Genesis 6:5 Daily Devotional & Meaning – The Depth of Human Wickedness
- Benjamin Michael Mcgreevy
- Mar 5
- 3 min read
Daily Verses Everyday! Day 30
“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.”
This verse presents some profound truths that highlight the depth of God’s knowledge over all creation. Here, we see that God not only observes outward actions but also perceives the inner reality of every human being. It says that He saw “[that] every imagination of the thoughts of [man’s] heart [was] only evil continually.” This points to the comprehensive corruption of humanity, not just in behavior but in intention, motivation, and desire. God’s judgment is never shallow; He knows the secret places of the heart where no human eye can see.
This truth is echoed throughout Scripture. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” Similarly, 1 Chronicles 28:9 declares, “the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts.” Furthermore, Psalm 139:1–4 paints a powerful picture of God’s intimate knowledge saying, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known [me.] Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted [with] all my ways. For [there is] not a word in my tongue, [but,] lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.”
Jesus Himself affirms this reality in the New Testament. Matthew 9:4 states, “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?” Likewise, Luke 16:15 records, “And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” Hebrews 4:12–13 further declares that “For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Taken together, these verses remind us that God’s awareness runs deeper than human comprehension.
In Genesis 6:5, God’s grief arises not merely from wicked deeds but from the total corruption of the human heart, where even the root of thought and imagination had turned to evil. This verse is a sobering reminder that sin is not just external; it runs deep within, and God sees it fully. It simultaneously prepares us for the necessity of divine redemption, pointing us forward to Christ, who alone can create a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us, as said in Psalm 51:10.
If you would like to explore Genesis in a sustained, verse-by-verse way with space to reflect, journal, and trace how these foundational truths unfold through Scripture the Verse by Verse book expands these reflections into a unified reading experience. The book gathers these meditations into a structured journey through Genesis, designed to help readers linger in the text and engage God’s Word more deeply over time.
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