Genesis 6:11-12 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.
Now I am quite aware that the more liberal Christian writers or pastors dismiss the story of Noah as being mythological, and would also challenge the suggestion that God could cause or send pain and suffering. God does gives us freedom of thought, the gift of reason, as well as the ability to chose to believe, doubt or even deny the truth. We can shun those notions about God recorded in the Bible we dislike or even deny the authority of the written Word. But the ones that wrote these words from Genesis (attributed to Moses) were held by Jesus to be authentic, and by the apostles to be “God inspired”, and by the church, for 2000 years, to be trustworthy.
So based up these things I believe these words are true and God-breathed; I think that the earth was corrupt and full of violence and that God was not “happy” when these events took place at the time of Noah. I am convinced that God took action and “cleared the slate” (i.e. He eliminated all mankind), to begin anew with one that did do what was righteous—-Noah (his wife, three sons and their wives, 8 human beings total).
But what caught my eye this morning were these words: “the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and full of violence”. That seems to mean, as far as God was concerned, that the entire earth was corrupt and He was fed up with it. Two thoughts for the wise: He does not like corruption and violence. He destroyed the world because of this—-it’s a good thing to remember!
Corrupt means to be morally depraved and dishonest. I am proud to be an American, but right now I can’t think of three words that better describe what we’re experiencing socially right now—morally depraved (and) dishonest. Yes, there are some in our nation that believe in being honest—-no matter what—-and there are some that believe in “morality”. But let’s be honest, those kind of folks are jeered, disparaged and marginalized in our nation right now. If you discuss what’s “morally right” you’re called a bigot or intolerant. If you speak against violence you’re perceived to be weak and ineffective.
The point is not how you or I defy violence or moral depravity, and God knows we need a hero who defines it better than those speaking on TV and the radios. The point is God’s determination about moral failure. I can squeal all I want about my rights as a U.S. citizen or my freedoms under the constitution, etc. But until I am willing to yield to my obligations as citizen of God’s Kingdom and my responsibilities because the price Jesus Christ paid for my sins, I am no different than the morally depraved, violent men that lived at the time of Noah or that ransacked some cities in the USA over the past several weeks.
May God have mercy on us for our violence and moral depravity…. and please raise up leaders of integrity and compassion.
Warmly,
Dean Barley
1945 Vineyard Road
Westfield, NC 27053
336 351 2070
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