C. Genesis 6:3 – And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
a. My Spirit – רוח ruwach (feminine noun), wind, breath, mind, spirit
b. Strive - דין diyn (verb) to judge, contend, plead
c. Man – The Man, Adam
d. “120 years” two very different views:
1. “…For these words, ‘yet shall their days be one hundred and twenty years,’ are to be taken in the sense of the traditional interpretation: one last period of grace is fixed by God for the repentance of mankind. The previous word indicated that God might well have cut off all further opportunities of grace. This word shows that grace always does more than could be expected. Before disposing of the guilty ones a time of grace of no less than one hundred and twenty years is allowed for their repentance. This use of ‘days’ is established by the use of the same word ‘those days.’ Consequently, the modern interpretation that takes this word to mean that God here decreed that in the future the span of man’s life was not to exceed one hundred twenty years is quite unfounded. This view is proved untenable by the fact that quite a few after the Flood lived in excess of this limit. “ Exposition of Genesis, p. 256, H.C. Leupold.
· In summary 120 years until the flood comes
· Does not mean that a man’s life shall not exceed 120 years
2. “These are generally taken as meaning 120 years before the flood. But this mistake has been made by not observing that the word for “men” in 6:1, 2 is in the singular number with the definite article, as in v.3 “man”, and means THE MAN ADAM. The word “also” clearly refers to him. It has no meaning if “men” be read, in the plural. It means, and can mean, only that Adam himself, “also”, as well as the rest of mankind, had “corrupted his way”. If “men” be the meaning, then it may be well asked, who are the others indicated by the word “also”?
In Genesis 2:17, the Lord God had declared that Adam should die. Here, in Genesis 6, it was made more clear that though he had lived 810 years he should surely die; and that his breath, or the spirit of life from God, should not forever remain in him.
This fixes chronology of v.3, and shows that long before that time, AM 810, and even before Enoch, this eruption of fallen angels had taken place. This was the cause of all the “ungodliness” against which the prophecy of Enoch was directed in Jude 14, and which ultimately brought on the fulfillment of his prophecy in the Judgement of the Flood.” Appendix 24 to the Companion Bible, E.W. Bullinger
· In summary Adam has 120 years to live, therefore he was 810 years old at the time
D. Genesis 6:4 – There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bear children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
a. Giants - נפיל nĕphiyl, giants, the Nephilim from the root nephal (verb) meaning: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail (thus we can render “the fallen ones”)
1. Numbers - And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, [which come] of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
b. We can see here the offspring of these unions were physically different than normal men. So something happened in the DNA of man.
c. Some scholars argue that Nephilim does not mean “giants” but rather “fallen ones”…this may be the case, but we can see from the passage in Numbers that these Nephilim were of great stature so much so that the 10 Israelite spies rendered themselves “as grasshoppers” by contrast. Therefore this word may not literally mean giants, but these creatures were giants none the less.
d. Handout – Appendix 25 of the Companion Bible
e. Mighty men - גבור gibbowr(adjective, masculine noun) strong man, brave man, mighty man
f. Men of renown – men of fame, heroes
1. To paraphrase from Appendix 25, this could possibly be the origin of Greek mythology that grew out of traditions, memories, and legends of the activities of these creatures. Many of the ancient pagan religions such as the Greeks, Babylonians, Sumerians, Egyptians and Romans held similar “gods” with variation in name. These pagan belief systems could represent corruption and distortions of the primitive truths as their memories faded over time.
g. Isaiah 26:13-14 – O Lord our God, other lords besides Thee have had dominion over us: but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name. They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish,
1. These “other lords” are in reference to the previous Caananites, their idols and false gods. Which are of the same stock as these Nephilim (Numbers ).
2. This verse indicates that these giants are to have no resurrection (the proper name is hidden in v. 14 as “deceased” and also v. 19 as “the dead” should be rendered The Rephaim)
h. Enoch 7:2 – And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells:
1. An ell is a unit of measure used to approximate a man’s arm so either these giants were absolutely enormous (about a mile tall!), or more likely we have some translational issues such as an “ell” may have been something completely different then or the numbers have too many zeros after them. Let’s just move on with the understanding that these guys were big.
E. Genesis 6:5 – 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.
a. The natural depravity of the human heart –Luther
b. Heart has thoughts? Heart = mind = soul
1. Psalm 33:11
2. Proverbs 19:21
3. I Chronicles 29:18
F. Genesis 6:6 – And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
a. God repent?
1. Example of Anthropopatheia , ascribing to God what belongs to human and rational beings, irrational creatures, or inanimate things.
G. Genesis 6:7 – 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.
a. Indication of how bleak the situation, in that the best recourse was annihilation
Questions from the previous class discussion
Question 1: If Angels neither marry or are given in marriage, how can the "sons of God" mentioned in Genesis 6:3 be angels?
The verse referenced is Matthew 22:30 "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are they given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."
This is a very good argument against the sons of God being angels in Genesis 6:2 in that angels do not marry nor are they given in marriage, but after some study I think we can reconcile this.
If these "sons of God" in Genesis were angels, would they be angels in heaven? When reading the passage I would be led to believe that these are not angels of heaven, but fallen angels which we know exist throughout scripture. I don't believe fallen angels would regard the same protocol as the angels in heaven and therefore would engage in such activities as described in 6:2.
I am therefore of the opinion that Genesis 6:2 remains consistent with Matthew 22:30 and that the "sons of God" in Genesis are indeed fallen angels or became fallen angels (...kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation...Jude 6) as they descended to the earth to mix with humans.
Question 2: How is it that becoming "sons of God" is a future event for those who believe in Christ, Jesus told the woman who washed His feet "Your faith has saved you"?
Jesus is here speaking to an individual, unique from any other in His creation. He knew this woman’s heart, something that you or I do not have the ability to do. This woman maintained her free will after her encounter with the Lord and could have renounced Him the following day, but her faith in Christ prevented her from doing so. She recognized that this man before her was the Christ and by faith confessed it by her very deed of anointing his feet with expensive ointment, she never said a word.
At this point in time Christ had not yet been crucified and conquered death, if this woman died prior to that event she would have been in the same situation as Abraham whose faith was credited to him as righteousness. Paradise was not yet open, but after Christ’s death he opened the prison doors so that those who had previously been bound by death now had access to the Father. No one can come to the Father, but theough Christ.
Mark 5:34 Jesus says “Daughter thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace and be whole of thy plague.” This is very similar to the above, it was the faith of the girl that was attributed to her for righteousness and she was made whole, not just physically, but spiritually as well
Mark 10:52 Jesus heals a blind man and says “Go thy way thy faith has made the whole.” The man’s vision was restored, but more importantly he was “made whole” once again, this man’s faith was attributed for this miracle and seen as righteousness by Christ.
While in the flesh, being made whole cannot be a permanent state of being. As we remain in flesh bodies we remain corrupted, however, we now have to power to become the sons of God.
Romans 10:9 "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
I believe this verse is not just a one time event in your life, it is something we must hold on to throughout our lives and by doing so we shall be saved from death when the time comes.
Question 3: With respect to rapture theology, what about the verse that says we are to be "caught up together in the clouds" with Christ?
The scripture reference is:
I Thessalonians 4:16-17 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
The rapture doctrine is the idea that those who believe in Christ will be transported off of the earth prior to the 1st tribulation brought about by satan’s anti-christ. Advocates of this theory cling to verses such as the above without thoroughly addressing verses that seem to contradict this idea.
I Corinthians 15:51-52 - Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
The above verse could be used to support the rapture doctrine, but when is this last trump?
The Book of Revelation explains that there are 7 trumps and certain events transpire after each trump.
Revelation 8:6 - And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Revelation 11:15 - And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
The seventh or last trump is when Christ claims victory over the kingdoms of this world (…Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven…) This is the culmination of what the saints of the Lord have been praying for since instructed by the Lord.
Matthew 24:38-41 – For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two [women shall be] grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
We have established that “they” in the above passage refers to the wicked and corrupted who were taken away with the flood. The parallel here is that the same shall happen with the coming of the Son of man, but its not His children who He is taking away it’s the wicked and corrupted, just like in the “days of Noah.”
Matthew 13:24-30 - Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
The parable of the tares is a summary of this earth age from the beginning to the end. At the end we see that the Lord first gathers the tares which represent the seed of the wicked one to be bound and burned. So here is the question, if the followers of Christ have already been raptured away who then is the wheat? Christ clearly says that the wheat in this parable represents the good seed. The same thing can be said for the previous verse, if the wicked and corrupt are taken away like those in the flood of Noah, who then is left?
“Well maybe the anti-christ comes after this?”
Not so fast…
II Thessalonians 2:2-3 - That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
This verse can not be clearer that the Son of man will not make His entrance until “that man of sin is revealed” so the chronological order of events are 1st the build up to the anti-christ followed by the tribulation and persecution under his tyranny. Next comes the angels to reap the “tares”, bind them and cast them into the fire and finally Christ is gathered to His people.
I John 3:1-2 - Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Finally, we can know when our Lord returns because we shall be like Him, what does that mean? It means we shall be changed and uncorrupted and gathered together with our Lord! Being uncorrupted means we no longer have these corrupted flesh bodies, but new spiritual bodies like that of the resurrected Christ.
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