Simply stated, Genesis began by declaring to Israel (a) God is the source of all that exists; (b) the "crowning completion" of God's creative acts was producing humanity in God's image and likeness; and (c) humanity rejected God's sovereignty. The beginning of Genesis introduces Israel [and us] to the two basic concerns of the Bible: (a) the created rejecting the Creator's sovereignty, and (b) the existence of evil in human life.
The rejection of God's sovereignty is not comparable to any human experience. Consider the situation. (1) God made human life in His likeness and image. [Since God is not physical, His image and likeness is not seen in some aspect or dimension of physical form. His image and likeness likely are associated in some way with the freedom and independence He provided people.] (2) That which God made, that which existed because of God's initiative and act, defied God. [The human arrogance that defied God's sovereignty (a) believed God exaggerated the consequences of defiance and (b) believed God's forbidding people to have the knowledge of good and evil deprived people of desirable information (3:3)].
Stress the fact that human arrogance played a key role when humanity rejected God's sovereignty.
To us, in human experiences, that situation is unthinkable. We do not think in terms of something we made consciously, deliberately rejecting us. The fact that the creature rejected the Creator gives testimony to the absolute freedom and independence God gave the human. The fact that people could defy God's sovereignty [not even chaos did that!] states just how free and independent God made people. Amazingly, creatures made in God's image and likeness did something that chaos [which had nothing in common with God] did not do--defy God's sovereignty! Only that which God uniquely created in His image and likeness had the arrogance to defy God! We, who are made like God, wanted to be God!
Only when we think about the arrogance of something we made defying us [such as some form of technology] can we begin to realize the arrogance of the creature defying the Creator. We humans are not God. Not in any consideration are we God's peers. Yet, too often, we act and think as if we created God instead of God creating us. Genuine obedience accepts God's sovereignty and willingly serves. Forced obedience of necessity complies and grudgingly serves. The difference between genuine obedience and forced obedience is the difference between humility and arrogance.
People are unique! By God's design and intent we are unique. God did something in making us that He did not do in making anything else. God placed His image and likeness in us. As originally formed, we were so unique that our rejection of God's sovereignty perverted God's entire physical creation.
Humans are unique as a form of life on this earth. That is by divine intent, not by accident. Our uniqueness exists because of our potential for "God likeness." That potential enables people to be incredibly good or incredibly evil.
Human rejection of God's sovereignty gave evil permission to assume permanent residence in this sphere of existence. Evil defies God. Evil refuses to yield to God's sovereignty. When humanity chose evil over God, human existence joined evil in defying God's sovereignty.
Evil has its role and position in human existence as the result of a human choice. Evil rejects and denies God's sovereignty. The human choice that gave evil a role in human existence was based on challenging and rejecting God's sovereignty. That choice was made because evil [which opposed God's sovereignty] successfully deceived humanity.
As human generations passed, God's influence on people weakened as evil's influence on people strengthened. Cain killed his brother and refused to accept any personal responsibility for his evil act. When confronted regarding his murder, Cain thought only of himself. In no way did he reflect a penitent attitude or thought.
Evil's deception is effective and evil's influence is powerful because evil is successful in widening the gap between God and humanity.
To the writer, this turning away from God toward evil is symbolized by the "sons of God" marrying the "daughters of men" (Genesis 6:1,2). Neither Cain nor his descendants wanted any association with God (Genesis 4:16-24). Cain deliberately "went out from the presence of the Lord" (Genesis 4:16). His descendants, like him, wanted no association with God.
In total contrast, the descendants of Seth "began to call upon the name of the Lord" (Genesis 4:26). They wanted association with God.
When people "who call upon the name of the Lord" form and sustain intimate relationships with people who are repulsed by "the presence of the Lord," the influence of evil is commonly greater than the influence of holiness. Christians are to be the light of the world. Jesus prayed for his disciples, "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one" (John 17:14,15). The Christian exerts influence on the ungodly when he or she knows within himself or herself the value and benefits of acknowledging and yielding to God's sovereignty.
Marriages between those who desired association with God and those who wanted nothing to do with God resulted in weakening the human desire to "call upon the name of the Lord." The descendants of these marriages were in conflict with God's Spirit (Genesis 6:3). The situation deteriorated to the point that human wickedness "was great on the earth." God's influence became non-existent. People moved so far from God's influence that "every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5).
Within the individual's own mind there is a fundamental conflict between good and evil [see Galatians 5:16,17]. When the most powerful human influences in our lives are from people who despise God and His sovereignty, evil will destroy good rather than good exerting a superior influence.
This situation caused God great pain. We cannot even imagine the disappointment God felt when His influence was completely rejected by the only part of His creation made in His image and likeness He was sorry He created people. He was grieved in His heart (Genesis 6:6). Evil seemed to be the exclusive influence in human life.
One of our great Christian failures: allowing people to conclude that God is indifferent to our choices and decisions. Christians comfortably stress the negative: "Evil decisions invoke God's wrath!" Acknowledging our choices and decisions can cause God grief makes Christians uncomfortable. In God, we seem to prefer His impersonal indifference over our responsibility toward His caring nature. We seem to prefer terror generated fear over love generated responsibility.
Sharing and Thought Questions
Biblically generated views should include these considerations: humility; dedication to personal purity and holiness; dedication to expressing purity and holiness in relationships with others; commitment to forgiveness, compassion, and mercy; yielding to God's purposes; a commitment to all receiving fair consideration and treatment.
Biblically generated views should include these considerations: arrogance; disregard for standards of purity or consideration for godliness; exploiting others to achieve self-centered objectives; bitterness, wrath, and malice; acknowledging no purposes but one's own purposes; a disregard for fairness that allows one to take advantage of the weakness of others.
God is not the source of evil and in no way moves people toward or encourages people to do evil. There is total separation between God and evil (that is holiness), and God urges His people to move toward Him by moving away from evil.
Arrogance; deceitfulness; abuse of the innocent; inward dedication to evil; willing involvement in evil; betrayal of the innocent; those who cause ill will and contention among friends.
Humility; mercy; respectful kindness; repentance; a spirit that readily forgives.
Arrogance; judgmental hearts and acts; disrespect for others; abusive treatment of others; a refusal to see mistakes and redirect life (stubbornly clinging to faults and failures); nurturing grudges, bitter feelings, hate, and contempt.
Repentance; the willingness to redirect our lives inwardly and outwardly when we realize that we have failed God.
For personal reflection
(Answers to these questions can come only from the individual and should be shared only when the individual wishes to share them. Sharing can be powerful, but it must be voluntary in a non-judgmental, confidential environment. The composition of your class may make it necessary only to read the questions and let each person think about his or her answer.)
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 2