sermon20220925 Genesis 5: Death Interrupted, Hope Restored

Genesis 4:25–26 ESV

25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.

Genesis 5 ESV

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. 3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4 The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. 5 Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died. 6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. 7 Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died. 9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan. 10 Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11 Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died. 12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died. 15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17 Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died. 18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch. 19 Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died. 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. 25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died. 28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son 29 and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.” 30 Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died. 32 After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Toledot Structure of Genesis

1.      Creation                                                    1:1—2:3

2.      Toledot of heavens & earth               2:4—4:26

3.      Toledot of Adam                                    5:1-6:8

4.      Toledot of Noah                                     6:8-9:29

5.      Toledot of Shem, Ham, Japheth    10:1-11:9

6.      Toledot of Shem                                   11:10-11:26

7.      Toledot of Terah                                   11:27-25:11

8.      Toledot of Ishmael                              25:12-25:18

9.      Toledot of Isaac                                   25:19—35:29

10.  Toledot of Esau                                     36:1-8; 36:9-37:1

11.  Toledot of Jacob                                  37:2-50:26

Hebrews 11:1–6 ESV

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

11:6 - a conclusion and an introduction

Genesis may be examined from the perspective of faith:

Those who walk by faith and those who walk by sight

Those who are the sons of God and those who are the sons of man

Those who are born from above and those who spiritually dead

Those who have the fruit of the Spirit and those who display the acts of the sinful nature

The saved and the lost - this has been the witness of Scripture since the beginning of time

MacArthur Study Bible NASB Commentary

5:1–32 Adam … Noah. The genealogy connects Adam to the Noahic family which not only survived the Flood, but also became first in God’s re-creation. Two recurring phrases carry redemption history forward: “… he had other sons and daughters,” “… and he died.” These lines, which get repeated for each successive descendant of Adam, echo two contrasting realities; God had said “you will surely die” (2:17), but He had also commanded them to “be fruitful and multiply” (1:28).

5:1 the likeness of God. See notes on 1:26.

5:2 named them Man. In naming man, God declared His own dominion over all creation (Mt 19:4; Mk 10:6).

5:3 in his own likeness, according to his image. The human image and likeness in which God created mankind was procreatively passed to the second generation and to all generations which follow.

5:5 nine hundred and thirty years. These are literal years marking unusual length of life which are accounted for by the pre-Flood environment provided by the earth being under a canopy of water, filtering out the ultraviolet rays of the sun and producing a much more moderate and healthful condition. See notes on 1:7; 2:6. and he died. God told Adam that if he ate of the tree he would surely die (2:17). It included spiritual death immediately and then physical death later.

5:24 walked with God … was not, for God took him. Enoch is the only break in the chapter from the incessant comment, “and he died.” Cf. 4:17, 18; 1Ch 1:3; Lk 3:37; Heb 11:5; Jude 14. Only one other man is said to have enjoyed this intimacy of relationship in walking with God, Noah (6:9). Enoch experienced being taken to heaven alive by God, as did Elijah later (2Ki 2:1–12).

(1) The now and not yet of God’s promises - and warnings

2:17 - you will surely die

1:18 - be fruitful and multiply

Gen 3:15 - the seed, the promised offspring, shall destroy Satan, sin, and death

(2) We are the marred image and likeness of the Triune Creator

5:1; 1:26 the likeness of God - God does not look like us, we look like God. Man is created in His image rather than the pagans who created their Gods according to their desires.

The Father is Spirit, the the Holy Spirit is Spirit, Jesus is Spirit, now eternally enfleshed and we are to become like Him, He is not to be made into what we want Him to be.

We waited to deal with this because this is not just a pre-Fall truth

Romans 8:29 ESV

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

(3) Enoch pleased God

The long lives of OT characters

Adam was 130 when he had Seth and he lived to be 930. And he died

Seth was 105 when he had Enosh and lived to 912. And he died

Enosh had Kenan at 90 and lived to 905. And he died.

Kenan had Mahalalel at 70 and lived to 910. And he died

Mahalalel had Jared at 65 and lived to 895. And he died

Jared had Enoch at 162 and lived to 962. And he died

Enoch had Methuselah at 65 and lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God , and he was not, for God took him

Methuselah had Lamech at 187 and lived to 969. And he died

Lamech had Noah at 182 and lived 777 years. And he died

Noah had Shem, Ham, Japheth after he was 500

By faith - that is how Enoch walked with God

By faith - this was how Enoch pleased God

Genesis 5:24 ESV

24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

Hebrews 11:5 ESV

5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.

(4) Noah means “rest,” a rest which leads to comfort

Genesis 5:25–29 ESV

25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died. 28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son 29 and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.”

The Bible mentions two different men by the name of Lamech, both in the book of Genesis. The first Lamech was the son of Methushael, and the second Lamech was the son of Methuselah. Although the men shared a name and had fathers with names that sound very much alike, that is where their similarities end.

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 5

The genealogical pattern is disrupted by the inclusion of Lamech’s explanation for the name Noah. Lamech’s comment on the name “Noah” (Hb. noakh), which strictly speaking means “rest” (Hb. nuakh), introduces the related concept of “comfort” (Hb. nakham). Lamech expects that Noah will bring both rest and comfort from the painful toil of working the soil (see 3:17–19). Lamech’s 777 years provides an interesting point of contact with his namesake in 4:18–24 and seventy-sevenfold vengeance.

Lamech the descendent of Cain and Lamech the descendant of Seth

Death Interrupted, Hope Restored

Enoch shows to us that faith, true faith, the faith that can only be given by the Holy Spirit as a gift, can break the cycle of death

This glimpse of Noah shows us that through faith, hope and comfort and rest can be restored.

Do you received God’s gift of victory over sin and death through faith in Jesus?

Do you see in Scripture the promise of rest and comfort and hope even though all around you is darkness and struggle?

Do you pray for the return of Jesus, the one who will come back and take us away just as Enoch was taken away?