Regardless of one’s interpretation of some of the key elements of Genesis 6:1-8, it is clear that the events being depicted here by Moses serve as the grounding for God’s judgment against humanity in the flood. Before getting to the flood, then, it is essential to have an understanding of this introductory section.

Throughout the history of the church, much attention has been given to the identity of the “sons of God” who intermarried with the “daughters of man,” a clear abomination in the eyes of the Lord (6:1-2). While the traditional interpretation understands a reference to angles to be in view here, there have been several attempts to interpret the passage differently, perhaps in order to avoid the problems that come along with the traditional view, problems such as squaring this text with what is known of angels from New Testament passages such Matthew 22:30 and Hebrews 1:7. Some, as a result, have suggested that the flow of the opening chapters of Genesis set the context for understanding “sons of God” as referring to the godly line of Seth. The major problem with this interpretation lies in the very words, “sons of God,” which clearly refer to angels elsewhere in the Old Testament (Job 1, 2, 38). Others, however, have suggested the possibility that Moses has in mind mighty kings who have fallen sway to demonic forces. Both interpretations, however, have immense difficulty squaring themselves with two key New Testament texts which almost undoubtedly refer to these early chapters of Genesis.

In 2 Peter 2:4, Peter mentions God’s judgment of angels together with Noah’s flood and God’s rescuing of Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Pet 2:4). Similarly Jude appears to allude to this same section of Scripture, mentioning Sodom and Gomorrah together with God’s judgment of angels on the last day due to their refusing to stay in their “own position of authority” and leaving their “proper dwelling” (Jud 6). Therefore, any interpretation that takes “sons of God” to refer to anything other than angels, must understand these New Testament passages as not referring directly to Genesis 6. Based on these apparent New Testament references to Genesis, together with the aforementioned Old Testament usage of “sons of God,” the traditional interpretation of angels seems to best fit the biblical data.

As the text moves forward to the flood, the increasing prominence of evil becomes clear. God reduces the number of years man will live on the earth to 120 years (6:3). The Nephilim are said to inhabit the earth, indicative of their posing a challenge to the people of the land (6:4). The entire human race is depicted as being consumed with evil all the time (6:6). As a result, the Lord becomes sorry that he made man (6:6) and, therefore, resolves to blot him out from the face of the earth together with all the animals (6:7). At this point, all seems to be lost and bound to God’s decisive and final judgment; however, the text veers away from this pending annihilation and offers hope: “But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord” (6:8). The answer to Lamech’s prayer has come in the person of Noah, “Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands” (5:29).

The stage is now set for the flood. This one who has found God’s favor will become the hope for humanity’s continued existence, but as the story unfolds, he too, like Seth, will be shown as falling short of the promised seed who will deliver the decisive, crushing blow to the serpent—a void which will remain unfilled until the incarnation of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

Audio from this week’s lesson: Genesis 6:1-8

~TDG