LESSONS FROM A GENEALOGY

Genesis 5:1–5 KJV 1900

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. 3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: 4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: 5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

INTRODUCTION:

1. In all my years of ministry, I have never preached a message from a genealogy…which is what Genesis 5 is.

2. Genesis 5 is one those chapters that most people would be inclined to skip.

When it comes to your Bible reading & Bible study...you most likely skim these verses, wondering why they are even in the Bible.

If we’d be honest - for most of us, the genealogies are the most boring part of the Bible.

3. However, when we come to Genesis 5, here’s what we find?

This is a list of the descendants of Adam down to the time of Noah and the great flood.

This genealogy covers a period of 1,656 years.

Though, we don’t know much about most of the names written in this chapter…they were pillars of faith in an increasingly godless age…They stood for God with such tenacity and in such a way that their names have been preserved for future generations.

4. So, this morning let’s look at this chapter & see what we can learn from this genealogy.

1) GOD’S ORIGINAL INTENT FOR MAN

Genesis 5:1–2 KJV 1900

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

1. Moses takes us back to Genesis 1, before the fall…to remind us of God’s original purpose for man.

Notice that man is a created being.

In other words, we aren't here by a random accident or coincidence.

We are here b/c of God's decision & choice.

NOTE: Man didn't just appear by chance…he didn't just evolve through some freak accident of nature…he didn't come from some random evolutionary process.

There was plan and purpose behind man's appearance on earth, the plan and purpose of God.

NOTE: Man is the creature that God planned and purposed eternally—long, long before the earth was ever founded.

God and God alone created man.

2. We are also told that God created man in His likeness.

Originally, God made man to be like Him.

He created man with the highest dignity and nature possible.

This means that man was created just like God...

in perfection

in holiness

in spirit

3. Notice also that God created male & female.

From the beginning, we see that God designed it so that a man & a woman should be together.

God also blessed them…He placed His favor on them.

NOTE: God’s original intent for man was to rule & reign on the earth.

We were to have dominion over everything on the earth…but due to sin everything changed.

2) SIN WAS PASSED TO ALL PEOPLE

Genesis 5:3 KJV 1900

3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

1. This verse tells us about the birth of Seth...However, notice that it says that Adam begat a son in his own likeness, after his image.

Adam was created in the likeness of God…but Seth in the likeness of Adam.

2. What does this mean?

This refers to Adam's fallen, sinful nature.

Seth was the exact duplicate of what Adam was...both in his inner life and his outer life...He was, therefore, a fallen man.

But so is every son and daughter of Adam since then.

NOTE: We find ourselves here too b/c we are sons and daughters of Adam and share the same characteristics as Seth, the son of Adam.

Adam’s disobedience passed his sinful nature on to everyone that would come after him.

Arthur Pink states the point of human depravity well:

"By sin Adam lost the image of God and became corrupt in his nature and a fallen parent could do no more than beget a fallen child. Seth was begotten in the likeness of a sinful father! Since Noah was the direct descendent of Seth and is the father of us all, and since he was able to transmit to us only that which he had, himself, received from Seth, we have here the doctrine of universal depravity. Every man living in the world today is, through Noah and his three sons, a descendent of Seth - we have all been begotten in the image and likeness of a corrupt and sinful father" ( Gleanings in Genesis, p.74).

Romans 5:12 NLT

12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

Psalm 51:5 NLT

5 For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

NOTE: Any person born into this world has a sinful nature.

A child doesn’t have to be taught to lie…or cheat…or be selfish.

Why - b/c of the sinful nature that has been passed on to us from Adam.

3) GOD VALUES FAMILY

1. Before God organized the church…or government…or any other institution…God designed & formed the family.

God came up with the home.

In Genesis 1, God told Adam & Eve to “be fruitful & multiply” & that’s what they did.

Genesis 5:4 KJV 1900

4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:

1. We see that Adam had other sons & daughters.

Adam & Eve were living out the command that God had given them.

All of the names listed in Genesis 5 are from the same family.

And from this genealogy, we learn several lessons about the value of the family.

A. Children are a gift & blessing from God.

Psalm 127:3–5 NLT

3 Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. 4 Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. 5 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.

If you have had the privilege of having children…you are blessed by God.

The Psalmist says they are a gift & reward from God.

B. Parent’s have a responsibility in the raising of their children.

Seth was born to replace Abel…and Seth was a worshiper of God & his offspring were those who followed God.

The names that are listed in Genesis 5 are believers…They followed God, worshipped God, & lived for Him.

But how did Seth & his descendants know about God?

They learned from Adam & Eve.

Adam/Eve had taught their children about God…They had taught them to follow, worship, and live for Him.

However, not all of Adam & Eve’s children followed God.

Last week, we talked about Cain…and who had the same godly parents as Seth...but Cain rejected his parents and rebelled against God.

Apparently, some of Adam’s other children...when they became adults also rejected God and followed after the way of Cain…We talked about that Wednesday night.

NOTE: Two great lessons can be gleaned from Adam/Eve as godly parents.

1) We must teach our children about God.

We must teach them to follow, to worship, and live for God.

We must also teach them to believe His Word and promises.

Most of all, we must teach them about JC.

2 Timothy 3:15 KJV 1900

15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2) We can't be discouraged or blame God when some of our children rebel and reject God.

NOTE: We must remain faithful and continue to teach the truth of Christ and His Word...no matter what our children may do.

In fact, we must teach the truth with more fervor than ever before & never back off.

Also, we must pray fervently & intercede in prayer for our children.

Matthew 7:7–8 NKJV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV

17 pray without ceasing,

NOTE: We can’t guarantee that our kids will serve God…but raising them in a godly home & environment certainly helps.

4) DEATH IS INEVITABLE

Genesis 5:5 KJV 1900

5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

1. Adam had been created perfect.

God's purpose was for man to live forever without ever having to die…But God warned Adam: he would die if he ate the forbidden fruit…and tragically that's what Adam did.

2. Adam did his own thing: he ate the forbidden fruit…and from that very moment of sin—Adam became mortal, subject to corruption, aging, and decay.

3. The fact of death is one of the lessons of this godly genealogy.

4. Notice the reign of death over man is seen eight times in this chapter alone (Genesis 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31).

NOTE: B/C of sin, we all must die…B/C of sin, death is inevitable.

God said it would happen…but Satan told Eve that it wouldn't.

But we see that God is always true & Satan is a liar.

Chapter 5 shows us who is right.

Even though the people of chapter 5 lived long lives…they still died.

Methuselah, the man who lived longer than anyone else (969 yrs.) still died.

NOTE: We don't like to talk about death, esp. our own…but one day death is coming to all of us.

5. The bible tells us that God has determined the length of man’s days and when those days are over they leave this world.

Job 14:5 NLT

5 You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.

Psalm 39:4 KJV 1900

4 Lord, Make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; That I may know how frail I am.

Hebrews 9:27 KJV 1900

27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

From the moment of our births, we begin a countdown toward death!

NOTE: Death is not an accident but an appointment.

Every cemetery, every funeral home, every hearse is a reminder that death is coming.

Every reminder that death is coming is a reminder to prepare.

This life is a time of preparation.

Are you prepared to meet death? You can be…& you should be...

5) WALKING WITH GOD GIVES US HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE

Genesis 5:21–24 KJV 1900

21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: 22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

1. Scripture declares twice that "Enoch walked with God" (Genesis 5:22, 24).

Walking means forward movement or steady progress.

In other words, Enoch didn't walk a little and then stop or turn aside.

He wasn't fluctuating up and down.

Enoch was genuine through and through…he was steadfast and persevering.

He walked with God consistently…He was constantly growing more and more.

But what does it mean "to walk with God?"

The life of Enoch shows us.

2. First of all, Enoch believed in God.

In other words, he had placed his faith & trust in God.

Hebrews 11:5–6 KJV 1900

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

He knew that Jehovah was the only true God & Enoch devoted his life to serving, worshiping, & following Him.

3. Secondly, Enoch lived a separated life in an ungodly world.

The world in which Enoch lived wasn’t much different than the world that we live in today…but Enoch stood out in his day.

Enoch was different.

Jude 14–15 KJV 1900

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Jude says that Enoch stood against and preached against the ungodliness of his day.

NOTE: If you walk with God, you can’t walk the way the world walks.

4. Thirdly, to "walk with God" means to develop an unbroken communion and fellowship with God.

The phrase “walk with God” means to walk about with God, to live with God, to have the most intimate fellowship and communion with God (H.C. Leupold. Genesis, Vol.1, p.241).

Enoch did what we should do - he sought an unbroken fellowship and communion with God.

He sought know to God in an intimate way.

Let me ask you this morning - Are you walking with God in unbroken fellowship & communion?

5. Notice the result of Enoch’s walk with God - Enoch was taken or translated.

Note what Scripture says: "He was not" or "He was no more" (NIV).

Scripture simply means that Enoch was translated—transferred from earth to heaven, to be with God.

Enoch was transferred right into the presence of God without dying.

Enoch's "walk with God" had become so intimate and intense...that God couldn’t leave him on earth any longer.

"He did not live like the rest, so he did not die like the rest" ( Matthew Henry's Commentary, Vol.1, p.49)

Enoch is a type of those who will be alive at the Lord’s coming and who will be taken directly to heaven without dying.

This is referred to as the blessed hope of every believer.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 KJV 1900

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

I believe this refers to the rapture of the church.

NOTE: Those who walk with God have the hope of eternal life…Those who walk with God have the hope of heaven.

Those who who walk with God & who are alive when Jesus returns will be translated or raptured just like Enoch.

CONCLUSION:

Let’s wrap up the message by drawing three lessons from this genealogy.

A. People Matter to God.

Most of the names in this chapter aren’t known to us.

We can’t say anything definite about what most of them did...Their personal details are hidden from us...But we do know this...They lived for God in an ungodly age and they believed in God when others mocked them.

They are true heroes and deserve to be remembered and honored.

But they also remind us that no one is ever forgotten or overlooked by God.

B. Death Still Reigns Today.

This list is like a monotonous drumbeat of death:

Adam lived … and he died.

Seth lived … and he died.

Enosh lived … and he died.

Cainan lived … and he died.

The only exception being Enoch who was taken directly to heaven without seeing death...But all the rest lived hundreds of years and then they died.

Death reigned in the earliest generations of world history...And death still reigns today.

When you die, the coroner will fill out a death certificate for you...There’s a space on that certificate that says “Cause of Death.”

If we understand the Bible, the answer is always the same: “Sin.”

Not sickness, not cancer, not an accident, not old age...Those are merely symptoms of the one great cause of death - which is sin.

C. God Honors Those Who Live By Faith.

Enoch walked with God & he was no more.

God rewarded him for his faith.

In fact, in Hebrews 11, Enoch’s name is mentioned & Noah’s name is mentioned among the heroes of the faith.

NOTE: Anyone who walks with God faithfully will be rewarded & honored by God.

Nothing matters more than living for God.

If we are rich and successful…if we are famous and blessed with worldly acclaim…if we are regarded as the best and the brightest… it will all count for nothing if we fail to remain faithful to God.

Mark 8:36 KJV 1900

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

If the list in Genesis 5 were extended, would your name be on the list?

May God help us to run the race with endurance.

Let’s pray!!!