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000326AM

Above the softness of our blue green planet there are hostile forces poised. They range across space lurking and flying about at their master’s bidding. They are former angels. They are Satan the Dragon’s army. They are deadly, vile, malignant, and very intelligent. In fact, their very name, that word demon in Greek means “intelligence.”

These aliens to our planet are highly skilled, incredibly powerful, usually invisible warriors. They can hear us talk, they can pass through walls, they can fly through space, they inhabit human and animal bodies, they alter human behavior, and they afflict humans with disease, anguish, and turmoil.

 These extra-terrestrial beings can take on various forms looking human, looking powerful, and looking fearsome. They are watching over the realm of the serpent and his seed. You see, we saints of God are at war this morning. There is a conflict going on the likes of which most of us haven’t fully comprehended. Swirling around us the unseen beings of the spirit world are locked in mortal combat. Behind the scenes in every boardroom, political planning session, military strategy session, classroom, worship service, and everywhere else, these unseen spirits watch, listen and whisper their lies. It is the battle for the Earth that rages. The god of this world has dispatched his demon warriors with one target, blind the minds of earth’s inhabitants until they can’t see and won’t follow – God.

This morning we will see that one of the biggest reasons that the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood was destroyed is the plan of Satan to infiltrate and defile terminally God’s promised lineage of Christ.

This morning concludes our series on the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood. This series investigated the six fundamental truths about the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood. What are those truths?

  • In the 1st message of this World that Perished in the Genesis Flood Series we found they had NO TIME FOR GOD. And that is what we studied last time.
  • Next, the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood had NO REGARD FOR THEIR AMAZING CREATOR. We will see the planet earth flourishing with life. We will see this globe teeming with plant, animal and human population explosions. And all the time Evil was INTENSIFYING. Simply stated, a life with no time for God soon loses all respect, regard, and acknowledgment of their Creator.
  • Thirdly, the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood Series we find they had NO MAN LIKE NOAH. This biographical study of the life of Noah will be an amazing time of analyzing what is was that made this hero of the faith tick. Why he saved his family and how he served the Lord.
  • Fourthly, the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood Series had NO TESTIMONY MORE VIVID THAN THE ARK. That huge box, sitting in the back of Noah’s home with rivers of animals marching two-by-two from every corner of the globe was hard to miss. Yet, in their hardness the whole world missed the message, refusing to even listen! No scene so powerful as the Ark.
  • Fifthly, this World that Perished in the Genesis Flood had NO ESCAPE FROM GOD’S WRATH. The chilling scenes of the rain, the volcanoes, the geysers, the smoke, the storms, the frantic rushing to ever diminishing higher ground. And then the final moments as men and beasts crowded atop the hills and were cut off from breathing by the raging waters.
  • Finally, number six in our messages of this World that Perished in the Genesis Flood Series we find that the world has had NO EVENT MORE CATASTROPHIC than was the Flood of Noah.

Worldwide Flood Evidences and Traditions

Did you know there are more and more evidence of rapid burial of fossils and rapid formation of geologic structures that seem to be coming in all the time? Finds like the great fossil graveyards of mammoths in Siberia, of amphibians in Texas, of hippopotami in Sicily, of fishes in California, Wyoming, Scotland, and many other places, and of dinosaurs on every continent, are well-known. One of the more recent fossil lodes has been found in the Gobi Desert.

The Gobi Desert of Central Asia is one of the earth’s most desolate places. . . . Yet the Gobi is a paradise for paleontologists. . . . dinosaurs, lizards and small mammals in an unprecedented state of preservation. . . . Among them are 25 skeletons of therapod dinosaurs . . . more than 200 skulls of mammals . . . an even greater number of lizard skulls and skeletons. 10-13

Of course it was disappointing to paleontologists, in a way, to find so many fossils of dinosaurs along with so many mammals. These two groups of animals were supposed to have been separated from each other by “a gap of at least several million years.” There was no indication of the “iridium boundary” that was presumed to mark the asteroid impact which many believe wiped out the dinosaurs at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary, opening the way for mammals.

Whatever cataclysm wiped out the dinosaurs (and many other species), its mark on Central Asia seems to have been erased. 10-14

But not only are the signs of the Flood abounding, so are the legends of cultures that point back to this event. Did you know that there are no less than 67 cultures in the world from all continents and many islands that have ancient Flood tradition? Some of them have marked similarities to the Genesis account. The common elements include the building of a ship and taking all kinds of animals in it. Byron Nelson, in his book, The Deluge Story in Stone, has tabulated the common features of the Flood legends of many cultures and compared them with the biblical account. An analysis of over 200 Flood legends yields the following data:

  • Was the Flood universal
95 %
  • Was there a favored family
88 %
  • Did animals play any part
73%
  • Was the survival due to a boat
70 %
  • Were animals also saved
67 %
  • Was wickedness the cause
66 %
  • Was the remnant forewarned
66 %
  • Did survivors end up on a mountain
57 %
  • Were birds sent out
35 %
  • Was geography local
32 %
  • Did survivors sacrifice afterward
13 %
  • Were specifically eight people saved
09 %
  • Was rainbow mentioned
07 %

The Flood was such a cataclysmic event that around the world, nearly every culture has strong Flood traditions. From civilized to uncivilized, jungle to cities, north to south, east to west, the world has a collective memory of a vast, terminating event of watery doom.

Here Was The Big Problem

God examined the Earth in Genesis 6 and found that it was terminally polluted. There was no hope but extermination. God terminated life on the Earth from above “windows of heaven” and below “fountains of the deep.” The question remains, what were the evils God was exterminating? To answer that we need to read the inspired record. As we stand in the presence of our Holy God, we can hear His voice telling us why He destroyed the Earth.

  • Genesis 6:1-6Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. 3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 

So the sons of God did something that added to the problem. What was it/ One very probable explanation is ours if we turn back to the inspired reflections of the Apostle Peter on the Flood in 2 Peter 2:4-6:

  • For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 

Wait a minute. What possible connection could there be Noah’s World and Sodom and Gomorrah? One big one, deviant sexual behavior. In Sodom sodomy or homosexuality. In the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood – most likely another deviance sexually.

Now turn back four books more toward Revelation to Jude v. 6-7:

  • 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. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, 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.   

What? EVEN AS SODOM. What ever happened in the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood it had to do with deviant sexuality! I believe God destroyed the whole world because Satan had polluted mankind to the point of altering the race, God chose to scour this entire planet for over a year to purge it of such complete Satanic pollution. And then God imprisoned the demons that intruded into the human race, and started over with Noah and his family. Listen to what some Bible teachers are concluding:

There continues to be a flow of new entertainment programs dealing with UFO’s, aliens, and the like. Current movies from Hollywood, magazine articles, books, and TV specials abound with Extra-terrestrial speculations. Many wonder if there is a connection or relationship to the prediction of our Lord in Luke 17:26“And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.” The emergence of the “Nephilim” was what brought about the Flood of Noah. Who were they?

The Nephilim

Genesis 6 indicates that the “sons of God” (B’nai Elohim) took wives of the “daughters of men,” which gave birth to the “Nephilim.” What on earth was going on?

The B’nai Elohim is a term that refers to angels. It occurs four times in the Old Testament and is rendered “Angels of God” in the ancient Septuagint translation. The intrusion of certain angels into the human family resulted in unnatural offspring termed Nephilim, which derives from the Hebrew naphal(to fall), or the Fallen Ones. (The Greek Septuagint renders this term gigantes, which actually means “earth-born.” This is often misunderstood to mean “giants”–which they also happen to have been, incidentally.)

Are the Sons of God the godly Line of Seth?

The early church viewed the B’nai Elohim as angels up through the late fourth century. Julius Africanus (a contemporary of Origen) introduced the theory that the “sons of God” simply referred to the genealogical line of Seth, which was committed to preserving the true worship of God. Seemingly more appealing, the “Sethite theory” prevailed into the Medieval Church, and many still hold this view.

This view, however, has several serious problems. There is no indication that the Sethites were distinguished for piety; they were not exempted from the charge of general wickedness which brought on the flood. In fact, Seth’s son Enosh was the one who introduced apostasy to that world. This is masked by a mistranslation of Genesis 4:25, which should read: …then men began to profane the name of the Lord. Furthermore, when the faithful marry the unfaithful, they do not give birth to unnatural offspring! And the “daughters of men” were not differentiated with regard to the Flood. All were lost. (Incidentally, the Nephilim didn’t completely end with the flood. Genesis 6:4mentions, …and also after that… We find the sons of Anak, the Anakim, later in the Old Testament.)

Was this the Reason for the Flood?

It was the infusion of these strange beings into the human predicament that brought on the Flood of Noah. The Flood was preceded by four generations of prophets/preachers warning of the coming judgment: Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. It seems that this was part of Satan’s stratagem to corrupt the line of Adam to prevent the fulfillment of the Messianic redemption. Noah was apparently unique in that his genealogy was still uncorrupted. The strange events which led to the flood are also alluded to in ancient mythologies. The legends of the Greek “titans”–partly terrestrial, partly celestial–embrace these same memories. (The Greek titan is linguistically linked to the Chaldean sheitan, and the Hebrew satan.)

Who were the Angels that Sinned?

There is a great deal revealed in the Bible about angels. They can appear in human form, they spoke as men, took men by the hand, even ate men’s food, are capable of direct physical combat, some are the principal forces behind the world powers. They don’t marry (in Heaven), but apparently are (or were) capable of much mischief.

The strange events of Genesis Chapter 6 are also referred to in the New Testament. Peter refers to events preceding the flood of Noah: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment…” 2 Peter 2:4(Peter uses the term tartarus, here translated as hell. This was a Greek term for “the dark abode of woe, the pit of darkness in the unseen world.” Homer’s Iliad portrays tartarus “as far below Hades as the earth is below Heaven…”)

Also, in Jude, it mentions them: “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 Gomorrah, 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 6, 7.

Scripture warns against meddling with the spirit world. The punishment which overtook the angels that sinned was to emphasize the serious nature of apostasy: beings of a higher order than ours have been hurled down into a dark place of confinement where they have remained for thousands of years. God has not changed His attitude toward them; time has not mitigated the seriousness of their sin.

No event compares to the catastrophic flood of Noah’s day. When Noah walked up the ramp and into the Ark there was no turning back. Noah turned his back on his world, his possessions, and his treasures. Instead of grasping what would be destroyed, he walked into the place of God’s Will. He left all and follows the Lord. What about those who stayed back on earth? What did those who were unwilling to leave all behind to go into the ark? They lost everything. All that lasted had to be in the ark. Nothing he left behind would survive.

How To Build a Flood-proof Life

Look for just these last moments with me at Peter. Here he is at the end of the road. I can just see him now with his gnarled fisherman’s hands, the skin leathery from the sun, those eyes still piercingly full of zeal. He never lost the wonder of Jesus. He has lived everyday since the Spirit fell upon him consumed with the message of the cross. Now one last time he wants to keep his beloved fellow saints on track so he warns that the coming fires are on the same level of catastrophe as the Flood. So he exhorts his loved ones how to rescue our treasures from the floods and fires. Look at 2 Peter 3:5-15a:

  • Live knowingly v. 5-8 vs. their willful ignorance.
  • Live redemptively v. 9 because God is patiently holding the Ark door of His grace open today.
  • Live for what lasts v. 10 or what do we have that won’t burn!
  • Live in purity v. 11 so we won’t be ashamed when He shows up unexpectedly! Like I was when Dr. Bob Jr. showed up one day!
  • Live for Heaven v. 12 we want to see God and be with Him.
  • Live Hopefully v. 13 we are looking up, God is keeping us eternally secure, just look up!
  • Live Peacefully v. 14 unlike the restless wicked ones!
  • Live assuredly v. 15a know that you are saved.

This vivid memorial to the extermination of all humans on the planet by God should cause the unprepared to be uncomfortable. It is so much better to be troubled by Flood implications such as judgment for sin, accountability for life, destruction eternally in Hell, and so on NOW then to neglect the warnings and eternally perish. Today is God’s day of grace. The Flood should cause us to examine our life as it relates to God’s Word. Repent and turn to Him and receive His gracious gift of life in Christ. God is waiting patiently today as He did while the Ark was being built. As Peter wrote, “He is patient not wanting any of you to perish.”

While you hear the voice of the God who destroyed the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood won’t you listen? He is soon to destroy this present world with fire. Today is the day of opportunity with God. All who will turn from their sin and unto Jesus the perfect Sacrifice and only Savior will be saved. Remember that Jesus said in John 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

So as God invited Noah to come in Genesis 7:1 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” So throughout all of God’s Word He continues to invite.

  • Isaiah 55:1 “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.
  • Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Even to the end of God’s Word He is inviting.

  • Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

But like the sobering stories of Jesus about the 10 virgins. There is a time in everyone’s life when it is too late. The doors once shut may not be opened.Matthew 25:1-13. When the door of entrance is shut, the opportunity to enter is past. And that is what the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood horribly experienced. May no one this morning find the door shut because of waiting too long. Hear and respond to Jesus today while you hear His voice!

TAGS: 000326AM

Above the softness of our blue green planet there are hostile forces poised. They range across space lurking and flying about at their master’s bidding. They are former angels. They are Satan the Dragon’s army. They are deadly, vile, malignant, and very intelligent. In fact, their very name, that word demon in Greek means “intelligence.”

These aliens to our planet are highly skilled, incredibly powerful, usually invisible warriors. They can hear us talk, they can pass through walls, they can fly through space, they inhabit human and animal bodies, they alter human behavior, and they afflict humans with disease, anguish, and turmoil.

 These extra-terrestrial beings can take on various forms looking human, looking powerful, and looking fearsome. They are watching over the realm of the serpent and his seed. You see, we saints of God are at war this morning. There is a conflict going on the likes of which most of us haven’t fully comprehended. Swirling around us the unseen beings of the spirit world are locked in mortal combat. Behind the scenes in every boardroom, political planning session, military strategy session, classroom, worship service, and everywhere else, these unseen spirits watch, listen and whisper their lies. It is the battle for the Earth that rages. The god of this world has dispatched his demon warriors with one target, blind the minds of earth’s inhabitants until they can’t see and won’t follow – God.

This morning we will see that one of the biggest reasons that the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood was destroyed is the plan of Satan to infiltrate and defile terminally God’s promised lineage of Christ.

This morning concludes our series on the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood. This series investigated the six fundamental truths about the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood. What are those truths?

  • In the 1st message of this World that Perished in the Genesis Flood Series we found they had NO TIME FOR GOD. And that is what we studied last time.
  • Next, the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood had NO REGARD FOR THEIR AMAZING CREATOR. We will see the planet earth flourishing with life. We will see this globe teeming with plant, animal and human population explosions. And all the time Evil was INTENSIFYING. Simply stated, a life with no time for God soon loses all respect, regard, and acknowledgment of their Creator.
  • Thirdly, the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood Series we find they had NO MAN LIKE NOAH. This biographical study of the life of Noah will be an amazing time of analyzing what is was that made this hero of the faith tick. Why he saved his family and how he served the Lord.
  • Fourthly, the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood Series had NO TESTIMONY MORE VIVID THAN THE ARK. That huge box, sitting in the back of Noah’s home with rivers of animals marching two-by-two from every corner of the globe was hard to miss. Yet, in their hardness the whole world missed the message, refusing to even listen! No scene so powerful as the Ark.
  • Fifthly, this World that Perished in the Genesis Flood had NO ESCAPE FROM GOD’S WRATH. The chilling scenes of the rain, the volcanoes, the geysers, the smoke, the storms, the frantic rushing to ever diminishing higher ground. And then the final moments as men and beasts crowded atop the hills and were cut off from breathing by the raging waters.
  • Finally, number six in our messages of this World that Perished in the Genesis Flood Series we find that the world has had NO EVENT MORE CATASTROPHIC than was the Flood of Noah.

Worldwide Flood Evidences and Traditions

Did you know there are more and more evidence of rapid burial of fossils and rapid formation of geologic structures that seem to be coming in all the time? Finds like the great fossil graveyards of mammoths in Siberia, of amphibians in Texas, of hippopotami in Sicily, of fishes in California, Wyoming, Scotland, and many other places, and of dinosaurs on every continent, are well-known. One of the more recent fossil lodes has been found in the Gobi Desert.

The Gobi Desert of Central Asia is one of the earth’s most desolate places. . . . Yet the Gobi is a paradise for paleontologists. . . . dinosaurs, lizards and small mammals in an unprecedented state of preservation. . . . Among them are 25 skeletons of therapod dinosaurs . . . more than 200 skulls of mammals . . . an even greater number of lizard skulls and skeletons. 10-13

Of course it was disappointing to paleontologists, in a way, to find so many fossils of dinosaurs along with so many mammals. These two groups of animals were supposed to have been separated from each other by “a gap of at least several million years.” There was no indication of the “iridium boundary” that was presumed to mark the asteroid impact which many believe wiped out the dinosaurs at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary, opening the way for mammals.

Whatever cataclysm wiped out the dinosaurs (and many other species), its mark on Central Asia seems to have been erased. 10-14

But not only are the signs of the Flood abounding, so are the legends of cultures that point back to this event. Did you know that there are no less than 67 cultures in the world from all continents and many islands that have ancient Flood tradition? Some of them have marked similarities to the Genesis account. The common elements include the building of a ship and taking all kinds of animals in it. Byron Nelson, in his book, The Deluge Story in Stone, has tabulated the common features of the Flood legends of many cultures and compared them with the biblical account. An analysis of over 200 Flood legends yields the following data:

  • Was the Flood universal
95 %
  • Was there a favored family
88 %
  • Did animals play any part
73%
  • Was the survival due to a boat
70 %
  • Were animals also saved
67 %
  • Was wickedness the cause
66 %
  • Was the remnant forewarned
66 %
  • Did survivors end up on a mountain
57 %
  • Were birds sent out
35 %
  • Was geography local
32 %
  • Did survivors sacrifice afterward
13 %
  • Were specifically eight people saved
09 %
  • Was rainbow mentioned
07 %

The Flood was such a cataclysmic event that around the world, nearly every culture has strong Flood traditions. From civilized to uncivilized, jungle to cities, north to south, east to west, the world has a collective memory of a vast, terminating event of watery doom.

Here Was The Big Problem

God examined the Earth in Genesis 6 and found that it was terminally polluted. There was no hope but extermination. God terminated life on the Earth from above “windows of heaven” and below “fountains of the deep.” The question remains, what were the evils God was exterminating? To answer that we need to read the inspired record. As we stand in the presence of our Holy God, we can hear His voice telling us why He destroyed the Earth.

  • Genesis 6:1-6Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. 3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

So the sons of God did something that added to the problem. What was it/ One very probable explanation is ours if we turn back to the inspired reflections of the Apostle Peter on the Flood in 2 Peter 2:4-6:

  • For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;

Wait a minute. What possible connection could there be Noah’s World and Sodom and Gomorrah? One big one, deviant sexual behavior. In Sodom sodomy or homosexuality. In the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood – most likely another deviance sexually.

Now turn back four books more toward Revelation to Jude v. 6-7:

  • 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. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, 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.  

What? EVEN AS SODOM. What ever happened in the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood it had to do with deviant sexuality! I believe God destroyed the whole world because Satan had polluted mankind to the point of altering the race, God chose to scour this entire planet for over a year to purge it of such complete Satanic pollution. And then God imprisoned the demons that intruded into the human race, and started over with Noah and his family. Listen to what some Bible teachers are concluding:

There continues to be a flow of new entertainment programs dealing with UFO’s, aliens, and the like. Current movies from Hollywood, magazine articles, books, and TV specials abound with Extra-terrestrial speculations. Many wonder if there is a connection or relationship to the prediction of our Lord in Luke 17:26“And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.” The emergence of the “Nephilim” was what brought about the Flood of Noah. Who were they?

The Nephilim

Genesis 6 indicates that the “sons of God” (B’nai Elohim) took wives of the “daughters of men,” which gave birth to the “Nephilim.” What on earth was going on?

The B’nai Elohim is a term that refers to angels. It occurs four times in the Old Testament and is rendered “Angels of God” in the ancient Septuaginttranslation. The intrusion of certain angels into the human family resulted in unnatural offspring termed Nephilim, which derives from the Hebrew naphal(to fall), or the Fallen Ones. (The Greek Septuagint renders this term gigantes, which actually means “earth-born.” This is often misunderstood to mean “giants”–which they also happen to have been, incidentally.)

Are the Sons of God the godly Line of Seth?

The early church viewed the B’nai Elohim as angels up through the late fourth century. Julius Africanus (a contemporary of Origen) introduced the theory that the “sons of God” simply referred to the genealogical line of Seth, which was committed to preserving the true worship of God. Seemingly more appealing, the “Sethite theory” prevailed into the Medieval Church, and many still hold this view.

This view, however, has several serious problems. There is no indication that the Sethites were distinguished for piety; they were not exempted from the charge of general wickedness which brought on the flood. In fact, Seth’s son Enosh was the one who introduced apostasy to that world. This is masked by a mistranslation of Genesis 4:25, which should read: …then men began to profane the name of the Lord. Furthermore, when the faithful marry the unfaithful, they do not give birth to unnatural offspring! And the “daughters of men” were not differentiated with regard to the Flood. All were lost. (Incidentally, the Nephilim didn’t completely end with the flood. Genesis 6:4mentions, …and also after that… We find the sons of Anak, the Anakim, laterin the Old Testament.)

Was this the Reason for the Flood?

It was the infusion of these strange beings into the human predicament that brought on the Flood of Noah. The Flood was preceded by four generations of prophets/preachers warning of the coming judgment: Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. It seems that this was part of Satan’s stratagem to corrupt the line of Adam to prevent the fulfillment of the Messianic redemption. Noah was apparently unique in that his genealogy was still uncorrupted. The strange events which led to the flood are also alluded to in ancientmythologies. The legends of the Greek “titans”–partly terrestrial, partly celestial–embrace these same memories. (The Greek titan is linguistically linked to the Chaldean sheitan, and the Hebrew satan.)

Who were the Angels that Sinned?

There is a great deal revealed in the Bible about angels. They can appear in human form, they spoke as men, took men by the hand, even ate men’s food, are capable of direct physical combat, some are the principal forces behind the world powers. They don’t marry (in Heaven), but apparently are (or were) capable of much mischief.

The strange events of Genesis Chapter 6 are also referred to in the New Testament. Peter refers to events preceding the flood of Noah: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment…” 2 Peter 2:4(Peter uses the term tartarus, here translated as hell. This was a Greek term for “the dark abode of woe, the pit of darkness in the unseen world.” Homer’s Iliad portrays tartarus “as far below Hades as the earth is below Heaven…”)

Also, in Jude, it mentions them: “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 Gomorrah, 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 6, 7.

Scripture warns against meddling with the spirit world. The punishment which overtook the angels that sinned was to emphasize the serious nature of apostasy: beings of a higher order than ours have been hurled down into a dark place of confinement where they have remained for thousands of years. God has not changed His attitude toward them; time has not mitigated the seriousness of their sin.

No event compares to the catastrophic flood of Noah’s day. When Noah walked up the ramp and into the Ark there was no turning back. Noah turned his back on his world, his possessions, and his treasures. Instead of grasping what would be destroyed, he walked into the place of God’s Will. He left all and follows the Lord. What about those who stayed back on earth? What did those who were unwilling to leave all behind to go into the ark? They lost everything. All that lasted had to be in the ark. Nothing he left behind would survive.

How To Build a Flood-proof Life

Look for just these last moments with me at Peter. Here he is at the end of the road. I can just see him now with his gnarled fisherman’s hands, the skin leathery from the sun, those eyes still piercingly full of zeal. He never lost the wonder of Jesus. He has lived everyday since the Spirit fell upon him consumed with the message of the cross. Now one last time he wants to keep his beloved fellow saints on track so he warns that the coming fires are on the same level of catastrophe as the Flood. So he exhorts his loved ones how to rescue our treasures from the floods and fires. Look at 2 Peter 3:5-15a:

  • Live knowingly v. 5-8 vs. their willful ignorance.
  • Live redemptively v. 9 because God is patiently holding the Ark door of His grace open today.
  • Live for what lasts v. 10 or what do we have that won’t burn!
  • Live in purity v. 11 so we won’t be ashamed when He shows up unexpectedly! Like I was when Dr. Bob Jr. showed up one day!
  • Live for Heaven v. 12 we want to see God and be with Him.
  • Live Hopefully v. 13 we are looking up, God is keeping us eternally secure, just look up!
  • Live Peacefully v. 14 unlike the restless wicked ones!
  • Live assuredly v. 15a know that you are saved.

This vivid memorial to the extermination of all humans on the planet by God should cause the unprepared to be uncomfortable. It is so much better to be troubled by Flood implications such as judgment for sin, accountability for life, destruction eternally in Hell, and so on NOW then to neglect the warnings and eternally perish. Today is God’s day of grace. The Flood should cause us to examine our life as it relates to God’s Word. Repent and turn to Him and receive His gracious gift of life in Christ. God is waiting patiently today as He did while the Ark was being built. As Peter wrote, “He is patient not wanting any of you to perish.”

While you hear the voice of the God who destroyed the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood won’t you listen? He is soon to destroy this present world with fire. Today is the day of opportunity with God. All who will turn from their sin and unto Jesus the perfect Sacrifice and only Savior will be saved. Remember that Jesus said in John 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

So as God invited Noah to come in Genesis 7:1 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” So throughout all of God’s Word He continues to invite.

  • Isaiah 55:1 “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.
  • Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Even to the end of God’s Word He is inviting.

  • Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

But like the sobering stories of Jesus about the 10 virgins. There is a time in everyone’s life when it is too late. The doors once shut may not be opened.Matthew 25:1-13. When the door of entrance is shut, the opportunity to enter is past. And that is what the World that Perished in the Genesis Flood horribly experienced. May no one this morning find the door shut because of waiting too long. Hear and respond to Jesus today while you hear His voice!

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Michael J. Novacek et al., “Fossils of the Flaming Cliffs,” Scientific American, vol. 271 (December 1994), p. 60, 62.

Michael J. Novacek et al., “Fossils of the Flaming Cliffs,” Scientific American, vol. 271 (December 1994), p. 69.

The next section is a compilation of the research of Chuck Missler, and was downloaded from the Koinonia House web site.

The recent video purporting to be an autopsy of an alien (regarded by most experts as a clever hoax) is an example. Books include: William M. Alnor, UFO’s in the New Age, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids MI, 1992; I.D.E. Thomas, The Omega Conspiracy, Growth Publishing, Herndon VA, 1986; Timothy J. Dailey, The Millennial Deception, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids MI, 1995; David Allen Lewish and Robert Shreckhise, UFO: End-Time Delusion, New Leaf Press, July 1991 (3rd printing in August 1993).

Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7, as well as Genesis 6. They are said to have “shouted for joy” at the creation.

This is the translation of the Old Testament into Greek in the third century before Christ. Many of the New Testament quotes are from this translation.

Justin, Athenagoras, Cyprian, Eusebius, et al. (also Josephus, Philo, Judeaus, and the Apocrypha regard this view). Celsus and Julian the Apostate exploited the older common belief to attack Christianity. Cyril of Alexandria, in his reply, repudiated the orthodox position

Targum of Onkelos: “…desisted from praying in the name”; Targum of Jonathan: “surnamed their idols in the name…” Kimchi, Rashi, and other ancient Jewish commentators agree. Jerome indicated that this was the opinion of many Jews of his day. Maimonides, Commentary on the Mishna (a constituent part of the Talmud), A.D. 1168, ascribes the origin of idolatry to the days of Enosh.

2 Peter 2:5.

Numbers 13:3; Deuteronomy 3:11; Amos 2:92 Samuel 21:15-22.

Genesis 6:9.

Fallen Angels and the Heroes of Mythology, by John Fleming.

They rebelled against their father Uranus (Heaven) and after a prolonged contest were defeated by Zeus and condemned into Tartarus, the term used by Peter to refer to hell (2 Peter 2:4).

Genesis 19:5, 10, 16.

Genesis 18:8; 19:3, 16.

Death of the Firstborn in Egypt, Exodus 12; Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 19; 185,00 troops slaughtered, 2 Kings 19:35.

Daniel 10.

Matthew 22:30.

Genesis 6:1-22 Peter 2:4; Jude 6.