Family Matters
Opening Prayer
Father God, I thank You today for my family and all they mean to me. Bless them today, I pray.
Read Genesis 5:1-32
[1] This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. [2] He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created. [3] When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. [4] After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. [5] Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died. [6] When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. [7] After he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. [8] Altogether, Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died. [9] When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. [10] After he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. [11] Altogether, Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died. [12] When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. [13] After he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. [14] Altogether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died. [15] When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. [16] After he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. [17] Altogether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died. [18] When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. [19] After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. [20] Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died. [21] When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. [22] After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. [23] Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. [24] Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. [25] When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. [26] After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. [27] Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died. [28] When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. [29] He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.” [30] After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. [31] Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died. [32] After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What great truth about our creation is repeated here?The genealogy chapters in the Bible can seem dull, but they are important. The lives of modern Christians are related to those of these patriarchs in several ways: first, they are part of our history. We may not understand the extraordinary numbers, but the Bible presents them as real human beings, living and belonging to families. They show us that we are linked to the earliest of God’s people and that we and they (3) were intended to inherit something of God’s image. By outlining individual lives, rather than giving a summarized account, the Bible also shows us that we each matter. Although we only have limited years to give, God’s plan cannot be wholly complete unless we offer our own gifts. The second connection we share with the ancients is through death. Death has no place in the creation story yet here the references are quite remorseless: after every life comes “then he died.” The exception is the mysterious and wonderful life of Enoch, who enjoys such friendship with God that he is simply “taken away” (24). (The verb for his “walking” is the same as that used for Adam and God in the garden.) Enoch offers early hope of the eventual conquest of death on the cross.
Apply
Imagine how Enoch went about his walk with God. Could you do something similar? What would it require of you?
Closing prayer
Lord, I want to walk closely with You, too. I’m grateful that when I die, I know I will be with You because of Jesus.
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