Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Boring But Powerful
The fifth chapter of Genesis is very redundant. It is a listing of the generations from Adam to Noah. We read so and so lived such and such, had this important child, lived such and such, had more children, and died. There are a few important points about this chapter that make it so powerful that the redundancy becomes irrelevant.
First, there is the interesting note on Enoch. Enoch had a strange life. Close to the middle-end of the chapter it says, "And Enoch lived sixty-five years and fathered Methuselah. And Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he fathered Methuselah. And he fathered sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God, and then he was not, for God took him" (Gen 5:21-24 MKJV). This life is strange for its duration, its nature, and its end. Its duration is extremely short by the standards of the others in this chapter. Three hundred sixty-five years is immense to me, but according to the record given here, it was only a little more than a third of a normal lifespan in that time. Its nature is strange, because the other men mentioned were listed for inventions or major happenings, but he was mentioned for his relationship with God. The life's end is strange because it ends with God "taking" Enoch, rather than Enoch dying. Whether this is the first example of a "rapture" or a resurrection, I really do not know, but everyone else in this chapter died. Only Enoch had a unique end, being taken to be with God.
That brings me to the second powerful point of the chapter--the generational grip sin has on mankind. Forgetting Enoch for a while, look at all the others. Their lives end with "and he died." It is no wonder that Paul used the phrase "death reigned from Adam to Moses" when he was describing the issue of sin before the Law. Despite our best efforts, all things that come from sinners, including sinners, come to an end. Sin results in death. Returning to Enoch, I see that he was different. Here was a man who did not end up the same. What was different? We only know this: he walked with God, and God took him. Being rescued from the effects of sin is only possible in God's way and by God's power. God took Enoch.
The third point is possibly the central point that Moses intended for the chapter. Remember, this is history and argument rolled up into a single package. The story of history is summed up in God's decree: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Gen 3:15 MKJV). Here, Moses is tracing the promised line of the seed. It travels through different generations of men, but that Seed promised had not arrived. However, the point is that God is still in control and faithful. God had promised a Seed. That Seed was yet to come. That Seed would come at the right time, and God would be working things for His glory in all the time leading up to the "appointed time." In other words, God has not forgotten His promise. He is keeping track of the time and making things happen according to His plan.
Finally, the argument for current events. Many Bible readers are really unaware of how strongly the Bible diverges from the scientific community on the duration of history. This genealogy, along with the others given in other places in the Bible give no room for an old earth. No one who interprets the Bible from a literal perspective can accept the idea of an evolutionary history spanning billions of years. This is gut check time, here. The Bible has now set itself up against the conventions of science which have endured for the last 200 years, the rulings of the US court system over the last 150 years, and the desire to ban all creationism's science whatsoever. This chapter is a powerful argument that the Bible sets itself up over those scientists. I have heard so many people try to argue that the Bible is good for moral counsel and encouragement, but leave it there. However, no reader of the arguments of Scripture can leave it there. If the Bible has anything to say, it is arguing against those schools of philosophy that would ban it from having things to say about science, engineering, government, society, and the like. The flip side is that those who try to make that half concession to the Bible's moral voice really quickly will try to say that it is people of faith and Christians in particular that have caused moral crises throughout history. The point is clear. The fence is not fit for sitting. In fact, you end up falling on one side or the other eventually. Clearly, historical exegesis is not neutral, has a purpose, and must be taken seriously. Credibility diminishes in all parts when one part is disintegrated.
Moses' arguments for a faithful and sovereign God, a saving and resurrecting God, and a unique and exclusive view of history are a call to consider what we believe and make certain it is in line with the truth.
First, there is the interesting note on Enoch. Enoch had a strange life. Close to the middle-end of the chapter it says, "And Enoch lived sixty-five years and fathered Methuselah. And Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he fathered Methuselah. And he fathered sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God, and then he was not, for God took him" (Gen 5:21-24 MKJV). This life is strange for its duration, its nature, and its end. Its duration is extremely short by the standards of the others in this chapter. Three hundred sixty-five years is immense to me, but according to the record given here, it was only a little more than a third of a normal lifespan in that time. Its nature is strange, because the other men mentioned were listed for inventions or major happenings, but he was mentioned for his relationship with God. The life's end is strange because it ends with God "taking" Enoch, rather than Enoch dying. Whether this is the first example of a "rapture" or a resurrection, I really do not know, but everyone else in this chapter died. Only Enoch had a unique end, being taken to be with God.
That brings me to the second powerful point of the chapter--the generational grip sin has on mankind. Forgetting Enoch for a while, look at all the others. Their lives end with "and he died." It is no wonder that Paul used the phrase "death reigned from Adam to Moses" when he was describing the issue of sin before the Law. Despite our best efforts, all things that come from sinners, including sinners, come to an end. Sin results in death. Returning to Enoch, I see that he was different. Here was a man who did not end up the same. What was different? We only know this: he walked with God, and God took him. Being rescued from the effects of sin is only possible in God's way and by God's power. God took Enoch.
The third point is possibly the central point that Moses intended for the chapter. Remember, this is history and argument rolled up into a single package. The story of history is summed up in God's decree: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Gen 3:15 MKJV). Here, Moses is tracing the promised line of the seed. It travels through different generations of men, but that Seed promised had not arrived. However, the point is that God is still in control and faithful. God had promised a Seed. That Seed was yet to come. That Seed would come at the right time, and God would be working things for His glory in all the time leading up to the "appointed time." In other words, God has not forgotten His promise. He is keeping track of the time and making things happen according to His plan.
Finally, the argument for current events. Many Bible readers are really unaware of how strongly the Bible diverges from the scientific community on the duration of history. This genealogy, along with the others given in other places in the Bible give no room for an old earth. No one who interprets the Bible from a literal perspective can accept the idea of an evolutionary history spanning billions of years. This is gut check time, here. The Bible has now set itself up against the conventions of science which have endured for the last 200 years, the rulings of the US court system over the last 150 years, and the desire to ban all creationism's science whatsoever. This chapter is a powerful argument that the Bible sets itself up over those scientists. I have heard so many people try to argue that the Bible is good for moral counsel and encouragement, but leave it there. However, no reader of the arguments of Scripture can leave it there. If the Bible has anything to say, it is arguing against those schools of philosophy that would ban it from having things to say about science, engineering, government, society, and the like. The flip side is that those who try to make that half concession to the Bible's moral voice really quickly will try to say that it is people of faith and Christians in particular that have caused moral crises throughout history. The point is clear. The fence is not fit for sitting. In fact, you end up falling on one side or the other eventually. Clearly, historical exegesis is not neutral, has a purpose, and must be taken seriously. Credibility diminishes in all parts when one part is disintegrated.
Moses' arguments for a faithful and sovereign God, a saving and resurrecting God, and a unique and exclusive view of history are a call to consider what we believe and make certain it is in line with the truth.
