2. God's sorrow over man's wickedness 6:1-8

As wickedness increased on the earth God determined to destroy the human race with the exception of those few people to whom He extended grace.

"Stories of a great flood sent in primeval times by gods to destroy mankind followed by some form of new creation are so common to so many peoples in different parts of the world, between whom no kind of historical contact seems possible, that the notion seems almost to be a universal feature of the human imagination."²⁷⁷

There were two major reasons for the flood: the sins of the sons of God (vv. 1-4) and the sins of humankind generally (vv. 5-8).

 The sins of the sons of God 6:1-4

6:1-2 There are three major views about the identity of the sons of God.

1. They were fallen angelswho married women.²⁷⁸Arguments in favor of this view follow with responses.

a. The term "sons of God"as it occurs here in Hebrew refers only to angels in the Old Testament (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; et al.). Response. Angels do not reproduce (Matt. 22:30).

b. 2 Peter 2:4-5 and Jude 6-7 appear to identify angels with this incident. Response. There are no other references to angels in the context here in Genesis. These New Testament passages probably refer to the fall of Satan.

c. If God could impregnate Mary, spirit beings may be able to do the same thing to human women. Response. Spirit beings cannot do everything that God can do.

2. They were

g

odly Sethiteswho married ungodly women.²⁷⁹Arguments in favor of this view follow with responses.

a. The Old Testament often refers to the godly as God's sons (e.g., Exod. 4:22). Response. This would have to be an exception to the technical use of "sons of God"as a reference to angels in the Old Testament.

b. Moses had already established the concept of a godly line in Genesis (4:26).

c. Sonship based on election is common in the Old Testament.

d. Warnings against marriages between believers and unbelievers are common in the Pentateuch.

3. They were dynastic rulerswho married women.²⁸⁰Fallen angels (demons) may have indwelt or at least controlled them.²⁸¹Arguments in favor of this view and responses follow.

a. Ancient Near Eastern literature often called kings sons of gods.

b. The Old Testament refers to administrators (e.g., judges) as gods. Response. Scripture never regards them as descendants of deities as pagan ancient Near Eastern literature does.

c. This story is similar to Babylonian antediluvian stories.

Scholars have debated this passage heatedly, but there is not yet decisive evidence that enables us to make a dogmatic decision as to the correct interpretation.

"What does he [Moses] mean? I do not know, and I do not believe anyone knows. So far as I am concerned, this passage is unintelligible."²⁸²

Context is very important in any interpretive problem, and I believe it argues for view 2 in this case.²⁸³

Those who believe that the angelic conflict is a major theme of Scripture have emphasized this passage. I do not believe that it is. I believe the angels are important primarily because of their function as God's messengers sent forth to minister to people (Heb. 1:14).

6:3 The "120 years"are evidently the years that God would give humankind before the flood. They probably do not indicate a reduction in the normal human life span to 120 years.²⁸⁴

"The attempt by man to become more than he is results in his becoming less."²⁸⁵

6:4 The "nephilim"were on the earth before and after the marriages of the "sons of God"with the "daughters of men."They were literally "fallen ones"or "tyrants."²⁸⁶They were "mighty . . . men of renown."That is, they were powerful individuals, probably military leaders. Moses later described the giants in Canaan as "nephilim"(Num. 13:33).

 The sins of humanity generally 6:5-8

The second reason for the flood was the sinfulness of humanity generally.

6:5 Men's and women's actions were very wicked and their thoughts and affections were completely evil by this time (cf. vv. 11-12; Rom. 1:18-32).

"Near the turn of the 19th century F. W. Farrar wrote a book entitled Seekers After God. The book was a popular seller and was in considerable demand. A certain western bookseller had a number of requests for the volume but had no copies available. He sent a telegram to the dealers in New York requesting them to ship him a number of the books. After awhile a telegram came back which read, No seekers after God in New York. Try Philadelphia.'"²⁸⁷

6:6-7 God was sorry that He had made humankind because people generally did not want a relationship with God. They insisted on living life independent of God and consequently destroying themselves in sin. He was sorry over what His special creation had become.

"God is no robot. We know him as a personal, living God, not a static principle, who while having transcendent purposes to be sure also engages intimately with his creation. Our God is incomparably affected by, even pained by, the sinner's rebellion. Acknowledging the passibility (emotions) of God does not diminish the immutability of his promissory purposes. Rather, his feelings and actions toward men, such as judgment or forgiveness, are always inherently consistent with his essential person and just and gracious resolve (Jas 1:17)."²⁸⁸

6:8 Noah was the one exception.²⁸⁹"Favor"is grace. This is the first mention of this word in the Old Testament, though we have seen many examples of God's grace thus far. There is a word play in the Hebrew text (an anagram). The same consonants of Noah's name (nh) in the reverse order mean "grace"(hn).

All God's people can identify with Noah, the recipient of God's grace. It is only by God's grace that we can escape His judgment on the wicked.

"Genesis is flatly contradicting the humanistic optimism of Mesopotamia: humanity's situation in its view is hopeless without divine mercy."²⁹⁰

This section shows that pagan idolatry and immorality pain God and incur His judgment that man can only escape by His provision of salvation.