A Study of Genesis 1-11
Last lesson we saw that when Enos the son of Seth was
born, “men began to call on the name of the LORD”.
Even though the line of Seth is considered to be the
“godly line”, they were still members of a fallen race
no less than the Cainites.
The first verse in chapter 5 reminds us that Adam was
created “in the likeness of God” (Gen. 1:26-28).
But, in verse 3 we are told that Adam “begot a son in
his own likeness, after his image, and named him
Seth.
The point is that between Adam and Seth the fall
intervened, Adam was created in God’s image, but
Seth was begotten in Adam’s image and partook of
the fallen nature of his father (Rom. 5:12-14).
The 3 facts that are emphasized in the record
of chapter 5 are as follows:
1)
2)
3)
God was preserving and recording the
divinely ordained line of the promised seed,
with the appropriate genealogical and
chronological data.
God’s command to “be fruitful and multiply”
was being carried out, as each patriarch had
sons and daughters.
God’s curse was in effect, since in spite of
the fact that each man lived many hundred
years, eventually “he died”.
The first verse of chapter 5 also marks one of the major
divisions of Genesis.
It is significant that it says: “This is the book of the
genealogy of Adam.” The record was written (first use
of word book), not just transmitted orally.
Most likely Adam himself wrote chapters 2-4 and
concludes with his signature statement in 5:1a.
Noah began writing in 5:1b and ended in Gen. 6:9a,
chapter 1 was given directly from God, the only
eyewitness.
Noah begins his writing by tying back to Gen. 1:26-28,
in order to show continuity of the written record, and
makes this section a complete record of the preflood patriarchs from the date of creation to the flood
and the birth of Seth, Ham and Japheth.
Genesis 5:5 records Adam’s obituary, fulfilling the physical aspect
of the death sentence pronounced on him in Gen. 3:19 and
assuring all of humanity that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom.
6:23).
Before he died, however, he lived to the ripe old age of 930 and
“had sons and daughters” probably many of each.
It does seem strange that after the birth of Cain and Abel, Adam &
Eve did not have any more children until Seth was born when
Adam was 130.
Most likely though, they did have other children between Cain and
Abel and Seth (see Gen. 4:17). Seth is recorded by name because
he is in the line to the promised seed.
Beginning in v. 6 is the recital of pre-flood patriarchs, their ages at
the birth of the son in line of the promise, the fact they had
other sons and daughters, and finally their age at death. The line
shows 10 patriarchs from Adam to Noah, and we can assume it
is complete, although this fact is questioned by some scholars.
The data can be studied in the chart below:
PATRIARCH
AGE AT BIRTH
OF NEXT
YEAR OF BIRTH PATRIARCH
Adam
1
130
Seth
130
105
Enos
235
90
Cainan
325
70
Mahalaleel
395
65
Zared
460
162
Enoch
622
65
Methuselah
687
Lamech
Noah
NAME OF
PATRIARCH
SON
Seth (appointed
one)
Enos (mortal
frailty)
YEAR OF
DEATH
930
1042
Cainan (smith)
Mahalaleel (God
be praised)
1140
1290
187
Zared (Descent)
Enoch
(dedication)
Methuselah
(when he dies,
judgment)
Lamech
(conqueror)
874
182
Noah (rest)
1651
1056
500
Shem (renoun)
2006
1235
1422
987
1656
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS?
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Adam lived until Lamech the father of Noah was 56
years old.
Noah was born only 14 years after the death of Seth.
Enoch and Lamech were both outlived by their fathers.
The average lifespan of the pre-flood patriarchs was
912 years.
Enoch’s year of death is actually his year of translation
as he did not die.
Look at the meaning of Methuselah’s name and the
year he died, look at the year of Noah’s birth and add
his age at the time the flood began (Gen. 7: 6, 11).
The fact that this list is repeated in 1 Chronicles 1:1-4
and Luke 3:36-38 is evidence that both O.T. and N.T.
writers viewed it as historical fact.