We live in a world of death-- but we can walk with God.

He Lived … Years, and He Died.

(Genesis 5:1-32, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, July 20, 2014)

[5:1] This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. [2] Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. [3] When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. [4] The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. [5] Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.

We are amazed by the lifespans of the generations of the men listed here. We should be struck by the sad fact of death among those who were made in the likeness of God. (Gen 6:3, Ps 90:10)

[6] When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. [7] Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. [8] Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.… 905 years, and he died.... 910 years, and he died.... 895 years, and he died.... 962 years, and he died.... 969 years, and he died.... Lamech … fathered … Noah … this one shall bring us relief … 777 years, and he died.

We follow the line of Adam from his son, Seth, down to Noah (meaning “rest”). We read only of a single son who is named for each father until we come to the sons of Noah. Each time we are told that there were other sons and daughters, and we know that the world that once was—the world before the flood—was being populated with all the children that were born. The singular son is mentioned in each case because he is the one through whom the genealogy leads to some other figure. In the case of Genesis 5, that figure is Noah, the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

[21] When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. [22] Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. [23] Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. [24] Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

There is one other man in this list that we need to consider more carefully—Enoch. His life was unusual. “Enoch walked with God.” Also his life was very short. His 365 years sounds like such a long time to us, but people of his day must have been shocked that Enoch was gone so soon. But how did he go? We notice that the word “died” does not appear in his story. Instead we read “and he was not.” Interesting. “God took him.” Not in a bad way, but good.

He walked with God. What does it mean to “walk with God?” The language, by condescension, is that of equals, yet God is the superior, and the one who walks with Him is the inferior. Enoch was the apprentice and God the Master. Enoch was the son and God the Father. For any man to walk with God he must obey God's Word, worship Him with reverence, love Him, and serve Him (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).

Put the Word to Work: Jesus walked with God perfectly. Long before He came to die for Enoch's sins, Enoch had the benefit of close fellowship with the God of the universe. We have that same privilege. (Hebrews 10:39, 11:5-6, 11:39-40) We live in a world that is greatly trouble by death, but we can walk with God, and one day He will receive us into glory. Our bodies may suddenly fail, but the Lord is our strength and our portion forever. (Psalm 84)

Memory Verse from the Songs of Ascents—Psalm 121:5-6 – The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

Gospel Reading—Matthew 13:24-30 – The parable of the weeds