Genesis 5 Matthew 5 Ezra 5
Genesis 5
It is difficult for us to get
inspired by a long list of names of people who lived thousands of years ago,
although we are fascinated by our own ancestry!
For the Jews, such genealogies were an important part of their history,
probably retold through oral tradition to remind them that all mankind is part
of the same divinely created family, and we should behave as such. They also serve to confirm the Bible’s
promise of a coming Messiah, Jesus, whose ancestry, as Matthew and Luke remind
us (Mtt 1:1-17; Lk 3:23-27), could be traced back through the great heroes of
the Old Testament to Adam himself.
Interestingly, to complete his genealogy Luke says of Adam that he was
“the Son of God” highlighting his divine creation. This reminds us of the causal link between
the first man Adam, and God’s eternally begotten Son, Jesus. It was His obedience and death on the cross
that was required to undo the disobedience of Adam and his descendants down the
ages. Yet the Bible makes it clear that
that our corporate rebellion did not take God by surprise; He had a plan in
place even before He created the world.
“You were redeemed …with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish
or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world.” (1Pe 1:19-20).
That is an amazing thought to inspire us today and to help us realise
just how special we are to God. Returning to Genesis 5 for a moment, many scholars suggest
that the exceptionally long lives of Adam’s descendants may reflect the life span
of dynasties originating from the named individual rather his own lifespan.
(member of the congregation)