Before He Made Adam, He Chose The Cross

Today's reading: Genesis6-8, Luke 3

I will call today's study method search and see what you find...

Genesis 6:1-3
Increasing Corruption on Earth
1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”



We are not alone here among the animals and God's earth...

Daniel 10:12-13
Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty- one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,

So it seems, as is validated in numerous commentaries, that the most likely thing here is that fallen angels indwelled men and had offspring on earth.  The Daniel account shows that demons empowered kings and the imagery of a demon fighting Gabriel to keep him from delivering the message to Daniel is sobering.  It took Michael the archangel to conquer the demon that led the persian king.

Ephesians 6:12-13
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

This unholy union of demonic influence in man illustrates the level of wickedness present in that time.  God reveals the depravity of man and the seriousness of His hatred for sin in the story of Noah and the flood.

Genesis 6:6-7
And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

Genesis 6:15
This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits.

How beautiful is it that God gives us direction on how to proceed in our lives...found in His Word, just as it was for Noah.

Genesis 6:22
Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

Thank you Noah!  Praise God for the faith He granted Noah.  Thank you Lord that your servant surrendered himself unto you.

Genesis 7:21-23
And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark.

John Piper quote from Sermon on November 27, 1983
"God hates sin and punishes unrepentant sinners with unspeakable judgment."

Genesis 8:21
And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man 's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.

God's plan will not be thwarted by anything in creation.  God stating that He would never again flood the earth is no statement of regret regarding His actions.  This is not possible...

Isaiah 46:8-11
“Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, 9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ 11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.

See examples of His predetermined purpose (his plan) being executed...

Acts 2:23
this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

Acts 4:27-28
for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

Matthew 25:34
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Ephesians 1:4
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

Revelation 13:8
and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

Thanks be to God that His plan is our salvation!  Picking up from where He left off in Isaiah explaining that nothing will stop Him accomplishing His purpose...

Isaiah 46:12-13
“Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness: 13 I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.”

So we see the story of the flood and man's sinful state, that even continues after the flood, as a foreshadowing of the broader story of the gospel message and the coming of the Lord as the final answer to redeem mankind to our God.  Praise the Lord!

God destroyed every living thing on the planet not to start over fresh but to show us how much He hates sin and how seriously He wants us to repent and live separate.  He destroyed everyone so that I would know this.  He destroyed everyone so that I would know that I need a savior.  He destroyed everyone on earth so that I would fear Him.  He destroyed everyone on earth so that I would know that He loved me.  He destroyed everyone on earth so that I would run to Him.  He destroyed everyone on earth so that I would tell every person around me that they need Jesus.  He destroyed everyone on earth that I might live.

Oh that it grieved Him to do it.  But like His Son whom He sent to the cross...He endured.  It was His plan from the beginning.  From the moment He determined to create anything He had the plan set before Him.  Before Adam or the earth existed, He knew the cross.

Hebrews 12:2
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Why God would you create a plan where you must sacrifice?  Why God would you create a plan where you must suffer on a cross?  Why God would you create a plan where you are grieved?  Lord God you are three in one.  Lord God you are a God who is not an impersonal power.  You are a God that desires to demonstrate your glory at all cost.  You are a God that gives.  You are a God that is full of grace.  Lord God you saw your glory and the splendor of your love within the trinity as too wonderful not to share.

Lord, let me never question your will or your grace or your sovereignty.  I am but dust and I am so thankful that you allow me to know you. Thank you Lord that you created instead of simply enjoying yourself forever.

Application:
Today I am to humble myself and seek only to do God's will
Today I am to be thankful
Today I am to have compassion on others
Today I am to walk uprightly
Today I am to give all glory to God
Today I am to love
Today I am to experience His peace that goes beyond any of my circumstances

Prayer:
Thank you Lord that you allow me to come before you and find you in your Word.  Please continue to reveal your beauty to me and give me eyes to see.  Lord it is only by your spirit that I can hope to understand what you have spoken.  Please fill me as an empty vessel and let me abide in you.

Lord please help me to spread your message of surrender.  Lord let me not forget what you have done and what you have purposed.  May I not be caught up in this world seeking career or comfort or worldly pleasure or anything that is not serving your purpose.  Give me eyes to see sin the way you do.  You punish sin with unspeakable judgement.  Please let me not be deceived by this world or the flesh or the demonic forces at play.  Please let me not see sin as anything other than what it is.

Create in me a clean heart O God, renew a right spirit within me.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria

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