Genesis 6:11 Commentary and Bible Study

We have had this statement in another form before in verse 5. We may in a quick reading find these statements repetitive, but this rather shows us the lapse of time. We would perhaps say in modern narrative form – that as the years passed, the earth became even more corrupt. Each repetition appears to indicate that time has gone by and the situation has got worse. ‘God looked upon the earth’ – he has done it before, but sin has made further progress. The ark has not begun to be built yet, and it suggests that it did not take all of the 120 years; that the command to build came much nearer to the flood itself.‘So the earth is corrupt before God’ – not only in earthly sin, but in spiritual things. There was no worship; there was no obedience. ‘And the earth was filled with violence.’ Violence in what sense? Morality is rejected. The people thought someone like Noah was a fool. There is no fear of God; there is universal evil. But violence is a Hebrew word which is much more elastic than just physical violence. It includes that, it also describes a person who is sharp, vehement, decisive, and determined: who makes himself his own authority. Violence covers all this; it is an attitude of mind. You see here people who wanted their own way and were determined to get it, people who rejected the authority of God and disowned him. Yes, they were bullying, forcing things, oppressing others. But even without that they could be described as violent in that they decisively rejected any law of God. Our own society is very much like that. People snort and utterly repudiate the standards of God which might serve to curtail their conduct, and they are determined to do things the way they want to do them.‘All flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.’ Mortal human nature is referred to as flesh. It describes man in his natural state without spiritual life. The word is used by Adam to point to the origin of Eve as taken from his own body. Both of them are flesh and united in marriage they become one flesh. But flesh is weak, subject to death in common with the animals which are also flesh. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. Since the fall flesh is also inhabited by sin. Man lives to satisfy the flesh, its desires, its appetites, and all other considerations are made subject to this.