“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.” v. 5. “And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth...” v. 7. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” v. 8.
Approximately 1600 years had elapsed since Adam’s creation and the Fall. Man’s evil heart and wicked ways grew increasingly worse the whole period. And the pattern was not only displayed by Cain’s family, who deliberately sought to live without God in their thoughts, but crept increasingly into Seth’s family as well —a people who called “upon the name of the LORD.” The verses quoted above bring us to the point in history where God could no longer forbear His judgment. He saw “every imagination of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only evil continually.” The original Hebrew from which this has been translated indicates that it was not only man’s thoughts, but also his purposes and desires to follow evil ways every day.
In the midst of all this, there were faithful followers of God, the most outstanding of which were Enoch and Noah. It is recorded of them both that they “walked with God.” There were others faithful to Him too, but it is these two alone who share this wonderful testimony. We wonder at these faithful and dedicated men, compelled to live amid the riotous and lustful ways of all around them. Surely they were confronted with pleadings from many to join with them in their sport, to at least allow a little of the world’s pleasure in their lives. But these men, in their closeness to God, could see His estimate of this wickedness and found a deeper and more rewarding Pleasure in keeping separate from the evil Their testimony should stir out hearts and consciences, too, beloved Christian. Our day in history is a repetition of the period before the flood. The god of this world, Satan has never before made its attractions’ more appealing to the human mind and heart. He well knows how to gloss over much of the evil with an outward appearance of respectability and even promotes an air of “religious” activity to soothe consciences. Peter, in his first epistle, tells us of the conflict that then, as now, surrounds the believer: “For the time past of our Fie may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.” And, “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.” 1 Peter 4:3,4,143For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: (1 Peter 4:3‑4)
14If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. (1 Peter 4:14).
Yet is was no easy matter for these men to remain constant in purpose to God and keep their families in subjection to His ways. And it is no easy matter for the child of God today to follow that pattern, either.
Yet God will richly bless devotedness to Him, and He will see us through this evil world in a happy and separated path, if we but turn to Him for strength and wisdom to walk in it.
ML-10/04/1964