QT 7/30/2025 Gen 6:9-22, Uncontrolled violence

Genesis 6:9–22 (ESV) —

9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

 

NOTE: Sometimes on X (Twitter), I will come across videos of crowds attacking a person or small group of people. They are even kicking others while on the ground. They are brutal. One of these such attacks recently took place in Cincinnati, Ohio. And I wonder, why do we do such things? Racism is a poor reason, and only the dim propose it. It is violence and there is no reason on earth to attack another person. There is no excuse for an offensive attack. There is no justification. It is wrong. And even if there was a cause, and somehow the crowd was defending itself, why do outsiders add a kick to the head? I believe that society had degenerated into this type of violence where sin, yes that is what it is called, controls our actions. This is not a healthy society when mobs attack others. I am not at all surprised that God decided to destroy Noah's violent society. If God destroyed the pre-flood society, how close are we to being destroyed? God promised never to destroy the earth again in a flood, but there are other ways to destroy the violence on this planet.

 

PONDER:

1. Does violence control my actions?
2. Have I been guilty of road rage, where my anger and emotions controlled my actions?
3. Do I seethe because of another person's success or actions?

 

PRAYER: Father, the world needs transformation, we need Jesus. Only belief in Jesus can change a person from the inside out. Otherwise, things are only going to get worse. The world and its solutions only bring more and more violence, at every level. Our cruelty and hate needs to be washed out of our souls. Jesus' blood can transform. I know -- I have seen you transform me.