BULLETIN ARTICLE
3 February 2019
WICKEDNESS ABOUNDS
God created Adam and Eve in his image for “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them”. From Adam and Eve, every person henceforth was birthed into Adam’s likeness and in Adam’s image according to Genesis 5:3: “he (Adam) had a son in his own likeness, in his own image”. It was through Adam and Eve, fallen and corrupt, that all of mankind became sinful and defiled, frail and mortal and found in their bodies and souls the fallen sinful nature. God’s image in people was badly corrupted. We see this steady decline from their son Seth through to Noah.
The corruption and degeneration of people increased in magnitude from Adam to Noah for 12 generations. With each generation, living an average of 900 years, until “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 LORD saw how great people’s wickedness on earth had become and he was very grieved. The abounding iniquity of wickedness was apostasy in God’s eyes. The rebellion resulted in (God’s)“heart was deeply troubled”.
Bible commentator Matthew Henry explained God’s decision “to wipe mankind from the face of the earth”, with the view that “the destroying of it was an act, not of an absolute sovereign but of necessary justice, for the maintaining of the honour of God’s government.” God saw the abounding wickedness in man’s hearts – their life principles were corrupt and their habits were evil and increasingly harmful to them and others. Sins were committed daringly and in defiance to God’s ways of holiness, purity and justice.
People failed many times, over and over again. Psalm 14:1-3 expresses God’s holy and just displeasure over deliberate and intended sins. God was “wearied” with their offenses (Isaiah 43:24), he was “grieved” with a people who go astray in their hearts and ignored his ways (Psalm 95:10). It was not just the stream of sins but the depth and width of it that God found exceedingly painful and intolerable. The stream of sins was full, constant and abounding. God had to put a stop to it.
Two men stood out in the genealogy from Seth to Noah – Enoch and Noah. Enoch “walked with God”, portraying a picture of equanimity and agreement (Amos 3:3) – “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” His close relationship with God presupposed godliness and righteousness, a life of communion, in compliance with his will and in concurrence with his designs. Noah also “walked with God”, righteous and blameless and he had close communion and always acted with God. He did everything just as God commanded him. Those who act on God’s behalf must take their leadings and teachings from him and carefully observe them. For he who saves and appoints us in our lives and habitations, should set the bounds and limits for our lives.
