Genesis

You will be depriving yourself of rich treasures available to you in God's Word if you do not dig deeper than the few lines of commentary you can access in a daily devotional. Genealogies are often the most overlooked of these treasures, yet among the richest. Look, for instance, at the simple math represented here: from Adam to when Enosh gave birth to Kenan is 325 years (vv3-9). Those numbers are easily enough added up, but extend the math all the way to the end of this chapter, and you will arrive at 1556 years since creation when Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth (v32). The spoiler is that continuing through the rest of the Bible, you will be able to track that it had been 2,513 years since creation at the Exodus (Ex. 14). It was 2,992 years since creation when Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 5-7), 3,373 years at the Fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:2; Jeremiah 39:2), 3,954 at the birth of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:2-16, Luke 3:23-38), and as of today (2023.08.11) it has been 5,981 years since creation. As noted in Genesis chapter four, the seventh generation of Adam along the cursed line of Cain arrived at the murderer Lamech. But when following the restored line through Seth, the seventh generation descendent is Enoch. Note the contrast between the curse and the blessing (vv22-24) "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." (v24). Don't let yourself overlook the treasures of genealogy in Scripture.

When preaching through this chapter of the Bible, John MacArthur said to his ministry team during sermon preparation, "The only thing worse than preaching an evening message on Genesis 6:1-7 is preaching two nights on Genesis 6:1-7." He meant that this section of the Bible lacks great additional Biblical reference, despite being the subject of great speculation; therefore, he didn't intend to linger after asserting the basic truths he could deliver. Genesis Chapter Six is the "prequel" to the Great Flood. Mankind had grown to a more significant population (v1), and the "sons of God" bene Elohim, angels - (in this instance, the fallen angels who were cast out of heaven with Satan), had begun to cohabitate with mankind. Such was the degree to which man had become corrupted (v2). God determined that in 120 years, He would remove mankind (save eight) from the face of the earth (v3). The Nephilim (v4), only referred to otherwise in the Bible as of fearful and mythic legendary status in Numbers 13:33, may be considered the offspring of the unholy union of these fallen angels and human women or simply as men of renown. Such was the evil on the earth (v5) that God was grieved at having made man (v6). There is a word translated in most Bibles as "regretted" in verse six; however, this is wrong both theologically and in translation. God did not make a mistake. God still loved His creation and suffered the grief of their existence for the next 120 years while Noah, with whom God found favor (v8), built the Arc. But this word (way·yin·nā·ḥem וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם) is best translated as "relented," knowing the time had come.

After two of every kind (6:20) of every living thing of all flesh (6:19) came to the ark for Noah to keep alive, Yahweh commanded Noah to bring the other seven members of his household into the ark (v1, 1 Pet 3:20). Of the clean animals (later used for sacrifice), Noah took sevens, and the unclean, two, a male and his female (v2). The progenitor pairs were to repopulate the earth after God blotted out every other living thing that He had made from the face of the land (v4). The distinction of "land" versus "earth" is relevant because Noah did not take with him creatures of the sea. Neither did God blot these from the face of the "earth." The precision of the record of when the "fountains of the great deep split open" (v11) in the 600th year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the 17th day of the month, ridicules suspicion of the accurate Biblical history. The 40 days and nights that the rain came upon the earth (v12,17) is significant for more than merely lasting a long time. Throughout Scripture, this number represents both trial and triumph. A few examples include Israel wandering 40 years in the wilderness (Num 14:33), Moses being 40 days on the mount (Exo 24:18), and 40 years at each significant span of his life. Christ fasted 40 days before the temptation (Matt 4:2) and dwelt on earth 40 days after His resurrection (Acts 1:3). The water then prevailed fifteen cubits (22.5 feet) higher than the highest mountain (v20), and God did as He said, withdrawing the breath of the spirit of life from the nostrils of all on earth who breathed (vv21-22), undoing what He had done in Genesis 2:7 "Then Yahweh God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and so the man became a living being."

The chronology of the flood is complete by Genesis 8:14. Noah was 600 years (7:11) when God provided a pre-flood seven-day warning to enter the arc (7:4) +7. Then the rain came upon the earth, and the water multiplied for 40 days (7:12,17) +47. The water prevailed on the earth for 150 days, and then the waters began to recede (7:24;8:3) +157. The Arc rested in the mountains of Ararat (8:4) +204. The water decreased until the tops of two mountains appeared (8:5) +277. Noah sent a raven out from the arc 40 days after two mountains appeared (8:6-7) +317. Having failed to discern knowledge of the land, Noah sent out a dove seven days later (8:8) +314. Then again seven days later (8:9) +321. And yet again, seven days later, but finally, the dove returned with an olive leaf (8:10) +328. So, in the 601st year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up from the earth (8:13) +367. And by the 2nd month, on the 27th day of the month, the Earth was dry (8:14) +424. The number 40 is repeated in this chronology, as is the number seven. There are exactly 360 days from the cessation of the rains to the Earth being dry. That is twelve 30-day months. On the day the earth was dry, God spoke to Noah, telling him to go out and bring with him every living thing to be fruitful and multiply on the earth (8:14-17). Having completed the undoing of what He did in Genesis 2:7, God now restores the blessing He first commanded in Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth..." But in the next chapter, we will see that this time, dominion will be different... (Gen.1:28-29/Gen.9:2-3).