The study of the genealogies recorded in scripture may seem rather boring to some. I must admit that when I read through scripture, I often skip over the long list of names that I cannot even pronounce. However, we must understand that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable…” When we look a little closer at the genealogies recorded in scripture we find some very interesting facts that is profitable to our understanding of the Bible as a whole, which in turn give greater credence to our belief in the word of God.
The major question that comes to mind is simply, ‘why do we need to study the genealogies of scripture?’ The answer to this question is also very simple. The reason we need to study the genealogies of scripture is because it makes the Bible more authentic. These are real people with real names who lived and walked on this earth. We also find that the genealogies coincide with the message of the Bible. Looking at the genealogies helps us to understand the Bible in a literal way and gives proof to the need to study the Bible through a literal historical grammatical hermeneutic.
There are some very interesting facts that we can learn from the early genealogies in scripture, in particular with what we see in Genesis chapters four and five. First, we see further proof for a young earth. In this study we have already dealt with the issue of creation and the need for believers to stand firm on the fact that God created the world in six literal days. We also must make sure that we look to scripture as the final authority and that we do not sway from a literal historical grammatical view of scripture. There is much evidence that substantiates the Biblical account of the world. No matter how much supposed evidence that secular scientist give for an earth that is billions of years old, there is just as much evidence, if not more, that shows that the earth is much younger. The purpose of our study here is to not look at an exhaustive list of all the evidence but to simply show what the scripture says. When you study the genealogies in scripture, you will find that the earth would be dated not much more than 6,000 years old. How do we know this? In Mark 10:6 Jesus says, “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.” Jesus acknowledged the fact that Adam and Eve were made at the ‘beginning of creation.’ Now, look at the genealogy of Adam. We know the time that Jesus was on the earth. When you look at the generations recorded in scripture and you count back from the time of Jesus we find that Adam was created roughly 4,000 years before Christ. From the time of Christ till now is roughly 2,000 years. Therefore, we may conclude that the earth is just over 6,000 years old. We have already established that God created the world in six literal days. This must be true because Adam is given an age. Since Adam is created on the sixth day, then the days of Adam began on that day. Therefore, the sixth and seventh days of creation would have to be literal days. If the six and seventh days are literal then so would the other five days. So, you see, very clearly in scripture, we have proof that earth is a young earth in comparison to what secular scientist would say. The study of Adam’s genealogy simply provides even more proof of the Biblical fact that the earth is just over 6,000 years old.
The second interesting fact that we need to understand is the separation of the line of Abel (Seth) and the line of Cain. In Genesis four we see the account of when Cain killed Abel. In the latter part of the chapter it gives the genealogy of the line of Cain. In chapter five we find the genealogy of Adam and the line of his son Seth. We see the birth of Seth in Genesis 4:25 where it reads, “And Adam knew his wife again; and she bore a son, and called his name Seth: for God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.” Notice the word ‘seed.’ From the very beginning when Adam and Eve sinned, God already had a plan in place to send a Savior. Abel was the one who was to carry the ‘seed’ by which the Savior would come. It is interesting that Abel was a keeper of sheep. The scriptures place a huge significance on the blood sacrifice of a lamb. Of course, we know that Jesus is the Lamb of God who made the ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross. Cain was a tiller of the ground, of the earth. He brought forth the fruit of the ground which could be a picture of man’s achievements and the pleasures of the world. All throughout history we find Satan attempting to destroy the ‘seed.’ He knew that God had a plan in place. He knew that there would be a counter attack for what happened in the garden when he tempted Eve to sin. Satan saw that Abel was a keeper of sheep. He knew that there was something important pertaining to the care of an animal, for God killed an animal in the garden to make coats of skin for Adam and Eve. Cain, however, followed in the way of the fruit. Satan then put two and two together and realized that the seed of Abel would be the one through which an atonement for sin would be made. So, he planted seeds of jealousy and anger and resentment in the heart of Cain. He used Cain to attack the ‘seed.’ But, God is always one step ahead of Satan. He gives Adam and Eve another son to replace Abel and it is through the line of Seth that the Savior comes to the world. Was it just a coincidence that Abel was a keeper of sheep? Was it just a coincidence that Cain, keeper of the ground (the earth) was the one to kill Abel? No, of course not! This is what makes the Bible so remarkable. This is why if we don’t get the beginning right, we will get the end wrong. God’s plan of redemption runs like a thread through the pages of scripture. My friend, God knows what He is doing. He is real and He is in control and He has a plan, and I don’t know about you, but I want to be a part of His plan!
Another interesting fact that we find in the genealogy of Adam is the man that walked with God all the way to heaven. In Genesis 5:21-24 we see the account of the life of Enoch. Now Enoch was a son of Seth. Enoch begot Methuselah who begot Lamech who begot Noah. So, you see, Enoch was also carrying the ‘seed’. Enoch, however, had a very unique relationship with God. Enoch walked with God. I like to think that Enoch walked with God in a literal sense as did Adam in the garden. He obviously had a special relationship with God. His relationship with God was enjoyed by God so much that He took Enoch. Some say that this could be a picture of the rapture of the church. I am not sure we can go that far, but we do find a man here that had a very special relationship with God. What about you? Are you walking with God? Do you have a special relationship with Him? Is your time with God so sweet at times that it seems you are just going to walk right on up to heaven with Him? O, that we would be known as a people who walk with God. When our last breath is taken and our body is laid in the ground, what will people say? What will be our legacy? Will we be known for walking with God?
Another interesting fact that we find in the genealogy of Adam is that Methuselah is the oldest man recorded in scripture. What it interesting about the life of Methuselah is that he was a contemporary with both Adam and Noah. He would have been an adult when Adam died and he lived all the way up until right before the flood. No doubt, Methuselah would have sat and talked with Adam, after all, they were a part of the same family. Imagine the stories that Adam would have told. Perhaps the reason Noah was found as a righteous man was because he believed what his father and grandfather told him concerning how Adam sinned and how God made a sacrifice for Adam’s sin and then forced him to leave the garden. I wonder if Methuselah even went to the edge of the Garden of Eden and saw the Cherubim that guarded the garden and kept people from going in. Perhaps he even took Noah to see the Cherubim standing in front of the garden. The Garden of Eden was not destroyed until the flood, therefore, these men may have stood outside the garden. Perhaps this was a testimony to them. Perhaps this is the reason as to why Enoch walked with God and Noah was found as a righteous man. Perhaps through the witness of their fathers and the testimony of the garden they believed in God and it was counted to them for righteousness.
The final interesting fact we see in the genealogy of Adam is that Adam’s genealogy points us to Christ. The amazing thing about scripture is that the thread of redemption is running through its pages. From the sacrifice in the Garden of Eden to cloth Adam and Eve to Seth replacing Abel as the ‘seed’ to Noah who was found righteous and God saves Him from the flood to Noah’s son Shem who continued to carry the ‘seed’; it all leads to Jesus! You see, from the very beginning, God had a plan. He had you and me in mind and he had a plan to bring a Savior who would save us from the penalty of sin. It is amazing to see how God works in the very details of history to bring about His plan and His purpose. Just as God has shaped history to bring salvation to the world, God also has a unique plan for you. It is His desire that you love Him and have a relationship with Him. It is His desire that you serve Him and worship Him all the days of your life. It is His desire to give you a home with Him forever in heaven. God is at work, the question is, will you get in on it? Will you accept God’s plan for your life?