January 3, 2006 - Genesis 6-9 and Matthew 3
It is significant that today we are reading about Noah and John, the Baptist. As you read think about all of the parallels between these two men of God. I will point out a few, but I am sure you can come up with more. The main thing God said to me this morning was that He hates sin, and I should hate it, too. It is one thing to know how bad sin is, as we saw yesterday. It is another thing to hate sin. We must get to the place where we hate sin and love righteousness, if we are to be fully used by God. I pray that is your goal.
Genesis 6 reveals the extent of the sin in Noah's time. The sons of God (the descendants of Seth) are attracted to the daughters of men (the descendants of Cain) because of their beauty, not because of their righteousness. Therefore, when they marry and have children against God's will, they have giants. I believe this was to point out their sin. Then, we read that the thoughts of the people were on evil all day long. The results of sinful thoughts are sinful attitudes and actions, so people were continually sinning, and God was grieved. He had to punish sin in a way to match the sin. Since the sin extended to all, He decided to destroy every living creature with a flood. The only ones who were spared were the righteous people of Noah's family and enough animals to repopulate the earth after the flood. That is a drastic plan, but it shows how thoroughly God hates sin.
The rest of the story of Noah shows how God made a way for the righteous to survive. Noah built an ark, and God closed them up in it, so they were saved from God's anger against sin. This shows the heart of God. He is a redeeming God. He is a God who plans and prepares was way out of sin for those who will take it. The key was Noah's willingness to trust God and to obey Him. The same is true today for any person who is willing to trust God and obey Him. God has provided a way to be saved from His anger against sin. That way is through Jesus. God told Noah that He would not destroy the earth again, but He still hates sin, and He will punish those who sin. He will not need to provide a means for physical salvation from His anger against sin, but He has provided a way of spiritual salvation from His anger against sin.
That is what we see in Matthew 3 with John, the Baptist. He came preaching repentance. Repentance is the decision to turn from sin. It means to have a change of heart, to hate sin, instead of pursuing sin. He called for confession of sin. He called for all people who repented to show their repentance by their works of righteousness. He did all of this to prepare for Jesus to come. Then, Jesus came to be baptized. This was the beginning of His ministry to the world. This was to say that He had become a man, so He could save us from our sins. He wanted to be fully righteous, so He could die on the Cross for our sins. Jesus is our ark today. We must get on the ark and let God shut the door securely. We must follow the example of Noah and John, the Baptist, and call the people around us to repentance and faith in God. We must hate sin and love righteousness.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 10-12 and Matthew 4.
Genesis 6 reveals the extent of the sin in Noah's time. The sons of God (the descendants of Seth) are attracted to the daughters of men (the descendants of Cain) because of their beauty, not because of their righteousness. Therefore, when they marry and have children against God's will, they have giants. I believe this was to point out their sin. Then, we read that the thoughts of the people were on evil all day long. The results of sinful thoughts are sinful attitudes and actions, so people were continually sinning, and God was grieved. He had to punish sin in a way to match the sin. Since the sin extended to all, He decided to destroy every living creature with a flood. The only ones who were spared were the righteous people of Noah's family and enough animals to repopulate the earth after the flood. That is a drastic plan, but it shows how thoroughly God hates sin.
The rest of the story of Noah shows how God made a way for the righteous to survive. Noah built an ark, and God closed them up in it, so they were saved from God's anger against sin. This shows the heart of God. He is a redeeming God. He is a God who plans and prepares was way out of sin for those who will take it. The key was Noah's willingness to trust God and to obey Him. The same is true today for any person who is willing to trust God and obey Him. God has provided a way to be saved from His anger against sin. That way is through Jesus. God told Noah that He would not destroy the earth again, but He still hates sin, and He will punish those who sin. He will not need to provide a means for physical salvation from His anger against sin, but He has provided a way of spiritual salvation from His anger against sin.
That is what we see in Matthew 3 with John, the Baptist. He came preaching repentance. Repentance is the decision to turn from sin. It means to have a change of heart, to hate sin, instead of pursuing sin. He called for confession of sin. He called for all people who repented to show their repentance by their works of righteousness. He did all of this to prepare for Jesus to come. Then, Jesus came to be baptized. This was the beginning of His ministry to the world. This was to say that He had become a man, so He could save us from our sins. He wanted to be fully righteous, so He could die on the Cross for our sins. Jesus is our ark today. We must get on the ark and let God shut the door securely. We must follow the example of Noah and John, the Baptist, and call the people around us to repentance and faith in God. We must hate sin and love righteousness.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 10-12 and Matthew 4.