What was the condition of man's heart just before the flood in Genesis 6:5?
Just before the flood, man's heart was wholly bent toward evil. Scripture records that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, and the wickedness of man was great in the earth. The context stresses that all they could think about was unrighteousness.
Les explains that Genesis 6:5 describes the condition just before the flood: God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil continually. Les emphasizes that this was not merely occasional wrongdoing but a continual inward bent—all they could think about was that which was unrighteous. He connects this to Romans' list of sins and to Jesus' words that as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man, and he observes that society is getting there fast.
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
More Questions
When did God see that the wickedness of man was great in the earth?
The wickedness of man that God saw in Genesis 6:5 occurred just before the flood.
What does Genesis 6:5 show about how sinful people were before the Law was given?
Genesis 6:5 is a good example of how sin ran rampant before the Law was given: God saw that man's wickedness was great in the earth and that every imagination of his heart was only evil continually.
How wicked was man before the Law was given, according to Genesis 6:5?
Genesis 6:5 shows what humanity was like before the Law: every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually—all people could think about was evil, wickedness, and dishonesty, always trying to cook up a crooked deal.