Unacceptable marriage choices, the grief of the Lord, and the grace of God

The Favor of the Lord

(Genesis 6:1-8, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, July 27, 2014)

[6:1] When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, [2] the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. [3] Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” [4] The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

The end of Genesis 5 brought us to Noah and his three sons. It would be through Noah and his sons that the world would be repopulated after the flood. But why did God bring a massive flood upon the earth? Something very evil was taking over the world that once was. Those who were called “the sons of God” and were associated here with the word “Nephilim”and the phrases “the mighty men of old” and “men of renown” were having children with the “daughters of man.” There are at least three theories concerning who these evil beings were: 1. men from the degraded line of Seth taking women of Cain, 2. men from the line of Cain taking women of Seth, and 3. fallen angels taking women and producing a frightful evil race. What is clear is that God considered what was being done as very wicked. He placed an outer limit on the lifespan of man of 120 years. He also made plans to begin anew upon the earth with Noah and his descendants.

[5] The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. [6] And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. [7] So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” [8] But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

How wicked was mankind? The Lord our creator would be the best judge of that. The Lord is able to see even the intentions of the thoughts of every heart. “Only evil continually.” What a devastating indictment! Not only that, the Lord explained His own grief concerning the evil of mankind in words that we might understand. “The Lord regretted that he had made man.”

God had a settled plan of resurrection life even before the creation of the world, so He went about the steps that He had predetermined to accomplish toward that end. He would blot out mankind. But one man would find grace or “favor” in His sight—Noah. Amazing!

Evil among men and angels is real. It is an overwhelming problem that spreads so easily until everything is touched by its devastating consequences. How can anyone be spared? If the Lord did not have a plan to show His favor among the sons of men there would be no hope for any of us and no reason for life after the sin of Adam. But the Lord is determined to show not only His wrath against sin but also the depths of His love toward His children. Because God has a plan to lavish His favor upon some, the great events of salvation have come into the world. What a privilege we have in publishing the good news of the favor of God through Jesus Christ!

Put the Word to Work: Evil grieves the Lord, but He does not weep forever. He has found a way to show favor to His beloved children. The church is a guardian of that truth in every age.

Memory Verse from the Songs of Ascents—Psalm 121:7 – The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

Gospel Reading—Matthew 13:31-33 – The mustard seed and the leaven