I suppose one way to put it is that "God may change His plans, but He will never change His purpose". He will always act consistently to his character and nature, that is good/righteous: He will judge the wicked and show mercy to those who are humble and faithful. He will always keep what he's promised, but while some promises are already foretold and set in stone (e.g. redemption of sin through Jesus's incarnation, death and resurrection), certain others seem to have an "if... then..." clause.
Speaking about the Flood specifically, there is a theory that suggests that the Flood was not only to destroy wicked people, but also to eradicate the Nephilim, which some believe to be the offspring of human and (fallen) angels/demons that might taint the human line (through the daughters of Adam/men) from which the Messiah was to come. A lot of these theories are derived from the Apocrypha though (particularly the Book of Enoch), so the authenticity of the text is somewhat debatable.
The book does present a more detailed description of what "the wicked people" were like during those pre-Flood days: "And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another’s flesh, and drink the blood. Then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones." (Enoch 7)
So it was probably far more evil than simply drunken debauchery and wild/promiscuous lifestyle we tend to think about when we hear about a wicked generation.
Speaking about the Flood specifically, there is a theory that suggests that the Flood was not only to destroy wicked people, but also to eradicate the Nephilim, which some believe to be the offspring of human and (fallen) angels/demons that might taint the human line (through the daughters of Adam/men) from which the Messiah was to come. A lot of these theories are derived from the Apocrypha though (particularly the Book of Enoch), so the authenticity of the text is somewhat debatable.
The book does present a more detailed description of what "the wicked people" were like during those pre-Flood days: "And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another’s flesh, and drink the blood. Then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones." (Enoch 7)
So it was probably far more evil than simply drunken debauchery and wild/promiscuous lifestyle we tend to think about when we hear about a wicked generation.
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