Genesis 6 - Part 5 - If you’re looking for a good name for your newborn, what about a name like "When he dies, judgment!"?
Did you notice in Genesis 6:3 that it says "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."
Does this mean that man shall live for 120 years? My grandmother lived until she was 108 but 120 is stretching it a bit.
I don’t think that the 120 years refers to how long we will live. In the context of this passage it refers to how long God will strive with the human race before finally sending the flood. 120 years of grace. They had 120 years of Godly people seeking to influence them towards repentance before they would be wiped off the face of the earth.
Perhaps men like Methusaleh helped Noah and his family to bring this message to a stubbornly sinful, utterly corrupt and depraved people. The name Methuselah means "When he dies, judgment". It’s a prophetic name. Methusaleh was the oldest man who ever lived indicating that God held off judgment till the last minute. Again, this speaks to me of God’s grace.
I love the fact that God always gives us time to repent. He doesn’t just wipe us out like we deserve. He gives us time to choose to repent so that our lives can take on His purposes and make a difference. Or we can choose our own selfish desires which are of no earthly or spiritual value no matter how "renowned" we may be (Genesis 6:4).
God’s Holy Spirit strives with us as He did so long ago. The Bible says that has a ministry of "convincing the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:8), but it is obvious that there comes a time when He says "Times up! Decide! What’s it going to be. Believe in Christ and what He has done for you or not!" In the times when Noah lived, men and women were so corrupt that God’s Spirit came to the end of striving with them. What a terrible thing to come to the end of God’s grace and face to face with God’s judgment instead. If you were to die tonight and stand before God and He were to say to you “Why should I let you into My heaven?” what would you say?” Are you going to rely on your own works or on the work of Christ in dying on the Cross for your sins. We all know John 3:16 but what about John 3:17-18 which says “God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son."
I can’t help but to be reminded of 2 Peter 3:9 that says "The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent."
God describes us by saying that a human "also is flesh". In other words he is not only a spiritual being but also a physical being. It seems that they had forgotten, like so many today, that we are spiritual beings, and that we can have a personal relationship with God through Christ. If we operate out of the flesh only, then we are no more than animals. If we operate from the spirit then our flesh comes into alignment with God’s will for us and we live a life that makes a difference in the world.
Romans 8:5 (AMP) says "For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit."
Galatians 5:16-17 says "But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do."
Let me encourage you to place your trust in Christ. God has given you time to repent and to give your life to Christ and to walk and live responsive to and controlled by the Spirit today.
