Ron Graham was called home on March 14, 2013. He began writing this commentary before his death and had asked me, Nathele Graham, to continue his service to our Lord by finishing what he began.
“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark and the flood came, and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:26-27).
It sounds as if the days of Noah (Noe) were lots of fun. They ate and drank, they married. They were regular guys who just wanted to have fun, right? Not really. The days of Noah were filled with evil. It was all around and even touched the animals. It became so evil that God was forced to destroy all men, women, children, and animals. Knowing the love that God has for His creation, whatever went on, whatever the evil was, had to have been worse than anything we have seen. Or was it?
“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).
That sounds a lot like today’s world. When we read the headlines in our newspapers we can’t ignore the fact that evil is increasing. Homosexuality, abortion, killers in movie theaters, cannibalism, child abductions and molestations, husbands killing wives, mothers killing children, leaders of nations committing genocide…I could fill this commentary with the evil that is all around us.
This evil is all satanically inspired as it always has been. Satan has tried for thousands of years to come between mankind and God and the events prior to the Flood of Noah were an all out effort to make the redemption of man impossible. He failed, as he always will, but Jesus referred to the days of Noah, and also the days of Lot, when explaining the end times to His disciples.
Understanding Genesis chapter 6 and the evil that was happening prior to the flood is imperative to enable a person to understand much of the Bible, and also for discerning the times in which we currently live. What was the evil that was so wicked in Noah’s day?
Many people believe that the wickedness that prompted God to destroy His creation, including men, women, children, animals, and vegetation, was that Seth’s sons married Cain’s daughters. Really? After Cain killed his brother Abel he was worried that he would be killed also.
“And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him” (Genesis 4:15).
Those who buy into the Sethite view of Genesis 6 need to explain why God would protect Cain the murderer but destroy the entire Creation because Cain’s daughters and Seth’s sons married. I am amazed at the stories Satan plants in men’s minds in order to cover the truth. I’m amazed that people buy into Satan’s lies. There is no biblical support for the “Sethite” view.
On the other hand, if you believe God’s Word instead of contrived stories you will come to understand what was really happening in the days of Noah. It was pure evil and Scripture says it happened more than once.
The “sons of God” were fallen angels and many of them were mating with human women.
“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair: and they took them wives of all which they chose” (Genesis 6:1-2).
Even in English that’s fairly easy to understand. It says “the sons of God” not “the sons of Seth.” The Hebrew words are ben ‘elohiym.
This refers to a direct creation by God…Adam was a direct creation, but Seth was not. Angels are a direct creation of God whether they have fallen or not. The creatures created from this union were neither human nor angelic, they were hybrids; their souls could not be redeemed from the curse brought on by Adam’s sin. God loves His creation as He created it and this wickedness had to be stopped before there were no pure humans left (in their physical human makeup).
People chose to stay blind to what was happening; they ate, drank, and went on with their lives. When the flood came everyone perished except for the eight people who listened to God. Those who hold to any view other than that of fallen angels procreated with human women who gave birth to hybrids (Nephilim), are only diluting biblical truth. We see hybrids being created today and evil all around, yet even Christians are eating, drinking, and ignoring what is happening. The Sethite view of Genesis 6 is a blatant attempt at corrupting God’s inerrant word.Now, what about Lot?
“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:28-29).
Once again these people seem like just regular people doing regular things. It’s interesting, though, that this time they aren’t marrying or giving in marriage.
Lot was Abraham’s nephew and they traveled together. Their fortunes grew and it became necessary for them to go their separate ways. Abraham let Lot choose where he wanted to go, and Lot looked around and saw the plain of Jordan and its beauty.
“Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other” (Genesis 13:11).
Lot made his choice. For all of its beauty and assets it was also where Sodom was. Sodom was a city filled with sin.
“But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly” (Genesis 13:13).
God will not tolerate sin, and later we are given a glimpse of the evil that thrived there. Lot’s move toward evil was gradual. First he was drawn to the plain of Jordan, which was lush and would support his cattle easily.
“Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom” (Genesis 13:12).
Was the real draw Sodom? Time went on and the evil in Sodom became so bad that God had to send judgment. Two angels, angels who had not fallen, were sent to execute judgment, but first they had to get Lot out of there.
“And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom” (Genesis 19:1a).
Lot, who had been drawn to the plain of Jordan and separated from his uncle, ended up being an official in the city of Sodom. Well, we all know the story. The wicked men of Sodom descended upon Lot’s house, where the angels were staying, and wanted Lot to send the angels out so they could “know” them. Homosexuals? Yes they were, but in Jude we get a little more information:
“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 1:6-7).
The men of Sodom went after “strange flesh,” meaning they wanted the angels for carnal purposes. The Greek word “heteros” is translated “strange” and means “a different kind.” Lot even offered to send his daughters out to them, but the men of Sodom wanted the angels. The angels removed Lot, his wife, and his daughters before God’s judgment began.
Fire and brimstone rained down to destroy Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding cities. God does not tolerate messing up the gene pool and the homosexuality and lust after angels was corrupting humanity like the days before the flood.
Angels are often recorded in the Bible looking like men. They are always male, never female. When the three beings appeared to Abraham just before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, they sat with Abraham and ate a meal with him. They were attended to as guests. Their feet were washed, they ate and drank, they participated in normal conversation, and by all appearances were men.
With that premise in mind, why then can we not conceive of fallen angels participating in procreation with human women? You might bring up the statement our Lord Jesus made.
“For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:30).
Nowhere in that verse is Jesus saying angels can’t procreate. He says the angels of God (godly angels not fallen ones) “in heaven” do not marry (procreate). He doesn’t mention fallen angels bent on the destruction of humans.
What about today? Surely we are far above such behavior. If not, surely God has changed His mind about this subject. No, we are not above such behavior and God has not changed His mind about it. Watch the news and you will see the days of Noe and the days of Lot played out before your eyes. The lack of respect for God is appalling. Same sex marriage is being pushed on us…as it was in the days of Lot…
Gene manipulation is becoming commonplace…as it was in the days of Noe…There are “scientific” discussions as to how human is human. Scientists splice genes together in order to create something new, but if part of the splice is human is it all human? What rights does it have?
There are debates over whether or not it is ethical to kill a creature that has some human cells (laws require these spliced creatures to only grow for a few days), yet abortion is not given a second thought, although the child that is killed is fully human. Is our society today any different than Noah or Lot?
We have reached that period of time known as the last days, and the Lord’s return as imminent. I believe the ekklesia (the assembly of the called out) needs to come to grips with Genesis chapter six because those events are happening again, just as Jesus said. Gene manipulation is creating creatures that God never intended to exist. Once again it is Satan who is behind this attempt to thwart God’s plan.
Many scientists are convinced that if people are crossed with cats our eyesight would improve, or if crossed with dogs our sense of smell will make our life better. The problem with that line of thinking is it is opposed to God’s way of thinking. Once cat genes are crossed with human genes you no longer have a cat or a human…you have a hybrid…as it was in the days of Noe…
All of this leads to the fact that we are very close to the time of the end. The Rapture will happen soon and after that God will pour out His wrath. Have you been putting off accepting Christ as your Savior because, you, like Lot, are lured by the wickedness of Sodom? Are you happy eating, drinking, and ignoring the evil around you? The time for delay is over. We cannot choose the time we live in, but we can choose where we spend eternity.
Noah lived in days filled with evil yet he kept himself genetically pure and obeyed God in spite of the evil around him. Lot chose to live in Sodom amongst wicked men, but he chose not to join in their evil doings. If you have already accepted Christ as your Savior be sure that you do not join in the evil happening all around you.
If you have delayed accepting Christ because you think you are having fun living in the world, you are wrong. Today…this very minute…you need to make your choice. Tomorrow may be too late.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham