God's Grace and Destruction (Genesis 6)

 God's Grace and Destruction

In the time of Noah the earth had become completely wicked. 

The thoughts of the heart of men was continually evil. 

With this in view, God had decided to destroy the world:


[Gen 6:7 NKJV] 7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."


God directly says He does destroy at some point. He Himself intervenes in times of wickedness and He will judge all sin in the end.

He is not afraid to destroy, even though He takes no pleasure in it.

And destroying He did:


[Gen 6:13 NKJV] 13 And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.


[Gen 6:17 NKJV] 17 "And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which [is] the breath of life; everything that [is] on the earth shall die.


[Gen 7:11-12, 17-24 NKJV] 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12 And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights. ... 17 Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. 22 All in whose nostrils [was] the breath of the spirit of life, all that [was] on the dry [land], died. 23 So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who [were] with him in the ark remained [alive]. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.


It was a complete clean-up. God Himself did a great reset.

But even though He destroys, He also gives grace. In the time of Noah grace did exist too.

It is said:


[Gen 6:8 NKJV] 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.


In the eyes of God it was Noah who found favor with God.

Let us see how this person was portrayed. He is pictured in Genesis 6 in striking contrast with the corrupt generation of his time:


[Gen 6:9-10 NKJV] 9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.


Noah is described as just and perfect in his generations, the context in which he lived.

He walked with God. He walked in his integrity and had communion with God.

It seems like he imitated his grandfather Enoch.

In contrast to the generation of his time, his thoughts were not continually evil. He was not filled with violence. 

It was this kind of person that found grace in this time of judgment.

This is how God, our gracious Judge, works. 

He does indeed destroy, but those who walk with Him and who are just and perfect in their generations will in the end see grace.
Is this not a reason to respect Him? To be in awe before Him?

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