01-27 The Generations of Adam

Genesis 5:1-20

I’m curious—what were you just now thinking as I read this portion of Gen 5? (confused, bored, excited)? There are many people who come to a genealogy in the Bible and skip right over it. Maybe they couldn’t pronounce the names (that’s common to us all!), or maybe they just didn’t realize how important these records truly are.

There is something called “Fantasy Football” (I’ve never played—nor had the interest). But I am aware that people will spend hours every week pouring over stats and other details that relate to their fantasy team.

Yet, when it comes to the genealogies in the Bible, many people will just glance at it and keep reading. But

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NASB95

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

So it would seem as though you’re a little less adequately equipped for the good works God has prepared beforehand that you should walk in them.

Toledots

Genesis has 10 major divisions in the book overall.

The Toledot of the heavens and the earth (including the entrance and spread of sin among mankind) 2:4-4:26

The 2nd is 5:1-6:8: the Toledot of Adam—the corruption of mankind

The 3rd is 6:9-9:27—God’s judgment upon mankind

A toledot does not mean origin but more like history or development.

There are clear divisions within the book of Genesis but this genealogical section (same with ch 10) is difficult for the preacher. As I’ve considered the contents of this chapter and have been studying and planning—3 words kept coming to mind regarding this part of Scripture:

Authoritative

“This is the book...” The term book is referring to a written document of any length. Could be a short legal document or a longer work. Some suggest he was using another written source…but at any rate he is saying what he is putting down is the authoritative source for the genealogies that are included. That phrase “book of the generation” does not occur again until

Matthew 1:1 NASB95

1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Here is proof of the divine inspiration of the Scriptures. You have the book of the generation of the first Adam and the book of the generation of the last Adam and this is what ties together the 2 testaments of the Bible. So you have authority—the message bears the very authority of its author—God Himself. Because of this, we can believe in the accuracy of this genealogy (even if its debated whether they are open or closed).

Also under “authoritative” is the discussion regarding creation… “in the day...” referring tot he 6th day when God created man…there is emphasis on God repeating “created in likeness.” This was shared by both Adam & Eve—and expresses the uniqueness of God’s creation of humans above the animal world: (Personalty, morality, spirituality):

Genesis 1:27 NASB95

27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Now, after the defiance of Adam the image of God was greatly marred (not lost). Adan & Eve were still image bearers but b/c of their fallen nature it would also be accompanied by radical corruption that was actually passed down to their children.

Now we saw that corruption in ch 4 regarding Cain and his descendants. But it is also manifest in Seth—the one in whom hope in God was restored—Gen 5:3;

So every descendant since Seth would bear the marred image of God—including ourselves. And this would become the divine testimony of man’s lostness and the introduction to his need to be restored, reconciled with the Creator God. Again, this carries the mark of divine authority.

Another aspect of this authority is found in vs 4—it is regarding marriage and blessing (the fruit of which is found in the the 1st couple’s participation in being fruitful and multiplying.

“other sons and daughters...” I mentioned a few weeks ago that we really have no Idea how many children Adam & Eve had (only 3 are named). One writer estimated that if during the several hundred years that Adam lived only half of the children that would normally be born grew up (and they probably all grew up) and if only half of those who grew up got married (and they probably all got married) and if only half who got married had children (and they probably all had children) that at even the half, half, half rate Adam would have lived to see more than one million of his own descendants. Henry Morris suggests that the world’s population at Adam’s death could have actually been 2.8 million. They were fruitful as were their children and grandchildren, etc… This b/c of the God’s blessing (1:28) which is not revoked in the Fall.

Instructive

All Scripture is profitable for teaching (Paul said). And this is certainly the character of what we read in Gen 5. Now, this instruction moves us toward faith (the faith that pleases God (Heb 11:6).

Adam lived 930 years. Seth lived 912 years, etc… The question often arises “how could these people live such long lives?” All of these figures in Gen 5 are what we call “Antediluvian.” They all lived before the flood. Not including Enoch, the youngest lived to 777 (Lamech). The fact they all lived prior to the flood is the reason I believe they lived such long lives.

One of the most reasonable explanations for the longevity of life of these individuals (these are literal years—their actual ages); is the existence of “water vapor canopy.” It would first of all explain where all the water to flood the entire earth came from. But there would be another benefit in a filter of sorts that would keep the harmful effects of solar radiation from reaching the surface of the earth. Today, there are all kinds of negative effects from exposure to the sun. A water vapor canopy would have resulted in longer life before the flood.

Now, after the flood, length of days began to shorten and by the time of Moses (lived 120 yrs):

Psalm 90

Psalm 90:9–10 NASB95

9 For all our days have declined in Your fury; We have finished our years like a sigh. 10 As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away.

In Ps 90 Moses is writing about the frailty of human life—which we all know too well. Human life, in fact stands as a contrast to the eternal, unwavering, immovable existence of God.

Now, back in Gen there is a repetitious phrase (8x in ch5) “and he died” (1 word in Heb). In Ps 90, Moses is making the point that the frailty of man is due to the judgment of God concerning his own sin. And he died is a somber reminder of the consequences of Adam’s disobedience—being death. Chapter 5 is the fulfillment of God’s warning to Adam in ch 1—and he died...

Hebrews 9:27 NASB95

27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

Not only as it were in Gen 5—each of these died according to the ordering of the sovereign God. Each one died precisely the moment God has appointed. Each one lived the exact number of days that were ordained for them (Ps 139:16 “16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.”). The same is true for each one of us. I remind you of the words of the LJC:

Matthew 6:27 NASB95

27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

He said this b/c...

Psalm 31:15 NASB95

15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

Spurgeon has commented on this—I know it ministers to my own heart and it should to yours as well:

To have our times in God's hand must mean not only that they are at God's disposal, but that they are arranged by the highest wisdom. God's hand never errs; and if our times are in his hand, those times are ordered rightly. We need not puzzle our brains to understand the dispensations of Providence: a much easier and wiser course is open to us; namely, to believe the hand of the Lord works all things for the best. Sit thou still, O child, at thy great Father's feet, and let him do as seemeth him good! When thou canst not comprehend him, know that a babe cannot understand the wisdom of its sire. Thy Father comprehends all things, though thou dost not: let his wisdom be enough for thee. Everything in the hand of God is where it may be left without anxiety; and it is where it will be carried through to a prosperous issue. Things prosper which are in his hand. "My times are in thy hand," is an assurance that none can disturb, or pervert, or poison them. In that hand we rest as securely as rests a babe upon its mother's breast. Where could our interests be so well secured as in the eternal hand? What a blessing it is to see by the eye of faith all things that concern you grasped in the hand of God! What peace as to every matter which could cause anxiety flows into the soul when we see all our hopes built upon so stable a foundation, and preserved by such supreme power! "My times are in thy hand!"

So Gen 5 is authoritative, instructive… the final word:

Faithfulness

It may be the most important lesson of Gen 5—regarding the faithfulness of God. He promised the woman a seed thru whom victory would be secured over the serpent and deliverance would be available to the human race. For this promise to be fulfilled there had to be a remnant of godly people to pass along the testimony of the greatness of God to the next generation. That testimony had to be enduring and ongoing even as the world around them was becoming increasingly evil.

Genesis 6:5 NASB95

5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

So beginning with Seth we have the preservation of the line that would eventually bear forth the Messiah—the One who would crush Satan once and for all.

Seth has a boy (105) and named him Enosh. Remember his name means “mortal man” and it is a refreshing contrast to the prideful arrogance that came thru Cain’s descendants (Lamech). Seth was humble and it was at this point men began to call upon the name of the Lord.

Then Enosh has a son (90) and names him Kenan—probably as an alternative to Cain (I have acquired). Now this is where things start to get interesting. At the age of 70, Kenan becomes the father of Mahalalel. I believe Kenan was a believer and this is evidenced in the meaning of Mahalalel— “praise to God” or “a song of praise to God.” Kenan worshiped God and wanted everyone to know God is praiseworthy (lit shining).

Now, Mahalalel lives 65 years when he became the father of Jared (absolutely no problems with having children at this ages (not even a tenth of total life span). There is uncertainty as to his name’s meaning (to go down or servant). And when Jared is 62 he becomes the father of Enoch.

Next week we’re going to look at this remarkable figure. He is 1 of the 3 from Abel to Noah whose faith is highlighted in Heb 11. What does it look like to “walk with God”? That’s what we’ll encounter in this young man (365 and was not).

God’s faithfulness is recounted with each successive generation. Though we have this recurring phrase: and he died, God still fulfills His promise made regarding the seed of the woman.

People die…every one of us will die. It is a 100% condition. I was reminded of something that John Wesley wrote when commenting on the Methodist movement: “Our people die well!” He was actually writing his brother Charles and relating a visit he had with a doctor who told John “Most people die for fear of dying, but I never met with such people as yours. None of them are afraid of death, but are calm, and patient, and resigned to the last.” To this John replied “our people die well!”

Let this be true of CCC--that our people die well. They die in the grace of God. They die in the comfort of God. They die without regret. They die knowing that they have invested their life well in the cause of the gospel. They die well because they realize they have not wasted their life, they have not squandered their time. They die well because they have lived for what lies on the other side of the grave, while in this world they have lived for the world to come.

Everyone will die. It was George Whitefield who said “We are immortal until our work on earth is done.” Knowing this should cause each one here to take every care to live today in a way that has the greatest impact upon eternity.

Ephesians 5:16 NASB95

16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

Those days were certainly evil in Gen 5 (just read ch 6). They made the most of their time (albeit they each had more than we will). And thru it all, God remained faithful.

How are you living today? How will you die, tomorrow (or the next month, year, decade…)? Will you die well? you will if...

Make the most of your time today!