Just A Closer Walk With God

Good evening, the weather has warmed up a bit here in the Panhandle, we got up to about 45 degrees Fahrenheit today. As we look at the end of Chapter 5 we see the first person spoken of in scripture to be taken into heaven without dying. It has been proposed that Enoch will be one of the witnesses spoke of in Revelation who is eventually killed only to be raised up again after 3 1/2 days (Revelation 11:3-11). But that's another study, now back to Genesis 5:21-32.

Gen 5:21-32

21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26 And after he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died.

28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed." 30 After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Altogether, Lamech lived 777 years, and then he died.

32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Chapter 5 contains a narrative of birth and eventual death of the patriarchs, and then the author introduces Enoch, who pleased the Lord and lived in His immediate presence. In a deteriorating age, Enoch gave a remarkable demonstration of commendable righteousness. In thought, word, deed, and attitude he was in accord with the divine will; and he brought joy to the heart of his Maker.

On account of his genuine goodness and his fearfulness of divine wisdom, he was lifted from the earth to continue his walk in the sacred regions beyond. His disappearance was sudden and wholly unannounced, and death had nothing to do with it.

"By faith Enoch was translated," says the writer of Hebrews, "that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had translated him". What a miracle! Because Enoch had loved God and walk with Him, he walked right into heaven so he could continue in that fellowship without interruption.

Notice of all the prehistoric patriarchs, Enoch, who was the most faithful, had the shortest time on earth; his years were exactly as the days in a solar revolution, viz., three hundred and sixty-five; and like the sun he fulfilled a glorious course, shining more and more unto the perfect day, and was taken, when in his meridian splendor, to shine like the sun in the kingdom of his Father forever. - (From Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Bible soft)

Methuselah who lived nine hundred sixty and nine years is the longest life mentioned in Scripture. And it is most likely the longest ever lived.

“This one shall give us rest from our work…” Some scholars think this is a reference to the name of Noah, which they derive from naacham (OT:5162), to comfort. But it is much more likely that it comes from nach or nuach, to rest, to settle, etc.These words seem to have been spoken prophetically concerning Noah, who built the ark for the preservation of the mankind, and who was a Godly person; when he offered his sacrifice after the drying up of the waters, it is said that God smelled a savor of REST, and said He would not curse the ground any more for man's sake, Gen 8:21. From that time on the earth seems to have had upon an average the same degree of fertility.

From computation it appears:

That Adam lived to see Lamech, the ninth generation, in the fifty-sixth year of whose life he died; and as he was the first who lived, and the first that sinned, so he was the first who tasted death in a natural way. Abel's was not a natural but a violent death.

That Enoch was taken away next after Adam, seven patriarchs remaining witness of his translation.

That all the nine first patriarchs were taken away before the flood came, which happened in the six hundredth year of Noah's life.

That Methuselah lived till the very year in which the flood came, of which his name is supposed to have been prophetical methu (OT:4191), "he dieth," and shaalach (OT:7971), "he sendeth out;" as if God had designed to teach men that as soon as Methuselah died the flood should be sent forth to drown an ungodly world. If this were then so understood, even the name of this patriarch contained in it a gracious warning. - (From Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Bible soft)

This brings us to the end of Chapter 5 and the end of the genealogy of the prehistoric patriarchs. If you notice verse 32 speaks of Noah and his sons. When we go into Chapter 6 we will see that all mankind, except for Noah and his family were “exceedingly wicked.”