“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).
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Contents:
1) More on the Genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11 (Tom Edwards)
2) Good and Important Things to Remember! (video sermon, Tom Edwards)
3) News & Notes
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More on the Genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11
Tom Edwards
Recently, in The Gospel Observer for January 9, we could easily figure out the year of birth for each of those mentioned in the genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11, from the birth of Seth (Adam’s son) all the way up to the birth of Abram (Abraham). And rather than those years being in the B.C., they were shown instead as the years that had elapsed since God created Adam on that 6th day of creation (Gen. 1:26-31). So we looked forward from the beginning of time to the events mentioned.
One of our intents in that article was to answer the question if anyone mentioned by name in the book of Genesis had died in the flood. And we saw the answer to be “no.” For Noah’s father Lamech had passed away about 5 years before the flood; and though Methuselah lived to the same year as the flood, yet the Bible does not say whether he died in it or before it. And concerning all the others listed in the genealogical chart we had in that article, they each passed away prior to the year of the flood — with just the exception of Noah, his sons, and their wives living on past that time (though the wives are not mentioned in Genesis 5 or 11).
In that article, we also wanted to determine from the Scriptures how many years it was from the creation of Adam to the birth of Abraham, which is the name God gave him when 99 years of age (Gen. 17:1,5). For while “Abram” means “high father” (James W. Strong) or “exalted father” (Brown-Driver-Briggs), “Abraham” means “father of a multitude or chief of a multitude” (ibid.). God gave Abram that name in going along with the promise He had also given him in the same verse: “No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations” (v. 5).
We saw that the year of birth in that chart for each individual is based on the age of the father when the son was born to him, in addition with the years up to that. So by the time of Abram’s birth, who was the 20th generation from Adam, it was about the year 2009.
But keep in mind, too, that in the Jewish reckoning of time, a part of a year could be considered an entire year. So if that is also done with the ages in these genealogies of 19 fathers, then the year of Abram’s birth would actually be somewhat less than 2009. But even then, it would not be much of a difference. For if we would deduct 1 year from each of the father’s ages when they became a father to the son mentioned, it would take it down to 1990 for the time of Abram’s birth. And if we would then randomly add some months to each of the 19 fathers for a total of 91 months, that would then be an additional 7.58 years; and which would bring the time of Abram’s birth up to about 1998. So we can round that off to an even 2000 to better remember. (NOTE: In randomly adding those months, after deleting one year to each of the father’s ages, it does not make much of a difference. For even if we added just 1 month to each (for a total of 1.58 years), that would take the 1990 up to about the middle of 1992. Or if we added 11 months to each of the fathers’ ages (for a total of 17.42 years), that would then take 1990 up to almost the middle of 2008. So only about a 16-year difference in the extremes; but it is not likely that all of them had either been born in the first month of the year or the last. So the difference would be even less.
One change I made for the online version of that bulletin is in putting the birth of Arpachshad at 1659 – instead of 1658 (based on the years the Bible shows); and then also adding a year to each of his descendants up to Abram. For though the flood began about 1656 (in the 2nd month, 17th day) — and it rained for 40 days and 40 nights (Gen. 7:12) — yet it took a little more than a year for the earth to become completely dried from the flood about 1657 (in the 2nd month, 27th day) (cf. Gen. 7:11 with Gen 8:13-14). So since Arpachshad was born 2 years after the flood (Gen. 11:10), that takes it up to about 1659.
Let me also say, however, that the year 1659 is based on the age the Bible shows for each father when his son was born and also knowing that the flood began in the 600th year of Noah’s life (Gen. 7:11). But if those ages are based on the way the Hebrews would consider even part of a year as a whole year, as mentioned above, then 1650 would be a better estimate (and easier to remember) for the time that the flood began.
Concerning those mentioned in the genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11, some might raise the question, “Well, what about Luke’s genealogy?” For there we see — instead of Arpachshad being the father of Shelah, and Shelah being the father of Eber (Gen. 11:12-14) – that Arphaxad (a different spelling) is seen as the father of Cainan, and Cainan being the father of Shelah (Luke 3:35-36).
It is thought that the reason for this difference is that the passage in Luke was based on the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament). For it says in Genesis 11:12-14: “And Arphaxad lived a hundred and thirty-five years, and begot Cainan . . . And Cainan lived a hundred and thirty years and begot Sala . . . And Sala lived an hundred and thirty years and begot Heber” (Brenton’s English Septuagint).
But in the 53 different Bible translations I looked up Genesis 11:12, only 2 of them mentioned Arpachshad becoming the father of Cainan. All the rest show it as Arpachshad becoming the father of “Shelah” (or some other spelling of that name). And those two translations that differed from all the rest are Brenton’s English Septuagint, as cited above, and the International Standard Version (which is not the same as the New International Version).
Also in Genesis 10:24, the ISV has it as “Arpachshad fathered Cainan, Cainan fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber.” And Brenton’s English Septuagint also has that same order.
But, ironically, in 1 Chronicles 1:18, the ISV says, “Arpachshad fathered Shelah and Shelah fathered Eber.” And even Brenton’s English Septuagint has the order of “Arpaxad” being the father of Sala (Shelah), and Sala being the father of Eber.
And that was also the order in all of the 53 Bible translations I looked that verse up in: For it was always Arpachshad, Shelah, then Eber (though sometimes with different spellings of those names).
Though it has been said that there are some gaps in the Bible’s genealogies, yet this does not appear to be the case of Genesis 5 and 11, where we read of Adam/Seth, Seth/Enosh, Enosh/Kenan, Kenan/Mahalalel, Mahalalel/Jared, etc.
In the chart in the bulletin a couple weeks ago, Enoch (not to be confused with “Enosh”) is seen as being the 7th generation from Adam and being born 622 years after the creation of Adam (which is based on the ages given in the genealogy of Genesis 5). And Jude, the half-brother of Jesus Christ, also shows that to be so by speaking of Enoch in Jude 1:14 as being “in the seventh generation from Adam” (NASB).
But even if one of these in Genesis 5 would actually be a grandfather rather than the father, that still would not change the time up to Abram’s birth. For suppose, for instance, that Seth was the grandfather of Enosh (not to be confused with “Enoch”) – and not the father. Yet we are then still given the years from the grandfather (if he would be that) to the grandson’s birth. As Genesis 5:6 says, “Seth lived one hundred and five years, and became the father of Enosh.” So, for example, what if Seth were the grandfather, and the real father of Enosh was a guy named Elihu? And say Elihu became the father to Enosh when 52. Yet that would not even need to be factored in. For it would not change the years from the time Enosh was born in relation to his grandfather (if he had been his grandfather) when he was 105. In other words, we are not missing any years in our timeline by that.
So the years mentioned for the births and the time of the flood in last week’s bulletin give us a good idea of when all that happened. And as mentioned, those years are not in B.C.; but, rather, the years after God had created Adam and made him from the dust of the earth – and that was on the 6th day of creation, as the Bible shows (Gen. 1:26-31).
And for those who believe the earth to be about 4.5 billion years old, and with man not having “evolved” until about 2 million years ago, hear what Jesus, our Creator says, in Mark 10:6 with regard to the man and the woman in marriage: “But from the beginning of creation, God MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE” (NASB, emphasis mine).
As we have been going back to the very beginning of time to then give our attention to the lineage of Bible characters from Adam to Abraham, who made up that family tree, yet we realize that the most important family for all of us to be a part of is the family of God! For even to those sinners who could trace their lineage back to Abraham, yet there was still a need for them to be born again (cf. John 3:3-5). And that is so we may all become a part of the family of God, and eventually enter in to heaven itself where there will be no more time as we know it; but, instead, one great, blissful eternity for all to enjoy the endless blessings of God! And right now this goes way beyond all we can even imagine (cf. Eph. 3:20; Matt. 19:26; Jer. 32:27, 17; Rev. 21:4; 1 Cor. 15:21-32). So be wise and become a child of God while you have the time and opportunity! And how that is done can be seen below in “The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation.”
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Good and Important Things to Remember!
Tom Edwards
To play the video sermon with the above title, just click on the following link:
https://thomastedwards.com/wordpress/Memory.mp4
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News & Notes
Folks to be praying for:
Rick Cuthbertson, Lois Fletcher, Ronnie Davis, Jim Lively, Tammy Griffey, A.J. & Pat Joyner, Deborah Medlock, Danielle Bartlett, Vivian Foster, Kayla Williams, and Kim Rowell
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).
2) Believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…
6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Class and 10 a.m. Worship Service.
We also have a Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm/ (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)