This week we came to one of the most sobering passages in the entire book of Genesis — and one of the most honest. After the glimmer of hope at the end of chapter 5, where Lamech named his son Noah and spoke of the relief he would bring, we expected things to begin looking up. Instead, Genesis 6:1–8 shows us the godly line in near collapse. The seed of the woman, which Scripture has been carefully tracing since Genesis 3:15, has not gained ground — it has nearly vanished.
The passage divides into two parallel sections, each following the same pattern of setting, action, proclamation, and parenthetical statement. In verses 1–4, the sons of God — most likely the godly line of Seth — intermarried with the daughters of men, the daughters of the ungodly line. The motivation was simple and familiar: they saw that they were attractive, and they took. It is the same pattern as the fall — see, desire, take. The result was not blessing but corruption. The godly line was diluted until it had almost ceased to exist. In verses 5–8, the Lord surveys the wreckage. Every intention of every heart was only evil continually — a complete inversion of the “very good” of Genesis 1:31. God declares that he will blot out humanity. And then, at the very end, a single verse changes everything: But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
That “but” is everything. Noah did not earn God’s favor. He was born a sinner just like the rest. But God, who cannot lie and will not fail, had made a promise in Genesis 3:15 — and that promise required a seed to carry it forward. So God showed undeserved grace to one man, and through that man, kept his word. The rest that Lamech longed for did come through Noah, though not in the way anyone expected. The shortening of human lifespans was not merely punishment but mercy — a restraint placed upon the full flowering of human evil. And even that mercy was only a shadow pointing forward to the true rest: the one who would not be delivered from judgment but through it, who absorbed the flood of God’s wrath so that there would be no condemnation for those who are in him.
Main Points:
- The Genesis of the Nephilim (vv. 1–4) — The sons of God chose wives from the daughters of men on the basis of attraction alone, without regard for spiritual faithfulness. Who you marry is not a private matter — it shapes the trajectory of the kingdom of God.
- The Genesis of the Flood (vv. 5–8) — The Lord’s verdict on humanity is total: every intention, only evil, continually. God’s declaration of judgment is just. But his grace to Noah — unearned, undeserved — keeps the promise of Genesis 3:15 alive.
- The Rest That Came Through Noah — The relief Lamech hoped for came in an unexpected form: shortened lifespans as a mercy restraining evil, and a righteous man preserved through judgment. Both point beyond themselves to Christ, who brings the eternal rest no flood could ever accomplish.
Key line to remember: “The flood brought temporary relief from judgment from the outside, but Christ brought eternal rest by taking judgment inside — absorbing it, exhausting it — so that now there is no condemnation for those who are in him.”
Reflection and Preparation
Day 1 — Who You Marry Matters
Read: Genesis 6:1–4; 2 Corinthians 6:14–18
Adults:
- Why does the intermarriage of the sons of God and the daughters of men matter so much to Moses — and to God? What does it reveal about how seriously God takes the covenant community?
- In what ways does an unequally yoked marriage affect not just the couple but the broader witness of the church?
- Where in your own life are you tempted to make significant decisions based on what is attractive or appealing rather than what is spiritually faithful?
Children:
- Why is it important for Christians to marry other Christians?
- Can you think of a time when something looked good on the outside but wasn’t a good choice? What helped you see that?
Day 2 — The Depth of Human Wickedness
Read: Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:10–18; Jeremiah 17:9
Adults:
- Genesis 6:5 says every intention of every heart was only evil continually. How does this description of humanity before the flood help us understand what the Bible means by total depravity?
- How does honestly reckoning with the depth of human sinfulness — including our own — shape how we view the need for grace?
- Do you find it easier to see the wickedness described in Genesis 6 in others or in yourself? What does that reveal?
Children:
- What does it mean that God could see what people were thinking in their hearts, not just what they were doing?
- Does God see our hearts too? How does that make you feel?
Day 3 — God’s Grief and God’s Character
Read: Genesis 6:6–7; Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29
Adults:
- How do we hold together the truth that God does not change or repent (Numbers 23:19) with the language of Genesis 6:6, which says God “regretted” making man? What is Moses communicating about God here?
- What does it mean that God’s grief over sin is real and genuine, even though he is not surprised by it and his purposes are not thwarted by it?
- How does understanding God’s unchanging character actually bring comfort when circumstances feel out of control?
Children:
- Does God ever make mistakes or get surprised by things that happen?
- If God already knew people were going to sin, why does the Bible say it grieved him?
Day 4 — Grace to Noah
Read: Genesis 6:8; Ephesians 2:1–9; Romans 5:6–8
Adults:
- Noah found favor — he did not earn it. How does the grace shown to Noah in the middle of a wicked world illustrate what Paul says in Ephesians 2 about how any of us come to salvation?
- Why is it significant that God’s promise in Genesis 3:15 is what ultimately explains why he did not simply destroy everyone and start over?
- How does knowing that your standing before God is based entirely on his favor — not your faithfulness — affect how you approach him in prayer, in worship, and in your daily walk?
Children:
- What does the word “favor” mean? Did Noah deserve God’s favor?
- Can you think of something kind someone did for you that you didn’t earn? How did that feel?
Day 5 — Deliverance Through, Not Around
Read: Genesis 6:1–8; Habakkuk 1:1–6; Romans 8:28–39
Adults:
- Pastor Mike drew the parallel between Noah being carried through the waters of judgment and Christ bearing judgment on our behalf. Where else in Scripture do you see this pattern — deliverance coming through suffering rather than around it?
- Habakkuk prayed for God to act and received an answer he never expected. When has God answered your prayers in a way you didn’t anticipate? What did you learn about him through that?
- As we close out Book Two of Genesis, how has tracing the seed of the woman from Genesis 3:15 through chapters 4, 5, and 6 deepened your understanding of God’s faithfulness?
Children:
- Noah had to go through a big flood to get to the other side. Can you think of something hard that God helped you get through?
- How does the story of Noah help us understand what Jesus did for us?
Next Lord’s Day Preview
“The Believer’s Response” — 1 John 2:1–14
Looking forward to next week, when we looked at 1 John 1 we saw that John was instructing us to “walk in the light as He is in the light.” This Lord’s Day we will begin 1 John 2, looking at verses 1-14. In these verses John develops this theme further, considering the benefits that have been conferred on believers, and how our gratitude for these gifts should bring about changes in our lives. In preparation, consider: what “walking in the light” looks like; how similar concepts of sin in 1 John are to those Pastor Mike has been discussing in Genesis; and how 1 John 2:3-6 shows that God’s grace allows us to have assurance of our faith.
Hymns for Next Lord’s Day
- Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns
- 267 There Is A Fountain
- 347 Not What These Hands Have Done
- 234 For The Bread And For the Wine
Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns
(Benjamin Beddome) (tune: https://hymnary.org/media/fetch/157995)
1 Shout, for the blessed Jesus reigns;
through distant lands his triumphs spread.
And sinners freed from endless pains,
own him their Savior and their Head.
2 He calls his chosen from afar;
they all at Zion’s gates arrive.
Those who were dead in sin before
by sovereign grace are made alive.
3 Oh, may his holy church increase,
his Word and Spirit still prevail,
while angels celebrate his praise
and saints his growing glories hail.
4 Loud hallelujahs to the Lamb
from all below and all above!
In lofty songs exalt his name,
in songs as lasting as his love.
Blessings,
Pastor Mike