Adam's Family
Genesis 5
In chapter five of Genesis, we read of ten generations,
beginning with Adam, and ending with the sons of Noah. In Genesis eleven, we
also find ten generations, beginning with Shem and ending with Abraham. These
generations are also found in the genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3). These genealogies
say very little of these men except that they lived, fathered children, and
died. Death had entered the world with the sin of Adam. Victory over death would
come through the descendent of these men. In this article, we will consider some
of the notable persons in the family of Adam.
Some suggest that these genealogies are not complete, but rather just list the
more notable characters and then skips several generations (the Bible does
sometimes do this (Matthew 1:1), but I can see no evidence of it in these Old
Testament records. Maybe... maybe not.
Seth (Gen. 4:25,26; 5:6-8)
Seth was the son of Adam and Eve. Three of the second generation of mankind are
named; Cain, Abel and Seth. Many fail to realize that Adam and Eve had many
other sons and daughters who are not mentioned by name in the Bible (Genesis
5:3,4). The children of these sons and daughters of Adam and Eve became the
parents of the third generation.
Due to the long life spans of human beings before the flood, it was not uncommon
to live hundreds of years, living to see one's great great great great great
great great grand children. We find people having children on into the second
century of life (it was nothing to have a child in one's 60's or 70's). After
the flood, human longevity drops dramatically as the aging process is
accelerated.
The population would grow quickly because of this, and herein is the key to the
old question, "Where did Cain get his wife?" The answer, from a group of Adam's
descendants who settled in the land of Nod, perhaps a century or two later
(Genesis 4:16-17). The human population would have been quite numerous by then.
The name "Seth" means "set", or "appoint." Adam named him Seth because God had
appointed seed from him instead of Abel, who was murdered by Cain (4:26). The
implication is even more far reaching than this; for God had promised the coming
of One who would defeat Satan (Genesis 3:15). It would be through Seth's
descendants that this promise would be fulfilled in Jesus (Luke 3:38).
Seth named one of his sons Enosh, which means "frailty." (Genesis 5:6-8). Enosh
is the son through whom the Messianic promise is fulfilled. Again, Seth had
other sons and daughters, and along with his brothers and sisters, are
multiplying themselves rapidly. The Bible says that in the days of Seth, "men
began to call on the name of the Lord" (Gen. 4:26). It has been suggested that
Seth named his son Enosh (frailty) because he recognized the frailty of man and
their need for God. Therefore they began to call on the name of the Lord.
The word "LORD" is from the Hebrew "Yahweh" or "Jehovah". It describes the
eternal, self-existing nature of God... the "I Am"; One without beginning or
end. The phrase "Call upon His name" shows trust in His mercy and the
realization that we need His care. It is a humbling of oneself before God in
worship and obedience.
Interestingly enough, contrast this with the statement about Cain (4:16).
Sethites "call upon the name of the Lord" while Cain (and his descendants) are
described as going "out from the presence of the Lord."
Enoch (Gen. 5:21-24)
Enoch "walked with God." He had close communion with God and directed his life
in accordance with God's will. The Scriptures also state that Enoch "was not,
for God took him." This expression means that Enoch did not die like those who
preceded him. Instead, God "translated" him.
This is the same expression used concerning Elijah who also did not die but was
taken into heaven (2 Kings 2:3-5). Enoch "walked with God" meaning he lived by
faith and was pleasing to God (Hebrews 11:5). Without faith one cannot be
pleasing to God (Hebrews 11:6). Enoch "sought for God" and was rewarded by God.
In the New Testament, Jude called Enoch a prophet (Jude 14). This prophecy deals
with the judgment of God upon the ungodly. Enoch's message to his generation was
one of warning of God's judgment.
Methuselah (Gen. 5:25-27)
The only notable thing about Methuselah was that of all those mentioned in the
Bible, he lived the longest, 969 years. Which would you rather do; live as long
as Methuselah, or please God? Methuselah lived a long time, but was not pleasing
to God (Genesis 6:5,8). The Bible states that only Noah was righteous during a
time when Methuselah still lived. Interestingly, Methuselah died the year of the
flood. We do not know if he died previous to the flood, or in it.
Noah (Gen. 5:29)
The name Noah means "rest." Lamech, Noah's father, gave him this name because,
"This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because
of the ground which the Lord has cursed" This reminds us of the original cursing
of the ground. Noah's parents look forward to Noah helping them toil out a
living hoping it will ease their burden of survival.
But with Noah will come a different kind of rest; a rest of the earth itself
from the sin which plagued it.
Things to Think About
The consequences of Adam's sin, physical death, continued through his offspring.
Repeatedly the phrase is used in Genesis five; "and he died". The one exception
is Enoch, as we already noted. For help, we turn to the One who blessed Enoch
with life (John 11:23-26; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23).
Men should call on the name of the Lord. Today, since Jesus has now come, this
entails obeying His gospel by faith (Romans 10:13). This involves baptism to
have our sins washed away (Acts 22:16; 2:37,38).
Finally, one can "please God" by "walking with Him." Like Enoch, we need to
"walk with God" by faith. It is the wise thing to do (Ephesians 5:15; 1 John
1:6-7). Remember, you and I are a part of Adam's family as well.
By Jon W. Quinn
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From Expository Files 9.8; August 2002
