Do It God’s Way
● There are different examples in scripture where the children of God did things the wrong way – they had the right heart, wanted to do right, but they weren’t doing it God’s way
○ Example #1: Neh. 8:17 - 928 years wrong
■ During Nehemiah’s days they kept the feast of tabernacles (also called the feast of booths where they moved around each year) but they did it wrong for over 900 years they did it wrong
○ Example #2: 2 Kings 23:23 - 784 years wrong
■In Josiah’s time they were still keeping the passover but over 700 years they did it wrong
○ Example #3: Zech. 7 - 70 years wrong
■ They fasted for 70 years but didn’t get the desired response from God
● Sometimes we lock in on what we do, thinking God will accept it no matter how we do it, even if it doesn’t line up to the word of God
○ Example #4: David in bringing back the ark was afraid of God that day when Uzzah reached out & touched the ark as it was falling off of the cart (2 Sam. 6) – It was David’s fault - he was doing it wrong
Sons of God (Gen. 6): Men or Angels?
● Gen. 6:1-2 - “1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they [were] fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”
○ Men began to multiply (v. 1) - cp. Gen. 1:28 God to Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful, and multiply.”
○ This is about the multiplication of men, not angels
● Gen. 6:4-7 - “4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare [children] to them, the same [became] mighty men which [were] of old, men of renown. AndGOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually.
6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”
○ When He talks about what they produced, they became mighty men, men of renown – only men were produced ■ Then it talks about the wickedness of men (not angels)
■ The “Them” that God was upset He made was mankind
■ God’s judgment He brought was upon men, not angels ○ v. 4 men - 'anšê
■ This is from îysh (S:H376)
● Strong’s definition: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term
○ This word for man is a general term – used for a mortal
● Root word: contracted for ĕnôš (S:H582)
○ Strong’s definition: שׁנוֹ אֱ ʼĕnôwsh, en-oshe'; from H605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively)...
■ Cp. Another word for man is āḏām (S:H120 - Gen. 1:26)
○ If man got with angels, the result would be more than just a mere mortal
○ What happened in v. 4 happens again after Gen. 6 - “also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men”
● Num. 16:2 - “And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:”
○ This is the other time “men of renown” was mentioned
○ These men (Korah, Dathan, Abiram, etc.) were not produced by angels - we have all of their genealogies
● Luke 20:34-36 - “34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given
in marriage: 36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”
○ Angels can’t marry and be given in marriage; angels cannot procreate
● WHAT CAUSES SOMEONE TO BE A SON OF GOD?
○ John 1:10-12 - "10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:"
■ Sonship is tied to His name ○ Gal. 3:26-27 - "26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
■ We become the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and the explanation is being baptized into Christ, putting on Christ
■ We become sons by His name ○ Gal. 4:6 - "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."
■ When you become a Son of God, you’re born but you don’t have life
■ When you receive His Spirit, you get life
● Getting His name is similar to the paperwork in adoption
● Getting His spirit is similar to living in the house together
○ Throughout the Bible, people become sons of God because they receive His name
■ Gen. 4:25-26 - "… 26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD."
■ After that, the rabbis divided the sons of God from the sons of men
● Those who followed the name of God, following Seth’s line, they were considered God’s sons
● Those who didn’t were considered the sons of men
● Eventually there was an intermingling between the godly seed and the carnal, fleshly seed and that’s where Gen. 6 starts and the wickedness increased
○ If you had the godly line that stayed godly, then God would have preserved the earth like He told Abraham with the city of Sodom (Gen. 18)
○ It’s a shame when the church starts mingling with the world - that’s when destruction comes