Recap: Genesis explores the interplay between God’s order and human disorder, revealing God’s continual work in restoring creation.
Learning Theology
Pneumatological Theme: Relationship with fallen humanity (Genesis 6:1-8)
Cross References:
Galatians 5:16-17
1 Peter 3:20
James 1:17
Neh. 9:30
Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”
- Gen 6:3 (ESV)
Paraphrased Then God said, “I’m not going to breathe life into men and women endlessly. Eventually they’re going to die; from now on they can expect a life span of 120 years.” Genesis 6:4 (The Message)
Cross Reference: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Galatians 5:16-17
Did you know?
“Antediluvians” refers to the people who lived before the flood.
In the days of Noah, humankind was increasingly wicked and sinful.
Before the Fall (Gen 3), humankind would have lived nearly forever. We see that in the genealogy in Genesis 5. God would continue to walk with them. But then sin entered Paradise. The Knowledge of good and evil for humans became a problem (Gen. 3:22-24). God is saying in Genesis 6:3, which contains the third mention of God’s Spirit in the Bible, that he has chosen to be present in a different way going forward. No longer would he physically dwell with humankind.
And no longer would humans live physically forever.
Humanity allowed wickedness and desires of the flesh to take precedence over desires for godliness.
Sin and wickedness were all-consuming. There were mixed marriages between daughters of man and fallen angels. The pure and godly were essentially no more. The Nephilim, mighty men of God, were increasingly violent rather than godly. Obviously, forgetting the Creator Himself.
In the beginning, God said His creation was good (Gen 1:31). Now, He is so grieved He regrets that he ever made mankind (Gen 6:6).
He is about to take drastic action, making some changes by destroying the earth and bringing a flood to start humanity over again. But we know that God never changes (Mal 3:6); in His mercy, He is not giving up on humanity, just reordering it.
God says, “My Spirit shall not contend with mankind.”
Noah and his family were the only righteous ones who still feared God and talked with Him. While God was planning on destroying humanity and starting fresh, his plan wasn’t to create a new man (like He created Adam). But to take the few that remained faithful in the midst of all the evil and sin that surrounded them and begin again. He would spare Noah and his family to keep the human race going.
But why does God say that their days will be 120 years?
There are two thoughts on this:
1. God is announcing that humankind will be wiped out in 120 years. God was referring to the time of the flood before He had a conversation with Noah. [1]
2. God is making the pronouncement that humans will not live forever. He no longer wants to give humans any more time to turn away from Him and begin to sin again and turn the world wicked (ESV Study Bible).
The KJV translation of Genesis 6:3 says, “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive.”
Christ, as God, had inspired Enoch, Noah, and perhaps other prophets by His Spirit (see 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5; Jude 1:14). He preached repentance to the Antediluvians (people who lived before the flood), but they were incorrigible.
Yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years—It is probable that the corruption of the world, which had now reached its height, had been long and gradually increasing, and this idea receives support from the long respite granted.[2]
Thread of Truth from Old to New Testament: In the New Testament, Jesus promised that after He went away, God’s spirit would be sent (John 16:7). This is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (e.g., John 14:17, 1 Corinthians 6:19), allowing a new, personal relationship with God. This connection points to God's Spirit as a speaker of truth, declaring and glorifying God (John 16:13-14) and becoming a permanent presence, transforming all of those who follow Him.
“In His mercy, God is not giving up on humanity, just reordering it... He can take our disobedience, our fleshly attitudes, and sin and make us righteous and holy.”
Living Out Theology
It is a mercy that God gives us a lifespan deadline.
By not letting humankind live forever, God ensured that sin would eventually have an end date. Even though humanity will continue to sin (because we are imperfect beings), it won’t grow exponentially. Wicked people will eventually die.
But more importantly, by giving mankind only X number of years on this earth, they will know that they aren’t guaranteed to live for hundreds of years, and it paves the way for humans to think about eternity. We must seek Jesus in order to gain Heaven with a continual pursuit of living righteously.
Consider This: It also opens the door for Christ to make himself known and for humanity to start to seek a relationship with him. It allows for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to happen (something that those in Noah’s day and beyond) only heard about from the prophets. But the fulfillment of God incarnate manifested in Jesus Christ allows for God to dwell again amongst His people and indwell each believer with His Spirit.
He can take our disobedience, our fleshly attitudes, and sin and make us righteous and holy. His Spirit indwells those who repent and admit they’re sinners in need of a Savior and become followers of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit awakens our hearts to the truth of who God is, continually speaking into our hearts, minds, and spirit. This is the New Covenant; those who know Jesus as Lord and Savior have eternal life with God.
Leading and guiding us into righteous living and not giving ourselves entirely into temptation and sin. There is hope. There is redemption. Knowing our time on earth is short (compared to what it was in the beginning) allows us to pursue a relationship with Christ and to look forward to eternity with Him.
Carol Graft is passionate about teaching about Jesus and the Bible. She has served on teaching teams, women's ministry teams, and has led workshops at women's conferences. Carol loves discussing books and the Bible and encouraging others in their faith walk or life in general.
Footnotes:
