This chapter provides an overview of man, from his creation and multiplication on earth to the moment when death began to manifest in humanity. Adam died at the age of 930 (v. 5). Death is the result of sin. Eternal life was no longer man’s portion. After having Seth, whom God gave to compensate for Abel’s death, Adam had several sons and daughters. This chapter also presents the genealogy of Seth up to Noah, starting with Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch.

Enoch walked with God for 365 years and then he was no more, for God took him (v. 24). The Hebrew word for “took” is “laqach,” which means to remove from earth to heaven, to experience the rapture. Enoch is part of the seventh generation from Adam. He fathered Methuselah, who lived longer than Adam (969 years), thus becoming the longest-lived man on earth. Because Enoch walked with God, his descendants endured more than those of Adam. After Methuselah came Lamech (different from the polygamist mentioned in Genesis 4:23), and from him came Noah, whose name means REST.

Noah is part of the tenth generation from Adam (the number ten refers to a change, as it is the number of testimony, law, responsibility, and complete order). In this lineage, those who lived more than 900 years are: Methuselah (969), Jared (962), Noah (950), Adam (930), Seth (912), Kenan (910), and Enosh (905). This proves that before the Lord destroyed the earth by the flood, long life was the portion of human beings. Noah walked with God and fathered three children: Shem, Ham, and Japheth, when he was 500 years old.

The significance of the names within the generations from Adam to Noah accurately describes the history of God’s people from humanity’s fall to His plan to grant man salvation and rest (Genesis 5:1-29). Specifically, man (Adam) decided to pursue and possess what is futile (Cain), to acquire vanity and chase the wind (Abel). This substituted (Seth) his divine life and brought disease and mortality into his humanity (Enosh), and death became his possession (Kenan). Praise be to God (Mahalalel), for He came to earth, descended (Jared) among men to dedicate again, teach, and instruct (Enoch) man, and He died to send and restore (Methuselah) to the wounded and stricken man (Lamech), comfort and rest (Noah).

This text is an excerpt from the book “THE PENTATEUCH: Under the Eyes of Grace” written by Dr. Rhema Divin NGOY.

We invite you to read the following article “The Entry into the Ark and the Flood.”