In 10 generations - from the time of Adam to the time of Noah - the world passed from a state of purity to a place of extreme wickedness.

After Adam and Eve were cast from the Garden of Eden, they had the gospel of Jesus Christ explained to them, and they, in turn, "made all things known unto their sons and their daughters." (Moses 5:12.)Adam and Eve, having taught the gospel to their children, had many righteous souls among their posterity. Some were "preachers of righteousness, and spake and prophesied, and called upon all men, everywhere, to repent; and faith was taught unto the children of men." (Moses 6:5, 23.) One descendant in particular, Enoch, was so righteous he and the worthy people of his city were translated. (See related article on this page.)

But righteousness did not prevail. By the time of Noah, wickedness was so widespread that the Lord said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth. . . . (Gen. 6:6.)

However, "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." (Gen. 6:8.) He was directed to build an ark, which would be the means to preserve his own life and the lives of his family and specified animals in the flood the Lord sent to cleanse the earth of its wickedness.

In his April 1981 general conference address, Elder Hartman Rector Jr. of the First Quorum of the Seventy pointed out a critical need for people today to realize the consequences of such widespread wickedness.

"I believe,' said Elder Rector, "that families are under a more serious attack today than at any time since the beginning of the world, with the possible exception of the days of Noah. It must have been bad then too. Maybe we today are not quite as bad as they were. . . . Moses recorded in the Book of Genesis: "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' (Gen. 6:5). I don't believe I have ever known anyone quite that bad, whose `every thought was evil continually.'

"The Lord further indicated that all flesh was corrupt in those days, and so He brought forth the flood and destroyed all flesh except Noah and his family. Therefore, we are all descendants of righteous Noah. But the family concept is under very serious attack today all over the world."

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(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)

Articles on this page may be used in conjunction with the Gospel Doctrine course of study.

Information compiled by Gerry Avant

Sources: Church History and Modern Revelation, by Joseph Fielding Smith; and October and April 1981 general conference reports.