Biblical scholars far more learned than I have debated for years on this passage. Some have stated they know exactly who these characters are, but most remain unclear. But what is true is that the world at the time was spiraling out of control because of its sin.
“When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was distraught. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them. But Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6 v 1-8)
It’s not gone well. Has it improved?
The Nephilim were either the offspring of the fallen angels who took human wives, the male descendants of Seth intermarrying with the female descendants of Cain, or simply human rulers acting as divine beings, taking multiple wives. Whoever they were, they contributed to the rising tide of evil and played a part in ruining God’s created order.
What follows so early in the Biblical story is shocking. In His grief, God regrets creating.
“The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was distraught.”
God is bothered by what happens in the world He created. In fact, He mourns and He decides to end it all, man or animal. Pause for a moment. Did God make a mistake? Does he change His mind? Is this what it is really about?
No.
In this dark moment, we see God grieving, impacted by the sin —our sin —a ‘this is not what I originally planned’ moment. He is not detached from us. He is affected by sin, our sin. It causes Him pain. God can be hurt. We can hurt Him. Why would we do that?
In His grief, He moves with judgment and mercy. This is the story of God found in the Bible. This is not God out of control. This is a problem-solving God. He knows what to do, and judgment and mercy will flow throughout the Bible.
First, the judgment. “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” This is cataclysmic. We now know this is the announcement of the flood. We also know, as we read many times, primarily through the prophets, that repentance can cause judgment to be dismissed or at least delayed. We also know that individuals will rise as channels of mercy even in times of judgment, giving people a second chance. So we have a merciful sentence revealing a merciful God because of one man: “But Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD.”
Others will follow: Abraham, Moses, Caleb and Joshua, Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Esther, and Mary.
None of them was perfect; they all faced hardship, but they trusted God in those difficult times and, at critical points in history, stood alone with courage.
One, in fact, was perfect, Jesus. God in flesh. Coming Himself with an ark of salvation which is available still today, He offers hope in this chaos.
“But Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD.” God is looking for people who will be culturally different; to walk with Him even when everyone else may walk from Him. The question is this: will we be that person in our generation?
Missions Paul 