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Dangers of Mixed-marriages – Genesis 6:1-7
Henry, Calvin, TSK, Gill, Poole, Geneva, K&D, HebrewLexicon, PasN, Leopold, ENT, JND, JFB, Gray, INT, Clarke?
Brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ: The Bible does not forbid inter-racial marriages. There are always things to consider before an inter-racial marriage, like how to deal with different cultures, language, and lifestyles. But all Christians are children of God and it is certainly permissible to marry one of a different race. There is nothing morally wrong with inter-racial marriages.

What the Bible forbids, in the clearest way and in the strongest terms, is mixed-marriages… Mixed marriage is a Christian marrying someone who does not worship the true God of the world…Jehovah God.

We will study this passage and other related passages under the following headings: The Trap, The Trouble, and The Threat. It is a triple strike. And as they say in baseball, and as was the case with the people in our passage, “Three strikes and you’re out.”Our goals are you will learn the importance of strong marriages and strong families that are grounded upon the Word of God, and that you will work to strengthen those marriages for the good of your family and for the glory of Christ…after whose example you follow.



1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,
2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
The Trap - V1-2
1. Who are the sons of God?
The “Sons of God” are men who were descended from the line of Seth – a man who loved God.
“Sons of God” was a common term to describe those who worshipped the true God
Hosea 1:10 "Yet the number of the children of Israel Shall be as the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There it shall be said to them, ‘You are sons of the living God.’
“Sons of God” is not referring to “angels,” as some people suggest.
Jesus states that angels neither marry nor are given into marriage.
Also, angels don’t live 120 years. They have eternal life. V3
Further, these were not angels because God could not punish all mankind for the sins of
angels.
These men were sons of God by adoption…

2. These godly men, descendants of the godly son of Adam, then married.
“Took for themselves” is a Hebrew expression for marriage.

3. Who were the daughters of men…these people whom the “sons of God” married?
These “daughters of men” were the daughters of the line of Cain…Adam’s other son.
The “daughters of men” loved themselves more than they loved God…
Cain was most known for his ungodliness…his murder of his godly brother Abel.
And his family followed after his footsteps.
Lamech, for instance, a descendant of Cain was a polygamist…and a murderer.
4. The daughters of Cain’s descendants were beautiful…or attractive…shapely in form.
This was the trap into which the godly men fell.
Nothing else mattered to the sons of Seth…the Covenant people.
This was the Devil’s attempt to destroy the Sacred Seed of the woman who would crush his head.
Marriage is too sacred a thing to allow that men should be induced to it by the lust of the eyes.
But this is a danger of which Christians must be on guard…with much diligence.

5. The sons of the godly Seth married the daughters of Cain.
The sins of the Covenant people were worse because they chose many wives and lived
polygamously even though they knew better.
God always demanded than marriage be between one man and one woman.
This type of sin was not limited to that time…
Today, men go way beyond this and promote polyamory: group marriage.
Even Christians today also have a way of polygamy. Isn’t frequent divorce a subtle form
of polygamy?

6. It was base ingratitude of the children of Seth to intermingle with children of Cain.
The sons of Seth…the Christians…married out of their line.
The distinctions between Christians and non-Christians was obliterated.
Further, worship of the true God was perverted after Christians started marrying non-Christians.
a. Someone might say: I “don’t want to be left without a husband.”
And the Devil would love nothing more than to make you feel the pressure to marry
someone who is not a Christian. He wants you to attack Christ…whose you are.
But it is better to be single, that to be sorry…for the rest of your life…
b. God strongly continues to warn you against marrying those who are do not worship the same
God as you do- simply because they may be beautiful, rich, or powerful.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
For beauty is a fleeting thing…it leaves in a hurry…long before the woman leaves…
Riches are destroyed in fire…and cannot be taken out of this world.
Man’s power is limited by God…and it stops in the cemetery.
c. Marrying does not fix your problems – it is not an end.
Marriage is a means to glorify God…So do it right.
This was the work of Balak, who, when he could not curse Israel, sent women to go and
intermarry with Israel.
Having looked at the trap, let us now look at the trouble from falling for into the trap!



3 And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."
4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
The Trouble – V3-4
1. Seeing man’s falling for the beauty trap…God gave man a warning.
He said that he would not always put up with man…and fight with him if he refuses to repent of
his sins.
God virtually said: “It is time this sin comes to an end.”
Why would God no longer strive (fight) with them?
Flesh is incapable of reason.
I Corinthians 2:14 - But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

2. Seeing man falling for the beauty trap…God gave man a limitation.
Man could expect judgment, unless he repented, in 120 years.
See how man likes to hurry judgment when he doesn’t follow God’s instructions.
This is the same word God uses to all those who are hearing his words today: My Spirit will not
always put up with you. And consider what Jesus said: Luke 13:3 "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
But in this you can also see grace; God gave man time to repent.

3. The product of this ungodly marriage were giants.
Who were these giants? V4
The word “giants” is transliterated “nephilim.”
Nephilim - means “soldiers” …killers…fallers (of men).
The word giant relates to the word for fall…or to fall upon violently…soldiers.
One example of usage is a violent storm that causes crops to fall and be destroyed.
Luther translates the word to mean: tyrants…but “fighting men” is the best translation.
They were giants of war.
We might say today: He was a giant of a politician.

4. The children born to Christian men and non-Christian women imitated the example of the warriors… the murderers…not of the godly.
(“Men of old” is used here to mean “of antiquity.” Men from long ago…maybe like Cain.)
They boasted of their wickedness…men of “renown.” (Warriors)
These were wicked men who were honored for crimes.
This was the greatest trouble of all.
It is only natural to follow the religion of a non- Christian. It an easier religion to follow…but it
is a more dangerous religion.
So take warning. Look at God’s warning to these Christians who were acting like pagans!



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.
6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
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."
The Threat
1. God saw…indicating that he was watching for a time…and God considered. V5
Though he was watching from the outside, he was watching outside and inside…the heart.
The inter-marrying people sinned continually and blatantly.

2. And God was sorry… V6
(Not “repented” as the KJV says – as it was an anthropomorphic expression…)
God is hurt by the atrocious sins of men – more than if they pierced his heart themselves…
Do you make God sorry by your continued disobedience to him?
When you consider the greatness and purity of God’s love, you understand how much you hurt
him by blatant disobedience.
3. And then God made the threat: I will destroy. V7
Destroying is the work of the Lord…and it is total destruction.
Vengeance is mine…says the Lord…

4. Even the animals man should have ruled over are going to be destroyed because of man’s sin.
The truth is, your sins always affect more than yourself…your family, friends, church, country…

5. But in the midst of the threat is always grace…and God shows it to Noah. V8
“Noah found favor” is an expression only used between the servant and his Lord.
This showed that Noah had no right to demand any favors from God.
What were the evidences of righteousness?
Noah became a preacher of righteousness. (II Peter 2:5)
He had one wife.
He had children…in obedience to God’s command to multiply.
His sons had one wife each…showing he taught them.
His family stood by him 120 years – which produced nothing of earthly value.
He built an ark when there was no sign of rain.
Learn from an example of a man who was successful and had faith in God.
A man is shown to be faithful even if he ministers to his own family.


Conclusion:
Ungodly marriages leads to the destruction of the godly! Throughout the history of mankind, this fact has proven itself to be true time and time again. This is why the prophets, the historians, the poets, the apostles, and the Lord himself warn against ungodly marriages and adultery.

The problem is, it is natural to do these things. It is natural to want a woman for a wife because she is beautiful and attractive and ignoring the fact that she might be worshipper of herself or of some other god. It is natural to want a husband because he is strong, good looking, or rich without considering that he will not follow God’s word as the head of the family. While these desires are natural, they are also sinful.

Only Christ can set you free from sinful desires to marry on the basis of beauty, wealth, or power. Only Christ will give you the desire to put your spouse above you. Only Christ teaches you how to do that. Only through Christ…only through Christ.

As a parent, teach this to your children…beginning now. Train them in truth. Save them from a life of misery. If you are looking for a spouse, keep your eyes looking for one who loves Christ more that himself or and loves Christ more than he loves you. When he loves Christ, Christ will help him to understand his duties and enable him to do them. To marry someone who loves your or himself more than Christ is sinful.

If your husband or wife is not a Christian, pray hard and pray long that the Lord will save them…as he promised. The Lord promised that the believing spouse with sanctify the non-believing one.

Finally, I have some good news for those who are not Christians…you have some time…I don’t know how much, but you have some time. Maybe you don’t have 120 years…but you have time today to tell God that you are sorry for your sins…you are sorry for living for yourself…and that you desire to live like his child. He will adopt you.