_THE HUMAN RACE BECAME GENERALLY CORRUPT. GOD DETERMINES TO DESTROY THEM BY A FLOOD. NOAH, A JUST MAN, IS COMMANDED TO BUILD AN ARK FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HIMSELF, HIS FAMILY, AND ALL KINDS OF LIVING CREATURES._... [ Continue Reading ]
_MEN BEGAN—DAUGHTERS—SONS OF GOD,_ &C — An evident distinction has been made in sacred scripture between the children of God and the children of men; between those who were the true servants of Jehovah, and those who were the slaves of their own evil desires and passions. The former, by intermarryin... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID, &C.— On a view of the extreme degeneracy of mankind, God _said, i.e._. "He resolved and made known" by the mouth of his prophets, such as Enoch and Noah, by whom the Spirit of Christ preached to the unbelievers and disobedient of the old world, 1 Peter 3:18. 2 Peter 2:5 that his S... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WERE GIANTS IN THE EARTH, &C.— The grand question is, what is meant by these _giants?_ were they really men of extraordinary size, or does the word refer solely to the enormity of their deeds? It is difficult, perhaps, to determine: but from the frequent mention of gigantic people in other par... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN—GREAT, &C.— _God saw their wickedness to be great,_ after the period of the hundred and twenty years which he had granted them to return and repent; he saw that they amended not, but arrived at the highest pitch of depravity, both in principle and practice. The longevity of the... [ Continue Reading ]
IT REPENTED THE LORD—IT GRIEVED HIM AT HIS HEART— "All things past, present, and future, lie open at once to the view of the Divine Mind," says Dr. Clarke; and therefore that he is immutable in his counsels, and cannot repent, is one of the plainest dictates both of natural and revealed religion, Nu... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL DESTROY BOTH MAN AND BEAST, &C.— God made the beasts for the service and delight of man; they therefore must perish with him, as with him they became subject to vanity and abuse. And God might certainly destroy them thus with as much justice as by a natural death; it is only a recalling that... [ Continue Reading ]
NOAH FOUND GRACE— _Obtained favour,_ or mercy; and the reasons follow in the next verse, why he obtained such favour, and so much regard from God. He was a _just_ man, a justified person, fully accepted and approved of God: he _was an heir of the justice_ or _righteousness which is by faith;_ Hebrew... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WALKED WITH GOD— See ch. Genesis 5:22. lived as if ever in his sight, and consequently in the most exact discharge of all duties to the Lord; both in a private manner, and as a prophet, or preacher of righteousness. Observe in this character of Noah, 1. He walked with God when all beside were wa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EARTH ALSO WAS CORRUPT—FILLED WITH VIOLENCE— Instead of _also_ the Hebrew may be rendered, with rather more propriety, _and the earth;_ that is, all the men upon the earth (except Noah, &c.) _were corrupt before God; i.e._. were become totally _impious_ and _irreligious,_ having thrown off all r... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD LOOKED UPON THE EARTH, &C.— God observing that his patience was to no effect, and that the hundred and twenty years, which we may now suppose near expiring, produced no fruits of repentance, resolved to destroy that incorrigible race. "The patience of God," says Archbishop Tillotson, "did not ex... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE THEE AN ARK— תבת _tebat, an ark,_ or _hollow vessel:_ it is used only on this occasion, and for the vessel into which Moses was put, Exodus 2:2. This ark was constructed according to the divine direction. Its materials were _gopher wood,_ that is, _cypress-wood,_ says Mr. Locke. It is probable... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, BEHOLD, &C.— It is very evident from this verse, that the deluge was universal, as no words can be imagined more strong and comprehensive. See also ch. Genesis 7:4.; and indeed there is scarce any nation upon earth, among whom some traces and tradition of this wonderful event are not to be foun... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH THEE WILL I ESTABLISH MY COVENANT— See notes on ch. Genesis 9:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OF, &C.— See ch. Genesis 2:19. _shalt thou bring,_ it is here said: and lest it might appear an impossibility for Noah to do so, God says, in the next verse, that _they shall come to Noah:_ he himself, by his divine power, causing them to come into the ark to him. The first words might be render... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS DID NOAH, &C.— Obedient to the divine command Noah made the ark, and during that time, no doubt, must have endured many scoffs and contumelies, from the joyous, unthinking, and irreligious of that generation. On that account the building the ark is considered as an act of triumphant faith by th... [ Continue Reading ]