I usually get excited when I read my daily devotions because I know the Lord has a lot in store for me. I always ask Him to reveal His word to me, and I have confidence the Lord will reveal something to me every day because my prayer is in His will. When you read the Bible, you too can go to it with the expectation that God will reveal something to you. I have a lot to cover today from my forays into Genesis. One thing that blew my mind today is about Noah and the Ark. Did you know that Noah did not just take a pair of each animal onboard? That’s right. He took a lot more than that, but I’m getting ahead of myself! Without further ado, let’s jump in!

The Sons of God

Genesis is one of my favorite books in the Bible. Whenever I re-read a book, I usually have parts that I’m looking forward to, and could miss something along the way, since I’m looking forward to these specific parts. I’ve found that sometimes, I can do the same thing with reading the Bible. I think this has been the case with Genesis. However, I’ve never really read the Bible with the intention I have now. Without a doubt, I have had the desire to share what I have learned from the Lord with other people. However, there’s something very different about how I do that now. I’m reminded of my time in University as an English major. Whenever I was reading a book, I was closely reading it. In my close reads, I was searching for the intent behind what I read. In other words, I often would ask the question, “What does this mean?” This is where I found myself today with this verse from Genesis.

The sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.

Genesis 6:2 (NIV)

After reading this, I had two questions.

Who were the sons of God?

Who were the daughters of humans?

There are several views on this topic.

  1. The sons of God were fallen angels, and the daughters of humans are, well, humans.
  2. They were powerful human rulers (sons), and the daughters were still regular humans.
  3. The sons of God would be those born to Seth. We can call them Sethites. The daughters of humans were the daughters of Cain. Cainites.

In Hebrew, “sons of God” always mean angels (Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7). This is a likely cause for some people to believe the sons being spoken of here are fallen angels. However, Matthew 22:30 indicates angels don’t marry. Therefore, I see angels as sexless without the need for reproduction and have doubts about this viewpoint. Regarding powerful human rulers, I don’t see a reason to support this because I just don’t see the need for classification between the sons of God and the daughters of humans if this were the case. I do support the idea that the sons of God were those men who had been born to Seth with the daughters of humans being those born to Cain. God separated Cain and his line from those who would later be born after him when He sent him away.

A few verses later, we read about the Nephilim.

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

Genesis 6:4 (NIV)

Who were the Nephilim?

These were the offspring of the Sons of God and the daughters of humans.

Nephilim means “fallen ones, giants.” This is also why some think the sons of God were fallen angels. Some also think they were the “heroes of old” and got their great strength and power from the union of angels and humans. However, I think we need to think about the creation of Adam and Eve and how their bodies differed from our bodies today.

When God made Adam and Eve, He made their bodies to be eternal. This is why Adam lives so long, and presumably, Eve lived so long as well. This is why so many people in the Bible we see at this time live so long. The evil nature of humanity is why God says that he will not contend with men and will limit their days to 120 years (Genesis 6:3).

Given that God created the first people with perfect bodies, it makes sense that these people would have strength, endurance, and even height, greater than what we have today. Therefore, the view that the sons of God were Sethites and the daughters of humans Cainites, makes sense to me. Furthermore, how could every human being come from Adam and Eve if they couldn’t produce offspring with every possible genetic configuration? Subsequently, Adam, Eve, and all of their immediate descendants would have been the most powerful human beings to have ever lived. Hence, “heroes of old.”

Humble Beginnings

The life of the Christian can seem paradoxical at times.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.

Philippians 2:3 (NIV)

This is just one verse that comes to mind when I think about how we are to be humble and meek in spirit. We read over and over again how God views those who are proud. Indeed, scripture tells us that God opposes the proud but lifts up the humble (James 4:6). I think that this can foster an attitude or a view of ourselves as being less. I agree 100% that we should not look at ourselves in a higher light than what we are.

However, we should never consider the prayers that we lift up to God and the life that we live in Christ as anything but the best that God has to offer in us and through us. Jesus said that He was going on to the Father and that we would do greater things than He did (cf. John 14:12). Noah was a righteous man who saved his family, and in a sense, humanity from the wrath of God that destroyed this early world, and Noah was just one person. A righteous person.

The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.

Genesis 7:1 (NIV)

God is not going to destroy the world again with water but by fire. We never know how our prayers and the righteous life that we lead by faith in God, might save those doomed to destruction if they don’t turn from their ways to follow God. This is why we need to pray for other people. This is why we may look upon what we do concerning other people in this world with humility. Knowing that we aren’t any better than anyone else. However, our righteous standing with God through faith in Jesus Christ allows our prayers to be heard by God, who can do all things. In Noah’s case, the world was saved.

Two by Two Times Seven!

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

Genesis 8:20 (NIV)

The popular thought is that Noah brought in two of each creature. A male and a female into the Ark. We can see from this verse that Noah was to bring in seven pairs of every clean animal and one pair of every unclean animal. A male and female. That means fourteen of every clean animal and two of every unclean animal.

I’m not sure about what animals were considered clean and unclean at this time because Noah lived long before Leviticus 11, which talks about clean and unclean animals. However, I think that Noah would know what God was talking about.

Regardless of what animals were clean or unclean, this shakes up and shatters the popular worldview that only two of each type of animal came into the ark.

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

Genesis 8:20 (NIV)

This verse supports the notion that Noah didn’t just take in a pair of every animal. After all, some of the clean animals were sacrificed.

Conclusion

As I continue to read further and further into the Bible this year, I’m expecting God to bring a lot more clarity and understanding to His word and to His character. I hope you were blessed by this article today and hope to see you again tomorrow!

Do you know God? God knows you, and He loves you. He sees you as significant because you are. No one is insignificant to Him. He’s with you today, right now, and He wants you to know Him. Jesus died for your sins and mine so we could be free of guilt, be freed from death, and live eternally with Him. Eternal salvation is just a prayer away.

Pray this prayer with me to accept the gift of salvation today:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins. I repent from my ways. Wash me in your blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe that you died on the cross, were buried, and on the third day, God the Father raised you from the dead. Right now, Lord Jesus, I open the door to my heart, and I receive you into my heart as my Lord and personal Savior. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, then congratulations! You are on the first step of a brand new life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to my family, the family of God. There are abundant resources available online for new Christians. You can visit here for more information on what to do next. You can also leave me a comment, and I’ll do my best to help you on the next step of this incredible journey.

Advertisement