After Adam and Eve's fall, everything went progressively downhill from there. Obviously Cain's murdering his brother shattered the family. Scripture shows us that Cain's family started a godless culture, and Satan used that to oppose those who followed God's way like Adam's great-grandsons Enosh (Gen. 4:26) and Enoch (Gen. 5:19-24).
I was surprised when I was reading Genesis 6 that most people's thoughts were evil and that the earth was filled with violence (Gen 6:5, 11). In this godless generation one of Adam's great-great-grandsons Lamech gave birth to a man named Noah.
I was surprised when I was reading Genesis 6 that most people's thoughts were evil and that the earth was filled with violence (Gen 6:5, 11). In this godless generation one of Adam's great-great-grandsons Lamech gave birth to a man named Noah.
Things got so bad that the Bible says that God regretted that He had even made man. Against this black background Noah shines like a bright star: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:8
In chapter 28 of the Life-Study of Genesis I learned that grace here is not just unmerited favor. It really means a lot more, and I was touched with the definition Witness Lee gives of grace on page 376:
Grace is not only something given by God, but it is God Himself doing things for us. Grace is not something objective that is given to us by God…. Are you weak? God will come to be your strength and that coming of God is grace. Are you unable to face your situation? That need not be a problem, because God will come to stand with you and face that situation for and in you. This is grace. If you read Genesis 6 carefully, you will see that grace here does not mean that God gave Noah many things. It means that God came to Noah and was with Noah. God’s presence was Noah’s strength and power….In the midst of a crooked, perverse, and adulterous generation, a generation whose temptations no one could withstand, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. God came to strengthen Noah that He might stand with him and uphold him. That was the grace that Noah found, and that is the grace that we need today (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Genesis. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1976 Print).
I read through this Life-Study many years ago, and sometimes I have felt that I was unable to face my situation. Then I was reminded of this passage and I would pray something like, "God I need you to stand with me and face this situation in me and for me." Toward the end of the chapter Witness Lee mentions Hebrews 4:12 which is like a sister verse to Genesis 6:8: Let us come forward with boldness to the throne of grace that we may find grace and mercy for time of need. I'm so glad that grace is God coming to be exactly what we need.
Blog Update 11-10-17: Another song I recently heard on Youtube put out by New York City Young People's CD called Choose to be a Living Overcomer.
You can also listen to live excerpts from these messages on Genesis on Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.
Other Posts on the Life-Study of Genesis:
From the Life-Study of Genesis - What is the Focus of the Bible?
What Happened Between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2?
Why Did God Create Man in Genesis 1:26?
Why Did God Create Man With 3 Parts in Genesis 2:7?
Why Did God Put Man in Front of the Two Trees in Genesis 2?
Seeing God's Purpose of Life & Building in the Book of Genesis
What is the Story Behind the Story of Cain & Abel?
What Did Enosh Learn to Do in Genesis 4:26?
How Did Enoch Escape Death in Genesis 5:24?
Why Did Noah Need to Find Grace in Genesis 6:8?
What Does the Rainbow Symbolize in Genesis 9:13?
How Did God Call Abraham in Genesis 12:1?
How Did God Fulfill the Birth of Isaac in Genesis 12:7?
What Does the Marriage of Isaac & Rebekah Show in Genesis 24?
How Does the Story of Jacob Show God's Selection in Genesis 25?
Why Did Jacob Dream About a Ladder in Genesis 28:12?
Seeing Our Spiritual Journey in the Lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, & Joseph
Why Did Jacob Call theTwo Altars in Genesis 33 & 35 By Different Names?
How Do the Stories of Jacob & Joseph Mirror God's Purpose in Genesis 1:26?
How Did Joseph's Dreams Really Get Fulfilled in Genesis 41?
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