The Book of Genesis

Chapter Five

Family History

Lesson Verse:  1Cor 15:22  

I.         Lesson Introduction

A.      Chapter 5 is a genealogy from Adam to Noah. 

B.       This is not the complete lineage of Adam

1.        It pertains to only those children listed in the Bible that are important to the redemption of mankind

2.        If it listed everybody born, it would have gotten too big to be a book after the 4^th generation – it would be only good enough to be a telephone book, not a Bible

C.       This chapter is important because it ties into the genealogy of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.  There are several interesting passages here to make note of and remember for future use.  Consider the following things:

D.      This chapter covers roughly 1,656 years; allowing that the years of Adam and Methuselah over lapped.

II.       Lesson – Family History

A.      The Book of the Generations (5:1)

1.        This same wording can be found in Mat. 1:1.  From these two passages we see the reality of Gen. 5:3 in that Adam had children after his likeness: sinners.  The Second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, has children after His likeness.  That is we are born again and receive a new nature.  In Adam all die.  However, all those in Christ live.

2.        Ten times in the Bible

a.       Each identifies the head of a specific race of people, or of creation

1)       The generations of the heavens and the earth (Gen 2:4)\

2)       Noah (Gen 6:9)

3)       Shem, Ham and Japeth (Gen 10:1)

4)       Terah (11:27) and Abraham

5)       Ishmael (25:12)

6)       Isaac (25:19)

7)       Esau (36:1)

8)       Jacob (37:2)

9)       Aaron and Moses (Num 3:1)

10)    Jesus (Matt 1:1)

3.        Two are in particular

a.       Here – the head of the human race

b.       In Matthew 1:1 – the head of the redeemed Christian race

B.       Review of God’s Creation of Adam (Gen 5:1,2)

1.        Adam ad Eve were both created the same day

2.        They were married that day – by God

3.        They BOTH took the name Adam

a.       Here we have Mr. and Mrs. Adam.  Two people; one name.  This particular method of recognizing a married couple is still in vogue today.

b.       It is the BIBLICAL way of marriage naming – not the retention of the wife’s name, or the merging of maiden and married names, etc.

C.       Adam (5:3-5)

1.        His name means: Man, which simply means “from the red dirt”

2.        He lived a total of 930 years

3.        During which time he and Eve had LOTS of children (5:4b)

4.        At 130 years of age, Adam has a son, named Seth

a.       Notice that Seth was a son in his own like likeness.

b.       Adam was made in the likeness of God:  without sin.  However, Adam’s children all have his fallen likeness:  sinful.

1)       As we bear the likeness of the earthly father, in that we sin and die

2)       Even more so should we walk in newness of life, (Rom 6:4), because we have been born again.

5.        Notice the powerful words at the end of 5:5, “and he died.”

a.       Five is the number of death in the Bible

b.       Five steps leading up to the Altar of Sacrifice

c.       Five wounds in the Messiah

d.       Satan used to be the FIFTH Cherub that covered the throe of God – He brought death, and has the power of death (Heb 2:14)

6.        Every person born, MUST die (Heb 9:27)

a.       This is a general rule – not absolute

b.       One person doesn’t die, but will in the future: Elijah – comes back in the Tribulation

c.       Many people don’t ever die

1)       Enoch

2)       Christians alive at the time of the Rapture

D.      Seth (Gen 5:3-8; 4:25,26)

1.        His name means: Appointed, or God’s Provided Replacement

2.        Lives 912 years

3.        At 105 years of age, he has a so named: Enos

4.        By this time, there are lots of other brothers and sisters who have been born to Adam ad Eve, as well as to Cain and his wife, and now Seth and his wife

5.        It was during the life of Seth that people began to turn back to God (4:26)

a.       They began to want to get right with God – free will in motion

b.       From Cain’s effect on society, you can see that for the past 100 years, people were angry and bitter against God

c.       They started calling God, Jehovah – God’s people will forget this name in time unfortunately

d.       Abraham will continue this as part of his worship (Gen 12:8)

E.       Enos (5:6-11; 4:26)

1.        His name means: Mortal (Ps 90:9-12)

a.       His daddy (Seth) has the right attitude about life now

b.       Doesn’t think too grandiose about life, just realistically

2.        Lives 905 years

3.        At 90 years of age, he has a son named: Cainan

F.       Cainan (5:9-14)

1.        Not the same as the name of the place Canaan, the Promised Land

2.        His name means: Possession – something to have

a.       A child is worth having

b.       He or she is someone that will carry YOU into all the lives of the future

c.       God said that children are a blessing and a reward

3.        Lives 910 years

4.        At 70 years of age, he has a son named: Mahalaleel

G.       Mahalaleel (5:12-17)

1.        His name means: the Praise of God

a.       Like Halelujah

b.       It is good to give good, godly names to your children

2.        Lives 895 years

3.        At 65 years of age, he has a son named: Jared

H.      Jared (5:15-20)

1.        His name means: Descent – as in, going downhill, spiritually

a.       From the birth of Jared, until the Flood is 1000 years

b.       Evidently, from this point on, things are going downhill

c.       The Cainite descendants are conquering the godly descendants

d.       As is usually the case, the godly man ceases (Ps 12:1), in that they dwindle in numbers – there be few that are saved in any dispensation – for the following reasons

1)       Not enough soul-winning and care about the lost

2)       Christians being enamoured with the world

3)       The world being attractive

4)       The devil is very slick and subtle and smart

5)       Human nature naturally goes downward unless constantly on top of

2.        Lives 962 years

3.        At 162 years of age, he has a so named: Enoch

I.         Enoch (5:18-24)

1.        His name means: Initiated – as if fully ready

a.       Ready to live for God

b.       Ready to be WITH God

2.        Lives 365 years

3.        He was the SEVENTH from Adam (Jude 1:14)

4.        At 65 years of age, he has a so named: Methuselah

a.       It evidently was the birth of Methuselah that caused a radical change in the life of Enoch, so that he became such a man of faith (Heb 11:5,6)

b.       This is a direct reference to the New Testament Church being a people of faith just before the rapture!

c.       How sad that this is not the case!

5.        Gen. 5:24 “Enoch was not.”  Here in this chapter we find a man who is a type of the church age saint living in the end time before the rapture who does not taste death

6.        Enoch was such a godly man that he did not die.  He was translated out of the world before the judgment was handed out in Gen. 6.  In this perspective he represents those who are born again, living when the Lord returns, and these saints do not walk through the valley of death.  Instead they are raptured out just prior to the events described in Rev. 6. 

7.        Rev. 4:1 is a picture of what takes place at the rapture.  One could almost say that this is the verse where the rapture takes place.  By comparing scripture with scripture we find: (1) an open door in heaven, Rev 4:1, (2) a voice inviting John the Beloved into the portals of heaven, (3) the voice sounded like a trumpet, 1 Cor 15:52, 1 Th 4:16-17, (4) John the Beloved is a type of the church.  He occupied the favored position with the Lord and rested in His bosom, John 13:23-24, 21:20.  Jesus also made the statement that if He so desired, John would live until He returned 21:23.  The church will be here when Jesus returns. 

8.        Another very important thought here is he walked with God.  God did not walk with him just because He loved his company.  Enoch stayed in harmony (fellowship) with God. Amos 3:3  Can two walk together, except they be agreed? 

9.        The testimony of Enoch is a far cry from many who play at Christianity today.  There are those who believe they can take the Lord anywhere and feed Him any old meal from the world.  Enoch did not have this mind-set.

10.     Note: as far as the Biblical record goes, only Adam has actually died. All the others are still alive, including Seth, and Cain!

J.        Methuselah (5:21-27)

1.        His name means: Man of the Dart

2.        Lives  969 years

3.        At 187 years of age, he has a so named: Lamech

4.        He was the oldest man of whom we have any record, dying at the age of nine hundred and sixty-nine years, in the year of the Flood

5.        The signification of his name, which some think was prophetical, his father Enoch being a prophet. Methuselah signifies, he dies, or there is a dart, or, a sending forth, namely, of the deluge, which came the very year that Methuselah died. If indeed his name was so intended and so explained, it was fair warning to a careless world, a long time before the judgment came.  However, this is observable, that the longest liver that ever was carried death in his name, that he might be reminded of its coming surely, though it came slowly.

K.      Lamech (5:25-31)

1.        His name means: the Wild Man, or the Destroyer

2.        This is a different Lamech than found in Gen 4:18-24

3.        Lives 777 years

4.        At 182 years of age, he has a son named: Noah

L.       Noah (5:28-32)

1.        His name means: Rest, Comfort. This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.

2.        His children are Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These Noah begat (the eldest of these) when he was 500 years old.

3.        It should seem that Japheth was the eldest (Gen 10:21), but Shem is put first because on him the covenant was entailed, as appears by (Gen 9:26), where God is called the Lord God of Shem. To him, it is probable, the birth-right was given, and from him, it is certain, both Christ the head, and the church the body, were to descend. Therefore he is called Shem, which signifies A NAME, because in his posterity the name of God should always remain, till he should come out of his loins whose name is above every name; so that in putting Shem first Christ was, in effect, put first, who in all things must have the pre-eminence.

4.        Lives 950 years

5.        Methuselah (Noah grandfather) was for 243 years contemporary with Adam. Noah is just one generation removed from personally knowing Adam!

6.        At 500 years of age, instead of focusing on his sons, God focuses our attention on the coming judgment

III.     Applications

A.      Chart of the Lives of the Anti-Diluvian Earth

B.       Notice the following facts about the pre-flood world so far (more will come to light in chapter 6:

1.        Average age at death:  858 years

2.        Notice that no one lived to 1,000 years

3.        Total time from Creation, until the death of Methuselah: 1656 years

4.        The Flood occurred in the 600^th year of Noah, or there abouts – probably about 620^th year due to the statement in Gen 6:3

5.        The world just became more and more wicked (6:11)

6.        Everyone died, except 8 people – Noah, his wife, and his 3 sons, and their wives!

C.       Noah is a type of the Messiah in the following ways

1.        Brings rest and comfort to the world (Mt 11:28-30)

2.        Provides an Ark of deliverance from the coming judgment

3.        Both would be just men, and perfect in the generation

4.        Both were totally obedient to God

5.        With Noah God entered into a covenant, with a promise of deliverance from the threatened deluge (Ge 6:18) and for all who would follow him

6.        Noah would be the second father of men on the earth, as Adam was the first – Jesus the messiah would bring about another birth

IV.    Conclusions