Genesis Lesson #16

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GENESIS 6:1-8
LESSON #16
THE PRIME EXAMPLE OF UNGODLY WORLD CONDITIONS

• MEMORY WORK: OLD TESTAMENT BOOK NAMES FROM ECCLESIASTES TO AMOS

• READ GEN 6:1-8
• THE SONS OF GOD AND THE DAUGHTERS OF MEN:
• THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT VERSE. THERE ARE 2 MAJOR INTERPRETATIONS:

• INTERPRETATION #1

: THE SONS OF GOD ARE DEMONIC ANGELS WHO MATED WITH HUMAN WOMEN. THEIR OFFSPRING WERE GIANTS (NEPHILIM). (4)

• ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF THIS INTERPRETATION:

• THE PHRASE “SONS OF GOD” IS USED TO REFER TO ANGELS IN THE BOOK OF JOB. (JOB 1:6, 2:1, 38:7)
• THE PHRASE “SONS OF GOD” IS NEVER USED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT TO REFER TO MEN AS IT IS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
• THIS IS SATAN’S ATTEMPT TO CORRUPT WOMEN SO AS TO PREVENT MESSIAH’S BIRTH, BUT GOD INTERVENES WITH THE FLOOD.
• THE OFFSPRING, NEPHILIM (GIANTS), LITERALLY MEANS = “FALLEN ONES”.
• ARGUMENTS AGAINST THIS INTERPRETATION:

• READ 2PET 2:4-5 AND JUDE 1:6-7
• THESE PASSAGES SAY THAT THESE FALLEN ANGELS ARE BOUND IN CHAINS WAITING FOR JUDGMENT. THEREFORE, THEY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN FREE TO MATE WITH HUMAN WOMEN.
• RESPONSE:

• IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ALL FALLEN ANGELS DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THIS SINFUL PRACTICE, BUT ONLY SOME. THOSE WHO DID WERE BOUND IN CHAINS, AND THOSE WHO DID NOT ARE FREE.
• MAT 22:30 INDICATES ANGELS ARE SEXLESS AND DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN A MARRIAGE-TYPE RELATIONSHIP.

• RESPONSE:

• MAT 22:30 MAY REFER ONLY TO THE FAITHFUL ANGELS IN HEAVEN AS IS STATED, AND NOT TO ALL THE FALLEN ANGELS.
• MAT 22:30 MAY MEAN THAT THE ANGELS DON’T HAVE SEX, NOT THAT THEY CAN’T.
• JUDE 1:6 SAYS FALLEN ANGELS ARE KEPT BOUND IN CHAINS, BUT IT DOES NOT SAY WHEN THEY WERE PUT IN CHAINS. THEY ARE, THEREFORE, NOT FREE NOW TO HAVE A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HUMANS.
• INTERPRETATION #2

: THE SONS OF GOD ARE THOSE DESCENDANTS FROM SETH, WHILE THE DAUGHTERS OF MEN ARE THOSE DESCENDANTS FROM CAIN. THIS THEN IS THE INTERMARRIAGE BETWEEN A HUMAN GODLY LINE AND A HUMAN UNGODLY LINE.

• ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF THIS INTERPRETATION:

• THE FLOW AND CONTEXT OF THE CHAPTER COMES AFTER THE TWO GENEALOGIES ARE LISTED.
• REMEMBER THE ONE WOMAN MENTIONED IN THE UNGODLY LINE OF CAIN WAS NOAH’S WIFE, NAAMAH. NOAH WAS FROM THE GODLY LINE OF SETH. IN CHAPTER 6 WE SEE THE INCREASE OF SIN AND EVIL IN THE WORLD BEFORE GOD STEPS IN AND SAVES NOAH AND HIS FAMILY FROM THE FLOOD.
• ADAM, AN OLD TESTAMENT PERSON, IS CALLED A SON OF GOD. (LUK 3:38)
• ARGUMENTS AGAINST THIS INTERPRETATION:

• THERE WAS NO STATED LAW PROHIBITING BELIEVERS FROM MARRYING NON-BELIEVERS IN THIS TIME PERIOD. THIS PROHIBITION CAME MUCH LATER. IT COULD, THEREFORE, NOT MEAN 2 GENEALOGICAL LINES.
• SURELY BELIEVERS WERE NOT LIMITED TO JUST THE MALES IN THE LINE OF SETH, AND UN-BELIEVERS LIMITED TO THE MALES IN THE LINE OF CAIN. IF THIS PHRASE REFERS TO GODLY MEN MARRYING UNGODLY WOMEN, WHAT ABOUT GODLY WOMEN MARRYING UNGODLY MEN?
• RESPONSE:

• ONLY THE GODLY MALE LINE IS IMPORTANT TO THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY.
• THE 120 YEARS (3)
• 120 SYMBOLICALLY MEANS = “THE EXTREME LIMIT”.
• LITERALLY IT MEANS THERE WILL BE A 120-YEAR WAIT WHILE NOAH BUILDS THE ARK. (THIS IS DURING THE LAST 120 YEARS OF METHUSELAH’S LIFE.)
• THE GIANTS (4)
• THE HEBREW WORD IS A PROPER NOUN AND REFERS TO A TRIBE OF PEOPLE.
• THEY ARE REFERRED TO BY VARIOUS NAMES IN SCRIPTURE:
• NEPHILIM – GEN 6
• ANAKIMS – NUM 13:22, 28, 33 DEU 1:28 DEU 2:10-11, 21 DEU 9:2 JOS 11:21-22 JOS 14:12, 15 JOS 15:13-14 JOS 21:11 JDG 1:20
• REPHAIM – GEN 14:5 GEN 15:20 2SAM 5:18 (GOLIATH 1SAM 17)
• THE WORD IS “NEPHILIM” WHICH MEANS = FALLEN ONES IN THE EARTH
• “THE SAME BECAME MIGHTY MEN” (4)
• THE WORD MIGHTY MEANS = GIANT, WARRIOR, OR TYRANT.
• THEY WERE EVIDENTLY THE “HEROES” OF THE TIME, PLEASING MEN BUT NOT GOD.
• THE CONTEXT IN GENESIS INDICATES THEY WERE AN EVIL PEOPLE.
• WE FIND THIS SAME TRIBE AFTER THE FLOOD IN NUM 13:33. THERE IT SAYS THE NEPHILIM WERE THE ANCESTORS OF ANAK AND HIS DESCENDANTS AND SETTLED IN THE VICINITY OF HEBRON (JDG 1:20).
• IF THE EXISTENCE OF THE NEPHILIM WERE THE CAUSE OF GOD SENDING THE FLOOD, WHY DO WE FIND THEM ON EARTH AFTER THE FLOOD?

• INTERPRETATION #1

:

• FALLEN ANGELS CONTINUED TO HAVE SEX WITH HUMAN WOMEN AFTER THE FLOOD.
• THIS IS WHY IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GOD FOR JOSHUA AND THE ISRAELITES TO KILL ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE PROMISED LAND WHEN THEY ENTERED IT.
• INTERPRETATION #2

:

• REMEMBER NOAH’S WIFE WAS FROM THE LINE OF CAIN AND PERHAPS CARRIED THE GENES FOR THESE LARGE PEOPLE.
• CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WORLD BEFORE THE FLOOD:
• THE MULTIPLICATION OF MANKIND (1)
• GOD’S LONG-SUFFERING PATIENCE WITH A WICKED WORLD.
• THE LENGTH OF GOD’S PATIENCE WAS THE LENGTH OF METHUSELAH’S LIFE, 969 YEARS.
• EVIL AND WICKEDNESS ABOUND (5)
• GEN 1:31 SAYS AFTER CREATION GOD SAW EVERYTHING HE HAD MADE, AND IT WAS GOOD. GEN 6:5 SAYS BEFORE THE FLOOD, GOD SAW EVERYTHING AND IT WAS EVIL.
• EVERY IMAGINATION AND THOUGHT WAS EVIL CONTINUALLY.
• “CONTINUALLY” MEANS = FROM BIRTH THROUGH ALL OF ONE’S LIFE.
• GOD’S MESSENGERS WARN OF A COMING JUDGMENT. ENOCH WAS THE FIRST PROPHET.
• GOD’S SPIRIT WAS STRIVING WITH MAN. (3)
• “STRIVE” MEANS = TO ABIDE IN, TO WORK IN AND WITH; OR TO BE DISGRACED IN.
• GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE IS CONTINUALLY REJECTED.
• WE SEE THIS IN CAIN’S OPPORTUNITIES TO REPENT.
• THERE IS A SMALL REMNANT OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE GOD AND WALK WITH HIM.
• FOR EXAMPLE: ENOCH AND NOAH.
• GOD’S PROTECTION AND THEIR REMOVAL FROM AN EVIL WORLD.
• FOR EXAMPLE: ENOCH AND NOAH.
• HOW MUCH SPIRITUAL LIGHT DID THE PEOPLE HAVE BEFORE THE FLOOD?
• CREATION PROVED TO THEM THAT THERE IS A GOD. (ROM 1:19-20)
• THEY HAD THE PROMISE OF A REDEEMER. (GEN 3:15)
• THE INSTITUTION OF ANIMAL SACRIFICE WAS A PROOF OF ONE’S FAITH.
• THE MARK UPON CAIN WAS A VISIBLE REMINDER OF SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
• THEY KNEW ADAM’S LONG LIFE OF 930 YEARS AND HIS PERSONAL TESTIMONY.
• THEY KNEW METHUSELAH’S LONG LIFE OF 969 YEARS AND HIS PERSONAL TESTIMONY.
• THEY HAD THE PREACHING OF ENOCH (JUDE 1:14,15) AND EXPERIENCED THE SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE OF ENOCH WHEN GOD TOOK HIM.
• THEY HEARD THE PREACHING OF NOAH (2PET 2:5) AND SAW THE BUILDING OF THE ARK.
• THEY EXPERIENCED THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT STRIVING WITH MAN (3) (1PET 3:19)
• GOD’S RESPONSE TO THE EVIL WORLD:
• THE LORD REPENTED. (6)
• “REPENTED” LITERALLY MEANS = TO FEEL SAD OVER.
• APPLICATION:
• MAT 24:37 TELLS US THAT THE DAYS BEFORE THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST ARE AS THE DAYS OF NOAH.
• DISCUSSION

:

• WHY DID JESUS PARALLEL HIS SECOND COMING TO NOAH’S DAY?
• WHAT SIMILARITIES DO YOU SEE TODAY THAT REMIND US OF NOAH’S DAY?

• HOMEWORK
  GENESIS 6:9-22

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION

• APPLICATION OF GEN 6:1-8:
• I AM SURE YOU RECOGNIZE THE CONDITION OF THE WORLD OF NOAH AS BEING SIMILAR TO THE CONDITION OF THE WORLD TODAY.
• READ MAT 24:36-39
• WHAT SINS IN YOUR OWN LIFE FOLLOW THE PATTERN OF THE WORLD RATHER THAN WHAT PLEASES GOD?
• PRAY AND ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU OF THESE SINS. THEN DETERMINE TO ESTABLISH A NEW LIFESTYLE.
• PRAY FOR THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.
• PREPARATION OF GEN 6:9-22:
• READ GEN 6:9-22
• THE ARK IS A TYPE (AN ILLUSTRATION) OF OUR SALVATION.
• IN LIGHT OF THAT, AS WELL AS YOU CAN, TRY TO GIVE MEANINGS TO THE FOLLOWING:
• WOOD =
• PITCH =
• 1 WINDOW =
• 1 DOOR =
• 3 STORIES =
• DEEP FLOOD WATERS =
• 8 PEOPLE IN THE ARK =

MEMORY WORK: OLD TESTAMENT BOOK NAMES FROM OBADIAH TO MALACHI