Corrupt…in God’s Sight

Read Genesis 5:28-6:13

In the time of Noah, evil existed in a way that we have not seen since. We have seen evidences of this kind of evil. We have seen families torn apart and division run rampant because people choose to go against God’s design. But, in the antediluvian world, with the exception of Noah, “every intention of the thoughts of every heart was only evil continually”. These weren’t people who were just trying some “new” things and, in their immaturity, stumbled upon folly and sin. NO. They had “matured” to a point of deliberate and intentional evil…ONLY. And this was the entire earth’s population, with the exception of Noah. If God had not placed his hand on Noah and his family, we would not be here to discuss the flood, because we would have died in it.
While the effects of this rampant wickedness can be discussed at length, the worst is that it “grieved God’s heart”. Now God is not an emotional push-over. He is holy. He is sovereign. He is Creator. And He has been wronged. It says he was “sorry” that he had made man on the earth. What is being explained here is that God was now repentant. Not of sin, like we should be. Rather, he is taking action, according to His perfect justice and righteousness, and not only turning from this less desirable world, but to a positive course of action in which redemption is found.
Every day we will be presented with the opportunity to make an exception to the “rules”. At some point, so many exceptions can be made, that the rules no longer seem to exist. The “rules” are from God. They are commands that result in a completely different life-style and mindset. We either respond obediently or we respond disobediently. Disobedience communicates that either “God does not exist” or “God does not matter”. He tells us to love Him with all of our heart, soul, and might. If we do this, there will be those who ridicule us. We will be presented with options that will make us “happier”. But we must endure. We must ask God for wisdom. And we must remember that He promises that as Noah was protected in the Ark, so we have protection and redemption in Christ. Even death cannot separate us from His love.