MPV Commentary

The sons of God saw the daughters of men. This refers to the descendants of Seth, who were professedly religious, intermarrying with the offspring of apostate Cain. Mixed marriages between parties of opposite principles and practice led to extensive corruption. The women, who were themselves religious, would exert an influence fatal to the existence of religion in their households, causing the people of that later age to sink to the lowest depravity.

The world was utterly debased. God said, "My spirit shall not always strive" with humanity. Christ, as God, had inspired prophets like Enoch and Noah to preach repentance to the antediluvians, but they were incorrigible. Yet, God's days of patience would be 120 years.

The term "giants" in Hebrew implies reckless ferocity, impious, and daring characters who spread devastation and carnage far and wide. God saw that humanity was corrupt beyond redemption and repented of His decision to create them. He grieved over the wickedness of humanity, which had filled up the measure of their iniquities.

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. What an awful state of things when only one man or one family of piety and virtue existed among the professed sons of God! Noah was just and perfect, not absolutely so, but as a living example of faith he was considered just (Galatians 3:2; Hebrews 11:7) and sincere in his desire to do God's will.

The earth was filled with violence. In the absence of any well-regulated government, it is easy to imagine what evils would arise. Men did what was right in their own eyes, and having no fear of God, destruction and misery were in their ways.

God said to Noah, "I am going to destroy all living things." The announcement must have been startling, with no outward indication of the impending calamity. Yet, persuaded that the communication was from God, through faith (Hebrews 11:7), Noah set about preparing the means for preserving himself and family from the impending disaster.

God instructed Noah to make an ark, a hollow chest, using gopher wood, probably cypress, which is remarkable for its durability. The ark would have rooms or small cells, and it was to be pitched within and without with mineral pitch to make it perfectly watertight.

The ark's dimensions were enormous: 547 feet long, 91 feet 2 inches wide, and 47 feet 2 inches high. A window, probably a skylight formed of some transparent substance unknown, would allow light into the ark. The roof was to be raised in the middle, seemingly to form a gentle slope for letting water run off.

God said, "I will bring a flood on the earth." This announcement was repeated to establish its certainty (Genesis 41:32). Whatever opinion may be entertained as to the operation of natural laws and agencies in the deluge, it was brought on the world by God as a punishment for the enormous wickedness of its inhabitants.

God said to Noah, "But with you I will establish my covenant." This special promise of deliverance would convince him of the confidence to be reposed in it. The substance and terms of this covenant are related at