But I had javelin friends, and I remember the way they sent their spears vibrating and singing through the upper air in the sun, when we were all out on the field competing during our age of twenty-somethings.
Because of those exciting moments, I love to imagine my antediluvian teammate Methuselah, a hale young athlete during his somethings, perhaps at war or more likely competing in the annual Semitic Games— javelin high! The antediluvian age was the period into which the history of humankind descended after the Fall.
Disease, evil, death—all these were the consequences of sin…and are still our reality today as inheritors of sinful nature in a fallen world. In fact, the machinations of the evil one have been so successful since his appearance as the fourth inhabitant of the Garden that, today, we scarcely recognize his work as having blighted the universe, so ubiquitous is the blight.
But we are fallen. The question has often come up: how is it that the antediluvian patriarchs lived lives of a length that is incomprehensible to us? I mentioned my grandmother who was a centenarian my dad was one too— But these contemporary humans who seemed to me to be so old were outpaced by the patriarchs at the rate of seven, eight, or nine times! What did they remember and concern themselves about when they were surrounded by their first sons and their other sons and daughters at a birthday party?
Cain killed Abel, about as early in the patriarchal age as possible. Adam and Eve had another son, Seth, to replace their good Abel.
The Spirit of God still abode in humankind until the end of the patriarchal age. However, God was fed up with the wickedness of man, which was great upon the earth. God dictated that His Spirit would not abide in humankind forever. And then God unleashed the Flood. It was by faith that Noah was found righteous, and it was by faith that he and all other believing patriarchs were redeemed and saved by grace.
Slender and elegant, my grandmother sat on her couch in the middle of her extensive family of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
I am her first grandchild. I sat next to her. I was 42 and would be 43 in two weeks—getting older myself. I remember that our conversation went something like this. I want to see what happens next. After that they get easier. All those old ones are. We can still feel them if we try. Today, we still live in a fallen world and humans are still consumed by sinful nature, but God had a plan from the very beginning knowing the choice the first Adam would make. His plan of redemption through His Son Jesus the Messiah is available to all—all can be saved by grace through faith.
One day, as believers, when we pass from this earth and enter into the heavenly presence of our Father, we will see every believer from the patriarchs onward who was redeemed by the saving power of the Savior.
They have four grown children and five grandchildren, who keep them busy. They would have had unusually strong immunity from disease and life-threatening conditions. Another theory suggests that early in humanity's history, people lived longer so that they could populate the earth.
As sin increased in the world, however, God planned to bring judgment through the Flood:. Although several people lived to be over years old after the Flood Genesis , gradually the maximum human lifespan went down to about years. The Fall of Man and the subsequent sin introduced into the world corrupted every aspect of the planet.
In the above verse, the apostle Paul was speaking about both physical and spiritual death. The Bible does not indicate that Methuselah's character had anything to do with his long life. Certainly, he would have been influenced by the example of his righteous father Enoch, who pleased God so much he escaped death by being "taken up" to heaven. Methuselah died in the year of the Flood. Whether he perished before the Flood or was killed by it, we are not told in the Bible.
Scripture is also silent as to whether Methuselah helped to build the ark. He lived to be years old. Methuselah was the grandfather of Noah, a "righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Methuselah is named among the ancestors of Jesus in the genealogy of Luke He was from ancient Mesopotamia, but the exact location is not given.
Everything we know about Methuselah is found in three passages of Scripture: Genesis ; 1 Chronicles ; and Luke Methuselah is likely the same person as Methushael, who is mentioned only briefly in Genesis Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Ultimately, there is no clear-cut answer as to why people lived so long in the Old Testament - even after the Flood.
Some argue the years should be taken symbolically, rather than literally, however that does make some the ages of the fathers and their sons - including Enoch and Methuselah, impossible, as they would have been very young to father children. By the time David wrote Psalm 90 , the average age of people resembled those of today. Ultimately, the reason why man dies is more important than how long it takes for mankind to pass away.
When Adam sinned, death became reality. For those who have put their hope in Christ, and their sins are forgiven, they will live forever with God in Heaven. Even still, the life of Methuselah does speak to the nature of God. For almost a thousand years, God let man flourish, waiting for them to repent of their wickedness and turn to Him, though they refused. To make a way for people's sins to be blotted out, Jesus Christ died on the cross, and rose again in three days.
By putting faith in this miracle, anyone can be saved forever. During the church age, God shows His longsuffering, giving humanity time to turn to Him before Jesus returns. God remains the same today as He was during the days of Methuselah: patient, hoping that everyone will turn away from sin, and toward Him.
Gowan, Donald. Grand Rapids: Wm. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Walvoord John F. USA: Victor Books, Wilmington, H. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers Inc. Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer and editor. She maintains a faith and lifestyle blog graceandgrowing. Plus Toggle navigation. Password Assistance. Email address. Bethany Verrett. Share Tweet Save. Clarence L. Haynes Jr.
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