The Flood, the Corona Virus, the Protests, and Christ for You

 

Part I

The flood of Genesis 6 has important connections for you today with the corona virus and the Protests?  It sounds like quite a stretch but I hope to make it clear for you over the next couple of articles.  Moses says, “When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose…The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them.  These were the mighty men who were of old the men of renown.”  (Genesis 6:4)

What does the Nephillim, these mighty men, and the flood have to do with our topic?  I will lay it out in four different thoughts.  First, I will show how the Pandemic Virus and the flood have affected our understanding of the Commandments.  Second, where are our churches and what are they doing in the midst of this pestilence?  Third, how are the riots connects to the flood?  And fourth, Jesus Christ has prepared us for this and we are made more than ready through Christ alone.

Let us begin with by seeing how we have come to this point.  The sons of God came into the daughters of man. That doesn’t sound too bad until we realize who these two groups are.  The sons of God are the believers, the Church, the line of Seth.  The daughters of man are the children of Cain.  And they created the mighty men, that is, those who boasted in themselves and the mighty things they could accomplish.  (The stage to this was reset after the flood by the children of Ham, but that’s another story.)

The children of God were led to believe that they could overcome the heathen line of Cain and were free to marry whomever they wish.  But this is the danger of coveting and lust, it leads the faithful away into a false piety, to believe it doesn’t matter who you are with as long as you do it for the right reasons, God will sanctify it. 

We have forgotten the warning of Scripture over and over.  One of the first warnings in Deuteronomy was, “You shall not intermarry with them (those living in Canaan), giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.” (Deut 7:3-4) Parents and children have become so arrogant that they think they can convert the heathen to the truth by a marriage.  But we have ignored the very foundations of the Law. Do not look for a spouse by what arouses you but by the Word of the Lord.

Paul likewise warns in 1 Corinthians 6:14-15, Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?  What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?  Marriage is a yoking, you are walking hand in hand with your spouse.  Now of course this speaks specifically to the heathen but this does have a connection to those who are members of heterodox churches.

False teaching is dangerous.  It has wreaked havoc upon the churches of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS).  We were once described as the sleeping giant and the reality is we still need to be awakened from our groggy slumber.  1971 was the statistical height of the LCMS with 2,886,207 members and while it was predicted to see exponential growth it never did.  Now others have spoken to that problem but the greatest problem is the doctrinal indifference of our church body precisely during this time and while much has been recovered we sleep on a precipice and we cannot be lured by the false gods of today and that is being seductively waved before us by the daughters of man. 

Will we be seduced by the gods of the social gospel?  Will the desire for doctrinal indifference lead us and our children away to think that what the church teaches doesn’t really matter?  Will we covet that which is not ours and scheme to get it to the detriment of our very souls? 

Time will tell.  But in the meantime we need to be warned and to be set on a right path.  We are in the midst of a so-called pandemic the world has not every seen.  The fear and despair is rife through all nations and ages.  But there is a glimmer of hope.  For there is always hope.  Not all is doom and gloom.  We are reminded in this season that Christ is coming.  There are bright stars in this bastion of Christianity as pastors and Congregations thrive against the odds stacked against them.

The Lord promises that he is with us always till the very end of the age.  He promises that where the Word rightly faith will be created.  The Church will prevail.  It may be but a remnant but even as the flood was right upon Noah, not all was lost, for the Lord preserved his promises in the lives of just eight people, from there countless millions have come to faith and believed in the promise Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Cling to this rock.  Here in your local church, where the Word of God is taught rightly is foundation of salvation as the promised Savior delivers to you his means of forgiveness.  You, right now, are called to hear this word.  May you remain steadfast in his Word and Sacrament.