Here is what the Bible actually says:
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:5-8)
A world of murderers
The men God created became so horrible that you would not want to live next door to them. You would fear for your life and the lives of your children and friends. Here’s an example of how bad it was: one of the people boasted to his wives, “I have killed a man for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me” (Genesis 4:23b). If you hurt one of these people, they would kill you and boast to others what they did to you. These people were not like your frieds and neighbors.
A sorry God
This passage gives us an insight into God’s character. Does it portray God as vengeful, angry, or bored? Actually, God was very sorry to take the course he did.
A patient God
God did not wipe out every person at the first signs of evil. When Cain killed his brother Abel, God did not kill him, but put a mark on him to protect him from others who would want to kill him (Genesis 4:15). God had much patience as he waited for men to change themselves and do right. He waited so long that there was only one good person left – Noah. So God in sorrow decided to start over again after giving the world plenty of chances before it destroyed itself and corrupted the last man standing.
A world warned
Not only did God wait until the last minute, but he warned the people of the coming judgment. Noah received warning about the flood a hundred years in advance, and he told the people around him (2 Peter 2:5). Enoch, who lived in the days before the Flood, also warned the people to get ready for God’s judgment, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them” (Jude 14-15a). All warnings were without effect. The men received the punishment due them – a world of murderers received the death penalty.
A savior God
People point to other nice persons or themselves and ask why God would destroy such people at the Flood. There were no more “nice” people left in the world but one, so the comparison between that world and ours is not appropriate. What did God do for the one left? Noah heard the voice of God and heeded the warning. God saved him. Will you hear his voice and turn to him in faith and be saved?
What Do You Think?
a. When someone is murdered, how quickly should the perpetrator be caught? Was God wrong to have waited a long time before bringing judgment?
b. God will bring judgment again. He has warned us in advance of the coming judgment, even to give us particulars regarding the signs of the times. Is it right for him to warn us in advance?
c. Do you believe in the death penalty for murder?
d. What’s the best course of rehabilitation to help those who boast when killing others?
e. If God is a God of judgment, are you glad he has waited a long time in your case before carrying out any verdict?
Slideshow at youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10y8ilK3E54
