THEME:

ALLOWING GOD TO BROOD OVER THE CHAOS AND EMPTINESS OF OUR LIVES

INTRODUCTION
Last week we explored Cain’s desire to rule over God and the world around him. We
acknowledged that for both Cain and for ourselves life is full of uncertainties and
rugged terrain; what we may call the chaos of life. We try to deal with such potential
chaos by exercising control over it, but often making life worse for others and
ourselves in the process.

The storyteller of Genesis now moves the narrative forward by giving us a snapshot
of the world before the flood. This snapshot includes the expansion of the human
population and the corrupting influence of sin in the world. It also features some
fascinating references to several mysterious groups.

THE INTRUSION OF CHAOS

Before we move into the story of the flood, it will help our understanding a great deal
if we move back in the narrative momentarily to Genesis 1.

The Creation story reminds us that earth begins as a formless void; tohu wa vohu.
Whatever else we learn from Genesis 1, we discover the good news that God creates
by hovering over the surface of chaos.

For those of you were heard the introduction to Genesis a few weeks ago, you may
recall that Genesis 1 portrays the world as a cosmic temple in which God’s Presence
dwells. In this temple God creates spaces of habitation on the first 3 days and then
proceeds to populate those spaces with creatures on days through to 6.

1. Light/Dark
2. Water/Sky
3. Dry Land/Plants
4. Sun, Moon, Stars
5. Sea monsters, birds
6. Land animal, humans

When all things are in their right place (sun, moon, stars, sea, land, plants, birds & sea
creatures, animals and finally human beings) God sees that it is all very good.

The unique significance Genesis gives to us as human beings is that we have a

purpose to be God’s image bearers in the world, like icons or images in a Temple.

The original chaos and emptiness of the world is replaced by order and purpose, and
that order is established and upheld by an unspoken covenant.

Now, when that original blessing is rejected by the Man and the Woman out of a
desire to be like God, covenant is broken or at least fractured and entropy enters
world. The tohu wa vohu, the chaos and emptiness reassert themselves and become
an uncontrollable and unenviable part of our lives.
BEFORE THE FLOOD
The stories outside of Eden describe this primal chaos corrupting more and more of
the world as people attempt to get control in sinful ways; in other words by trying to
rule with out being in relationship with God. The situation described in Genesis 6 is of
a world going down in spiral as human sin continues to make a breach for this primal
chaos to intrude into the world.

As we lead up to the story of flood we’re told that God looks at this sorry state of
affairs and regrets creating it all in the first place. And this sets the scene for the great
flood in which God allows the world to revert back to the chaos and void, so that once
again the primal waters cover the world, sending everything back to day 1 in order to
prepare the way for a new creation and a renewed covenant.

As individual people, we’re like a microcosm of this picture:

We are called to be a faithful presence in the world somehow extending the blessing
of God through our interactions.
But when we turn from our God-centred purpose the chaos and void re-enter our
world with unpredictable and sometimes destructive consequences.

SONS, GIANTS AND HEROS

The world of Genesis 6 is a picture of a world just before flood is unleashed.
The human population growing, in fulfilment of God’s mandate to “multiply and fill
the earth.” – but under the influence of the fall there is a sinister twisting of this
mandate. This arena of God’s blessing has become the main arena for the instruction
of evil.

Into this picture the storyteller very briefly introduces two groups of mysterious
figures; the Sons of God, and the Nephilim also referred to as the Heroes of old. Each
of these represent not only aspects of the world before the flood, but also aspects of
life in our world that we will recognize.

The first of these are a group referred to as the Sons of God who take wives from the
daughters of men.

One possible interpretation is that the sons of God are angels, or heavenly beings that
beings that have rebelled against God and sought to set up their own rule on earth.
This view is supported by a reference in the book of Job to the heavenly beings who
assemble before the throne of God, Satan included among them (Job 1:6; 2:1). If this is
what the storyteller of Genesis has in mind the sons of God are the god’s and
goddesses that people began to worship instead of YHWH. And of course the ancient
world is populated with myths of gods having children with women.

Some people will protest that this is all pretty crazy stuff, on the same level as alien
overlords coming in UFOs to build the pyramids. But before we dismiss this
interpretation it would be wise to remember that Genesis invites us to enter into a
strange, at times frightening world, in which angels do turn up in human form, such
as we shall see in later episodes when Abraham plays host to three mysterious
visitors representing God.
A second interpretation is that the sons of God were the ancient rulers who wanted to
be like God. In fact Genesis chapters 1-11 is populated with people who want in some
way to be like God. The priest kings who ruled ancient Mesopatamia claimed that
they were descended from the gods and goddesses...that was what gave them the
power to rule over the masses of people who were forced to labour making bricks,
building cities, irrigation networks and growing grain. They also took many wives or
concubines for themselves, in much the same way that men of power still seek to
exercise power over women.

This interpretation appeals to those who are concerned about drawing a sharp line
between history and non-Biblical mythology.

But whether we're talking about kings who want to be gods, or angels who want to
play god, we're talking about individuals who want to take the place of God and rule
over a world increasingly corrupted by sin.

If we think about this in terms of the world in which we live, the son of God of Genesis
6 might be thought of as the leaders of our world who seek to control the chaos of
global markets, ecological ruin or social instability by imposing an order of their own.
As we know such imposed order often contributes only to a deepening of the chaos.

THE NEPHILLIM
When we can no longer put our trust in political leaders we look to a second kind of
person to bring order to our lives, the heros. This second group is introduced by the
storyteller as the Nephillim; sometimes translated as the giants. The Nephillim we are
told are the offspring of the Sons of God and they are the heroes of old.

The brief attention the Bible gives to these heroes tells us how important they are in
God’s sight. They’re clearly not important at all. Other ancient societies composed
epic poems in celebration of their heroes:

Gilgamesh, the half-god, half-man king of ancient Mesopotamia who searched for the
secret of immortality.
Theseus, the half-god, half man of ancient Greece who defeated the chaotic force of
the Minotaur bringing peace to Athens.

We of course have our own cultural heroes; the men and women who assure us that
some semblance of control or achievement can be asserted over the chaos of human
experience. The Edmond Hillary’s or the Neil Armstrong’s of our world who conquer
unchartered territory. The Elon Musk’s or the Albert Einstein’s who assure us that
human intelligence or technological innovation will hold back the flood. The sporting
heroes who make us feel, at least for a moment that in the midst of a crazy world at
least we’re on the winning side.

All such heroes are a mere footnote in the unfolding story of Genesis.

The Bible’s message is clear; God is the only hero in the story. Only God can bring
order and peace to the chaos caused by human falleness.
Work life, family life, all take place in the everyday conditions of human interaction,
an environment in which the temptation to take God’s place as the source of order or
transformation is usually present in one way, or another.

Strategic planning, parish management, excellence in worship, desired outcomes, all

reinforce the idea that we need to be people who have a control over the situation. Of
course no one wants a vicar falling to pieces in the middle of a funeral!

We’re not necessarily deliberately trying to replace God, but in our desire for control
and certainty we displace God.

Like Cain we end up with a religious performance that others may be impressed with,
but we're left with a sense of loss or of absence, or the sense that the blessing of God’s
grace is not present in our lives.

The fabric is torn and beneath the façade we see the chaos and emptiness that has
been there all along.

CONCLUSION
It may be presumptuous for me to invite you to become aware of the elements of
chaos or emptiness in your life...if you are like me the elements are certain to be there
and you may already be aware of them.

Prayer, As Trusting God in the chaos...

Allow yourself to become present to the chaos or to the emptiness in your life or in
the world about you.

Loneliness, frustration, sadness, longing for more, anxiety:

I’m not suggesting that any of us enjoy these or should want to stay in a state of chaos,
but that acknowledging them becomes a meeting place between ourselves and God, in
which the Holy Spirt works as we relinquish. The experience of Jonah going down
into the chaos of the depths in the belly of a fish…reminded him of his dependence
upon God.

I’ve been reflecting on the fact that when God speaks in Genesis 1 things happen.
The Sun, Moon and Stars rule over the day and night – simply, very naturally.
The earth brings forth vegetation.
The sea and sky teem with life.
Again, the earth brings forth living creatures.

What happens when God’s Spirit is given space to hover over the interior contours of
your soul?
We see this at work in the Gospel ministry of Jesus. When Jesus, filled with the Spirit,
comes into the chaos and emptiness of our lives, he brings life and renewal. Not our
work but his work, our relinquishment.

This is the Good New we have heard in the opening chapter of Genesis and will also
hear at the end of the flood story. This is God’s world, and through God’s presence
and speech, the disorder becomes ordered and life-giving again.

What creative energy, what gift, what passion, what desire is God calling forth from
you when the Spirit of God moves over the interior deeps of your life?