Methuselah lived longer than Adam. These two men, Adam and Methuselah, pretty well bridged the gap between creation and the Flood.
According to our genealogy, this man Methuselah could have told Noah everything from the creation of the world. I personally feel that we have a gap in the genealogy given here.
We know that in the opening of the New Testament the genealogy that is given of the Lord Jesus leaves out quite a few, and purposely so, because there is an attempt to give it in three equal segments.
Certain ones are left out, but you will notice that it follows through accurately.
I am sure that this genealogy is accurate, but the important thing is that we may have a gap here that would account for the fact that man has been on this earth a great deal longer than we have supposed.
Scripture is not clear right here.
Why isn’t it?
Because God is not anxious to insist upon that. What He is trying to get over to us is the religious, the redemptive, history of mankind on this earth.
Genesis 5:27-32 KJV
[27] And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.
[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.
[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.
GENEALOGY OF THE PATRIARCHS
These Columns Show Which of the Patriarchs Were Contemporary With Each Other
Key:
- Cr—Creation
- B—Born
- D—Died
- Tr—Translated
EXAMPLE: Noah (vertical list) was born when Methuselah (horizontal list) was 369 years old.
Genesis 5:27
And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.
- Methuselah lived longer than anyone has ever lived, 969 years; he apparently died just before Noah’s flood; despite his Godly father, there is no record that he lived for God.
- Methuselah lived longer than Adam.
- These two men, Adam and Methuselah, pretty well bridged the gap between creation and the Flood.
- According to our genealogy, this man Methuselah could have told Noah everything from the creation of the world.
I personally feel that we have a gap in the genealogy given here.
We know that in the opening of the New Testament the genealogy that is given of the Lord Jesus leaves out quite a few, and purposely so, because there is an attempt to give it in three equal segments.
Certain ones are left out, but you will notice that it follows through accurately.
I am sure that this genealogy is accurate, but the important thing is that we may have a gap here that would account for the fact that man has been on this earth a great deal longer than we have supposed.
This is something I do not care to go into because it is quite an involved subject. Scripture is not clear right here.
Why isn’t it?
Because God is not anxious to insist upon that. What He is trying to get over to us is the religious, the redemptive, history of mankind on this earth.
The name of Methuselah means “sending forth.” Others believe that Methuselah meant: “When he is dead, it shall be sent.”
What will be sent?
The Flood. As long as Methuselah lived, the Flood could not come.
The very interesting thing is that according to a chronology of the genealogy of the patriarchs, the year that Methuselah died is the year that the Flood came.
“When he is dead, it shall be sent”—that is the meaning of his name.
Why did Methuselah live longer than any other person?
God kept him here just to let mankind know that He is patient and merciful. God will also wait for you, my friend—all of your life.
Peter speaks of the long-suffering of our God: “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water” (1 Pet. 3:20).
As we continue down through the rest of this chapter, each man is mentioned and then his death.
Genesis 5:28
And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:
Lamech fathered a son.
Genesis 5:29
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.
We are now introduced to Noah, one of the central figures of the Bible, and of all time. His name means “rest”. It seems that Lamech, the father of Noah, had been given a Revelation concerning this child.
The comfort he brought, as it regards the curse, had to do with the Ark, and the One Who would ultimately come through his lineage, the Son of God, Who would remove the greater curse — the curse of the broken Law [Gal. 3:13].
Genesis 5:30
And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:
Lamech fathered more sons and daughters after he fathered Noah. But none of the brothers and sisters of Noah believed the Word of the Lord, and thereby perished in the flood.
Genesis 5:31
And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
Here we see Lamech died after seven hundred seventy seven years of life on earth.
Genesis 5:32
And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
- Due to the fact that every human being on the face of the Earth died in the flood, with the exception of Noah and his family, this means that every person who has ever lived since then is a descendant of either Shem, Ham, or Japheth, who are all sons of Noah.
It is the popular theory in the world, blindly accepted by men, and the conclusion, I think, of all philosophy, that human nature is inherently and innately good and that it can be improved.
The whole program that is abroad today is that, if we will just try to improve the environment of man and his heredity, he can really be improved.
Communism and socialism seek to improve man. Arminianism means that man can assist in his salvation. Modernism says that man can save himself.
In other words, salvation is sort of a do-it-yourself kit that God gives to you. Some of the cults tell us that human nature is totally good and that there is no such thing as sin.
What does God say concerning man?
God says that man is totally evil, totally bad. That is the condition of all of us. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). That is the estimate of the Word of God.
If we will accept God’s Word for it, it will give us a truer conception of life today than is given to us by others. Here is mankind, and we are following a godly line now.
Where is it going to lead?
Is it going to lead to a millennium here upon this earth?
No. The very next chapter tells us that a Flood, a judgment from God, came upon the earth.
I hope that you have really enjoyed this post,
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