Last time we were in this chapter we noted that God skipped the generations of Cain in this genealogical record. Cain was a rebel and his descendants chose to follow his leadership. They could have turned and followed the truth, but they chose not to. Seth was God’s replacement for Abel, the brother whom Cain murdered.
We need to also note that God shows us from the beginning, that His system of governing is through a patriarchal system. God is always referred to as “Father”. He is not mother or anything else. He is always presented as male. It is also important to note that angels are always presented as male. Most religions have girls playing angel scenes in their dramas. Their directors have never bothered to examine this from the Word of God, or they do not care to be teaching truth.
In North America many people look at the time when women gained the right to vote as some great victory for humanity in general and for women in particular. If we follow God’s design, we would notice that societies gained nothing by giving women the right to vote.
In a godly marriage, the man is the physical head of the house. His wife is to be submissive to him. Thus in a vote, she would vote the same way he does. Thus, what is gained by having more votes. In an ungodly home, the wife would likely not be submissive to her husband and she might choose to vote differently than he does. All decisions in the home need to be dealt with after the patriarchal manner if we want God’s blessing. There are occasions in the Bible where a woman took charge. Those occasions are rare and they are given as a rebuke to ungodly men who refused to take their place seriously. It is certain that our country would be a much different country if we had more men who walked in the fear of God.
In our text we are given the lineage of more of Adam and Eve’s descendants. This list begins with Seth and then Enos. We see that the age of most of the patriarchs was much older than what we see in our time. God blessed man with giving the men long life so that they could teach their children and grandchildren, etc., the truth.
We see that these descendants had sons and daughters. God was blessing man with fruit to fill the earth. There was no over-population then and there is no over-population now. God created the earth to sustain far more people than presently live on it. God blessed man with productive soil. There are times when He seeks to get man’s attention by sending a drought to a certain area. He can also send a localized flood at times. We will see the universal flood that He sent beginning in chapter 6.
As we noted last time, God reminds us that regardless of how long man lived, he died. Due to the sin of Adam, death is a reality. God has given man the truth so that he can prepare for the reality of physical death without needing to continue on in spiritual death.
The genealogical record is fairly standard until we come to the man named Enoch in verse18 and on. Enoch also grew to be a man and to have children. One of his children was Methuselah. Methuselah lived to be the oldest man ever in human history. Of far greater importance than his age is that he was given the opportunity to influence more people with the truth than any other person alive.
We learn something special about Enoch that is not mentioned of any of the other men up to this point. We learn that Enoch walked with God. This suggests that Enoch had a unique relationship with God. It was not that others could not have that same relationship, but Enoch made a wise choice. He walked with God. This suggests that he chose to humble himself and follow God rather than his own way.
We are also told in verse 24 that Enoch was not, for God took him. It does not tell us he died as all others prior to him did. We are told that he was not, for God took him. God gave Enoch 365 years of life. He had that long to impact others for the truth. He did not have nearly as long to impact others as the rest of the men in chapter 5 had. However, he made the best of the time he had and then God took him.
Enoch gives us a picture of what we know as the “Rapture”. The rapture is the next major event on God’s timetable. It will happen without any warning. There are things happening in the world today that remind those who are saved, that Jesus Christ is coming back soon. There are warnings being given that the saints can use to remind the lost of the imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Many are living as if there is no concern about the future. Yes, politicians are talking of inflation and taxes and corruption, etc. But they are all eating from the same trough and their words ring hollow.
Christians need to know the truth and live in the light of the truth. We need to help the lost to see the necessity of knowing the truth in these days of grace. Soon it will be too late.
It is important to know the true God and to walk with Him. That is the way of blessing whether you live a short time on this earth or you live a longer time on this earth. Knowing God gives opportunity for making wise choices now that can bless others. In the end, only those who walk with the Lord will be invited into heaven, whether in death or at the Rapture.
Pastor Bartel