INTRODUCTION

The Genesis  6 account gives certain details about the days of the flood:

  • the fallen sons of God corrupted the earth with false doctrines by intermarrying with humans and thus teaching them their ways
  • God sent preachers to plead with the people to change their ways, but they would not repent. He therefore said told Noah that He would not always strive (diyn/plead/contend) with them (v 3)
  • God therefore said that He would  reduce human  lifespan from centuries to 120 years because
  • there was great wickedness in the earth and people’s spirits were full of evil from their youth (v 5)
  • the people of the earth were  corrupt (shachath/morally corrupt) – Gen 6: 11, 12)
  • and there was violence in the earth (Gen 6: 11,13)

TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, WHAT WERE THE  PRACTICES OF THE PEOPLE LIVING BEFORE THE FLOOD?

The lifestyles of the people in Abraham’s and  Moses’ day give clear corollary on the situation before the flood.  These giants, aka offsprings of  the disobedient sons of  God, also lived in the earth after the flood, carrying on the same henious activities that led to the destruction of the earth by flood. God did not ask Abraham to destroy the heathen of his time, but told him that his descendents would do so.  God said that He would wait for the iniquity of the Amorites to be full (Gen 15: 16). In other words, God would give the heathen time to be such terrible sinners that He would be totally justified when He came with His saints to destroy them.

Through  Abraham we learnt about the sexual perversion of the surrounding nations which led to their destruction by fire. God had put His tongue in cheek when He told Noah that He would  never destroy the entire earth by flood. However, He told Moses that He would destroy it  by fire burning down to the lowest hell (Deut 32: 22) . This is the judgement for the rebellious.

We also find in  Jewish history a rich source of  information cluing us into the reasons for the destruction of the earth before the flood. It has come clearly to my spirit that the key reason for the destruction was that the people were satan worshippers and the resulting atrocities such as moral corruption, evil and violence.  As I said, we can find the reasons for the flood in the descendants on the earth after the flood, which had also become obedient to satanic influences:

  1. They were satan worshippers

Out of this stemmed the worship of  false gods/demons such as Baal, Chemosh, Dagon, Asteroth, Molech etc.  God warned the Jews not to worship demons because this included abominable practices such as

  • offering incense to these gods (2 kings 23: 5)
  • occultic practices such as witchcraft, communication with demons under the guise of communicating with the dead (Deut 18: 10; 2 kings 23: 24), cursing other people to bring evil as Balaam did to Israel
  • child and human sacrifice which polluted the land with blood (Deut 18: 10; 2 Kings 23: 10). This was murder in the eyes of God.
  • sexual immorality and homosexuality as part of the worship of these gods and/or as a way of life. In fact, the Jews at one time followed the heathen ways by  placing a temple of sodomites in the house of the Lord! (2 KIngs 23: 7). Sodom and Gomorrah was incinerated for this reason.
  • They were God haters and this was exemplified by the heathen opposing God and worshipping satan. He warned the Jews that they were not to bow down to any image nor to worship false gods because this brings a curse (Ex 20: 3-6).

2. They were wealthy, prosperous, carefree  and technologically advanced

We learnt in scripture that the land of the heathen was fruitful and rich. Their cities were fenced and they had kings, great armies, weapons of war and chariots of iron. Jesus revealed that they were so carefree that the people living before the flood engaged in “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” (Mt 24: 38) as a way of life. 

3. They were unbelievers

Apostle Peter said that  the people of Noah’s day scoffed at Noah’s preaching, saying that it was impossible for rain to fall, because only mist had watered the earth  from creation. They refused to remember that God was able to make anything come to pass with His word, therefore the flood came upon them unexpectedly:

I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires

They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water

By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed (2 Pet 3: 2-6)

CONCLUSION

The earth is permeated by the same corrupt practices that existed before the flood. Jesus prophesised that it would be so. There are many applications that can be made and I have long held to the belief that practices such as abortion and euthanasia are modern day form of human sacrifice and murder. We know that satan worship, occultism and all kinds of sexual perversion are well accepted  in the earth.

God has clearly stated His way of life in His word.  Those who follow His instructions will escape the eternal fire of hell. Let the church arise in the power of God and      oppose the sins that bring the wrath of God. 

Blessings and more to come!