Genesis 5:1-31 A dual legacy

What heirloom have you received?

What are you passing on?

(ESV) Genesis 5 1 This is the book of the generations of Adam

This is what happened to Adam - And so Adam’s the legacy begins

(ESV) Genesis 5 1 … 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 Lordhas 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.

I. A dual legacy: Legacy of death

A. A dual likeness Gen 5:1-3

(ESV) Genesis 5 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.

1. Likeness of God

2. Likeness of man – sin

(ESV) Genesis 4 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh.

Enosh” means “man” and comes from a Hebrew word that means “frail, weak.” It’s the word for man that emphasizes how fragile and weak we really are in ourselves.

B. An extended life Gen 5:4-5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31

(ESV) Genesis 5 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. 8 Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died. … 11 Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died. … 14 Thus all the days of Kenanwere 910 years, and he died. …

17 Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died. … 20 Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died. … 27 Thus all the days of Methuselahwere 969 years, and he died. … 31 Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.

1. If only – young death / death even with age of the great

a. If only I could start over with what I know now

b. If only I could live another hundred years, could benefit from experience

c. Not necessarily so

2. Population growth

3. Great progress – in culture – in discoveries

4. Opportunities to serve / to grow / to mature in one’s walk with God and knowledge of God

5. Or opportunity to grow worse and worse / to delve deep into the mire of sin

Birth

Death

0

Adam

930

130

Seth

1042

235

Enosh

1140

325

Cainan

1235

395

Mahalalel

1290

460

Jared

1422

622

Enoch

987

687

Methuselah

1656

874

Lamech

1651

1056

Noah

2006

1656

Flood

a. Consider – the dates / Every generation prior to Noah know and lived with Adam – could tell first hand the stories of creation and fall (assuming a complete list – may have skipped generations)

C. An ultimate death Gen 5:4-5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31

(ESV) Genesis 5 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. 8 Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died. … 11 Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died. … 14 Thus all the days of Kenanwere 910 years, and he died. … 17 Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died. … 20 Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died. … 27 Thus all the days of Methuselahwere 969 years, and he died. … 31 Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.

My own genealogy goes back into the 1600’s I don’t know much about the lives, a paragraph at most, But like here, I know the dates of birth, the children, and the day of death of each member. And like here, all died.

II. A Legacy: A remnant with faith

Themes in every age already begins here

A. Called on the Lord

(ESV) Genesis 4 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.

1. A community of God’s people

2. Unique in the midst of the world

3. Calling on the Lord rather than depending upon oneself

4. Define the remnant line

a. Salvation line

(ESV) Romans 10 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

b. Living calling on Him / Talking with Him

(ESV) Luke 11 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

(ESV) John 15 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

(ESV) John 15 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

1) More than just living a long time- that is our goal / not His goal

B. Walked with the Lord

(ESV) Genesis 5 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 Enochwere 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, …

1. Broke the pattern - Not just lived – but walked with God

2. After birth of his son

a. Responsibility bigger than me

b. Next generation will be what I am

c. Incapable of raising children without the Lord

d. Time to act – and He did

3. Daily fellowship – the way it was intended

digression from the pattern. Instead of simply saying that Enoch lived, the text observes that he “walked with God.”

4. Walk in a life style that pleases the Lord

(ESV) Colossians 1 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

,

C. Talked for the Lord

Quote from Book of Enoch 1:9

(ESV) Jude 14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodlyof all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

1. Preaching going on – every age

2. Confronting the world with sin / offering grace

Noah - (ESV) 2 Peter 2 5 … Noah, a herald (preacher) of righteousness,

3. In every age – telling a lost world of the Lord

(ESV) Mark 16 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Prophets – return

John – repent

NT – believe in the gospel

D. Went to be with the Lord

(ESV) Genesis 5 23 Thus all the days of Enochwere 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

1. relatively short life span, especially compared to his son Methuselah, shows that being in God’s presence is an even greater privilege

(ESV) Hebrews 11 5 By faith Enoch was taken upso 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.

2. Hope to be with Him – Already an indication that this is not all there is – can be with Him

E. Promised rest with the Lord

(ESV) Genesis 5 29 and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lordhas cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.”

1. Lamech – looked to the future / time of rest / maybe this is the one

a. Believed in the promise / perhaps saw the misery of the world

2. Looking for the promise

3. Noah – rest – comfort / relief

4. By grace

(ESV) Genesis 6 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

(ESV) 1 Peter 1 3 … he has caused us to be born again to a living hope …4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.