Contemplative Bible Reading

Genesis 6:11 (New Living Translation)

Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence.

Just before the flood, the earth—the whole place—was in bad shape. God was sorry, some versions say “heart broken,” about His creation. Corrupt is one word used in most translation. That means depraved or immoral.

Note the word that comes with corrupt. Here it is—violence. Of all the descriptions of the bad state of affairs, God chooses violence. I have the feeling that God is heart broken when He sees his creation beating itself to a pulp.

Now consider world history or the history of man in this world. Violence? War? Yikes. We have a scant few years here and there when someone is not smashing someone else in a war. Now consider the condition of God’s heart.

This is not a good picture, folks. What have we done? And yet God came here to be with us and save us. Praise God for his unending grace.