Bible Chapter: Genesis 5

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    This chapter is a good illustration of life in previous times that is far different than we see today.  This is important in reading and understanding the Bible.  A person who is 100 years old today is considered very old.  Yet is says here that Adam was 130 when he had his son, Seth.  Adam lived to the age of 930, having children down through the centuries.  We see that Methuselah lived to the ripe old age of 969.  How did they live so long?  The impact and the destruction of sin had not yet reached the human race.  When God created the human race, His design was for people to live a long healthy life.  As sin took over, it impacted the world and the health of physical bodies.  Sin is a destructive force and people didn’t live as long.
    In the early chapters of Genesis we see how quickly there became a separation between those who walked with God and those who followed the path of sin.  I am often amazed at how people can be so blatantly open about sin.  This is what was happening in the early history of the world.  We read here about a godly man, Enoch.  He only lived 365 years.  He didn’t die because of sin.  One day God took him to heaven as he walked with the Lord.  Enoch proclaimed the importance of righteousness and that God was going to judge the world. They didn’t believe him.  They were about to find out that God is serious about sin and judgement.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    God made people in His image.  He blessed them.  He gave them everything they could possibly want.  And yet, so many of them decided to go their own way and do whatever they wanted.  We read here about how they lived and had families and life went on.  This chapter is a transition chapter, telling the names and lines of people. Some of them were very godly. The majority were the opposite.  This chapter ends with the life of Noah and the fact that at age 500 he had three sons.  Chapter six goes into the story of the judgement of the world and the flood.  I have a choice to make – which line of life I will follow. I have made and choice and will stick with it.  I will follow the line that lives for Jesus.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see the importance of following God’s way.  Enoch is a great example.  We can only guess, but from this chapter it appears that one day Enoch was worshiping God and enjoying His presence and God just took him out of this life.  That is an awesome concept.  I want to help people see they will never be sorry for submitting to the Lordship of Jesus.