DEATH Through sin, spiritual as well as physical death entered into the life of man. Whatever the life of man would be, on earth, he will not escape from death... “Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). But amid this dark portrait, there was Enoch, who was “taken by God” because he was righteous. 1- Descendants of Adam (and their death) 1-20. 2- The righteous Enoch 21-24. 3- Methuselah 25-27. 4- Noah 28-32. 1- DESCENDANTS OF ADAM (AND THEIR DEATH) Before talking about the renewal of the world through the great flood and the ark, the divine inspiration presented us with the genealogy of Adam’s descendants, starting with Adam and ending with Noah, when the world starts anew through the Baptism of the great flood. Edersheim presented the following table, from Adam to the renewal of the world (Noah)1: NAME AGE AT BIRTH OF HIS SON AGE AT YEAR OF DEATH BIRTH AS TO WORLD HISTORY HIS DEATH AS TO WORLD HISTORY Adam 130 930 1 930 Seth 105 912 130 1042 Enos 90 905 235 1140 Cainan 70 910 325 1235 Mahalalee 65 895 395 1290 Jared 162 962 460 1422 Enoch 65 365 622 987 Methuselah 187 969 687 1656 Lamech 182 777 784 1651 Noah 500 950 1056 2006 In this genealogy, it is to be noted that: a- The name of Abel, who died before having any children, was not included. In spite of his memory being omitted because of his bearing no children, yet, “though dead still speaks” (Hebrew 11:4). The name of Cain and his descendants was also disregarded, as he chose to condemn himself to death, while still living. b- Although man with his wickedness lost likeness to God’s image, yet, in the beginning of the genealogy of fathers, he says: “In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God” (Gen. 5:1). Even though man got defiled by transgression, yet God is hoping to get him back to his original image in which He 1 Edersheim: The Bible History, V. 1. p. 34. 4 created him. This genealogy probably aims to present us with the Person of the Savior, by Whom believers would enjoy that gift, namely this of carrying God’s image in them. c- As He mentions the birth of ‘Seth,’ he says: “And Adam begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth” (Gen. 5:3), in other words, a human being. By being in his father’s likeness and image, he probably means that he carries the same hope that was of his father Adam, for enjoying the promised salvation, and not as Cain, who lived without hope, lost on earth. d- It is to be noted that Enoch came as a descendant of Seth, “who walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Gen. 5:24). He is not the one with the same name - Enoch, of Cain’s descendants, after whose name the first city on earth was built. It is as though God set a seed that carries the heavenly features, in place of that seed that was attached to the earthly. In the same sense, we find here, Lamech, the seventh in Seth’s genealogy, begetting Noah, a sign of spiritual comfort in the Lord, in place of Lamech, of Cain descendants, who got married to two women: “darkness” and “shadow of night,” who was known for his violence. In other words, even if the devil is doing his best to corrupt humanity for the sake of his kingdom, yet God sets for Himself witnesses in every generation, beloved to Him, to enjoy the fellowship of His glories. e- Concerning the ages of these fathers, many scholars presented various interpretations: Some said that numbers in Hebrew were obscure and difficult to translate; while others said that the ages mentioned are not to concern the fathers, but concern their tribes. Anyhow, the Holy Scripture is not a historical one, and does not claim, by its divine words, to register man’s history according to our literal concept; although we can not deny its accuracy, and the possibility of long life at the beginning of creation. f- Probably, this genealogy aims to confirm that man, in spite of the length his life is, eventually dies, leaving to his children the promise of salvation, to look forward to the new life that is undefeatable by death. 2- THE RIGHTEOUS ENOCH Among this genealogy, there is a man, whose life history did not end by the phrase, “and he died,” but “was not, for God took him” (Gen. 5:24). Yet “before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrew 11:5). So, if the other genealogies represent the believing humanity that enjoyed hope in the promised coming of the Savior, to transfer it from death to life, Enoch represents members of the Church, that will not experience death by the coming of our Lord Christ, but “shall be caught up with Him in the clouds” (I Thessalonians 4:14-17), to enjoy the glorious eternal life. What came here concerning Enoch along the course of genealogy of other fathers is probably a confirmation that the source of man’s happiness is not in the long duration of his life on earth, but is rather in his passing to the presence of God to live with Him face-to-face. It is as though Enoch represents man’s restoration of his first paradisiacal state, through setting forth from the earth that became corrupted to the sanctuaries of God. And as the apostle Jude said: “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him” (Jude 5 14- 15). Enoch’s passing to God, is a practical prophecy about the eternal life, and a testimonial against the ungodly and their coming judgment; That is beside his uttered prophecy that was delivered to the Jewish Church through oral tradition, and registered by the apostle Jude. Enoch represents the heart that unifies with God and becomes the subject of his pleasure in Christ Jesus, the beloved Son; in whom the spiritual death will not find a place, but would be in a continuous setting forth to eternity; whom the enemy will never be capable of grasping or taking over. We know of Enoch’s life nothing more than this phrase, “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Gen. 5:24); the Scripture did not tell us anything about his behavior nor dealings; yet through his hidden life, he drew, along the generations, the lives of many, to repentance and life with God. Ben Sirach says: “Enoch had been transferred as an example of repentance for all generations” (44: 16). And St. Ambrose saw in him a portrait of apostolic life, that could not be overcome by death, saying: [Indeed the apostles did not know death as they were told by the Lord: “Assuredly I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (See Matthew 16: 28). Whoever has nothing that needs to die within him, (mainly sin and lusts) would live (eternally); he, who, in him, has nothing from Egypt (metaphorically), but, has cast all that off (carnal desires) before forsaking the ministry of body. It is not Enoch alone who was taken away while still living, the apostle Paul was also lifted up to encounter the Lord Christ (while also still alive)1.] With the same sense, St. Cyprian believes that Enoch is a living example of those who are taken early to the Lord, as they have abandoned their love for the worldly: [You, like Enoch, would have pleased the Lord, being found worthy of letting the world behind. The Spirit has taught Solomon that those who please God are early taken and quickly liberated, lest, by staying longer, they would get defiled by the filth of the world. And as said, He took him away, lest evil would change his mind; He was pleasing the Lord, so He loved him and took him from among the wicked (see Wisd. 4: 11). And in the Psalms, the soul, dedicated to her God, hastens to Him saying: “How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord! ” (Psalm 84: 1)2.] St. John Chrysostom believes that Enoch surpassed Abel in his faith, saying: [That man surpassed Abel in his faith. You will probably ask: How? Because despite his coming after him, yet what happened to Abel did not affect him in a bad way; He did not say to himself: what is the use of labor?!3] Enoch was great in his faith although he had no role model to follow, and despite what he heard about all that happened to Abel, he walked righteously with the Lord, to become worthy of being taken by Him. 3- METHUSELAH Methuselah is a name meaning “man with weapon,” a son of Enoch, who died in the year of the great flood, after 969 of age. Although the longest in the Holy Scripture, yet it ended with death. And as St. Jerome said: [Even if we live for 900 years or more, as people of the pre-flood era; even if we are granted the age of Methuselah, yet, when that long lapse of time comes to an end, it will be counted as 1 On Belief of Resur. 2:94. 2 On Mortality 23. 3 In Heb Hom 22. 6 nothing. Whether man lives ten years or 1000 years, when life is over, and the inevitable death is realized, the past - short or long - is counted the same; although he, who lived longer, would be burdened with a heavier load of sins to carry with him1.] However as long as this long live be in the Lord, one will be more and more blessed every day. He will a blessing to everyone he meets through out his live as God once promised Abraham. 4- NOAH Along the genealogy of the fathers, the divine inspiration declared the birth of Noah, as a sign of “comfort” that would be enjoyed by the world through its renewal by the water of the great flood,. the Scripture will present this in some detail in the following chapters. The sons of Noah “Shem, Ham, and Japheth” (Gen. 5:32) came as heads of all peoples of the world, following the great flood. 1 Ep. 60:14.
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