Genesis 5

Well, after yesterday's uplifting tale of death and curses, let's see what the next chapter of Genesis holds for us.

Genesis 5

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Adam’s Descendants to Noah and His Sons

5 This is the list of the descendants of Adam. When God created humankind,^[a] he made them^[b] in the likeness of God. ² Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them “Humankind”^[c] when they were created.

³ 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. ⁴ The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years; and he had other sons and daughters. ⁵ Thus all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years; and he died.

⁶ When Seth had lived one hundred five years, he became the father of Enosh. ⁷ Seth lived after the birth of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and had other sons and daughters. ⁸ Thus all the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years; and he died.

⁹ When Enosh had lived ninety years, he became the father of Kenan. ¹⁰ Enosh lived after the birth of Kenan eight hundred fifteen years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹¹ Thus all the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years; and he died.

¹² When Kenan had lived seventy years, he became the father of Mahalalel. ¹³ Kenan lived after the birth of Mahalalel eight hundred and forty years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁴ Thus all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died.

¹⁵ When Mahalalel had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Jared. ¹⁶ Mahalalel lived after the birth of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁷ Thus all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years; and he died.

¹⁸ When Jared had lived one hundred sixty-two years he became the father of Enoch. ¹⁹ Jared lived after the birth of Enoch eight hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. ²⁰ Thus all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years; and he died.

²¹ When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methuselah. ²² Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah three hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. ²³ Thus all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. ²⁴ Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.

²⁵ When Methuselah had lived one hundred eighty-seven years, he became the father of Lamech.²⁶ Methuselah lived after the birth of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and had other sons and daughters. ²⁷ Thus all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years; and he died.

²⁸ When Lamech had lived one hundred eighty-two years, he became the father of a son; ²⁹ 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.” ³⁰ Lamech lived after the birth of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and had other sons and daughters. ³¹ Thus all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years; and he died.

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

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I find reading genealogies interesting to read in Scripture because there tend to be fascinating nuggets hidden within them.  First off I notice the parallels at the beginning of the chapter as the author reminds us that God creates man in His own likeness and that Adam had a child in his likeness.  I am convinced that most of creation is set up to allow us to understand more of who God is.  The single greatest life event that transformed my views of God was becoming a parent.  It is a powerful thing to hold a fragile child in your arms, loving them simply because they are a part of you.  I have learned more about free will, predestination, sin, grace, unconditional love, sacrifice, hope and joy by being a parent than I ever learned by study.  The heart of the Father for his children resonates with me in a way it did not before.  You can imagine Adam's grief at losing Abel and seeing Cain become an outcast.  You can imagine his connection to God deepening as he understood what his sin and exile from the Garden did to his Father.  My kids provide me lots of windows into God's heart for me if I am willing to look.

One interesting tidbit that I saw.  Enoch.  This is not Cain's firstborn that the city was named after.  This Enoch was famed for his walk with God.  He was so righteous that he did not die...God just took him away.  Really?  That did not warrant any more of a story?  Come on, Moses!  It is treated like a throw away fact, like, "Enoch tended sheep.  Enoch had a 6th toe on one foot.  Enoch never died."  Oh well, I guess the author did have a long story to tell.

My application for the day is to watch and listen.  Watch and listen for the windows into God's heart that come through my roles as father, husband, and shepherd/leader.  I think that God uses our mundane, everyday interactions and experiences to reveal many of the mysteries of Heaven.