Genesis 6: Covenant > Corruption

Key verse
18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
 
Meditation
In today’s reading, God reinforces a central redemptive reality: His covenant faithfulness is greater than the corruption and chaos of this world. God’s sovereign grip of grace will not loosen; He will not let go the promises and purposes for His people.
 
The “people of the earth” repeat the tragic pattern of Adam and Eve- “seeing… desiring… taking” (v. 2). The Lord’s heart is grieved by the pervasive evil in human hearts (v. 5). This divine grief reveals His love. God also makes clear that judgement is the necessary consequence of sin for all who rebel. Yet even here, God did not let go- Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord (vv. 6-8).
 
God’s covenant grip is displayed through astonishing grace. When humanity wholly rejects Him, God walks with Noah (vv. 9-10). When the corruption of the earth is emphasized (repeated three times in vv. 11-12), God reaffirms His covenant intentions (v. 18). When God determines to bring judgement to the earth, He simultaneously provides a way of salvation, instructing Noah to build the ark (vv. 13-22). Noah’s faith is revealed through obedient trust, doing all the Lord directed. God’s faithfulness shines in this: He never releases the grip on His covenant promises or purposes. 
 
This covenant faithfulness is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus who entered the chaos and corruption of this world to become a curse for His people. The floodwaters of God’s judgement fell upon Jesus so the grip of God’s grace might eternally hold His people fast. In Jesus, we can know this love that will not let us go! 
 
Today’s Reading
When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah and the Flood
9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
 
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Which headline are you more inclined to believe: “The world is corrupt and chaos reigns- there is no hope!” OR “God is faithful to keep His promises and is working things according to His purposes and He will never let His people go”? Why?
 
-Noah believed the latter headline, and He followed God’s plan of salvation by faith demonstrated through obedience. What is hindering you from hearing, believing, and obeying?
 
-How does God’s covenant faithfulness revealed through the finished work of Christ empower your sense of security in God’s steadfast love? Where do you need to believe, dropping the burden of the brokenness of this world to take up the easy yoke of Jesus?
 
Key verse
18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.