In this clip: This clip provides a powerful and relevant connection between ancient scripture and modern events, using a specific Hebrew word to highlight the pervasive nature of violence and God's judgment. It has a clear hook and ends on a strong theological point.
Watch the full teaching from here Full transcript & all topics
In Genesis 6:11, "The earth was also corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence." That's exactly what it says in the story of Noah before He flooded the earth because of violence. So, the Hebrew word translated as violence is *hamas*. If you didn't know that, it's pretty interesting, right? Think about the terror group Hamas in Gaza right now. That's the word for violence in Genesis 6. That word is used there. So, if your Bible does not use violence there, I do believe it's a misinterpretation because that word is *hamas*, which means violence. So, God did destroy the earth, as He said, because the earth was filled with *hamas*, with violence, which is pretty interesting when you think about the terrorist group in Gaza. It refers to violence, wrongdoing, oppression, and injustice. This is the word used to describe the condition of the earth, *hamas*, before the flood. Genesis 6:5 also describes the continual wickedness of humanity's thoughts.
Then in Genesis 6:13, God tells Noah that "the end of all flesh has come before Me because of what? Because the earth is filled with *hamas*, filled with violence." So, my friends, He destroyed the world. He said twice because of violence was all over the earth. So again, when we look at our world today, violence is all over the world as well. Everybody's weaponizing their own religion for it as well, weaponizing the Holy Scriptures as well. And so the earth is filled with violence, just as in the days of Noah. And just as in the days of Noah will be, just as the days of the Son of Man. So, the progression of the corruption begins in Genesis 4:8 when Cain murders Abel. Genesis 4:23-24, Lamech magnifies vengeance. Genesis 6, the earth becomes filled with corruption and violence, just like it is now. And in Genesis 7, judgment comes through the flood. And judgment is about to come through the fire and the sword at this time.
So, the narrative reveals how far humanity has fallen. The world God created and called very good, God called it very good. What He created has become corrupted by human wickedness. And violence is explicitly identified as a central reason for the coming flood, for the coming judgment. So, the teaching principle that we have is the judgment of Noah's generation demonstrates that God does not overlook humanity's corruption and violence indefinitely. God hates violence, but He judges in righteousness. So, these scriptures that we're going to look at prove the point of how He looks at these things. And in Psalm 11, verse 5, it declares that "the Lord hates the wicked and the one who loves violence." This is a crucial distinction. God's hatred of violence does not mean scripture presents all uses of force, every war, every act of judgment as morally identical. God Himself exercises divine righteous judgment, but He condemns cruelty, oppression, unjust and innocent bloodshed, and the love of violence, which we're seeing across the world right now.
