Today, I want to continue our study on Old Testament Personalities, and I want to do something a little different. Instead of looking at a major character, I want to focus on two men who have a special mention in the Timeline of History, before we move on to Noah.
Review of the Last Lesson
As we looked at the lives and personalities of Cain and Abel, we focused on the sacrifices that they offered and how that affected their relationship with each other and with God. Why was Abel’s sacrifice considered by God to be a sacrifice of Faith? Four reasons, 1) Abel offered the first born of his flocks; 2) The foreshadowing of Jesus; 3) The shedding of blood and 4) The imitation of God’s first sacrifice. What was the first sacrifice? God provided coverings from animals. Blood was shed. Why was Cain’s sacrifice not accepted? 1) Not offered in Faith: 2) Offered as an obligation/to be seen as doing the right thing. The word translated as “lies” in Genesis 4:7, has what meaning? It means to crouch prior to pouncing. Finally, Cain was offering a sacrifice out of obligation not in submission to God. What does James 4:7 say in regard to submitting to God? Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.
The two men that I want to look at today are Seth and Enoch.
We’ll begin with Seth:
Seth
Genesis 5:3-8 NKJV
And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters. So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died. Seth lived one hundred and five years, and begot Enosh. After he begot Enosh, Seth lived eight hundred and seven years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died.
In the Likeness of Adam
In Chapter one of the book of Genesis we see that Adam was
created in the image of God:
Genesis 1:26 NKJV
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
Here in Genesis chapter
5, though, we see that Adam, “begot a son in his own likeness after his image.” If Adam was created in God’s image why is
there the distinction that Seth was in the likeness of Adam? Wouldn’t he also be in the likeness of God?
Seth was in Adam’s likeness, because of the sin in the
Garden of Eden. The reason for that is
that the taint of Adam’s sin was on Seth.
No longer was he in the blameless and sinless likeness of God.
When Adam was created, he was created to be immortal. Death did not come into the world until after
the sin of Adam. It was through sin that
death came into the world. God told Adam that if he ate the fruit of the tree
of the knowledge, he would surely die.
So, mankind passed on that sin from immortal to mortal.
Romans 5:12 NKJV
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
Because of Adam’s sin all men were destined to die. In addition to that, we were all born with
the taint of Adam’s sin.
Job 14:4 NKJV
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!
John 3:6 NKJV
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Sinfulness is conveyed to descending generations. Passed down from parents to children. Holiness and grace are not passed down
through family heritage. That can only
come from God, it’s not from blood, nor from the will of man, nor of the
flesh. So, we are in the likeness and
after the image of Adam, not the likeness of God. That’s why we need salvation. That holiness can only come to us through
Jesus.
Appointed
The name Seth translates as “Appointed.”
Genesis 4:25 NKJV
And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, "For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed."
This is an interesting use of words here. God has appointed me another “SEED.” The use of the word seed implies that it is a
beginning. A plant begins as a
seed. A line of descendants begins with
a seed.
What we’re looking at here is the genealogy that led to
Jesus. This is why I began with the “Timeline
of History.” The “Timeline of History”[i]
traces the lineage of Jesus from Adam, through Seth all the way to Jesus.
Eve was given two sons in the beginning, Cain and Abel. We know that Abel was murdered by Cain and
that Cain was made a vagabond and wanderer through the curse that God placed on
him after the murder. In that one day
the lineage of Adam was destroyed. God,
however appointed a new “seed” in Seth.
The Name of the Lord
Genesis 4:26 NKJV
And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.
Some commentators have said that a better translation would
be “Then men began to be called by the name of the Lord;”[ii]
in other words the people of Jehovah (God).
So, then there is a separation that is pointed out in this verse. There
are now two lineages that have begun.
There is the lineage of Cain. This
lineage arises from Cain and his wickedness in the murder of Abel. That lineage speaks of the wickedness that
has begun in the world. It led to
this:
Genesis 6:5 NKJV
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
So, the wickedness of man that led to the flood is a result
of Cain’s heritage and wickedness.
In the birth of Enosh, that difference is noted. Seth’s lineage, which is the lineage that led
to Jesus, passing through Noah, who was a direct descendant of Seth. These are the people of God.
Hebrews 11:7 NKJV
By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
We’ll talk more about Noah, in the next study, but remember
that Noah was a preacher of righteousness.
2 Peter 2:5 NKJV
and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
Summary of Seth
The legacy of Seth is that he was “appointed” to be the seed
of the lineage of Jesus. He separates
the people of God and the people of wickedness. It becomes completely apparent
in Noah, as God judges the wickedness of man with the flood.
Mankind can be traced back to the very first generation,
which is Adam and Eve, but Cain’s wickedness is what began to separate the
people of wickedness (Can’s descendants), from the people of God (Seth’s
descendants).
While we are all descendants of Adam and in his likeness and
nature, decisions must made whom we will follow.
Joshua 24:15 NKJV
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Seth chose to be one of the People of God, but Cain chose
wickedness. What will you choose for
yourselves?
Enoch
There isn’t much in the Bible about Enoch, but I want to
quickly look at him for a moment.
Genesis 5:18-24 NKJV
Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and begot Enoch. After he begot Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So, all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died. Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
We see all of these people who lived before the flood having
lifetimes that were many years long.
Adam lived 900+ years; Seth lived 900+ years; in fact, all of the people
listed lived about 900 years until we get to Enoch. Enoch lived only 365 years.
There is an interesting phrase in this scripture: “Enoch
walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” He just disappeared.
He walked with God…What does that mean. He had a deep relationship with God. Very similar to Adam’s relationship with God
in the Garden of Eden.
Genesis 3:8-10 NKJV
And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
This relationship with God was broken when Adam sinned. Then death came into the world. Enoch maintained his relationship with God
throughout his life. So, he did not
experience death.
Hebrews 11:5 NKJV
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "AND WAS NOT FOUND, BECAUSE GOD HAD TAKEN HIM"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
For us, this is a picture of the Rapture, when the faithful
will be called up to join Jesus in the sky and remain with Him.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
The faithful are those who continue to live for Jesus when
all of the world begins to oppose Him.
So, the faithful are those who continue to walk with God.
Enoch’s testimony was that he pleased God.
1 Thessalonians 4:1 NKJV
Finally, then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;
Are you an Enoch?
[i]
The Timeline of History is available at
http://ssbiblestudies.blogspot.com/p/timeline-of-history.html
[ii]
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, note on Genesis 4:26
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