Genesis 6:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"And the Lord said, I will destroy from the face of the earth the men whom I have created, from man to cattle." Yet, some might question why animals should suffer the same fate as humanity to prevent mankind from wickedness. The answer is clear: Animals exist for the benefit of humans. Thus, when humanity faces annihilation, what purpose do the animals serve? Consequently, they too endure punishment, illustrating the intensity of divine wrath against sin. Just as the earth fell under a curse due to the sin of the first man, so too are the voiceless creatures made participants in the penalty when mankind is threatened with extinction. As in a godly life, the created order shares in human prosperity, reflected in Paul’s words: “And the creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21), so now, when humans are to be punished for their transgressions and face ultimate destruction, the cattle, insects, and birds are also subjected to the flood that will engulf the entire world. Just as when the chief servant incurs the wrath of his master, it is common for all his fellow servants to share his plight, so too when men perish, all those in their sphere, akin to members of a household, are inevitably included in the same fate. "I repented," says Scripture, "that I made them." How much grace is encapsulated in that statement! Did I intend, asks God, to impose such a fate upon them? It is they, by their immense wickedness, who have provoked such severe anger within Me.

Similarly, familiar with the concept of marital fidelity safeguarded by the husband's commitment, they described God’s Providence, which ensures the soul remains untainted by following false deities, as the zeal of God. In a comparable manner, they attributed to God's hand the power through which He acts, His feet the force that sustains and governs all creation, His ears or eyes the ability through which He perceives and comprehends all things, and His face the means by which He reveals Himself and is known. All of this is because we, the audience of this Scripture, tend to act with our hands, walk with our feet, and move where our spirit leads; we perceive the physical world through our ears, eyes, and other senses, and express ourselves through our faces, among other characteristics. Additionally, it is typical for us to easily abandon begun endeavors and shift our focus when prompted by remorse. Thus, although one can clearly discern the meticulous governance of all creation by God’s Providence, what begins and fails to endure—though it was expected to—can be, in accordance with humanity's limited understanding, described as postponed, almost as if suggesting a change of mind on God’s part.

The wrath of God signifies not a tumultuous stirring within His Spirit but a judgment delivering the penalty for sin. Conversely, God's thought and reflection serve as the immutable foundation of all that is subject to change. Unlike humans, God does not repent; His judgments regarding all matters are as steadfast as His foreknowledge is certain. If Scripture refrained from using such expressions, it would fail to resonate with the hearts of diverse individuals, to whom it aims to offer guidance—frightening the proud, encouraging the indifferent, stimulating the introspective, and nurturing the understanding. This connection could not be made unless Scripture first adapted and lowered itself to meet the needs of the weak.

The pronouncement of doom extends to all creatures of the earth, indicating the vastness of the impending disaster, rather than suggesting a senseless sentence upon animals as if they too had sinned.

Even though the immutable Being chose to state His repentance, He did so to instill fear in that bold generation and to sow the seeds of repentance in the hearts of those who remained obstinate. If there had been a flaw in God’s creation, He could have readily fashioned a new world instead of preserving within the ark the very beings for whom He expressed sorrow. Thus, when God said, ‘I repent,’ it becomes clear that He did not truly repent. For if God expressed sorrow for sinners, why then would He lament the fate of the cattle, creeping things, and birds, which had committed no sin? If He had no sorrow for them, why did He speak of repentance when it was not sincere? This regret regarding the creation, both of the guilty and the innocent, illustrates that God’s declaration of repentance arose from His love for sinners and does not imply a lack of foreknowledge. The Goodness that brought forth mankind cared deeply that they would not face destruction for their wrongdoings, and that if they escaped judgment, the subsequent generations would be corrupted through their example.

Thus, God's omnipresence is evident in His observation, while His sorrowful heart illustrates the gravity of His wrath, and His actions demonstrate the righteousness of His judgment. When the Scripture states that the Lord repented for making mankind, it does not imply that God undergoes a change in His nature or is influenced by emotions. Rather, the Divine message speaks to us in a way we can comprehend, using the term repentance to convey the reality of Divine anger, which serves as the consequence for sinners.