Evil Continually – Genesis 6:5-8

In the Epic of Gilgamesh a story is told by Utnapishtim, a man who was surreptitiously told by the god Enki that the god Enlil is sending a flood to destroy mankind.  Utnapishtim is instructed how to build an ark that will save him, his family and the animals.  When he does survive and Enlil finds out, Enlil is angry.  But Enki “castigates him for sending a disproportionate punishment.”  The Biblical account does not castigate Yahweh for His decision, and it is Yahweh Himself who warns Noah.  All blame goes to the human race for its corruption.

5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:5–8, ESV)

It is hard to imagine that no one but Noah and his family had a godly perspective, and that the whole world had become so corrupt that “every intention of the thoughts” of their hearts “was only evil continually.”  But Yahweh, who is able to weigh every heart makes this observation and it breaks His heart.  Though He knew this was going to be the outcome, He is still, nevertheless, grieved by it.  It is still a part of His overall plan to bring humanity to redemption, His promise to do this made in Genesis 3:15 concerning the seed or offspring of the woman who would strike the head of the serpent and restore the kingdom.

Just as God is the only one who can fairly judge the heart of any and every human, it is also only He who can determine justly the punishment for outright disobedience and godlessness.  Yahweh determines to destroy every human on the face of the earth, except for Noah and his family.  In the process He determines also to destroy all land animal life.  Is this fair?  It must be, because it is God who is making this determination.

The decision to judge the world finds an exception in Noah, who has found favor in Yahweh’s eyes, presumably because Noah is righteous and fears God.  God does not lump everyone in the same pot of judgment, but always makes distinctions based on character and faith.  He always has a remnant of those who believe and so will escape judgment in order to carry on God’s purposes of restoring His kingdom on earth.