Genesis 5

Genesis 5:6-20

This chapter is the only authentic history extant of the first age of the world from the creation to the flood. It contains an account of the defendants of Seth to Nash, and is preserved, and from thence continued down to Gariff, Luke iii. 36. who was the feed of the woman, that was promised. We have here an account, 1. Concerning Adam, ver. 1—5. 2. Seth, ver. 6—8. 3. Enos, ver. 9—11. 4. Cainam, ver. 12—14. 5. Mahalaleel, ver. 15—17. 6. Yared, ver. 11—20. 7. Knoch, ver. 21—24. 8. Mahaaleel, ver. 25—27. 9. Lamech and his son Nash, ver. 28. ad finem. All forrester being given by inspiration of God is profitable, though not all alike profitable.

1. THIS is the book of the generations of Adam: 1. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him: 2. Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name: Adam, in the day when they were created. 3. ¶ And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth. 4. And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth, were eight hundred years; and he begat sons and daughters. 5. And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

v. 1, 2. We have a recital here of what was largely treated of before. ‘Tis useful that man should often be reminded of his maker, for he is strangely apt to forget him. We have here, 1. His name: this was not so expressly mentioned before; it signifies not earth, to point him to his original, and signify his subjection; and both have one name, for they have one nature, and by marriage are one flesh: let the man love his wife then, even as himself. 2. His generations. His own and his possessions: the only valuable genealogy is this; to know, not from whom we come, but from whom Christ came. The greatest man living is but the son of the duft; of the earth, earthy: the only noble extraction is to be related to the Lord from heaven. v. 3, 4, 5. No notice is taken of what other children he begat; though in virtue of the blessing, no doubt, he begat many before, as well as after Seth. 1. The time of his birth. The 130th year, a long space, and full of trouble: now there is a little sunshine after the dark cloud. We need he thankful for every mercy in the way, and wait in this vale of tears with patience, till our appointed change comes. 2. What is said of him? He begat him in his own likeness; not in the image of God, in which himself was created, but in the likeness of his own corrupt and fallen left. Miserable effects of sin! We can entail nothing now upon our offspring, but sin and the curse of it. Grace doth not run in the blood, but corruption doth. 3. His age and death; certain to come, though long delayed: may we often remember it, and learn from the view, so to number our days, as to apply our hearts unto wisdom.

6. And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos. 7. And Seth lived after he had begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. 8. And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died. 9. And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan. 10. And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters. 11. And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died. 12. And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel. 13. And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years: and begat sons and daughters. 14. And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died. 15. And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared. 16. And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. 17. And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died. 18. And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch. 19. And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 20. And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.

Adam’s descendants are recounted to the fifth generation. He lived to see the earth overjoyed, and replenished with inhabitants. The account of Seth’s posterity is dwelt

upon; whilst Cain’s is only mentioned, and no more. God’s faints are precious in his fight.

Observe, 1. How death passed upon all. Their lives were long indeed, but the burden of the tale is, and he died. Health, riches, wisdom, and what is better, godliness, make no distinction here: ‘Tis all thou art, and all the proud muft be.

2. Their days are mentioned, to remind us that years and ages are but longer days; and when they are gone, will be like yesterday, which is past.

3. The length of their lives. Many ages. Though death was entered, his ravages were refrained, either by the excellent temperature of the air, and the wholesomeness of their food, in which the antideluvian world, no doubt, far exceeded the present; or by the power of God, who preserved men’s lives to overforall the earth the sooner, or rather that the true religion might be thus preserved from corruption. A finner looks back with regret on these lives of ages, and wishes their return; a faint of God rejoices in his happier lot, that he is not left so long to groan in this tabernacle, being burthened.

4. And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah. 22. And Enoch ‘walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 23. And all the days of Enoch, were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24. And ‘Enoch walked with God, and he was not: for God took him.

5. 21-24. In the foregoing generations, nothing is said of their characters; their descent bids us hope they imitated their father. But here God singles out one to be the imitation of future ages, as he was the glory of that in which he lived. Observe.

6. His conversation in the world. He walked with God.

(1.) His practice was agreeable to God’s will: he maintained a happy communion with him: his soul was weaned from the vanities of the world, and fixed on God as his only portion. Now, The life of every christian is walking with God. 2. As a reconciled sinner, through the blood of Christ. 3. As a restored soul, through the spirit of Christ. 4. As an obedient servant, according to the word of Christ. 5. As an observant worthier in all ordinances, and an attentive improver of all providences. 6. As happy in the fellowship obtained with God, through his dear Son. 7. As a constant expectant of God’s appearing to take us to humbly, that we may behold his glory.

(2.) His preaching. He not only himself lived for God, but he laboured for God, Jude 14. Boldly rebuking sin, and encouraging the faithful in their adherence to God, from the prospect of the appearance of their Lord to judge the ungodly, and to reward his saints.

(3.) His perseverance herein. To the end of his days. There seems no reason to apprehend he did not walk with God before; we are allured, however, after he begat Methuselah, he did three hundred years. Every true faint of God is known by his perseverance. It was a long while to live thus in a wicked world, but he walked by faith. Note, True faith never failed.

2. His translation from earth to heaven. It was his business and happiness to live for God; it is his reward to live with God. He was in the prime of life when God took him; had not, according to general reckoning, lived out half his days; but surely he was a wonderful sinner by the exchange. He quinted a wicked world for a heavenly kingdom; a life of toil for a rest in glory; a scene of vanity for bliss eternal. Note, we ought not too much to lament for our dear friends that die in the Lord, left our selfishness, rather than our affection appear. Though the child be robbed from the tender parents, the husband from his weeping family, or the zealous minister from his desolate flock; the loss indeed is ours, the gain is thorn. They have lived enough whom God takes to humbly: the days that are cut off from the labours of time, shall be added to the rewards of eternity. Early deaths, and sudden deaths, are reckoned untimely; but who can think it untimely to go to the bottom of Jesus; or who should grieve that

No painful agonies need to untie, The soul that’s ready to ascend on high, And mount its exile from its native sky.

3. The manner of his translation. He was caught up, perhaps visibly, as Elijah afterwards, into heaven: his body changed in the wrinkling of an eye, from corruption to incorruption, from dishonour to glory, from natural to spiritual, and his soul, freed from every spot of sin, made there for an inheritance among the saints in light. We may not hope for such a change, but we expect an equivalent; the arm of death, which snatches the believer from the earth, shall carry him to the place whither Enoch is gone before.

4. The grand principle which influenced him to such a conduct, and brought him to such an end; Faith to the Lord: Jesus Christ, Heb. xi. 5. Note, (1.) Faith only can enable us

to walk with God. (2.) Thus shall we please God. (3.) God will testify his pleasure in such a walk, by his witness in our hearts now, and by his approbation in a judgment day. (4.) Eminent believers shall have singular honours, as one star different from another star in glory.

25. And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech. 26. And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters. 27. And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

26. 25, 26, 27. Methuselah died in the year of the deluge, as if taken away from the evil to come. He exceeded all men in length of days, but died too: every man living is altogether vanity. When we consider that a thousand years and one day are alike compared with eternity, the difference of the age of Methuselah, and the child that beached only, and died, vanishes into nothing. If eternity is so vast, and time so vain, how careful should we be to redeem the one, in order to secure the other.

27. And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son. 29. And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed. 30. And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters. 31. And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died. 32. And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat ‘Shem, Ham, and ‘Japheth.

Good and bad men have the same names, but their characters easily distinguish them; Lamech the faint, from Lamech the sinner. He had many sons, but one most remarkable. We have.

1. His name: Noah; rest. They expected in him a comfort from their toils. Children should be a rest for their parents: happy they who can say by experience of their dutifulness and affection, this same shall comfort us.

2. His family. Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They are particularly mentioned, because of the subsequent transactions: Shem, though first in name, is not first in age; but as he was first in God’s favour, he obtains the preference. God’s gifts are his own; if he chuses one and not another, who shall secure him of partiality; or say to him, What do I thus? Shem signifies, name: for from him is to descend the seed, who is above every name. Note, if the name of Christian be ours indeed, the birthright and binding are entailed on it: we shall be counted among the church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven.