Outline
Adam and Seth. (Verse 1-5.)
The patriarchs from Seth to Enoch. (Verse 6-20.)
Enoch. (Verse 21-24.)
Methuselah to Noah. (Verse 25-32.)
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;
[1st Chron 1:1, Matt 1:1, Luke 3:23]
Why is a genealogical chart found so close to the front of the Bible, in fact why did God put any of the numerous genealogies in the Bible? Genealogies are vitally important for many reasons. For example, there is a genealogy found on the first page of the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew is the Gospel to the Jews that proves that Jesus has the legal birthright to claim to be their Messiah. It traces His birth back to King David and then on back to his ancestor Abraham. Jesus literally was the newborn King of the Jews.
The genealogy found here in Genesis five is multifaceted and of utmost importance to the believer. The primary purpose of this genealogy is to give all of mankind a timeline from which we can measure the age of the earth.
If you take all of information about the descendants of Adam down unto Jesus you will come up with roughly 4000 years. Then by simply adding another 2013 years to that it brings us to our present day which gives us an accurate age for the earth of 6013 years, not millions or billions of years as the evolutionist falsely teach.
Is it really that important that a Christian believes in the first eleven chapters of Genesis as fact and not fiction? Absolutely! If a person does not believe in these eleven chapters how can they trust a Saviour who believed them and quoted from them to support His doctrine?
Mark 10:5-9 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
These are all quotes from Genesis 1:27; 5:2; and 2:24 thus proving that God’s Son knew these verses were true. If Jesus knew they were true then we need to fully trust Him. If not, we haven’t really trusted Him at all, have we?
2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
[Gen 1:27]
The title given to the first man and woman was Adam, this word meant ruddy or reddish. It also meant mankind. This name stuck with the man Adam but he gave a different name to his wife Eve because she was taken out of man.
called their name Adam” – hence, today we find women taking their husband’s name upon marriage
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:
Adam was created in God’s image; all of the rest of mankind is made in Adam’s image – ie. we are all born sinners. The only way that we can get back that original Godlike image that Adam was created with is to take on Christ’s image by being saved.
Study Question
What two things did Adam bring into the world for all of his descendants according to Romans 5:12?
4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
[Gen 1:28]
5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
[Job 30:23, Ps 49:10, Ps 89:48, Rom 5:12, 1st Cor 15:21, Heb 9:27]
Note the long ages of the people listed in this chapter; sin and all its associated diseases had yet to take their effect upon mankind. Another factor involved in these long life spans may have involved the different conditions upon earth prior to the flood of Noah.
Nine hundred and thirty years! Thats right! Adam literally lived nine hundred and thirty years. This is not as miraculous as it sounds when you find out that the Jewish year is only three hundred and sixty days long instead of our three hundred and sixty-five days in a year. Thats a joke folks.
If you think it is impossible you are right! It is impossible with man, but nothing is impossible with God. To admit the existence of God is to admit the possibility that nothing is impossible. Remember that God had originally intended man to live forever but sin entered the picture and the sentence of death was handed down to Adam and ultimately down to us.
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:16-17
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:21-22 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Note the long ages of the people listed in this chapter; sin and all its associated diseases had yet to take their effect upon mankind. Another factor involved in these long lifespans may have involved the different conditions upon earth prior to the flood of Noah. How long did Moses say men usually lived to be in his day? (Psalm 90:10 – 18 – hint: a “score” is twenty)
There is coming a day when there will be no more death and when people born during the Millennium pass Adams age. Then time shall be done away with: (Revelation 10:6)
Study Question
How long did Moses say men usually lived to be in his day? (Psalm 90:10 hint: a “score” is twenty)
6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:
[Gen 4:26]
7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
[begot-became the father of]
8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:
10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:
11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
12 And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:
13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.
15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:
17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.
18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:
[1st Chron 1:3, Jude 14]
19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
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:
[2nd Kings 20:3, Micah 6:8, Mal 2:6, 1st Thess 2:12]
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.
[2nd Kings 2:11, Heb 11:5]
Enoch is a “type or picture” of the Church being raptured out from the Earth to be with God prior to God pouring out His wrath on the Earth during the great Tribulation Period.
Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated (raptured or caught away) him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Enoch is one of only two people who up to our day have never died (the other was Elijah in II Kings 2). Enoch is a picture or a type of the New Testament believers who will go directly to heaven without dying at the return of Jesus Christ for his church – note I Thessalonians 4:13-17.
Enoch is raptured just prior to the worldwide cataclysmic flood just like the Church will be raptured just prior to a worldwide cataclysmic tribulation period. Enoch prophesied of the judgment that would follow that seven year period of tribulation:
Jude 14-16 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 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. These are murmerers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
Enoch’s great grandson was Noah, whom God used to save the human race after the flood, many people do not realize that Noah’s father Lamech died just 4 years before the flood and Enoch’s son Methuselah who everyone has heard of lived to be 969 (the oldest person who ever lived) years old.
He is also the oldest person to have ever drowned in a flood. His name means: His death shall bring. Methuselah was still alive right up until the flood, he no doubt along with Lamech must have not believed Noah’s message, because they sure didn’t help Noah build that ark.
25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:
26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:
27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.
Methuselah – the oldest man who ever lived
28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:
29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.
[Gen 3:17]
30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:
31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
[Gen 3:17]
Genealogical Chart
4000 BC Adam and Eve created by God: Gen. 1:27 & 2:22
3870 BC Adam (130) begets Seth: Gen. 5:3
3765 BC Seth (105) begets Enos: Gen. 5:6
3675 BC Enos (90) begets Cainan: Gen. 5:9
3605 BC Cainan (70) begets Mahalaleel: Gen. 5:12
3540 BC Mahalaleel (65) begets Jared: Gen. 5:15
3378 BC Jared (162) begets Enoch: Gen. 5:18
3313 BC Enoch (65) begets Methuselah: Gen. 5:21
3126 BC Methuselah (187) begets Lamech: Gen. 5:25
3126 BC Methuselah (187) begets Lamech: Gen. 5:25
3070 BC Adam dies at (930): Gen. 5:4 & 5
3013 BC Enoch taken to Heaven (365): Gen. 5:22-24
2958 BC Seth dies (912): Gen. 5:7 & 8
2944 BC Lamech (182) begets Noah: Gen. 5:28
2860 BC Enos dies (905): Gen. 5:10 & 11
2765 BC Cainan dies (910): Gen. 5:13 & 14
2700 BC Mahalaleel dies (895): Gen. 5:16 & 17
2578 BC Jared dies (962): Gen. 5:19 & 20
2444 BC Noah (500) begets Japheth oldest son: Gen. 5:32
2442 BC Noah (502) begets Shem second son: Gen. 5:32
2349 BC Lamech dies (777): Gen. 5:30 & 31
2344 BC Methuselah 969 dies year of flood: Gen. 5:26-27
2344 BC The world wide flood comes
2342 BC Shem (100) begets Arphaxad: Gen. 11:10
2307 BC Arphaxad (35) begets Salah: Gen. 11:12
2277 BC Salah (30) begets Eber: Gen. 11:14
2243 BC Eber (34) begets Peleg: Gen. 11:16
2213 BC Peleg (30) begets Reu: Gen. 11: 18
2181 BC Reu (32) begets Serug: Gen. 11:20
2151 BC Serug (30) begets Nahor: Gen. 11:22
2122 BC Nahor (29)begets Terah: Gen. 11:24
2052 BC Terah (70) begets Abram 1948 years after Adam. Israel is born again as a Nation 1948 years after Christ’s birth: Gen. 11:26
2004 BC Peleg dies (239): Gen. 11:19
2003 BC Nahor dies (148): Gen. 11:25
1994 BC Noah dies (950): Gen. 9:29
1985 BC Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed:
1966 BC Abram (86) begets Ishmael:
1952 BC Abram (100) begets Isaac:
1951 BC Serug dies (232): Gen. 11:23
1904 BC Arphaxad dies (438): Gen. 11:13
1874 BC Salah dies (433): Gen. 11:15
1842 BC Shem dies (600): Gen. 11:11
1813 BC Eber dies (464): Gen. 11:17
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.
Verse 1-5 – Adam was made in the image of God; but when fallen he begat a son in his own image, sinful and defiled, frail, wretched, and mortal, like himself. Not only a man like himself, consisting of body and soul, but a sinner like himself. This was the reverse of that Divine likeness in which Adam was made; having lost it, he could not convey it to his seed. Adam lived, in all, 930 years; and then died, according to the sentence passed upon him, “To dust thou shalt return.” Though he did not die in the day he ate forbidden fruit, yet in that very day he became mortal. Then he began to die; his whole life after was but a reprieve, a forfeited, condemned life; it was a wasting, dying life. Man’s life is but dying by degrees.
Verse 6-20 – Concerning each of these, except Enoch, it is said, “and he died.” It is well to observe the deaths of others. They all lived very long; not one of them died till he had seen almost eight hundred years, and some of them lived much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be prisoned in a house of clay. The present life surely was not to them such a burden as it commonly is now, else they would have been weary of it. Nor was the future life so clearly revealed then, as it now under the gospel, else they would have been urgent to remove to it. All the patriarchs that lived before the flood, except Noah, were born before Adam died. From him they might receive a full account of the creation, the fall, the promise, and the Divine precepts about religious worship and a religious life. Thus God kept up in his church the knowledge of his will.
Verse 21-24 – Enoch was the seventh from Adam. Godliness is walking with God: which shows reconciliation to God, for two cannot walk together except they be agreed, Amos 3:3. It includes all the parts of a godly, righteous, and sober life. To walk with God, is to set God always before us, to act as always under his eye. It is constantly to care, in all things to please God, and in nothing to offend him. It is to be followers of him as dear children. The Holy Spirit, instead of saying, Enoch lived, says, Enoch walked with God. This was his constant care and work; while others lived to themselves and the world, he lived to God. It was the joy of his life. Enoch was removed to a better world. As he did not live like the rest of mankind, so he did not leave the world by death as they did. He was not found, because God had translated him, Hebrews 11:5. He had lived but 365 years, which, as men’s ages were then, was but the midst of a man’s days. God often takes those soonest whom he loves best; the time they lose on earth, is gained in heaven, to their unspeakable advantage. See how Enoch’s removal is expressed: he was not, for God took him. He was not any longer in this world; he was changed, as the saints shall be, who are alive at Christ’s second coming. Those who begin to walk with God when young, may expect to walk with him long, comfortably, and usefully. The true christian’s steady walk in holiness, through many a year, till God takes him, will best recommend that religion which many oppose and many abuse. And walking with God well agrees with the cares, comforts, and duties of life.
Verse 25-32 – Methuselah signifies, ‘he dies, there is a dart,’ ‘a sending forth,’ namely, of the deluge, which came the year that Methuselah died. He lived 969 years, the longest that any man ever lived on earth; but the longest liver must die at last. Noah signifies rest; his parents gave him that name, with a prospect of his being a great blessing to his generation. Observe his father’s complaint of the calamitous state of human life, by the entrance of sin, and the curse of sin. Our whole life is spent in labour, and our time filled up with continual toil. God having cursed the ground, it is as much as some can do, with the utmost care and pains, to get a hard livelihood out comfort us.” It signifies not only that desire and expectation which parents generally have about their children, that they will be comforts to them and helpers, though they often prove otherwise; but it signifies also a prospect of something more. Is Christ ours? Is heaven ours? We need better comforters under our toil and sorrow, than the dearest relations and the most promising offspring; may we seek and find comforts in Christ.