Bible Commentaries
Genesis 5

Verse 1

This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

Contents

This is a very interesting chapter, though, at the first view, if seems to contain nothing but the pedigree of the first patriarchs. But when we consider that this is the pedigree which, uniformly leads on to the promised seed, and ends not, until it is summed up in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is not what the apostle calls the fables of endless genealogies, (1 Timothy 1:4 ) but contains the power of an endless life. Hebrews 7:16 . This chapter is further remarkable, for containing the short lives, and short history of the patriarchs, before the flood, including no less a period than 1656 years.

Verses 2-3

And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

I beg the reader to remark the particularity of expression, in this verse; Adam begat a son, in his own likeness. Not in the image of God, in which he himself was made; but in his own likeness, that is, a fallen, sinful, faded likeness.

Verses 4-20

And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.

In passing hastily over so many verses, and which contains so many ages, in the lives of the patriarchs, we have reason to be humbled in the reflection, and to feel the full force of the prophet's words, All flesh is grass. But it is worthy observation, at the same time, how express the Holy Ghost is, in so particularly enumerating the holy seed, while that of the ungodly is so shortly noticed, and so speedily ended. See Genesis 4:18 . So true is that scripture, Proverbs 10:7

Verses 21-24

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Enoch, signifies the dedicated one.- Amos 3:3 . Observe! at the age 65, he is said to have walked with God. May not this be supposed to mean the period of his conversion? Hebrews 11:5 Sweet testimony to his faith in the promised seed. Psalms 104:33

Verses 25-29

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.

Noah signifies rest. A proper name for him, who was a type of the promised rest to all the people of God. Methinks, I would ask my heart, while reading the name of Noah, and his father's hopes concerning him, whether I can say, in reference to our spiritual Noah, even the Lord Jesus Christ, shall the same comfort me?

Verses 30-32

And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

REFLECTIONS

What a vast succession of years and ages, related in so few words! Here is no less than the whole history of 1656 years, folded up in a chapter of 32 verses! Oh! my soul, seriously consider the frailty and shortness of all human excellence. What doth the whole history of man contain, more than this short history of the patriarchs, than that one man lived so many years, and he died! and another lived so many years, and he died. Blessed Jesus! what a relief is it to my soul, amidst all the death of the world, that thou livest and abidest forever!

Are we not (in the view of Enoch, the dedicated one, walking with God, amidst a crooked and perverse generation) led to contemplate him who was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens? He was, indeed, the only one who truly walked with God, being one with the Father, from the beginning, over all, God blessed forever. How sweet are all the types of Jesus! But how sweeter far, he, to whom all types, prophecies, and sacrifices, ministered? Walk thou with me, O Lord, and, by thy blessed Spirit, may I be enabled to walk with thee, until, like Enoch, I come to be translated from this region of shadows and ordinances, to serve thee in thy temple forevermore.

Let us not dismiss the view, which the sacred historian here gives us, of that highly favoured servant of the Most High God, until we have taken another look at his character. By faith, (saith an Apostle) Enoch was translated, that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation, he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Precious testimony! Gracious God, may it be my portion. Enable me, O thou Holy and Eternal Spirit, so to walk with God, by a living faith on the person and righteousness of Jesus, as to please God, that having my conversation holy in this world, I may be truly happy in another.