Mankind’s Degeneration into Wickedness

“In the accounts of Seth, Cain and their descendants is a hint that two distinct groups of people have been developing.  Those descending from Seth were apparently people who lived righteously before God and those descending from Cain appear to have degenerated into unrighteousness.

At this point, however, the record seems to indicate that the ‘sons of God’ referring to those who have had a God-fearing heritage, now begin to intermarry with the ‘daughters of men’ because they are physically attractive resulting in an obliteration of moral distinctions and righteous living.”

Read Genesis 6:1-8

Noah and the Flood

“Because of the degradation of the human race, God has reluctantly decided to destroy mankind from the earth.  Yet there is a remnant of righteous men and women who comprise the family of Noah, and God looks upon them with mercy.  God warns Noah that he will soon unleash a flood of waters upon the earth that will destroy all living creatures.  Noah is instructed to build an ark in which he and his family, plus pairs of each kind of living creature, will be saved from destruction.

The flood come 1656 years after the creation and will last for the better part of a year.  After 370 days inside this unusual vessel of human and animal cargo, Noah and his family will emerge to a new life of promise with God’s blessings.”

Read Genesis 6:9-9:17

Human Condition Remains Sinful

“What God accomplished in the flood was the eradication of a corrupt and degenerate human race.  Beyond its own historical context, the flood stands as a symbol of the destructiveness of sin and the grace of God in saving those who would act in faith through righteous living. 

But the human condition even among the righteous remnant of Noah’s family is such that sin soon finds its way back into the lives of even those who were saved in the flood.  The Genesis account records an incident in which Noah drinks himself into a drunken stupor and Ham shows great disrespect for his father, Noah.

Noah’s response is to utter a curse against Ham’s son, Canaan.  As the biblical text unfolds, it will appear that the descendants of Canaan will be of the same ethnic stock as the people known as Israelites, and indeed at times will be in servitude to the descendants of Shem and Japheth.”

Read Genesis 9:18-29

All quotations taken from The Daily Bible