Genesis 4:25-5:32

Notes compiled with my BSF group

CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD (Genesis 4:25–26)

Beginning in Enosh’s lifetime, men began to call on the name of the Lord.

Why call on the Lord?

Psalm 34

- When we seek God, He answers (Psalm 34:4, 6).

- God delivers us from our fears and troubles (Psalm 34:4, 6, 19).

- When we look to God, we are never covered with shame (Psalm 34:5).

- When we take refuge in God, we are blessed (Psalm 34:8, 22).

- When we place our lives in His hands, we fear nothing else, because we will lack nothing (Psalm 34:9-10).

- When we walk with the Lord, God hears us; when we walk against the Lord, our names will be blotted out (Psalm 34:15-18).

THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH (Genesis 5)

“… and then he died” (Genesis 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31)
Since the Fall, man no longer had access to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:23) and thus no longer lived forever.

If we are born once, we die twice; if we are born twice, we die once.

John 3:6-8

Flesh gives birth to flesh – That is, since we are born of Adam who has sin and therefore dies, we, too, will have sin and will die. However, the Spirit gives birth to spirit – That is, when we are born in the spirit of God who has no sin but eternal life, we, too, will have no sin and have eternal life.

This is why scholars say, if we are born once, we die twice. If we are born twice, we die only once. What does that mean? 

We are first born into the world in flesh. This is our first birth. But because of sin, our flesh deteriorates, and our physical bodies experience death. This is the first death. However, if we are born also in the spirit (the second birth), even though the physical body would die, we will receive everlasting life in the spirit and enjoy life with God forever. And for those who are not born in the spirit, they will continue to die in their sins. They would die first a physical death in their sins. And they will dies again in the spirit in their sins.

So, to sum up, we are born in the flesh. We will die in the flesh, because the flesh is sinful. If we are born again in the spirit, then our birth of the spirit will give us eternal life. This is why if we are born twice, we die only once. However, if we were never born in the spirit, then our spirit will be condemned to eternal death. And this is why if we are born only once, we will die twice: once in physical death, and another in the spirit.

John 8:24

Without Jesus, we would die in our sins, because there is no way we can cleanse ourselves of our sins. However, if we receive Jesus, His blood will cleanse us of our sins, and we will be redeemed in Him to enjoy eternal life.

Romans 5:14

Since the Fall, death entered with sin through Adam. And from Adam, we continue to die in our sin.

Romans 6:23

The wages of sin is death. But through Jesus Christ, we can receive the gift of eternal life.

Romans 5:12, 18-19

In the likeness of God, we are righteous and filled with eternal life. In our own likeness, we sin and die.

ENOCH WAS FAITHFUL TO GOD AND WAS RAPTURED (Genesis 5:21-24)

"Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." (Genesis 5:24)

Enoch was faithful (Hebrews 11:5-6; Jude 1:14-15)

Enoch lived his life by faith, earnestly sought God, and pleased God and did not experience death. Because Enoch was a holy man, he was also given visions and prophesied (Jude 1:14-15). What did Enoch prophesy? The second coming of Jesus in the end times that is also documented in details in the Books of Daniel and Revelation.

Enoch was raptured (1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 5:10)

Scholars believe that Enoch shows us how God will remove the Church before Christ’s return. Enoch was removed before the flood during Noah’s time. The flood is a judgment of God for the wickedness in the world (Genesis 6).

Before Jesus's return, the Tribulation will take place to judge the Earth (Revelation). Just as Enoch, the righteous one, was removed before the judgment of the flood, Christians (who are declared righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ) will also be removed before the judgment of the Tribulation.

For more information on the Rapture, here are some readings:
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2012/04/rapture-and-tribulation.html
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/10/mystery-of-rapture.html
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/07/misunderstandings-about-rapture.html

THE GOSPEL IS HIDDEN IN THE GENEALOGY

Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest
Adam = Man
Seth = Appointed
Enosh = Mortal
Kenan = Sorrow
Mahalalel = The Blessed God
Jared = Shall Come Down
Enoch = Teaching
Methuselah = His Death Shall Bring
Lamech = The Despairing
Noah = Rest or Comfort

Methuselah was the oldest man, a sign of God's grace
Methuselah's name means "his death shall bring" -- and indeed, when Methuselah died, the flood judgment came. Yet, Methuselah was the oldest man ever lived, which is a symbol of God's mercy in forestalling the coming judgment of the flood.

Similarly, God's final judgment on Earth in the end days will not occur until God's mercy is exhausted. And who will exhaust God's mercy? Satan and his cohorts -- those who choose to follow Satan.

Reference:
http://www.khouse.org/articles/1996/44/

AFTERTHOUGHTS

Sin is serious. Because of sin, we die. We were not designed to die. We were made to have eternal life by walking with God. We were made in His image!

To ensure we do not end up with Satan, to ensure we are not condemned to eternal death, we need to reach out to Jesus and accept His gift of salvation. He has come to cleanse us of our sins so that we can once again return to be with God. We should walk with God like Enoch did, so that we may one day be kings and priests with Jesus as opposed to suffering eternal death with Satan in the Lake of Fire.