Day 43: The Extent of Sin
Read: Genesis 6:1-4
My parents had two specific requests when they prayed to God about my future husband. One was that he would love me and remain faithful to me. The other was that he would love God above anything or anyone else. Even as someone who is still quite young, I am blessed to say that I did find a man that answered those two prayers. My husband and I are both committed to God and the bond we share in our common faith is precious to me.
Today’s story in Genesis 6 shows the problem that can come up when people cross the lines of faith and unite with those who oppose God. During this time, people had longer life spans (100+ years old was the norm), and there were a lot of children being born. The problem happened when the “sons of God” decided to marry “the daughters of men” (v. 2). Some commentators explain that the sons of God were descendents of the line of Seth who took wives from the line of Cain, the daughters of men. Cain was the firstborn of Adam and Eve, Seth was their third son, born after Cain killed Abel.
Still other biblical scholars say that the descendents who came from Seth are said here to be “sons of God” were fallen angels who intermarried with human women. While we may not know for certain the exact meaning of this passage, we clearly see God’s reaction.
This union between the “sons of God” and “daughters of men” was prohibited by God. Why? God viewed marriage as a sacred union uniting a man and woman for His purpose. This command is repeated in the New Testament. These two individuals should have a common belief and commitment to God. The reason is obvious. When each person has a different view on God, the non-believer can pull his or her spouse away from the faith. As 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”
This passage also shows one of Satan’s attempts to corrupt the human race and to keep a Messiah from being born into the world. As we all know, that didn’t work out. But, just imagine the extent of the evil going on! Those who were supposedly serving God were involved with people who opposed Him, or, even worse, were demonic.
That is why in Genesis 6:3, God says, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” This was God’s way of saying that there is a limit to what He will endure. God’s mention of 120 years wasn’t just to let us know the age of these people, but it was a foreshadowing of when the Flood will happen. God wouldn’t allow evil to continue unchecked forever.
The world is capable of so much evil. We are living in a world where actions and beliefs go against God’s plans. Evil is a reality. We hear anti-God ideas in the songs we listen to and the movies we watch. I hope and pray that we won’t be as closed minded to think that the evil that happened in the Bible doesn’t still happen today.
Have you ever been weighed down by the realization of the sin in the world? Don’t lose hope, because intertwined within all the stories of the failures of those who came before us is the hope of a Savior that did come. Let’s praise God for indescribable love He has for us, that as we were still sinners, Christ died for us.