Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2: Luther on Sin and the Flood

by Martin Luther

230. The universal judgment which follows is terrible in the extreme, namely that all flesh upon the earth had corrupted its way and that God, when he had begun to examine the sons of men, did not, from the oldest to the youngest of the fathers, find any he could save from destruction.

This strikes our ears as still more awful when we take into consideration the condition of the primitive world, not judging by the miserable fragments we have today. As the physical condition of the world at that time was infinitely ahead of this age, so we may conclude that the majesty and pomp of our rulers and the show of sanctity and wisdom on the part of the popes are not to be compared to the show of religion, righteousness and wisdom found among those renowned men of the primitive world.

And yet the text says that all flesh had corrupted its way, save Noah and his offspring. That means all men were wicked, lived in idolatry and false religion and hated the true worship of God. They despised the promise of the seed, and persecuted Noah, who proclaimed forgiveness through the seed and threatened to those, who should fail to believe his forgiveness, eternal doom.

VI.	GOD DECIDES TO PUNISH THE FIRST WORLD; COMMANDS NOAH TO BUILD AN ARK; THE COVENANT.
	A.	HOW GOD DECREED TO PUNISH THE OLD WORLD IN HIS WRATH.
		1.	How punishment finally comes when God has suffered sin long enough [231].
		*	Luther's hope that God's judgment may soon break upon the last world [231].
		2.	Whether reason can grasp the wrath and punishment of God [232].
		3.	How God's promises stand in the midst of his wrath and punishment [232].
		4.	The first world thought itself secure against God's wrath [233].
		*	The Papal security and boldness against the Evangelicals [234].
		5.	By what means God punished the first world [235].
		*	The Holy Spirit must reveal that God's wrath and punishment do not violate his promises [236].
		6.	The causes of this wrath and punishment [237].
		*	By what may it be known that God will visit Germany with punishment [238].
		*	God complains more of the violence shown to the neighbor than to himself [239].
		*	The damages of the deluge [240].
		*	The ground of the earth was in a better state before the flood than now [240].
		*	The colors in the rainbow signs of the punishment of the first and the last world [241].

VI. GOD DECIDES TO PUNISH THE FIRST WORLD; COMMANDS NOAH TO BUILD AN ARK; THE COVENANT.

A. God Decides to Punish the Old World.

V. 13. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

231. After Noah and his people had for a long time raised their accusing cry against the depravity of the world, the Lord gave evidence that he saw the depravity and intended to avenge it. This, the second stage, we also look for today, nor is there any doubt that men shall exist, to whom this coming destruction of the world is to be revealed, unless the destruction be the last day and the final judgment, which I truly wish. We have seen enough wickedness in these brief and evil days of ours. Godless men, as in Noah's time, adorn their vices with the name of holiness and righteousness. Hence, no penitence or reformation is to be hoped for. This stage having been reached in the times of Noah, sentence is finally passed, having been previously announced by the Lord when he gave command that striving should cease and issued the declaration that he regretted having made man.