Genesis - The Flood

Part 1

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Opening Question

How would you feel if your kids:

• Continually disobeyed you?
• Enjoyed doing evil?

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Genesis 6:6

So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. (NLT)

And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. (KJV)

And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. (ESV)

3

Hebrew Word

nacham (Strong’s H5162)

• Previous English meanings (sorry, repent, regret) all within scope.
• Other (slightly more common) usage in OT is to “console” or “comfort”
• Same word used in reference to naming of Noah (Genesis 5:29)

4

Hebrew Word Usage

3 categories:

• God relenting (or not) from punishment (or good)
• Exodus 32:12, Exodus 32:14, Judges 2:18, 2 Samuel 24:16, 1 Chronicles 21:15, Psalm 90:30, Psalm 106:45, Isaiah 57:6, Jeremiah 4:28, Jeremiah 15:6, Jeremiah 18:8, Jeremiah 18:10, Jeremiah 20:16, Jeremiah 26:3, Jeremiah 26:13, Jeremiah 26:19, Jeremiah 42:10, Ezekiel 24:14, Joel 2:13-14, Amos 7:3, Amos 7:6, Jonah 3:9-10, Jonah 4:2, Zechariah 8:14
• God not changing
• Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, Psalm 110:4
• God grieving
• 1 Samuel 15:11, 1 Samuel 15:35

5

Anthropopathism

• Elsewhere in Scripture, God is described in “human” terms (walking, having eyes, hands, etc.).
• This is known an anthropomorphism.
• Anthropopathism is similar - but specific to emotions.
• anthropo = human; pathos = emotions

6

Wickedness of Mankind

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. - Genesis 6:5 (ESV)

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Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 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. - Genesis 6:11-13 (ESV)

7

Sin Deeply Grieves God

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. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 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.” - Genesis 6:5-7 (ESV)

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120 Years

Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” - Genesis 6:3 (ESV)

What does this 120 years mean?

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120 Years

2 common theories:

• Time until flood
• Shorter human lifespans
• If so, wouldn’t be immediate/exact.
• See next slides for Biblical ages and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_people.
• Canopy theory sometimes proposed for “how” this lifespan decline works.

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Biblical Ages After Flood

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Biblical Ages After Flood

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