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. (Genesis 6:5)
Before I go any further, I just want to pass along this disclaimer: This article is not about the “Nephilim.” I repeat: This is not about the Nephilim! Mankind has been given an imagination. Yet, an imagination left to the devices of man turn toward evil.
This is why a believer needs to trust only in the revelation of God – through the sixty-six books of divine inspiration, the Bible!
The leaning on imagination, rather than trusting the Lord, through His incredible revelation to them, is one, if not the most, consistent things that takes place in the Bible:
Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not. (Jeremiah 11:8)
Tragically, this would carry forth, even to today. “Like father like son,” is a phrase we often hear today concerning how a son carries the same attributes as his father. I think we can all say that we are like our dads, or moms, in many ways – either in physical appearance, or in practice.
Israel did worse than their fathers. This is the sad trajectory of sin. It does not improve, except through the intervention of another. Had not God Himself intervened, because of His promises to Israel, they would have no hope.
And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God? Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law; And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me: Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you favour. (Jeremiah 16:10-13)
Yet, was this not the very same reason that mankind was scattered from Babel? Sadly, many “so called” members of the Body of Christ have turned toward imagination, just as those of old did.
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: (Genesis 11:5-10)
Sadly, many still do not look to the written record of the Old Testament regarding the ever-backsliding nation. If you were to search for the term “church imagination” in your favorite search engine, you’ll be aghast at what you find. I’ll leave it at that.
Our greatest, and only, refuge we have is to read, and study, the revealed Word of God, rather than be carried away with anything else. We are, as Paul says, to cast down those imaginations, and everything that puts itself above Scripture:
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:1-6)
At face-value, there is nothing wrong with imagination. We all have some sort of imagination. The problem is in how it is used – much like any other feeling, or emotion.
Imagination should never be held at the same level of Biblical revelation – through the reading, and studying, of the Word of God. Sadly, many churches / people are now exalting imagination ABOVE the Word.
I pray for those who are under such delusional teachings. Some do not realize that they are being duped, while others do realize it, but have built up relationships, etc. that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ, as well.
Bob Picard, Pastor God’s Grace Bible Church, Millbury, Massachusetts
info@godsgracebc.org http://www.godsgracebc.org
