Gen 6:5-7 KJV 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. (6) And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. (7) And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. Gen 8:20-21 KJV And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. (21) And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
These scriptures refer to CURSINGS from the Lord.
But something very interesting is mentioned in Noah's day.
Gen 6:5 KJV 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. And the flood occurred because OF THAT. Gen 8:21 ... I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; Instead of the earth being filled with corruption because of man's heart being continually evil and destroying the earth because of it, God said he'd never curse the ground any more for man's sake BECAUSE his heart is evil continually. It's as if there are two sides to the same problem with men. If you look at it from a JUDICIAL standpoint -- purely thinking only of what is right and wrong -- since man's heart is evil continually, then wipe them all out. But the reason God said this state of his heart was why He would NOT curse the earth any more is due to a DIFFERENT STANDPOINT.
This second STANDPOINT is called GRACE. Thew first time GRACE is ever mentioned in the bible is in this story at this verse: Gen 6:8 KJV But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. And what is so powerful about this story and the thought of grace is that we see the very two major COVENANTS about which the entire bible circles.
The action of cursing the earth with a flood due to man;'s evil heart, which came from the standpoint of simply considering man;s actions as right or wrong, represents THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF LAW.
But to take the same reason for wiping man out, and using it to say He would never more curse man, is to speak from an entirely different standpoint of GRACE. Think of this: GRACE caused God to save Noah from the curse.
Gen 8:21 KJV And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. When he said ANY MORE, it was like saying he would even deal with the curse he implemented in Adam's day. The earth seemed to become more fruitful at this point.
There are two ways of looking at man;'s continual evil heart of sin.
Gen 8:21 KJV And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. GOD SAID IN HIS HEART. Gen 6:6 KJV And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. IT GRIEVED GOD IN HIS HEART. God's heart was affected both times.
And of course all sacrifices in the bible point to the greatest sacrifice of them all by Jesus Christ who died in sacrificial death for OUR SINS.
Jesus' New Testament Sacrifice for sins of all the world is a means of dealing with man's wicked heart in a way the old testament never could. The curse of the flood represents LAW. Gal 3:9-12 KJV So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. (10) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (11) But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. (12) And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. BLESSING and CURSING are two opposite things. Law was only concerned with what verse 12 says: DOING WHAT THE LAW SAID.
Gal 3:13-14 KJV Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (14) That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. But Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law.
When you hear a statement that the imaginations of our hearts are evil from our youth up, you can think like the LAW and only concentrate upon the EVIL IMAGINATIONS FROM THE HEART, what the heart PRODUCES, or or think of GRACE and concentrate upon THE HEART ITSELF. You can look at the actions and count how many are evil, or else stop and realize the heart is evil to begin with, so no matter how many actions you punish, that heart is still going to produce more evil actions.
John 3:17 KJV For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. Law already condemned man, and Jesus did not come to condemn.
2Co 3:9 KJV For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. Law was ministration of condemnation.
The New Testament is not about rules that condemn because no one is able to fully keep them anyway.
The New Testament is not about obeying rules like TOO MANY PEOPLE THINK.
Rules hit the actions to correct them.
We need to not be people who deal only with actions.
Some people call themselves Christians and are so HARD with people, because they only consider the BAD ACTIONS people commit.
There are two reactions to dealing with people and sin. Ten Commandments on Stone.
The commandments all were THOU SHALT NOT statements.
The commandments dealt with ACTIONS.
When you would be given commandments your response is to attempt to NOT DO THOSE ACTIONS.
Mat 5:1-11 KJV And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: (2) And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, (3) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (4) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (7) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (8) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (9) Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (10) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (11) Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. poor in spirit they that mourn the meek they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness the merciful the pure in heart the peacemakers they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. The commandments are no other gods, no idols, no taking God's name in vain, keep sabbath, honour parents, no murder, no stealing, no lying, no stealing, no adultery, ALL ACTIONS as opposed to conditions of the heart. Looking at THAT makes you consider getting man to stop doing actions, which is LAW and cursing because man cannot stop. But when you consider STATES OF THE HEART, God is not going to implement commandments against actions, but he is going to do so much more in setting out to change the heart. Sacrifice is involved.
SACRIFICE is the whole person KILLED by another one in his place, in order to CRACK SIN a death blow. Rom 8:3-4 KJV For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. GOD condemned SIN by his son's death, which law could not do, because law only touched SINS but not SIN. A sacrifice was made of the SON OF GOD in the likeness of sinful flesh.
We need to see the difference between having our church get the reputation of either being like Law and getting concerned over ACTIONS OF PEOPLE and how they need to be judged for them, or getting concerned over THEIR HEARTS, and realizing they need a heart change by the power of the sacrifice of Jesus. It makes the difference between TRUE CHRISTIAN THINKING and the false. |