The Lord grieves over wickedness in this world. Have you ever grieved over the wickedness? Perhaps you have wondered if God was going to right the wrong. Sometimes we think God does not have emotions and doesn’t grieve over what we do. Because the Lord is long suffering and patient, we think He will never act. Both are wrong assumptions based on God’s word.
Wickedness of Noah’s World
Genesis 6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.[1] God had created humankind in His image and desired a relationship with them. Instead, they had turned away from God and sin had totally corrupted creation.
The Lord Grieves
How did God react and what does this tell us about the Lord? Genesis 6: 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.[2] The Lord was sorry that He had created humankind. To be sorry is to regret or lament. Lament is not a word we use often but it is descriptive: “to mourn or express grief.”[3] God had given humankind free will but people had chosen not to love God and He was grieved.
God’s first response was not to get angry but to be disappointed. A parent with a wayward child often has the same response. As you explore the Old Testament you will see the same pattern of the Lord being sorrowful before He ever moves to divine anger and judgment.
When Cain killed Abel, the Lord was grieved but showed mercy to Cain even when he did not repent. In the Lord’s kindness He was trying to lead Cain back to Himself. Psalm 86:15 gives insight into Lord as He works with His people. 15 But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. [4]
God Acts to Combat Wickedness
What did God do when evil had infected the world of Noah? Genesis 6:7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”[5]
The Lord’s longsuffering for the people of the earth went from grief and being sorry to putting a plan into action to save a remanent of mankind. God’s plan would bring divine judgment upon the wicked while showing mercy to righteous Noah and his family.
God Still Grieves Over Sin
In our world today the Lord grieves over wickedness. He has given us free will that allows us to choose to love Him or go our own way. True love has to be a choice and it can’t be forced so God took a chance we would not love Him. The Lord still laments when we choose not to love Him, but we can repent and turn to Him and be saved. It is our choice. What will you do?
To hear more about how God grieved, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/faith-makes-a-difference-noah
[3]https://www.dictionary.com/browse/lament, accessed Nov. 26, 2020.
[4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ps 86:15). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[1,2,5] The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.