The Sins of the Fathers, Part 2 (Genesis 5-6)

Complimentary Story
   Is there ever a justified cause for anger?  Yes, when holding another accountable for a specific violation of the rules which define our relationship.  What is our responsibility when we have a just cause to be angry?  “Be angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” Ephesians 4:26.  Anger is a tool to serve a given purpose bringing attention to the fact that the agreed upon rules intended to define and protect the integrity of what we expect of our relationship have been broken, creating undesirable consequences.  Jesus addresses this issue in Matthew chapter 18 after the disciples asked Him, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  His first response was, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” The choice is ours to become as a small child with child-like faith that believes and trusts every word of his father.  Therefore being converted from our living as a god by the law of the flesh, to trusting with total confidence in the one and only God, our Creator.  When the two greatest commandments are in control of our thinking, we have become born again, and all things will become new. Without this change in our thinking, there is no more need to discuss any further the subject of “Who is the greatest in the kingdom?” for they will never see the kingdom of heaven. 

   Jesus continues, the greatest is the one who is as humble as a little child.  But whoever would offend one of these of simple faith, who believes, trusts, and obeys God’s every word; it would be better for him if he were not alive.  “Woe unto the world because of offenses!  And from the world offences will come, no question about it.  But woe unto the man by whom the offences come.”  It is our choice as it was with Cain, to rule over the temptation of sin that is lying at the door.  Jesus goes on to say, it is our responsibility to rule, if our hand, our foot, or our eye offend, it is better to sacrifice them, rather than be cast into everlasting judgment.  “Take heed that ye despise not (as Cain did) one of these little ones” to offend them, being angry without cause.  “Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” 

   Jesus then continues in verses 15 through 35 with the real issue of just causes that justify anger, and how to rule over them.    “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone (not going to others first to gain support): if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that with the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  And if he neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man… Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be (already) bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be (already) loosed in heaven.”  For heaven already knows the heart.  God’s purpose in all this is for us to follow His example, that none should perish, but that all come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).  Our responsibility is to seek reconciliation with God and man.  Without accountability we become an enabler!  If we do not take charge of our actions, someone will. It may be the civil authorities, but definitely God will!

   By the end of Genesis chapter 4,  we see the sins of the fathers visited upon the fifth generation removed from Cain, “And Lamech said unto his wife… Hear my voice… hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain be avenged sevenfold, truly Lemech seventy and sevenfold.”  All six generations were alive and had a shared history together, good and bad. And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.” Is it not surprising that by the fifth generation removed from Adam they no longer called upon the name of the Lord even though Cain’s son Enoch (Genesis 5: 21-24) “walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” 

  One’s descendents are always influenced by our lives by what we pass on to then. They inherit what we leave behind, good or bad!  But God raised up another son unto Adam — Seth.  And his son Enos  somehow gave reason for men to begin to call upon the name of the Lord.  God was preparing a man for one of the hardest decisions God had to make regarding what He saw in the earth, in “that the wickedness of man was great in all the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6: 5). There was no right thinking, there was none that understood the difference between good and evil. There was none that sought after God, they had all gone their own way becoming unprofitable. There was none that did good, no not a single one! (Romans 3: 10-12). They only did what was right in their own eyes, not according to what was right in the sight of our Lord God and Creator! Is there a difference? Yes there is!

   “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Enoch begat Methuselah, and Methuselah begat Lemech.  And Lemech … begat a son; and he called his name Noah, saying this name shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.”  Methuselah had died before Noah was born, but Lemech lived until just before the flood. Noah begat Shem about 100 years before the flood, then Ham, and then Jepheth.

   “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in all the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually.”  Their thoughts, their iniquity had become full.  That is the one factor which determines when God is finished working with anyone, offering no more choices, turning them over to a reprobate mind!  “And it repented the Lord that He had make man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.”  God had come to the place where He had to change His mind about creating man.  God did not change His mind because He had made a mistake, or had done wrong.  But, because man had turned from trusting our Lord God and Creator to following “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”  (I John 2:16), listening to the father of lies, forsaking our Creator, the Lord of all and King of all.  He had no choice but to protect the integrity of His word and His covenant with man: “I will be your God.”  He had to destroy those who refused to repent or change their mind concerning their own sin.

   “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.”  Why did He choose to destroy more than just man?  I don’t know, but if God thought it was necessary in order to preserve a faithful remnant to fulfill His purpose for creation, that would definitely be His choice, and not for us to question.  Since He created all things even man, it is His prerogative to do what He will.

   But yet we continue to see the God of all mercy, as demonstrated throughout the Scriptures giving grace, and more grace to the humble.  Read James 4:1-10.  Continuing in Genesis chapter 6, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”  Why did only Noah and his family find grace in the eyes of the Lord?  What was the difference that God saw in Noah and his family, that they were the only ones to receive more grace?  Many say we cannot merit God’s favor, and that is true.  So why does God choose some and not others for His purpose?  We quote the verses in Romans 3:10-12 concluding we are without hope!  “There is none (with right thinking), no not one; There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”  Who is Paul the Apostle talking about?

   Starting in Romans chapter 1, he refers to “the gospel of God, which  God had promised afore by His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord… For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also the Greek. For therein is the (right thinking) of God revealed from faith to faith: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and (wrong thinking). Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  For (even) the invisible things of Him from the creation of  the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”  Who is without excuse?  All who have sinned are without excuse, for God has done everything in his power to give everyone good reasons sufficient to believe, trust, and obey his every word with confidence!

   “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful: but became vain in their imaginations (false images conceived in their minds), and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptable God into an image made like to corruptible man.” As fools, man has reduced the sovereign God, the Creator of all things to our level as one among  many gods. When the Apostle Paul quoted in Romans 3: 10-12 from Psalm chapter 14 he started with verse 3, skipping the first two where the Psalmist made the reference “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God, they are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.”

   The Apostle Paul did not quote these two verses because he had already described them in Romans chapter one as those given “over to a reprobate mind” as those “professing themselves to be wise, they became fools... to do those things which are not (right, but unnatural)… Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”  The Apostle Paul in Romans 3: 10-12 was referring to the fools just as the Psalmest was referring to the fools of  Noah’s  day. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 

   What was different about Noah that the Lord chose him to fulfill his purpose in this world?  There is only one reason God chooses anyone. God saw in Noah’s heart that he was teachable!  With eyes that see, and ears that hear!

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