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Genesis 6 English Standard Version (ESV)

Increasing Corruption on Earth

¹ When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, ² the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. ³ Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” ⁴ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

⁵ The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶ And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. ⁷ So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” ⁸ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah and the Flood

⁹ These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. ¹⁰ And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

¹¹ Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. ¹² And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. ¹³ And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. ¹⁴ Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. ¹⁵ This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits.¹⁶ Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. ¹⁷ For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. ¹⁸ But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁹ And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. ²⁰ Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. ²¹ Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” ²² Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

REFLECTION

In Chapter 5, we read that “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (5:24) Here, in this chapter, is another person who “walked with God.”

Noah lived in a totally corrupt society. Yet he himself was committed to a blameless life. Even more impressive is the fact when told by God to build a giant ark, Noah immediately set out to do so.

How long did Noah and his sons labor? When God made His decision to judge, mankind was given 120 years (v3). It was during that time Noah and his sons accomplished their tasks. And during all that time, Noah bore the ridicules made at him. He ignored them and kept on working, surrounded by the jeering laughter of his neighbours. Despite it all, Noah remained faithful. He had heard God speak. And “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him” (v22).

1 Peter 3:19-20 suggests that by the Holy Spirit, Christ Himself spoke through Noah in the long period that “God waited patiently” for Noah to finish his assigned task.

How important our faithfulness is. As we like Noah bear up under the pressure brought on us, Christ by His Holy Spirit speaks through us to the very persons who laugh and doubt. And this time, they may respond. Therefore, our faithfulness, when others jeer, speaks more powerfully than the words of the most gifted preacher the world has ever known.

The New Testament compares the severe judgment in the days of Noah with the judgment that will be poured out at the return of Christ (cf. Luke 17:26-30). How can you urge those around you to seek refuge in Christ?

PRAYER

Father, in this generation where people are becoming more and more distant from you and your laws, I pray that they will repent and come to know you. I pray that as a believer, that you would give me the strength to do the right things and preach the gospel of truth to those around me.

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Genesis 5 English Standard Version (ESV)

Adam’s Descendants

(Chapter 4)

²⁵ And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”²⁶ To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.

(Chapter 5)

¹ This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.² Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.³ When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.⁴ The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. ⁵ Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.

⁶ When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. ⁷ Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. ⁸ Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.

⁹ When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan. ¹⁰ Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹¹ Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.

¹² When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. ¹³ Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁴ Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died.

¹⁵ When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared. ¹⁶ Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁷ Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.

¹⁸ When Jared had lived 162 years he fathered Enoch. ¹⁹ Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. ²⁰ Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.

²¹ When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. ²² Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. ²³ Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years.²⁴ Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

REFLECTION

There are at least three purposes for the inclusion of this genealogy.

1. It shows the development of the human race from Adam to Noah and bridges the gap in time between these two major individuals.
2. It demonstrates the truthfulness of God’s word when He said that people would die as a result of sin (cf. 2:17). Note the recurrence of the phrase “and he died”.
3. It contrasts the progress of the godly line of Seth culminating in Enoch who walked with God and experienced rapture (5:6-24) with the development of the ungodly line of Cain. Cain’s branch of the human race culminated in Lamech who was a brutal bigamist (cf. 4:16-24).

Although “death” is the destiny of humankind no matter how long a person may live, there is one person – Enoch who never faced death.  Enoch is an example of one who found life amid the curse of death.

The finality of death caused by sin, and demonstrated in the genealogy of Genesis, is in fact not so final. Man was not born to die; he was born to live, and that life comes by walking with God. . . . Walking with God is the key to the chains of the curse. One can find life if one “walks with God”.

The lifestyle of Cain’s family can be seen as a picture of humanity—technical progress matched by moral decline. How do you see this trend reflected in our own society? In our own families?

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Genesis 4 English Standard Version (ESV)

Cain and Abel

¹ Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” ² And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. ³ In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, ⁴ and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,⁵ but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. ⁶ The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? ⁷ If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

⁸ Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. ⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” ¹⁰ And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. ¹¹ And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.¹² When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” ¹³ Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. ¹⁴ Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” ¹⁵ Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. ¹⁶ Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

REFLECTION

The sin of Adam and Eve upset the intimate relationship between humankind and God.  Sin also had a direct effect on their children.

Adam and Eve could not avoid observing this evidence of the spiritual death they unleashed on their descendants. What a heartrending experience for Adam and Eve that one dearly loved son killed by another. Adam and Eve knew that they themselves introduced into history the sin that expressed itself in Cain’s hostility and murderous act.

Why did God reject Cain’s offering? Some have suggested that Abel, in making a blood sacrifice, followed a prescription that God had given Adam and Even when He first clothed them in skins. Therefore, in offering produce Cain suggested that his best was good enough to offer God. Another suggestion is that the text specified Abel had offered his “firstborn” to God, whereas Cain simply offered whatever that was available. Either way, God’s reminder to Cain, “If you do what is right” (v7), suggests that Cain knew the right way to approach God, but was unwilling to do so.

God told Adam and Eve that death would follow disobedience. “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). We all live with the tragic consequences of Adam’s fall.

Reflect on your own family relationships and ask God to reveal to you how sin has upset some of the close relationships.  Confess before God and ask for forgiveness.  Allow God to show you how He may use you to amend broken relationships.

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Genesis 3 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Fall

¹ Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” ² And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, ³ but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” ⁴ But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

⁸ And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” ¹⁰ And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” ¹¹ He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”¹² The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” ¹³ Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

REFLECTION

The first two chapters of Genesis speak of God’s amazing Creation.  Chapter 3 speaks of the rebellion of humankind.  This rebellion against God is called sin. As sin entered the beauty of creation, destruction followed. Though we see judgement from God, we are see His mercy in sparing the lives of Adam and Eve. We know that it is from this point, that the Bible details God’s intricate and loving plan to redeem, restore, and, reconcile creation back to himself after what happened in this chapter.

God knows everything and yet He still called out to Adam asking, “Where are you?”  Do you hear God calling you today? When are the times you most tempted to hide just like Adam?  Is it comforting or dreading that God’s calling you at such times?  Why?

PRAYER

Lord, I realize that though I have not sinned as Adam and Eve has, however, there have been numerous times in the past where I actively disobeyed you just as Adam and Eve have. I have sought to experience life on my terms.  By Your grace, I acknowledge this sin of pride and ask you to be the Lord of my life. Cleanse me of all that is contrary to Your purposes and character so that Christ may be all in all. Amen.