Genesis 12 Series

Genesis 12

Tonight we’re going to be getting back into the book of Genesis. And tonight’s passage seems to be one where the unfolding events are contrary to how history should be playing out. Things aren’t happening as they should. And as a result, mankind and the earth itself are about to take a journey they never could have imagined.

[Family member getting saved after life took a nosedive story.]

Sometimes things have to get really bad before they can get really good. Well, tonight’s passage shows us that things in the earth are really bad – maybe even the worse they’ve ever been in human history.

The last time we were together we saw how Cain’s family heritage seemed to be one of ungodliness as they built their civilization apart from God.

On the other hand we saw that Adam’s family heritage seemed to have instances where there was a spiritual revival amongst the people.

So there were some good things happening in the earth at this time. But as we’re about to see, for the most part, the people of the earth had turned away from God and were incredible wicked.

[Read Genesis 6:1-5.]

Doesn’t sound like things are going as planned. Man was created to reflect the image of God, yet after the fall continued to get further and further away from God’s plan. And that’s the first contrary thing we see in this passage.

I. Created in God’s image man instead reflects wickedness

1. ‘Sons of God’ take wives

[Read Genesis 6:1-2.]

This is a very peculiar couple of verses. It seems that angels decided that they wanted to experience women in a sexual way so they somehow took wives for themselves from amongst the women. It also gives the impression that the women didn’t have much to say about it and that they possibly took more than one wife each.

[Read Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7, II Peter 2:4, Jude 6.]

Now, Jesus teaches in the book of Matthew that angels don’t marry in Heaven. They’re spiritual beings and marriage is a human experience. So how can spiritual bodies connect with human bodies? The angels either were able to change their spiritual bodies into human bodies or they left Heaven and as spirits possessed the bodies of men and then married the women.

I happen to think the latter is true and that these ‘sons of God’ found some ungodly men who were more open to a fallen angel possessing them than God’s will filling their minds. Created in God’s image man instead reflects wickedness.

2. General rejection of the Holy Spirit

[Read Genesis 6:3.]

Now what God was saying here is that in another 120 years time was up. His Spirit wouldn’t be reaching out to man any more because destruction would be upon all of mankind.

How would His Spirit be at work during this time? Through the preaching of His Word through Noah.

[Read II Peter 2:5, Matthew 24:36-39.]

This great man of faith, this preacher of God’s Word, built on that ark for 120 years. I’m sure the word got around about what he was doing and why. But did any accept his message? No. Did any turn to the Lord? No. When they rejected Noah and his message they were rejecting God’s Spirit that was trying to work in their hearts; (just like He does today.) Created in God’s image man instead reflects wickedness.

3. Nephilims, giants in the land

[Read Genesis 6:4.]

Their name comes from the root meaning “to fall”. Ie. To fall on others. Obviously these were men of great size and strength who used their size and strength to dominate others for their own selfish gain. Created in God’s image man instead reflects wickedness.

4. Man’s totally corrupt thought life

[Read Genesis 6:5.]

Mankind was corrupt from the inside out. Constantly thinking evil thoughts. No godliness, no purity, no love, no selflessness – only evil occupied the minds of people back then. Created in God’s image man instead reflects wickedness.

Can you imagine a civilization like this? I mean, we think things are bad now, but back then it was much worse.

- Men possessed by sex-starved fallen angels take women for their harems

- Mankind in general rejects God Word and His Spirit

- The biggest and strongest rule the smallest and weakest

- Mankind is totally corrupt with every thought

Created in God’s image man instead reflects wickedness. How contrary things have become. And God’s reaction to this reality is contrary as well.

II. God’s creation that He loves causes Him tremendous pain

[Read Genesis 6:6-7.]

Now some of your translation might read that it repented the Lord that He had made man. Well, the better translation of what the original Hebrew states is that the Lord was sorry that He had made man; it grieved Him.