ONE MAN STOOD OUT

Genesis 6:1-9

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Christians often find themselves alone in their attempts to serve God.

 

B.   In that state, they often believe that they have little influence or power.

 

C.   In our study today, we find that this is not necessarily the case.

 

D.   “One Man Stood Out” thousands of years ago.  He did make a difference.

 

E.   Let’s look at Genesis 6:1-9.

 

I.             THE SITUATION (Gen. 6:1-2)

 

A.   The Multiplication (Gen. 6:1)

 

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them.

 

1.    God had told Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth (Gen. 1:28).

2.    The number of years that had passed since the creation was about 1500 years (See Gen. 5).

 

B.   The Marriages (Gen. 6:2)

 

That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

 

1.    “The sons of God” stand in contrast to “the daughters of men.”

a.    The sons of God were the righteous who were living on the earth.  They were possibly the descendants of Seth (See Gen. 4:25-26).

b.    The daughters of men were the offspring of men who were evil and wicked.  These were most likely from the lineage of Cain (Gen. 4:17-22).

2.    NOTE:  They saw that these women were “fair.”  The “lust of the eye” is one of the avenues of sin (1 John 2:16).

3.    When righteous individuals marry those who are ungodly, the ungodly often have a negative impact upon the children of God.

a.    They begin to practice sin.

b.    They turn from the true God to idols.

 

II.           THE STRIVING (Gen. 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 a hundred and twenty years.

 

A.   The corruption that developed in the earth stood in opposition to the holiness of God.

 

B.   During this time, God strove with man. 

1.    God pleaded with man to turn from his wickedness (See 2 Peter 2:5).

2.    Man continued in his rebellion against God.

C.   God was not going to allow the sinfulness of man to continue forever.  God set a period of 120 years before He would bring judgment upon the earth.

 

III.         THE SIN (Gen. 6:4-5)

 

A.   The Men (Gen. 6:4a)

 

There were giants in the earth in those days…

 

1.    Not much is revealed in the Bible about this race of giants.

2.    When we read of them elsewhere in the Biblical text, they are described as being immoral and idol worshippers (Num. 13:33; 1 Sam. 17:4, 43).

 

B.   The Mighty (Gen. 6:4b)

 

…and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children unto them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

 

1.    The offspring that came from the marriages of the sons of God and the daughters of men became mighty and powerful. 

2.    They become “men of renown,” that is, men who had fame and a reputation.  NOTE:  A reputation can be either good or evil.

 

C.   The Magnitude (Gen. 6:5)

1.    Considerable (Gen. 6:5a)

 

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth…

 

a.    The wickedness that developed on the earth is described as being “great.”

b.    It was great in number, and it was great in its ungodly nature.

2.    Continually (Gen. 6:5b)

 

…and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

 

a.    The evil was not practiced here and there.

b.    The hearts of these individuals were constantly focused on sin and unrighteousness.

c.    NOTE:  Their hearts were the source of all the evil they practiced (See Prov. 4:23; 23:7).

 

IV.         THE SENTENCE (Gen. 6:6-7)

 

A.   The Maker (Gen. 6:6)

 

And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

 

1.    God had created man with a desire to be in a loving, harmonious relationship with him.

2.    When man forsook God and turned to evil, God’s thinking changed.

a.    This is the meaning of the word “repented.”  NOTE:  God did not have to turn from evil.

b.    God could not tolerate man’s sin.

c.    God was deeply hurt by the evil choices humanity had made.

 

B.   The Measure (Gen. 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.

 

1.    Sometimes the only way to get rid of evil is to completely eradicate it.

2.    God realized this was true regarding the earth in those days.  Thus, He issued a sentence that all should be destroyed.

 

V.           THE SAINT (Gen. 6:8-9)

 

A.   The Man (Gen. 6:8)

 

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

 

1.    One man named Noah stood out above all the rest.

2.    He was separate, set apart from the evil ones of his day.

3.    Thus, he found “grace” in the eyes of the Lord.  A simple definition of grace is “divine help.”

 

B.   The Merits (Gen. 6:9)

 

These are the generations of Noah:  Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

 

1.    He was correct (just).  He lived a righteous life, that is, a life in harmony with God’s law.

2.    He was complete (perfect).  He had integrity.  He was blameless, sound, wholesome, and innocent.

3.    He was in communion with God (walked with God).  He had not forsaken his God for other gods.  He had not turned from the path of truth and righteousness in order to practice the wicked imaginations of men.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We can look at our world today and see the abundance of evil that dwells within it.

 

B.   The world of Noah’s day was significantly worse. 

1.    Their wickedness was great and continual.

2.    It was so evil, God set forth His divine judgment against humanity.

 

3.    However, one man stood out. 

a.    One man found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

b.    This one man, as all know, made a huge difference in the world.

 

C.   If we will do as Noah did, we, too, can make a different.  Be just!  Be perfect!  And, walk with God!