and repentance. He is a provoker of wars, a hardener of hearts, etc. God, I contend, is infinite and complex beyond our ability to fathom.

We are here along with the beasts that perish, because of verse 8. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” It seems critical then, to consider why, or how Noah found God’s grace. What part did Noah play, if any, and what part did God play?

Verse 9 tells us that Noah was perfect in his generations. This suggests that either his lineage was untainted by the “sons of God,” or perhaps the offspring of Cain. We are also told that he was a just man, blameless among the people of his time, and walked with God.

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

1 Peter 3:18-22 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom {Or alive in the spirit, through which} also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge {Or response} of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand-- with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

To compare Noah (rest) with Jesus (Yahweh is salvation) is not some far-fetched typology developed by “theological types.” It is right here in 1 Peter. Noah was not Jesus Christ but perhaps, Christ was working in Noah. The similarities seem irresistible to even a casual reader. One big difference, of course, is that Noah lived because of his obedience to God. Jesus died because of the same obedience. Noah’s obedience saved the earthly lives of some animals and humans on the ark, while Christ redeemed all humans for eternal communion with God if we will only accept His redemption.

Would you get on the ark by faith in the unseen, or drown in the water that you believe is not coming? Will you accept Christ as your Savior, your teacher, your friend, and your adopted brother, or will you refuse Christ's redemption and drown in your continual sin? Will the water bear you up, or snuff out your eternal life? So much to consider and so little time. If you will suspend your skepticism for a while, and accept God's grace, you will experience wonderful things so that you might never wish to deny Him. Try Jesus on the outside. He'll reach into your heart and dwell there, if you seek Him earnestly.