Preparing A Ship (Genesis 6)

Was God grieved by the human evils of Noah’s day? Is our world getting just as bad? As the giver of life, does God have the right to take it away? Let’s discuss this in Genesis 6.

Who were the sons of God? Does this possibly describe intermarriage between faithful and unfaithful families? Is such intermarriage dangerous?

When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. (Genesis 6:1-2 ESV)

Were these “sons of God” from righteous families marrying outside the faith, is it a term for mere human beings, or were these angels? Does Jesus have an answer to that question? Do angels marry?

For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30 HCSB)

Did some marriages produce giants? Are there still giants today in parts of the Pacific and Europe?

Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain with man forever, because he is also flesh; nevertheless his days shall be 120 years.” The Nephilim [giants] were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of mankind, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:3-4 NASB)

Was God grieved by human evils? What did only God have the right to do?

The Lord saw that human evil was growing more and more throughout the earth, with every inclination of people’s thoughts becoming only evil on a continuous basis. Then the Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and he was deeply grieved about that. So the Lord said, “I will annihilate these human beings whom I’ve created from the earth, including people, animals, crawling things, and flying creatures, because I’m grieving that I made them.” However, the Lord was pleased with Noah. (Genesis 6:5-8 ISV)

What exactly pleased God in Noah? Was it his faith as the letter to the Hebrews says?

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Hebrews 11:7 NKJV)

Are we now introduced to a new family tree, called The Generations of Noah?

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Genesis 6:9-10 KJV)

What was one of the biggest evils? Is our world beginning to be filled with violence today?

Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for humanity had corrupted its way upon the earth. (Genesis 6:11-12 NASB)

What did God have Noah do? An ark is a large ship shaped like a box, similar to modern cargo ships, with a length to width ratio of about 6 to 1, a ratio used in modern ship building, perfect for stability.

So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. (Genesis 6:13-16 NIV)

Were some to be saved? Some church naves or worship spaces are designed like a ship’s hull upside down. This is a reminder of the message of the church, salvation now offered to all humanity in Jesus Christ.

And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. (Genesis 6:17-18 NKJV)

What else was Noah to prepare? If juveniles instead of adult animals came on board, would food preparation and the space needed have been less?

Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.” So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him. (Genesis 6:19-22 NLT)

Was God grieved by the human evils of Noah’s day? Is our world getting just as bad? As the giver of life, does God have the right to take it away? You decide!