My friend and YouTube Bible study partner, Rudy Ross, has taken the time to compile the genealogies from Genesis 5 to determine the dates associated with the individuals listed there.
I wish I could show you the notebook where Rudy has meticulously compiled his findings. I encourage you to take a few minutes to watch today’s YouTube video and hear Rudy’s insights. I believe you’ll agree that he is a thoughtful and insightful scholar.
I’ll confine today’s blog to an interpretation of the first and last verses of chapter 5.
This is the list of the descendants of Adam. When God created humans, he made them in the likeness of God.
Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and called them humans when they were created.
When Adam had lived one hundred thirty years, he became the father of a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth.
The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he had other sons and daughters.
Thus all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, and he died (Genesis 5:1-5).
We first learn that God created humans in His likeness. While God is, in many ways, beyond human understanding, making humans in His image provides us with glimpses of His nature.
One of the most profound aspects of God’s being is His personal nature. As a personal God, He is always available to us, willing to both speak to us and listen to God’s creation.
After learning that humans were created in God’s likeness, we see that Adam has a son, Seth, who is born in Adam’s likeness.
This serves as another example of God’s partnership with humans. In many aspects of life, He empowers us to reflect His actions and participate in His work.
Enoch and Methuselah
Enoch lived the shortest life of the people who lived before the flood. His son, Methuselah, lived the longest life of all humans in that era.
When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah three hundred years and had other sons and daughters.
Thus all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him (Genesis 5:21-24).
Enoch is the 7th person in the genealogy. Biblical genealogies often place individuals who are uniquely important in the 7th position.
It is worth noting that lifespan is not the most sacred and honorable blessing that comes from God.
Enoch shares something only with Elijah, and that is, they escape going through the pains of death. With Enoch we have the person in Genesis 5 living on earth the shortest and fathering the person in Genesis 5 who lives the longest on earth.
Enoch “walked with God.” To walk with God indicates the service of a loyal servant who goes before his master, paving the way. It also refers to someone who stands before their master, ready to serve.
Methuselah, his son, lived for 969 years, making him the longest-living human recorded in history. While this age may seem extraordinary, it’s worth noting that the Mesopotamians documented the lifespans of their heroes in thousands of years.
We will soon read in Genesis that God shortened human life to a maximum of 120 years.
You may find it interesting that as of January 21, 2025, the world’s oldest living woman is Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas from Brazil, born on June 8, 1908, making her 116 years old. If she lives four more years, she will reach God’s 120 year limit.
Lamech and Noah
Lamech is the only father in this chapter who explains his son’s name.
When Lamech had lived one hundred eighty-two years, he became the father of a son; he named him Noah, saying,
“Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands” (Genesis 5:28-29).
The relief that Lamach anticipates is not one of comfort. The relief comes to God, not humans. God sees the total wickedness of humanity and chooses to cleanse the earth of its evil.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 