God’s Repentance
And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth,
and it grieved him at his heart.
Genesis 6:6
Read Genesis 6:5-7
This chapter clearly shows that at a certain point in time God made the decision
to destroy the beautiful creation He had made. However, in considering
Genesis 6 we also see why the Lord came to this decision; it was because
of the behaviour of mankind, the crown of His created work. When man
turned against the Lord, he set into motion the process of his demise. Consequently,
it is preposterous to ask why God would do such a thing as destroy
the world. All the evil in the world, including the great Flood itself, find their
origins in man’s evil activities.
And what did the Lord Jesus say about humanity during His ministry? They
ate, they drank, and they married (Matt. 24:37-39). Man did not show that
they had any repentance or grief. They merely lived their lives to the fullest,
according to worldly standards. God’s response to this attitude was that, “it
repented the Lord that He made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His
heart.” (Genesis 6:6) We cannot explain this simple expression any more
clearly than the words themselves convey. It is clear that the Lord does not
take action without good reason. Man’s lifestyle cut Him at His heart, bringing
Him sorrow and grief.
Whenever you see God in this light, you will no longer have any reason to
challenge Him or falsely accuse Him of being unjust and unsympathetic to
the plight of man. But you also will have every reason to lament the sins of
mankind, including your own. Then room is made for humility, adoration
and the confession, “Lord, how patient Thou art with this world, with humanity,
and with me!”
Question: How is man’s repentance related to God’s?
Psalter 12:1, 2 (based on Psalm 6)
Lord, rebuke me not in anger; Chastened sore I waste away;
Pity my distress and hear me; Lord, how long wilt Thou delay?
Come, O Lord, my soul deliver, In Thy loving kindness save.
Shall the dead Thy Name remember? Who shall praise Thee in the grave?
