Year 1, Day 6: Genesis 6

Patterns in the Story

Genesis 6 gives us the next step in the progression of the “consequences of sin” narrative.  We’ve seen creation, we’ve seen the fall, and we’ve seen how the ways of humanity only make us more corrupt while the ways of God preserve us.  Not a bad summary of Christian principles for only the first 6 chapters of the Bible!  But now we get to the inevitable conclusion of the story: judgment and remnant. 

It’s God’s pattern and He uses it time and time again.  We have a remnant story here immediately coming off the genealogy from yesterday.  We get a remnant story at the end of the Exodus when the corrupt generation must die in the desert.  We all know about the remnant story in the Babylon captivity.  We know about the greatest remnant story ever told: Jesus uses 12 disciples to reinvigorate the faith and bring us God’s ultimate solution to the problem of sin.  And since then, God has continued to use remnants whenever the world – and especially Christianity – gets corrupt.  It should not surprise us that the first 10 chapters of the Bible tell us the pattern that we’re going to see in the whole Bible.  It’s pretty neat when expressed that way.

Nephilim

It does give us a sense that things don’t change all that much.  Even if we look at Genesis 6 we can see it.  This curious story of the Nephilim has always intrigued me as a curiosity more than anything else.  Were these “sons of God” angels or righteous human beings?  The Old Testament supports both readings – and when this phrase occurs elsewhere we do take it in both ways elsewhere (See Job 1:6, Job 2:1, and possibly even Jude 6-7 as support for interpreting this passage as angels; see Deuteronomy 14:1, Isaiah 43:6, and Hosea 1:10 where this expression is interpreted as meaning humans). 

That being said, the actual interpretation doesn’t particularly matter so long as we are only after the general truth of what this passage is telling us.  The Sons of God see fit to mingle among the common people.  In terms of the last few chapters, this passage is indicating that the faithful to God (whether angels or Sethites) begin to mingle with the Canaanites and their ways.  What is the point of the text?  Good becomes corrupt.

I remember my mom giving me advice whenever I would date a girl as a part of my “white knight” complex.  {White Knight complex refers to when I would date a girl because I thought I could “fix her problems” – it’s ultimately a horrible albeit common thought process that occurs in many young, immature, but well-meaning men}  She would always tell me that in a relationship the “higher” person always falls much further than the “lower” person rises.  In general, that’s pretty true – although I do love hearing the stories of the exceptions to this statement.  Anyway, I think this is the same general principle that the early chapters of Genesis 6 are teaching us.  Just like my mom, notice that the interaction isn’t what is being explicitly forbidden by God.  What God {and my mom!} had a problem with was the presence of corruption and wickedness.

That’s really the whole problem of evangelism, isn’t it?  If we want to keep ourselves as pure as we possibly can, then evangelism really can’t be done.  In order to evangelize we must go out and mingle with people who need evangelism!  In other words, we must intermingle with the people who have unrepentant sin in their life.  But that means we are putting ourselves into a position where we might just get “dirty.” 

I find it comforting and consistent to see here that God does not condemn the intermingling so much as God condemns the prevalence of corruption.  See Gen 6:12 especially.  The condemnation is that the earth had allowed itself to get corrupt. 

So go.  Evangelize.  Risk getting dirty.  But be on the look-out for corruption.  The world will only hear the Gospel when people are willing to get dirty.  But when righteousness becomes corrupt, God will step in and judge, too.  It’s the fine line of evangelism – but it is a necessary line to walk.

Noah

Wow, so much on the first few verses and so little on Noah.  In good Jewish fashion – “Oi.”  Too much stuff, so little space.   Fortunately, I don’t have much to say about the actual ark.

I will comment on the last verse of Genesis 6.  Noah obeyed God.  Actually, that’s not even right.  Noah did everything just as God commanded him.  Noah didn’t just follow God’s plan, Noah followed God’s plan precisely.  Noah did not deviate from God’s plan.  Noah put his own ways completely to the side so that he could follow God’s ways precisely in this act.  I think that’s worth noting.  What is it Paul tells us?  I become weak so that Christ can make me strong (see 2 Corinthians 12:10).  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives within me. (See Galatians 2:19-20; personally my favorite verse besides John 3:16)  That is precisely what Noah does here.  Noah’s ways die so that God ways may be followed precisely. 

Go in peace.  Risk evangelism.  But do it according to God’s plan, not yours.