Pre-Flood Patriarchs: Who Were They?

                                                                             Pre-flood Genealogy

                                                                             Genesis 5:1-32 KJV

                                                            Full Text and Background Information

       Here is the complete chapter text from Genesis 5, from which I have created my timeline chart “Pre-Flood Patriarchs” on page 8. Carefully read the whole chapter, even if you can’t pronounce the names and it may seem redundant and somewhat boring!

       “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;

       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, and 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.

       ⁶ And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:

       ⁷ And Seth lived after he 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.

       ²¹ 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 sixty and five years:

       ²⁴ And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

       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.

       ²⁸ 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.” Genesis 5:1-32 KJV

       Raise your hand (figuratively) if you had trouble pronouncing these Hebrew names-me too. These verses may seem by many to be just another “rambling” list of ‘who’s who’ that reoccurs time and time again in the Bible. Through the years I have thought the same, just rushing over these verses not thinking there was any real message or information to be gained from them. When we rush over them we miss a world of important Bible knowledge with which God can enrich our lives. When we slow down and look closely, we find details that cause us to stop and think about the biblical implications of these dates associated with the people listed. Let me point out a few things which I had never thought about before now.

       As I asked earlier, if Methuselah Lived for 969 years, “Why didn’t ’Methuselah make it to 1000 years old”? That would have been only 31 more years. We saw in Matthew 24:37-39 KJV that mankind in Noah’s day were going about their everyday lives and were unaware that God was about to destroy most of mankind. It says they were marrying and giving in marriage. Genesis chapter six told us that, “…the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5b KJV. If God didn’t have anything nice to say about those generations before the flood, then what kind of conclusions can we draw about Methuselah and the other people of his day? We can conclude that Methuselah was just like the others Jesus describes in Matthew 24 and those in Genesis 6.

       To help us see these analogies more clearly I have put the names and dates of these verses from Genesis chapter five in a visual perspective using a timeline/spreadsheet format. Referencing this chart will give us a fresh point of view on this information. Genesis chapter five starts by stating, “¹This is the book of the generations of Adam”. As it continues it gives a very short recap of Adam and Eve’s creation in verses one and two, and then tells us of the birth of Seth.  From here God starts to record the years from creation and the years of the generations of Adam through Seth to Noah and the flood. The text states that Adam was 130 years when Seth was born; this is also the number of years from Adam’s creation. This process of dating continues with each patriarch until the birth of Noah and Noah’s sons. Looking in Figure 1, “Pre-flood Patriarchs” in the column titled “Year from Creation” (column “M”) we can see the year each patriarch was born.  Remember this is the year from creation.

       Genesis seven tells us;” ⁶ And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.” (Genesis 7:6 KJV) Knowing that Noah was born 1056 years after creation we can calculate the flood as 1656 years after creation. The bottom three rows of the spreadsheet break down many of these details for us.  It may be a little difficult to see these details at first, so let me now go through these calculations one at a time then you can see the details (read “between the lines”) better. Refer to charts labeled, Figure 2, “Calculations for the Pre-flood Patriarchs” and Figure 1, “Pre-flood Patriarchs”.

                               “Calculations for the Pre-flood Patriarchs”– Explanation

       In Figure 2, page 7, we see these calculations. In column “B” is the “Patriarchs Name”, in light blue color. Next, column “C” is “How Long the Patriarchs Lived” in light blue color. The next is column “D” the “Age of the Patriarch at Son’s Birth” in light blue color. Column “E” is “Calculations” in light olive color. The “Years from Creation” is in column “F” in light orange color. The last column, column “G”, is labeled “Patriarch’s Son Name”. IRows 2 through 9 and line 13 show the name of the patriarch in column “B”. Across each line is the information about the patriarch and his total age and his age at the birth of the son listed in Genesis chapter five. Common data is highlighted in different colors to show grouping.

       In line 10 we see that Adam has died in the year 930 from creation. The next sequential date is in line 11. This is the year 987 from creation when God takes Enoch home to heaven. Line 12 tells us the year from creation in which Seth dies, the year 1042. All these cells are highlighted in yellow.

       Between the birth of Lamech (874 years from creation) and the birth of his son Noah (1056 years from creation) is 182 years (1056 – 874 = 182). During this time Adam has died,     (930 – 874 = 56), 56 years after Lamech’s birth, line 10. The next event is when God takes Enoch to heaven (987 – 874 = 113), 113 years after Lamech was born, line 11. Next we see that Seth has died (1042 – 874 = 168) this was 168 years after Lamech’s birth, line 12. This means that Seth has died just (1056 – 1042 = 14) 14 years before Noah was born. From this we can see that almost everyone up Noah’s birth could have had firsthand knowledge of Adam and Eve and even Seth.

       What does this say about Methuselah? Methuselah had almost 243 years to meet Adam, almost 300 years to meet Enoch and almost 355 years to meet Seth and get firsthand information from these people about their testimony and relationship with God. What does this say about all the other people of this time?

       When God described these people of Noah’s day by saying,” that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”, how many righteous people would God have to find to change his mind about saving mankind from this fate of total destruction? I will be addressing this and other questions as we go.

       Bear with me as I bring together several precepts and truths about God and man which apply to all men and God throughout all generations, starting with Adam and Eve.

                                                                Who Were These Patriarchs?

         Since we are not given a lot of information about people during this time frame we must  look at truths or precepts about mankind and God that could help tell us why Methuselah did not live to one thousand years old, and why most of mankind was destroyed in the flood. We find these precepts and truths throughout the Bible. I’ll start by looking at one of the commands or directives God gave Adam and Eve, which was to “be fruitful and multiply”.

       Here is what God said;

       “²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

       ²⁸ And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth (moves) upon the earth.

       ²⁹ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” (Genesis 1:27-29 KJV)

        Man was given dominion over the earth and was told to “Be fruitful, and multiply”. All this came with the responsibility for continual care of the earth for God’s glory, passing on this responsibility to their children from generation to generation, sharing the knowledge of God to them and bringing them to God for fellowship. Where does God demonstrate this precept elsewhere in the Bible? Let’s see.

       “¹Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

       ² I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

       ³ Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

       ⁴ We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

       ⁵ For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

       ⁶ That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

       ⁷ That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

       ⁸ And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.” Psalms 78:1-8 KJV.

       The first precept we see in Genesis is the place man holds before God as God’s special creation. Adam and Eve were created to live in God’s Holy presence to worship and serve God face to face. They were to have dominion over the earth and to populate the earth with children that honored and glorified God with their lives. Adam and Eve were to pass this relationship with God on to their children. As the psalmist says we should be  “…, shewing (showing) to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.”Psalm 78:4b KJV. It continues in verse six saying: “⁶ That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:” And verse seven says “… and not forget the works of God, but to keep his commandments:”

       Where in these first nine chapters of the Bible did it record any parent sharing their knowledge of God with their children? Nowhere, not even with Methuselah or Adam and Eve!

There are only four verses that say anything good about anyone in this first two-thousand years after creation. First, was Able who brought an acceptable sacrifice to God. Second, was Enoch who walked with God, Genesis 5:24. Third, was that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and that Noah was perfect in his generation, Genesis 6:8-9. Finally, Noah did all that God told him to do, Genesis 6:22.

       Two other precepts we see here are God’s judgment leading to His wrath and God’s grace which is shown in God’s mercy. As we read earlier,

       ⁵ And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

       ⁶ And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

       ⁷ And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth( grieved) me that I have made them. 

       ⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:5-8 KJV

       God knows the hearts of all men (mankind). Knowing “that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” grieved God in his heart. God had made up his mind to destroy all mankind because God in his omnipotence knew these people would never repent and return willingly to him. “⁸But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” God by his grace and mercy did not destroy all of mankind because of one man “Noah”. (Just a side note: If Noah was the only man to be found faithful even today, Jesus would have still died on the cross just for him. I will also discuss the issue of God’s omnipotence and His knowing the hearts of men later in this article.)

       Since God never changes where do we find this precept of God’s wrath mixed with his mercy being described elsewhere in the Bible and could this precept account for the possibility that Methuselah could have been washed away in the flood? To see this precept laid out let’s look at a story of Abraham and Lot. This is the account of the story where God (angels of the Lord) was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness. We will see an even more compelling example as we continue in Ezekiel 14 later in the article. Now, what about Abraham and Lot?

       This story is found Genesis 18:20-33. If you are not familiar with the story read chapters eighteen and nineteen of Genesis for the whole story. God told Abraham that an evil report had come to him about Sodom and Gomorrah and He was going to see for himself if it were true. He then would decide whether or not to destroy those two cities.

       Where did this report come from? Did God have tattle tales reporting to him to keep him informed? In light of these two questions, did God need to ask Adam where he was hiding after he had eaten from the tree. Of course not! God asked these questions as teaching moments to reveal his nature and the heart of man.

       So, why did God reveal his intentions about Sodom and Gomorrah to Abraham?  There were three reasons.  First, to expose the caring heart of Abraham, next to show God’s grace and long suffering and finally to expose Lot’s compromised testimony. So, how did God do all of this in this story? Let’s see.

       If the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah was that bad as God indicated, I would assume that Abraham knew that God would end up destroying the cities. But Abraham also knew his nephew was there and that he was a righteous man living there with his family. So, Abraham “went to bat” so to speak for Lot and asked God hypothetical questions about whether he would destroy the cities if God could find fifty righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah. Then God said, “no” he would not destroy them if 50 righteous people could be found. As the dialog continued Abraham asked God again, what if 45 could be found would God destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and God again said “no”. Abraham got even bolder and asked if 40 then if 30 could be found, then if 20 righteous could be found, finally ending at ten. Abraham finally asked if only ten could be found would God spare the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and God said He would spare Sodom and Gomorrah if only ten righteous people could be found.

       Abraham had pressed the patience of God at this point probably thinking Lot, his wife, his two daughters and their husbands would make six people. They then possibly could add in at least four more righteous people from among his long time servants and friends which would add up to at least ten righteous people. This would surely be enough to save his nephew and his family and all his possessions!

       Did God find ten righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah? NO. Lot was saved only by the mercies of the angels of the Lord.

       What precepts and truths about God and man are we seeing revealed in these stories?

1. God patience. God was patient with Abraham’s questioning. In the same way God was patient with the pre-flood patriarchs. God gave them over 1600 years to repent and return to God. God, giving many people extremely long lives, compared to us today. God gave Adam 930 years to share a testimony of God’s grace and mercy with his children.
2. God knew the hearts of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the hearts of the people before the flood. Their hearts were always thinking of wickedness. In contrast God also knew the hearts of the righteous people, those seeking God. Those who sought after God, found God.
3. As with Lot, we see it’s never an easy journey to come out from among the wicked people of the world; it’s against our old sin nature which we battle with every day. We must die to that old sin nature daily.
4. Did God give all the details of all the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah or the pre-flood patriarchs? No. God does not glorify sin.
5. God’s Mercy. Did God have anything good to say about Lot when He was trying to get him out of Sodom? Here is what happened: “¹⁶And while he (Lot) lingered, the men (angels) laid hold upon his (Lot’s) hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without (outside) the city.” Genesis 19:16 KJV. Only by God’s “mercy and force” did God take Lot and his wife and daughters out of the city. Lot was hesitant to leave even with the angels warning of what God was about to do. The angels, only by the Lord’s mercy had to drag them out of the city or more than likely, the angels picked them up and flew (or transported) them out of the city and then as it said,  “set him without (outside) the city.”
6. Where was Lot’s testimony about God to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and to his servants and friends? Where was Methuselah’s testimony, or Adam and Eve’s testimony to the people before the flood? I conclude they did not have a strong Godly testimony to share with others. They, and as I have done in the past, compromised themselves with the world to the point that their/my testimony was fruitless in their/my families’ and friends’ lives. I thank the Lord I have repented from a life of compromise and now try in every way to share the message of Jesus with family and friends. I challenge you to never compromise with the world, be faithful to the call of Christ in your life.

       With all this background information about the truths and precepts of God, ask yourself did Methuselah believe God? Did Lot really believe God? If Methuselah truly believed Noah’s message about God’s coming destruction, could he have gotten on the ark with Noah and lived to 1000 years old? If Lot truly believed God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah “right now” would he have been so hesitant about getting his family out of Sodom? Were their minds on the things of the world– “I’m about to lose everything, how can I save it”?

       Of course God did not give us enough information to know what was going through their minds so we could positively know. Besides, it’s not our place to give final judgment of anyone, that’s God’s job. But God does tell us in Matthew 7:16 KJV, “¹⁶Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” If you and I have a discerning spirit then answer the following questions about yourself, and those around you:

1. How are you and I known? What’s our testimony among our generation?
2. What do our fruits “say or not say” about us?
3. What did the “fruits” of Methuselah and Lot “say or not say” about them?

       What were your answers? Did you base your answers on your or my standards or on the truths and precepts which God gives us in His word? Since God never changes, let’s see what God says about the attitude in the hearts of the people during Noah’s day. As we have already read, ”⁵ And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5) What Godly precept was God using when He told us about these people before the flood? Paul, through the Holy Spirit, tells us the different attitudes of the heart that God sees in each man and woman in all generation and the evidence that their attitudes produce in their lives.  Paul says in Galatians,

       “¹⁸ But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law

.       ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

       ²⁰ Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

       ²¹ Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

       ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

       ²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

       ²⁴ And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

       ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

                                                          Galatians 5:18-25 KJV.

                                                          (emphasis added in all verses)

       Can you think of a recent bestselling book, movie or TV show that was based on “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, or/and temperance”? Very few. Most of those went out with Andy Griffith and Mayberry.

       Most any kid or teenager in America today can tell you all about Harry Potter, Cinderella, fairy godmothers, witchcraft and sorcery in movies and cartoons they watch, not to mention Video games.

       As I was writing this I simply searched “Video games based on magic and sorcery” and got back many website dedicated to and advertizing video games based on magic. Here is the headline of one, “The 45+ Best Magic Games On Steam, Ranked By Gamers”[1]. Superheroes, violence, magic powers permeate these games.

       How many bestsellers in these medias do you see based on, ”Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,²⁰ Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, and or revellings? There is not enough time in a day to scroll through all of them on your smart TV.

       Can you and I discern the signs of the times as Jesus did“³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Are not these same attitudes rampant today as they were in Noah’s day? Yes. Unfortunately, today mankind just has better tools to increase the wickedness in their lives. Do we need to describe the filthy details of the world today? No, they are apparent. Did God need to describe the filthy details of the world of Noah’s day? No, again they were apparent. BUT, to the lost and dying world they are just the normal way of life.

       With this said I believe Methuselah and Lot were drawn away by their own desires and blinded to what was happening around them from God’s perspective. As James told us,

       “¹³ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

       ¹⁴ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

       ¹⁵ Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

       ¹⁶ Do not err, my beloved brethren.

       ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:13-17 KJV.

       A paraphrase of verse 17, “God never changes”. What was sin at creation and in Noah’s day is still sin today. Adam and Eve sinned when they were, “drawn away of his own lust, and enticed”. In the same way Methuselah and Lot were enticed by the people and pleasures around them and could not or would not see God’s will for their lives. Who else can we find that reflects the attitudes of the people before the flood and why were they not on the “list of the generation of Adam”?

                      So why are Cain and Abel Not on the “List of the Generations of Adam”?

       Having discussed many of the precepts of the character and nature of God and man we will see even more as we continue. Let’s now take another look at the life of Cain and Abel.

       As time has gone by and these men have grown up, we see these first-generation children of Adam acknowledging God with offerings. If you have read the account in Genesis 4, you know God accepted Abel’s offering, but rejected Cain’s offering. As we read and “read between the lines” we see their attitudes toward God come out. Here is how the Bible records it, “³ And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. ⁴ And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: ⁵ But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth (irritated), and his countenance fell.” Genesis 4:3-6 KJV.

       So what was the difference in the two offerings? It was their Attitude toward God in how they treated their offerings they brought to God! They both knew who they were bringing their offering before, a Holy and awesome God. Knowing this, Abel brought “the firstlings of his flock” to the Lord. This was the first fruit of the womb of his flocks. However, Cain only, “brought of the fruit of the ground”.

       Cain evidently brought some of whatever he had picked that day. It was either not the first of his crops, or/nor the best of his crops, we are not told. Also, we are not told the nature of the offerings of Cain or Abel, whether they were a sin offering or a fellowship offering. Whatever the case, God did not accept Cain’s offering.

       God had given mankind the very best in creation, therefore God expected only the best from them (and us) to be brought before the God of Creation. Even after the fall of man, God was still seeking personal fellowship with his creation, mankind. In seeking this fellowship with man, God is establishing the precepts of proper boundaries, reverence, sacrifices and worship of the God of the Universe.

       In order to understand why God accepts or rejects an offering we must understand the full meaning God placed on the offering and how it was to be presented. Here are seven percepts and applications we must understand in order to understand the sacrificial system.

1. Knowledge of God and God’s Nature. When was the First Sacrifice and Who Preformed it?
2. What is the “Holy Presence of God”?
3. Man’s (Adam and Eve) Original Moral State at Their Creation.
4. Man’s Fallen Nature and Why a Sacrifice is needed? And “What is Death”?
5. What or Who, did the Sacrifice Represent?
6. What should we learn from all these Stories and Description of Sacrifices in the Old Testament?

                                                     Knowledge of God and God’s Nature.

                                        When was the First Sacrifice and Who Preformed it?

       If anyone ever had the opportunity to know what God required as an offering it was Cain and Abel. They of all people had the opportunity to get firsthand knowledge of the events of creation and knowledge of God straight from Adam and Eve and even God, himself. Adam and Eve surely would have told them about where they came from and who formed them and about being in the presence of the Holy God of creation, then being driven from His Holy presence and from the Garden of Eden.

       As I discussed earlier we might assume this, but the Bible does not record any dialogue between Adam and Eve and any of their children about God or creation. But from the text we know that Cain and Abel knew of God and communicated with God in some manner, so the knowledge of God was evidently “common knowledge” if not knowledge passed down from Adam and Eve.

       In this story we’ll see God revealing himself and His sovereign nature to fallen men (those who had never been in God’s Holy presence), interacting with them, one on one, having their own firsthand conversation with their/our creator.

       This precept of proper respect for the sovereign God of the universe is also seen later in the Book of Exodus, where God through Moses required the people to bring only the best of the first fruits of their flocks and harvest. “²⁹ Thou shalt (shall) not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.” (Exodus 22:29 KJV) This precept is reiterated in Numbers 13:20, Deuteronomy 26:2 and Nehemiah 10:35. Read these accounts to better understand the regulations about sacrifices.

       This precept was taught to Adam and Eve when God killed animals to make them clothes, then using the blood of those animals made atonement for their sin. Afterwards God promptly (by God’s mercy) drove them out of His Holy presence to protect them from instant eternal separation (judgment) from God. I will discuss and address that concept as we go.

                                 Important note about animal sacrifice and atonement:

       It’s also important to note that the blood of these animals was not adequate to restore Adam and Eve to the “Holy Presence of God”. It only called attention to the seriousness of their condition and that sin results in death, physical (the body) and spiritual (separation of their soul for the Holy Presence of God).

       What happened to the animal is only an imperfect representation of what would happen in the future when God would provide a way for mankind to return to “God’s Holy Presence” through the “perfect” sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ our Lord.

       All the rules and regulations given to Moses with the Ten Commandments could not take away man’s sins. They only helped the people and us, to visualize the seriousness of our sin before God. They were to help us understand the Holy, Pure and Undefiled nature of God. 

       One such regulation was in regard to the “Holy of Holies” where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. No one but the High Priest was allowed in that area without being stoned to death or struck down by God. Only the High Priest could go in there once a year, only if he followed strict guide lines given by God. This place represented the “Holy Presence of God”.

       There were many different types of offerings that were to be brought to the Lord, including fellowship offering, free will offering and many others. The most significant offering was the “Sin Offering”. Read Leviticus 4:1-35 for a description of the details of the sin offering for a Priest, the whole nation, the ruler and the individual Israelite.

       There are four things to notice. First, everyone was guilty of the sin even if they were unaware of the sin. Second, when they realized they had sinned they were required to bring a sin offering. Third, if a priest sinned he had to kill his own offering, (see Leviticus 4:3-4). Fourth if the nation sinned and became aware of it the elders had to kill the offering,  (see Leviticus 4:13-15). Fifth, is that if the ruler sinned he had to kill his or her own offering, (see Leviticus 4:22-24). Finally, if a common person sinned they had to kill his or her own offering, (see Leviticus 4:27-29). This made the sin personal or corporate between God and the person or the nation.

                             Man’s (Adam and Eve’s) Original Moral State at their Creation.

       It is essential that you and I realize that we were never, born or created, in the “Holy Presence of God”. The only humans that were ever created in the Holy Presence of God were Adam and Eve. So what did this mean? They were created sinless, innocent of any disobedience or rebellion against God. From Genesis chapter one we see God has created a place called earth for man to live and fellowship with his creator in purity and innocence. As I showed earlier, man was given dominion over the earth to glorify God. God created on the earth a place of fellowship in which God and man could walk, talk and fellowship, face to face in God’s complete Glory. This place which contained God’s complete Glory was the Garden of Eden. This garden contained the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And there was also a river that came out of Eden. (More about the location of the tree of life can be found in the book of Revelation chapter 22.) Here is how the Bible describes it.

       “⁷ And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

       ⁸ And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

       ⁹ And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

       ¹⁰ And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.” Genesis 2:7-10 KJV.

       So we see God has created a place where man could fellowship with God the Father in whom dwells undefiled purity and Holiness. Man being created in innocence was not created as a chair or a robot, but as a free agent, in the likeness of God, an eternal being that can talk and fellowship with God as mutual friends, face to face in “His Holy Presence.” This is also revealed to us in Revelation where is says;

       “¹And he shewed (showed) me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

       ² In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

       ³ And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

       ⁴ And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” Revelations 22:1-4 KJV.

                                                     What is the “Holy Presence of God?”

       To understand the seriousness of man’s condition before a Holy God we must first understand this precept of the “Holy Presence of God” and what it means to, “be in the Holy Presence of God”, and “not be in the Holy Presence of God”.

       Let’s start by looking at what the apostle Paul says about being “shut out from the “presence of the Lord”:

        “⁶ God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you

        ⁷ and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.

        ⁸ He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 

         ⁹ They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord (emphasis added) and from the glory of his might

        ¹⁰ on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.” 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 NIV.

       Where is this place of “everlasting destruction” termed “the second death”? We see it described in Revelation chapter 20.

       “¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.

       ¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is “the second death” (emphasis added).

        ¹⁵ Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:13-15 NIV.

       We see God telling us about the dreadful consequences of being cast out of God’s Holy Presence during the last judgment. This will be the place that everyone “whose name was not found written in the book of life” will be during all eternity. Is God unfair? Will God change His mind about the consequences of sin? As we continue this study remember Adam “did not believe God” or “did not have faith” in God’s word of warning regarding to the consequences of eating from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. Adam and Eve had absolute knowledge of God. The people of Noah’s day “did not believe God” or “did not have faith” in God’s word of warning regarding the coming destruction of the world.  Most of the people of Noah’s day could have had firsthand knowledge of God as I have and will show. Do you and I and the people of this generation “believe God” or “not have faith” in God’s word of warning regarding the consequences of rejecting God’s offer of salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross? God been revealing Himself and recording his plea to mankind for over five-thousand years calling all generations to repent and return to Him. What more can God do?  Here is how it all came about.

               Man’s Fallen Nature and Why a Sacrifice is needed? And “What is Death”?

        The day they (Adam and Eve) corrupted themselves by disregarding God’s warning about the consequences of eating from the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” they died. God said:

       ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

       ¹⁷ But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV.)

       “But wait!” Didn’t the genealogy say Adam lived 930 years? Here are some of those underlying truths that many miss in these passages. Remember, God made man a living soul which means that all men are eternal beings, created in the “likeness of God,” and many of God’s creation in heaven, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:26 KJV.)

       God, by his very nature, can never lie or ever go back on his promises. This truth is repeated throughout the Bible. So what is death and how did Adam and Eve die the day they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil if they are “living souls” and “an eternal creation”? So, how did death come into the world that day?

        Most all of us understand from experience the many and varied causes of physical death and the many ugly processes people face during physical death. Merriam-Webster says Death is “a permanent cessation of all vital functions: the end of life.” In line with this study I simply say that physical death comes when the body has something to happen to it which causes it to no longer function in the environment it was created to live in.

       Sinless man, a “living soul” and innocent physical man, was created to live in God’s Holy Presence which is a place of absolute perfection. God says in Ezekiel 18:4 KJV;”⁴Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” God makes a clear distinction between the body and the soul of man. In Lamentations 3:25KJV God tells us; “²⁵The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh (seeks) him.” So what is spiritual death for the eternal soul? Spiritual death is for the soul of man to be eternally separated from God’s Holy Presence. Adam and Eve spiritually died when they were shut out (cast out) from the “Holy” presence of the Lord. Their soul was still in their human body which had not physically died, separating the body from the soul. To God, man had died spiritually because he could no longer stay in God’s presence without final judgment.

       Was God being mean and nasty by casting them out of His Holy presence? Absolutely Not! God was showing man (Adam and Eve) “God’s Mercy”. Here in the first chapters of Genesis God was putting in place “His Plan of Salvation” for all the “souls that seekth (seek) him.” Adam was given 930 years physically to seek (seekth) God and forgiveness after he was spiritually shut out of God’s Holy presence.

       Adam and Eve were created in the Holy Presence of God, both physically alive and spiritually alive. They first died spiritually when they were driven out of the Holy Presence of God (see Genesis 3:24) then Adam died physically 930 years later.

       We were born “shut out from the “Holy presence of the Lord” (emphasis added) because of our sin nature that was passed down to us from Adam.  That is to say we are born physically alive but spiritually dead. We, like Adam, are given a lifetime to seek out God and God’s will for our life, which is to accept God’s plan of salvation. Unless we accept God’s plan of redemption we will all be eternally shut out from God’s Holy Presence when we physically die. The renewing of our Godly nature can only come by faith through Jesus Christ the perfect Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice for our sins. This can only be done in the way Jesus described it to Nicodemus:

       “³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.        ⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

       ⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 

       ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’” John 3:3-7 KJV.

       As I have said, Adam was created physically and spiritually on the same day. But Adam died spiritually about 930 years before he died physically.  WOW! All of this seem to be a long way from the genealogy of Adam! — Or is it? So, how does the genealogy of Genesis five tie to John 3:3-7? Or even more specifically to John 3:16-21. We are going to see how this gospel of salvation and the process of our rebirth was/is being revealed and tracked even in these genealogies.

       Because mankind is “shut out from God’s Holy Presence” by sin, it’s only by the grace and mercy of God and His plan to provide a “perfect” sacrifice for our sins that will enable us to return to His Holy presence one day. So these stories in Genesis and the whole Bible are about “Jesus” and “what He was going to do,” “what He did” and “what He has done” for mankind, that is, to give Himself as God’s perfect sacrifice/atonement for sin. Now, let’s see how God used even a genealogy to declare His message of salvation to mankind.

[1]https://www.ranker.com/list/best-magic-games-on-steam/bobby-bernstein retrieved 02/21/2025

                                               What Should We Learn From all These

                       Stories and the Description of Sacrifices in the Old Testament?

       First, God never glorifies sin. Second, God never covers up or hides the faults of the people he uses, the good or the bad. God did not cover up the short comings of Samson, King David, the apostle Paul and not even Noah and his children, which is recorded in Genesis chapter nine. Third, through God’s grace and mercy, “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Roman 8:28 KJV.  God has given all men of every generation the opportunity to repent and return to full fellowship with Him. Let us see how God gave even Cain the opportunity to repent and make things right before God.

       All this brings us back to Abel and his proper attitude toward God and Cain and his improper attitude toward God. In addition we will see how Cain’s attitude affected his children and the generations to come. This will give us insight into why Cain is not in the genealogy list and what the real (main) intent of this genealogy list really is.

       After God talked with Cain about his offering Cain became “wroth” or irritated at God.

       ⁶ And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth(irritated)? and why is thy countenance fallen?

       ⁷ If thou doest well, shalt (shall) thou (you) not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee (you) shall be his (sins or Satan’s) desire, and thou(sin or Satan) shalt (shall) rule over him (you/Cain).

       ⁸ And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew (killed) him.

       ⁹ And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

       ¹⁰ And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

       ¹¹ And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

       ¹² When thou tillest (cultivate) the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt (shall) thou (you) be in the earth.

       ¹³ And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

       ¹⁴ Behold, thou (you) hast(have) driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth (finds) me shall slay me.

       ¹⁵ And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth (kills) Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold (seven times). And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

       ¹⁶ And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

       ¹⁷ And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded (built) a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.” Genesis 4:6-17 KJV.

       We see God personally warning Cain about repenting (admitting his sin, turn from it and doing what is right) in verse seven. Not only does God tell Cain what he should do to make things right, but God warns Cain and us, of the consequences of living in sin, which is an unrepentant life. The NIV Bible says it this way; “ ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:7 NIV. God tells us here in Genesis through the actions of Cain that we have a choice when it comes to “sin”. Do we “yield to sin” or do we “rule over our will” and do what is right before the God of the universe. This free will was given to man so we can freely worship and fellowship with God, not because we are forced to, but because we should want to worship and serve him, simply because of whom God is, the sovereign Almighty God of creation! These truths and precepts of the “Old Testament” are the same as the truths and precepts of the “New Testament”. We fine this truth reiterated in James chapter one.

       “¹³ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

       ¹⁴ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

       ¹⁵ Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:13-15 KJV.

       In Genesis we saw how sin entered the world by Adam and Eve, being tempted by Satan in the Garden, Genesis chapter three. The power of sin and its power to rule over us are shown here at the beginning of God’s recorded account of man and through this story of Cain. The same precepts are consistent throughout the Bible as we see in James chapter one. Mankind, created with free-will through Adam, is able to choose how, he or she, (me or you) will accept who they/we are before their/our creator and live according to His will or their/our own will. Cain freely made his choice to lie and make excuses to God about what happened to his brother, Genesis 4:9-11. The consequences of his action followed him all the days of his life and it had an effect on all his children and all of the generations before the flood.

       God gives us a genealogy of Cain in verses sixteen through twenty-four to show us the generational effect sin can have on a family. None of Cain’s children or their children survived the flood leaving any heritage for Cain. 

       In the lineage of Cain we see a great, great, great, grandson of Cain, Lamech who has killed a young man just for hurting him. This is recorded in Genesis chapter four verse twenty-three. He says his punishment will be “seventy and sevenfold” that of Cain’s punishment. The children of Cain and the other children of Adam and Eve followed this same pattern of rejection of fellowship with God which we will see further described in chapter six. The genealogy of Cain and the account of Lamech show the wickedness that has escalated in the world before the flood, and their unwillingness to come to God on “God’s terms”. Because of this pattern of sin and rejection of God we will see the lineage of Cain and all the other children of Adam ending with the flood except one. The only exception will be the genealogy of Seth to Noah.

       It is now obvious why we do not see Abel on the genealogy list even though his offering found favor in the sight of God. As we have seen, Cain killed Abel out of jealousy leaving him with no recorded descendants. God has given us these stories and dialog about these events to enlighten us to the nature of the people before the flood. By knowing the failures and attitudes toward God of the people before the flood we can recognize the attitudes of the generation that Jesus said would exist before His return, as He told us in Matthew chapter 24.

       Through all this evil and darkness that occurred before the flood, God will show us his path and purpose shining through these stories for all generations. Now let’s backup and look into the lineage of Seth to see this revelation of God’s purpose begin to take shape.

                                                          The Genealogy of Seth

       We are given a preview into Seth’s life in the last part of Genesis four. We are told that Seth had a son named Enos, then the verse ends by saying; “then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.” Genesis 4:26b KJV. The “Living Bible” says it this way, “²⁶ When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enos. It was during his lifetime that men first began to call themselves ‘the Lord’s people.’” Genesis 4:26 LTB. We see here in the first generation after Adam, that (some) people recognized God as the Creator God, reaching out to God in some way to serve and worship him like we saw in the life of Abel. We are not given how or where this was done but we do know from the story of Cain and Abel that offerings were being brought to the Lord, and the Lord conversed with those who called upon His name. These verses also tend to imply that those who followed God were descendents of Seth, although we cannot make this as a complete assumption. As we study these chapters we will look for other indicators of those who followed God, or didn’t follow God.

       As you read Genesis 5:4 did you notice the little statement at the end of the verse that says; “⁴ And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:” We see that Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters throughout many of his 930 years. And those other sons and daughters had sons which populated the earth during this time. Where are the lineage and names of those other children/people?  As we have read before in Genesis chapter 6 we are given insight into who these people were and their attitude toward God it says;

       “¹ And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

       ² That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

       ³ And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

       ⁴ There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

       ⁵ And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

       ⁶ And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” Genesis 6:1-6 KJV

       Here we see God describing the state of mankind after the sins of Adam, Cain, Lamech and obviously may others. God continues by telling us how mankind has multiplied on the earth and sinfulness/wickedness with them. It says “and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Most of mankind has purposely rejected the God of creation during this time.

       I again need to stress a point here. Cain and Abel and all the first few generation children of Adam and Eve had knowledge of God through their parents, which is obvious from the record in Genesis. The Bible does not record any conversations of Adam and Eve with anyone except their conversations with God and Satan?  Of course we would have to assume they did talk to their children, but obviously they did not talk much about their need for God.

       As we saw in the account of Cain and Abel, that God talked directly with men during this time. This topic of how God has communicated with mankind through the years will need to be addressed in more detail later in another study. For now we know mankind before the flood had more firsthand knowledge of God than any other generations. Let’s look at the implications of this knowledge given to these first generations of mankind. Here are some implications of this question about firsthand knowledge and mans accountability to God..

• Did “absolute knowledge of God” save Adam and Eve from being driven out of the “holy presence of God” or from disobeying God?
• Can having absolute knowledge of God save you or me?
• Who are others that had absolute knowledge of God? Satan and his angels. Did Absolute knowledge of God and being in the Holy Presence of God keep Satan and his angels from sin? Because of their sin they were also driven from the “holy presence of God”, which is, “death” for an eternal being.
• If you memorize the Bible and believe the Bible is the absolute and infallible word of God, will you be saved?
• If you are the best church member, pastor, faith healer, exorcist or just a great guy or gal will that save you?
• Do you believe God is so good and nice that he will surely not hold someone as good as __________, (put in your best answer (person)) accountable for their sins? Will “their” being good and nice save them? If so, How?

       As I think about the answers to these questions, one dialog of Jesus with his disciples comes to mind. In one of these dialogs there are verses which terrify me more than any other verses in the Bible. It comes from Matthew 7:21-23. It says:

       “²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

       ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

       ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21-23 KJV. (emphasis added)

       So why do these verses terrify me so? They cause me to evaluate my own relationship with God and take a closer look at the implications of the six questions I just asked. I’m I doing the “will of God”, or just have knowledge of God or even absolute knowledge of God? If those church workers Jesus describes in Matthew seven are not doing God’s will, am I? Matthew chapter seven causes me to ask the same question which Jesus’ disciples ask themselves in response to Jesus’ reply to the rich young rulers question about eternal life in Matthew 19:

       “²⁴ And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

       ²⁵ When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

       ²⁶ But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:24-26 KJV.

       The disciple’s remark was, “Who then can be saved? With what we have studied so far, ask yourself, who knew and followed the “will of God” as Jesus described it? Cain or Abel? They both apparently had equal knowledge about God and His “requirements” for an offering. Cain could have brought a proper offering too God the first time. Even after God rejected Cain’s offering, God personally confronted Cain and gave him the opportunity to repent and be forgiven and have his offering accepted. So what part of Cain and Abel’s offering was within the “will of God” and what part was not within the “will of God”?

       Was God looking for the perfect animal, the perfect vegetable, or the perfect offering procedure? Of course not. There are not any perfect children of Adam and in the same way there are not any perfect animals or plants. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 KJV. I believe Abel as he prepared his offering, realized he was a sinner and he was bringing his offering to an all powerful, awesome God of creation seeking his forgiveness and favor. He did not come before God showing off his prize animal from his flock. Here is what it said; “⁴ And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.”Genesis 4:4 KJV. It says, Abel presented “the fat thereof” this implies that the animal was slain and ready for the burnt offering. Abel realized that one of the very best of his animals had to die at his hand to be the atonement for his sin before God. (Go back and re-read Leviticus chapter four.) Abel came to God broken hearted because of what he had to do to the sacrifice (lamb) for his wrong doings (sin). The lamb was symbolically taking the person’s place, to pay for his sins. The “will of God” was that Cain and Abel would recognize their sinful condition before God. Recognizing this, when they came before God their offering should reflect the gravity of their sin and also reflect in “human terms” their very best as an atonement offering.

       God’s perfect nature can only be satisfied by an absolutely perfect sacrifice. These sacrifices only foreshadowed the perfect sacrificed that had to be paid for their and our sins. Only God was/is perfect enough to provide a perfect sacrifice. We all must know that perfect sacrifice was God’s, one and only begotten son, Jesus Christ who willingly gave himself as our sacrifice.

       In bringing offerings year after year people can become indifferent about the death of the animal. During the Old Testament times most people killed animals for food and cloths almost daily, so the act of killing an animal was not revolting to those people or even to some country folks today, it was and is a necessity of life. In those days most everyone had to be some sort of a “butcher” or “meat cutter” to survive. The gravity of the symbolism in the animal sacrifice was really hard to see even in these years. I can see where people could have a hard time bringing their sacrifice with a humble and contrite spirit because the death of an animal was a routine act during this time. Since the day that Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, died on that cross for our sins it’s easier for us to connect the sacrifice of the person Jesus, with the animal sacrifice of years past. Let’s look closer at this connection.

       For the sake of illustration, let us assume God required everyone to bring only a perfect sacrifice, even Adam and Eve, to be killed and given to God so they could return to “God’s Holy presence”. This would mean that you, if you were alive back then, would be required to bring such an offering to God which you had to provide, prepare and kill as an offering before the Lord under the Old Testament system. Where would you find such an offering, a perfect lamb, goat or bull? God, after looking at your offering, said that it’s not perfect and cannot accepted it as a final atonement for your sins. What would you do next?  Bring your only son and prepared him to be offered to God? Remember, that is what Abraham was asked to do in Genesis 22. What if you or even Abraham offered yourself or himself to God would that be acceptable as a “perfect sacrifice”? No! Only a perfect God could provide a perfect sacrifice. And that is what God did in Jesus.

       Again for illustration, for your sin to be completely atoned for during this period, God would have to offer to you Jesus as a human sacrifice to be placed on your altar. If God ask you to do this, that is to personally kill Jesus for your sins, could you do it? As described in the book of Leviticus chapters one to about chapter nine, you personally would have to carry out the sacrifice of Jesus on the altar. You would have to bind Him, placing him on your altar, place your hands on him, confessing your sins over the offering (Jesus), then after killing Him have the priest sprinkle His blood on the Altar of God and completely burn the offering, the body of Jesus. These sin offerings were to be done every time a person sinned. Could you carry out such a gruesome act on Jesus, Himself? What would it do to your heart and soul? Remember, every sin mankind commits does this to Jesus. But mankind is blinded to this spiritual truth.

       As a creation of God we are accountable for our relationship with God. Our attitude toward God is a reflection of our knowledge of God and our heart for God. Our attitude toward something always drives our actions and relationship we have with that something. Let’s look at an example of someone who had the proper attitude an action before God, someone who trusted and obeyed God no matter what the cost, trusting God when he did not know what was coming next. There are several examples but let’s look at Abraham.

       This personal accountability for sin, and obedience to God’s will, was demonstrated when God ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac his only son. The willingness of Abraham to raise the knife to kill his own son could have only been done by someone who truly realized who he was before a Holy God, a sinner seeking Gods grace and mercy. We see Abraham willingly and obediently trusting God even though it was emotionally breaking his heart. Before God stopped him from going through with the sacrifice of his son Isaac, we see how Abraham humbled himself before God in total submission to God’s will. We also see Isaac showing the same humility and submission to his father and unto God by submitting to the act of devotion Abraham was committing to God.

       From what we saw with Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac and with a similar story of what Job when through suffering for totally unknown reasons, yet while questioning God never quit trusting and living obediently to God. So what are the signs of “doing the will of God”? Were they tested and accepted by God by their sacrificing or their suffering. Was their knowledge of God the thing God accepted instead of a sacrifice? Or was it as Paul put it;

         “¹² …nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12 KJV. 

       Paul goes on to say;  “³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 KJV.

       As we have seen God’s precepts are the same in the Old and New Testaments.  Abraham and Job both laid out their broken heart and contrite spirit before God. Now let’s look at other places in scriptures where this precept is brought out.

       “¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17 KJV.

       “²² But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” Samuel: 15:22 NIV.

       “¹⁸The Lord is nigh (close) unto them (those) that are of a broken heart; and saveth (saves) such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18 KJV.

        “¹⁵ For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy;        I (God) dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of  (the person who has) a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15 KJV.

       “²For all those things hath(has) mine(my) hand made, and all those things (that) have been (made), saith the Lord: but to this man will I look(the man I’m looking for), even to him that is (He is the one who is) poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth (trembles) at my word. Isaiah 66:2 KJV.

       Who, of all the people in these stories we have studied are people that were; poor in spirit, of a contrite heart, had a spirit of humility and obedient to God’s command?

       From the story of Cain and Abel, we know that some men sought after God during this time. Those who sought Him found Him. Then God talked and had fellowship with them personally. The first was Abel as we studied earlier. Another person who sought after God and had direct personal contact with God was Enoch;” ²³ And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: ²⁴ And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Genesis 5: 23-24 KJV. Then we all know of Noah and how he found favor with God, Genesis 6, 7 and 8. These men walk and talked with God here on earth.

       As mankind began to multiply and populate the earth, God was broken-hearted about making mankind as their wickedness increased. But by grace, God had already created a plan which enabled those who repent and truly believe come back into His Holy Presence at the proper time. The Bible tells us this plan included the lineage of a man named Noah,“⁸ ….Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8 KJV.

       We are not given any accounts of the interactions between Noah and his parents, grandparents or great grandparents. We are given from the genealogy text that his great grandfather Enoch walked with God and was taken to heaven 69 years before Noah’s birth as we see from the spreadsheets. Therefore, Noah could not have had any conversations with Enoch personally. His only knowledge of Enoch had to have come through family stories about him. Yet we are told that Noah, like Enoch, searched after God and found Him and that God conversed with him. So, did Noah’s father or grandfather disciple him about the things of God? We are never directly told. What we do know is that God talked to Noah and Noah was faithful to complete the task of building the ark.

       As I have said, very little conversations during this time were recorded. So, could Noah and his three sons build such a large boat as the Ark without massive help? Obviously not. So we can ask the question; did any of Noah’s family or workers seek God or believe God’s message as they helped Noah build the ark? If you or I were helping Noah build this gigantic “thing” that no one has ever seen before would you not ask what are you building, and WHY? I know, I would have.

        My Uncle Clarence who was a part of America’s Greatest Generation and who passed away many years ago told of his work during World War II. He told about being too old to go to war but did get a job driving large dump truck in a little town called Oakridge Tennessee[1]. The US government had just built this town of Oakridge in 1942. Then 13000-15000 workers were brought in to live and work there at a new plant. Clarence was one of them. Him and his fellow truck drivers would always get together and talk about their work of bringing raw material, dirt and gravel by the truckloads in to the local plant for years. As they talked, their discussion turned to the topic of what were they making at this plant. After bringing in loads and loads of raw material they noted there were no trucks going out with any final products. When anyone asked about what they were making there, they were never given any reasonable answers to their questions.

       Do you think the workers on the ark had similar questions? They probably had no clue when they started what this thing was for. We are not given any of Noah’s messages, sermons or records of any conversations Noah had with anyone during this time, but in 2 Peter it says; “⁵ And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;” 2 Peter 2:4-5 KJV. Noah’s personal life before God was Noah’s testimony along with any warnings he may have given people around him. These people of Noah’s day had hardened their hearts and would not believe God’s message or make God, their God by walking with God as Noah did. Don’t forget Jesus told us this same rebellious heart would be in the people alive when returns a second time. How do we know that God knows the hearts of all men? To find this answer we need to look in the book of Ezekiel.

       In the book of Ezekiel chapter fourteen we see this same rebellions heart was in the Israel and Judah during the time of Daniel and Ezekiel; this was during the exile of Judah. When leaders of Judah came to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord, God told Ezekiel about these men and the attitudes of their hearts.  God told Ezekiel; “² And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,³ Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? Ezekiel 14:2-3 KJV. Here, God tells Ezekiel what’s in the heart of these men that have come before him. The Lord then told Ezekiel to tell them that if they did not repent then what God decreed would happen to everyone. Here is God’s reply to the leaders through Ezekiel; “²⁰Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.”  Ezekiel 14:20 KJV.

       The question can now be addressed again about Methuselah and all the other people of his day. Why did Methuselah and the other people not get on the ark with Noah and live and Methuselah live to 1000 years old?  Simply, because they did not, or rather would not walk with God. Noah walked with God; “⁹ These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” Genesis 6:9 KJV. Daniel walked with God. Job walked with God. Do you and I, walk with God, or like Cain, absolutely know God, but not walk with God? There is a difference!

       So, did my uncle ever find out what they were making at Oakridge Tennessee? Yes he did, he found out with the rest of the world August 6, 1945, when the Atomic Bomb exploded over Hiroshima[2], and again August 9, 1945 when the second bomb exploded over Nagasaki with a total of around 150,000 dead. The tons of raw material they brought into the plant produced probably less than 200 pounds of atomic material for those bombs. They did not need a big truck to take out their product. There product went out in complete secrecy.

       The destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki came without warning, but God’s wrath went out with full warning to the people of their day, to those who would listen. So it will be at Jesus return. Jesus has given us full warnings of the consequences of our sin in His word the Bible. Again just as Jesus said about the days of Noah and the people going about their daily lives with no regard for God or his warning through Noah about the coming flood and judgment so shall the days of Jesus second return. Very few people will be prepared for his return. Are YOU and I listening to God’s warning of mankind’s coming judgment?

       So, did those workers on the ark know the importance of what they were building? Yes, only after God had sealed the door and the rain started coming down, in moments of their destruction. Remember what we read at the start from Matthew 24:37-39 KJV; “…until the day that Noe (Noah) entered into the ark, ³⁹ And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

       In my spreadsheets you can see the facts about when he lived, how old he was when he died and the year was he born. We see these answers on the chart in columns “A” and “M”. Methuselah was born 687 years after creation, and died 969 years later. His death was 687+969=1656 years after creation. Our chart also shows that Noah was born in the 1056^th year from creation. In columns “B” and “M” of our chart it says that the flood came in Noah’s 600^th year. Adding these together we get; 1056 + 600 = 1656 years from creation. This brings up an interesting point about Methuselah, we can see that he died in the year of the flood. So this brings up more questions like; was Methuselah a righteous man? Did he die naturally or was he killed in the flood with the rest of the wicked people? Was he one of those who God described as “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually?” Genesis 6: 5b KJV. This is one of those things God chose to not tell us. How many righteous people were around the world at this time who were too old, or lived to far away to get to the ark, or did not hear the message of the coming flood that were killed during the flood? Were they unjustly swept away in the flood? How do we resolve this dilemma?

       In Matthew 13, Jesus addresses this situation in a parable to his disciples;

       “²⁴ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

       ²⁵ But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

       ²⁶ But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

       ²⁷ So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

       ²⁸ He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

       ²⁹ But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

       ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” Matthew 13:24-32 KJV.

       God is the judge of every person that has, or will ever live. As it says here in Matthew thirteen, during the last days the final reapers will separate the saved and the unsaved. If there were any other faithful people alive at the time of the flood, God would have separated them at their death. See Revelation 14 for the full account of the final harvest of souls. If there were anyone alive before the flood that God “found favor with” that did not or was not physically able to get on the Ark, for reasons we will never know, then God in His sovereignty reaped them into his presence just as he did Abel after Cain killed him. The wicked were reaped unto judgment just as Jesus states in Matthew 13 and Revelation 14. God the Father is the God of the harvest.

        Now that we see some of the underlying truths about the people associated with the genealogy of Genesis 5, we clearly see that because of their wickedness God left them no survivors. Has mankind been much better after the flood? Not really. So what we can see clearly is that by the faithfulness of one man and God’s grace, eight imperfect bur sanctified people were saved for God’s purpose and not man’s purpose. The only other things saved from the flood was two of every kind of animals, the record of God’s work of creation including the fall of man and the record of the genealogy of the coming messiah.

[1]  Information from the website: https://tennesseehistory.org/oak-ridge/ retrieved 03/08/2025

[2] Information from the website; https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II/Hiroshima-and-Nagasaki retrieved 03/08/2025

                                                              The Genealogy of our Redeemer

       Since sin has now entered the world, causing all mankind to be separated from the holy presence of God as I have shown, it’s easy to see that if mankind is to have any hope of returning to God’s holy presence, God has to provide a plan of redemption for mankind, and He has. God starts revealing his plan by describing the battle for the souls of mankind as we’ve seen earlier. Here it is again from Genesis chapter 3, where God says: “¹⁴ And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou (you) art (are) cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt (shall) thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: ¹⁵ And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it (the savior) shall bruise thy head, and thou (satan, the serpent) shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15 KJV. In God’s infinite wisdom and knowledge he had a plan in place before the foundations of the world was laid. The Bible tells of this conflict from the beginning to the end. We find a big part of the story in Revelations chapter thirteen.

       “⁶ And he (satan and the anti-christ)opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

       ⁷ And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

       ⁸ And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

       ⁹ If any man have an ear, let him hear.” Revelation 13:6-9 KJV.

       So we see here the main theme of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation has been the story of mankind and God’s plan of redemption for all mankind who put their faith and trust in God’s only begotten son, Jesus Christ, “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”. Now let’s see how this genealogy found in Genesis 5:1-32 is a fundamental truth in God’s plan.

       In Luke chapter 3 we find the list of the genealogy of Jesus the savior of the world.

       “²³ Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli,

       ²⁴ the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

       ²⁵ the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,

the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,….” Luke 3:23-25 NIV

        If we skip down to verse 36 we can see the same genealogy list here in Luke three just as we saw in Genesis chapter five.

       ^36b …..the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

       ³⁷ the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel (Mahalaleel), the son of Kenan (Cainan), 

       ³⁸ the son of Enosh (Enos), the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. Luke 3:36b-38 NIV

       What did we read at the start in Genesis 5:1? “¹ This is the book of the generations of Adam.” So the chapter five of Genesis was the start of a book; the “Book of the Generations of Adam”. Here in Luke chapter three, we see the completed book of the lineage of the Messiah which is Jesus, the second Adam.

        “⁴⁵ And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam (Jesus, emphasis added) was made a quickening spirit.

        ⁴⁶ Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 15:45-46 KJV.

       This genealogy ties all of scripture together as the Revelation of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

       Here we find the precept that most people over look in reading through these passages in Genesis and Luke, Jesus (the Anointed One) is promised in Genesis chapter three and God begins tracking the path/plan of his coming in Genesis chapter five. This is a major precept in the foundation of the Christian faith which is presented in the Bible. This precept is: The whole Bible has only one author, God.  The whole Bible is only about God and all the people and events he used to bring salvation to mankind through Jesus. God created the world and mankind for his glory and purpose. That purpose was to create a perfect place and a perfect or innocence eternal being with which God could have free and pure fellowship: that is someone who could walk and talk face to face with God because they wanted to be God’s friend not because they were required or forced to be His friend. Do you want to be God’s friend and fellowship with Him for eternity? Then come to God through Jesus on His terms. Jesus said; “⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 KJV. The real question we all must answer for ourselves is: do you and I believe this record that God has given us in the scriptures of the Bible? I do what about you?

       See our article on: Who is Man? Who is God? Why do we Need Salvation?” There you will learn why we need salvation and how to ask Jesus into your heart and come to the Father through Jesus.”

       Thank you for your interest in Times of the Gentiles Outreach ministries.  Larry and Cyndi Miller