Continually Evil (Genesis 6)

 Continually Evil

God had pronounced that men would get 120 more years before their destruction in the flood.

His Spirit would not strive with men forever, cause they were but flesh. 

This flesh, according to Paul, is in natural opposition to God. Without the intervention of God we would be completely depraved.

When the Spirit is finally removed from the whole world and wickedness rules the earth the outcome can be seen in Genesis 6:5 where our natural state without intervention from the Spirit is basically described:


[Gen 6:5 NKJV] 5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every intent of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually.


The wickedness of man was great in the earth.

Every intent of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually.

These are heavy words, but they describe what we are in the flesh. If God would remove His Spirit from the world we would see the exact same thing. It’s our psychology by nature.

It may be interesting to focus a bit more on ‘every intent of the thoughts of his heart’.

The heart, in Scripture, is not just about feelings or emotion. It was actually the reins that were considered the seat of emotions in Hebrew thought.

The heart is recorded as thinking too. It’s the core of why we do the things we do. Here the intentions and deepest thoughts reside. Here we make plans and devise. Emotions can reside here too. Everything flows from the heart.

This verse basically says that the core of humanity was corrupt and wicked. 


[Pro 4:23 NKJV] 23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it [spring] the issues of life.


The intent of the thoughts of the heart.

Other words for ‘thought’ here include ‘device’ or ‘intention’. 

It is interesting that intent in Genesis 6:5 is the exact same word for a graven image.
In that case it is the images of the thoughts of the heart.

Within the core of our being we often think stuff and devise our own things. In this way we get an image of something. This is how we view the world around us and heavenly things.

What are our imagenations?

What is the picture we have in the deepest thoughts of our heart about things?
In the flesh it is continually evil. It is not in harmony with the law of love. Instead of selflessness and love for God and our neighbour, we continually find the tendency for the exact opposite. We are sluggish for God and our neighbor but quite quick if it benefits ourselves.

There is a natural lack of love. 

And the world in Genesis 6 was completely given over to it.

This is the proper knowledge of men.


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