Genesis 6:10

The Bible says in Genesis 6:10-12, “And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” In these verses the word “corrupt” is used three times. It is a word that also means “to spoil,” “to ruin,” or “to pervert.” Man had perverted his way. Man had ruined the earth. Life on earth after the Garden of Eden could have been wonderful, if only more people had walked with God. But they threw away their opportunity, just like many people are doing today. Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it also be in the days of the Son of man.” The responsibility for this corruption lies with man himself: “all flesh had corrupted his way.” Galatians 5:17 says, “The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Every Christian must understand that there is a constant battle taking place between the flesh and the spirit. Say “no” to the deeds of the flesh, and be filled with the fruits of the Spirit.

God is watching, and He is the Judge of the whole earth. It says in Genesis 6:11, “The earth also was corrupt before God.” And it also says in Genesis 6:12, “And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt.” No one escapes the consequences of their actions because the all-knowing and all-seeing God is Judge. A wise person will have reverential fear of the judgment of God. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.”

It is also important to notice that in Genesis 6:11 the corrupt earth is connected to “violence.” Violence is mentioned again in Genesis 6:13. Jesus said that the second greatest commandment is to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” Jesus said in Matthew 5:44, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.” When neighbor goes up against neighbor in violence, it is the ultimate violation of the great will of God that man should love one another. When a society becomes a more wicked society, it will also become a more violent society. And then the judgment of God will follow.

The Bible says in Genesis 6:13, “And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Why did God decide to destroy the earth during the time of Noah? We have been told several reasons in this passage about the days of Noah, and in Genesis 6:13 we are told that it is because of the violence on the earth. In Genesis 6:2 and 6:4 we were told of the selfish will of believers who chose unbelievers as wives. In Genesis 6:5 we are told of the wickedness in the hearts and thoughts of mankind. In Genesis 6:8 and Genesis 6:9 we are told that Noah “found grace” and “walked with God,” implying that the others on the earth did not do so. Because wickedness will once again capture the hearts and minds of people, God will bring a great judgment upon the earth one more time at the return of Christ when Jesus destroys the armies of the world at the Battle of Armageddon. God’s holy wrath will bring a final judgment on that wickedness also. The Bible says about Jesus in Revelation 19:11-15, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

But God is a merciful and loving God, and so He always offers salvation: the way to escape for all who will choose to believe in Christ. God does not want anyone to perish, but desires that all should come to repentance and to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. God said to Noah in Genesis 6:14, “Make thee an ark of golpher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shall pitch it within and without with pitch.” God provided for Noah and his family a way of salvation. Judgment came to the entire world, but Noah and his family chose the way to escape: God’s salvation. God spoke. Noah believed God’s words. By faith Noah built the ark and entered into the ark, and thereby was saved. God has spoken in our day through His Son Jesus Christ. Those who believe the words from God enter into a relationship with Christ by faith, and are thereby saved.

Some specific information is given about the ark in Genesis 6:15-16. It says, “And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.” It is interesting to note that those who are experts in shipbuilding have studied these dimensions, and have concluded that these dimensions would have resulted in a very sea-worthy vessel. A “cubit” is approximately 1½ feet. Therefore, the ark was 600 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. It had three stories. That makes 135,000 square feet of floor space. This is obviously enough space for thousands of pairs of animals. The Bible is true, and the Bible is accurate, and the Bible is reliable. There really was an ark that was used by God to make sure that life on earth continued past the flood. It is highly unlikely that evidence of the ark still exists. We do not need physical evidence to prove that the ark really existed. We have that account written down for us in the immutable Word of God. There certainly is evidence that there really was a world-wide flood. Just look at the Grand Canyon and other places in the world like it formed by water erosion that happened quickly when sediment was loose. Consider the temperate forests under the ice in Greenland. And also what other explanation for the fossils of sea creatures on some mountain tops?

Jesus is speaking to Noah in Genesis 6:17-18, and the Lord says, “And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.” God is involved with everything that happens in the earth. And everything that happens, absolutely everything, fits into His great plan for the world. Every rain cloud is sent by God for a purpose. Every storm is sent by Him for a purpose. This is true in a figurative sense also. Every storm that comes into your life has also been sent by God for a purpose. He is in control, and He does not make mistakes. This truth will comfort the hearts of those who live by faith in the promises of God. If you have storms in your life, and you are not comforted, then maybe you are not living by faith. The Bible says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose.”

A great storm came in the time of Noah. God had a purpose in the storm. The purpose was to bring judgment upon the earth. The Lord said, “And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.” In the future another day of judgment from God is looming. It will come. Speaking of one small part of the judgment that will come on the earth, the Bible says in Revelation 6:12-17, “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

God brings judgment, but He also brings salvation and the opportunity to escape judgment. God said to Noah in Genesis 6:18, “But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.” This is the first time in the Bible that the word “covenant” is used. A covenant is an agreement, a compact, between God and man. And a covenant is primarily made up of a promise. God promises to do something, and with this covenant man also agrees to do something in return. Of course, man must believe the covenant or else man would have no reason to keep his part of the agreement. That is what a contract is. One party agrees to do something based upon the other party doing something. The contract is only as good as the confidence that each party has in the other. God promised to save Noah and his family. Noah believed the promise, and so he went into the ark. The same thing happens concerning the gospel of Christ. Jesus promises to save all those who believe in Him. Those who believe the promise, enter into faith in Christ. That is what the “new” covenant is all about. The words “new testament” mean literally “new covenant.” When we read the New Testament, we are talking about the covenant that Jesus offers through His blood.

Of course, Noah and his family were not the only ones who went into the ark to be saved. God cares about all of His creatures. God loves the animals that He created as well as the people. God said to Noah in Genesis 6:19-21, “And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.” In these verses we are not only reminded of how much God loves the animals that He has placed upon this earth, but we are also reminded of the fact that God has given man the responsibility to help take care of the earth and the animals that are upon it. If you are a servant of God, the part of the earth where you live and the animals in it should be better off because you live there.

Storms and other troubles will always be a part of life until Jesus returns. Jesus described the age in which we live and the troubles that this age brings in Matthew 24:6-7, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places.” As a part of being prepared for the disaster of the flood, God told Noah in Genesis 6:21, “And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee and for them.” This was just common-sense preparation for the disaster that was soon to come: to gather up the supplies that would be needed to get through the disaster. There will be more disasters, not as great as the flood of Noah, but there will be more disasters. Be prepared: both spiritually and from a practical standpoint for whatever life can throw at you.

In Genesis 6:22 we see one of the reasons that God chose Noah to build the ark. It says, “Thus did Noah, according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” What good would it have done if God had called Noah but Noah was not ready to do “according to all that God commanded him?” There would have been a bad ending instead of a good ending to the story of Noah and the great flood. Notice that it says that Noah did “according to all that God commanded him.” If you are going to be a true servant of God, you cannot pick and choose which of His commandments that you are going to obey. In these days of compromise and immorality, it is amazing how many people think that they are going to get away with claiming to be serving God without a willingness to obey “all” of God’s commandments. Now we know why so little true work for God is actually being accomplished. A believer should have this attitude: “What does God’s Word say about the matter? That is what I will do.” Anything less and you are not serving Jesus. You are serving your own selfish will.

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