This week, sort of like Week 3, will touch on a topic that is hotly debated and people who are far smarter than me would likely disagree with some of what we will cover. However, hang with me and let the Word be the Word, even if ... and maybe especially if, this is the first time you are hearing this part of the redemption story.

People often wonder things like "how did the world get in such a mess?" It's a legitimate question and most of the time people respond with "it's because of the fall" as we discussed last week. While that's not wrong .. it is, as I say, incomplete. That's the human side of why our world is so incredibly broken, but this week we focus in on a somewhat darker part of the story that leads to so much depravity and violence, God would eventually destroy the earth and all but a few of its inhabitants with a flood.

Most people who take issue with this passage do so not because it is unclear or hard to understand, but because it is so dark and goes against what they want to believe about this story we are in. So, the result is to explain it away instead of receiving it as the truth, which is what we will be doing!

This text doesn't linger on the details or try to defend itself against our modern discomforts. It just tells us about boundaries that were crossed. Pure and simple.

The language of the "sons of God" isn't new. We've already talked about the Heavenly Host and the heavenly beings who are a part of God's household. The tragedy of Genesis 6 isn't merely that evil increased, but that authority was abused ... in really sick and bad way. The ones given stewardship over creation wanted something that was forbidden and the result wasn't enlightenment or progress. It was corruption, violence, and disorder that permeated the human world.

The judgement that followed wasn't God throwing a temper tantrum, but reacting decisively to protect HIs creation from complete and total annihilation. This chapter reminds us, as we saw in Genesis 3, that rebellion hardly ever announces itself as a rebellion, but looks like reaching for what feels good, or what we think we deserve. But every act of rebellion or unfaithfulness, whether seen or unseen, fractures the peace and harmony God intended all along.

There's a sobering truth to be had from Genesis 6:1-4; the disorder throughout the world didn't only begin with human failure. It was magnified by the rebellion of some of the heavenly hosts who abandoned their station and crossed forbidden boundaries. This rebellion doesn't remove humanity from our responsibility, but it does magnify what was already broken. 

Even then, God doesn't abandon His plan. He intervenes in human history and preserves the future.

This reflection may actually be too easy ... our world is packed with misused authority, violence, and broken boundaries.

Where do you see the consequences of this distortion?

How does knowing God has always purposed to confront corruption, human and spiritual, help to shape your trust in Him? 

Lord, the existence of boundaries makes us desire to break them. Help us to trust You and the boundaries you've set for us in Your Word and by your example. Help us to honor your wisdom and protection from ourselves. Amen.