Shadowland: Beginnings: Week 10

The First Rapture

Timeline

Year          Birth (~Death)
   0    Adam
 130    130 Seth
 235        105 Enosh
 325             90 Cainan
 395                70 Mahalaleel
 460                    65 Jared
 622                        162 Enoch
 687                            65 Methuselah
 874                                187 Lamech
 930    930 ~Adam
 987                            365 ^Enoch
1042        912 ~Seth
1056                                    182 Noah
1140            905 ~Enosh
1235                910 ~Cainan
1290                    895 ~Mahalaleel
1422                        962 ~Jared
1556                                        500 Ham, Japheth
1558                                        502 Shem
1651                                    777 ~Lamech
1656                                969 ~Methuselah
1656 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 600 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2006                                        950 ~Noah
2158                                            600 ~Shem

• 5:6,4:26 Enosh - "[mortal]Man". "Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord."
  With the birth of Enosh, there was revival. Men were turning to God. The names of the sons suggest that even the line of Cain was seeking God.
• 5:9 קֵינָן Qenan - spear. Psalm 127:4 "Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth."
• 5:12 Mahalalel - "in praise of God"
• 5:15 Jared - "descent" or "falling away". An ominous name - perhaps reflecting the times.
• 5:18 Enoch - "Dedication". As with Cain, the late birth of Enoch, and the name of his son suggest a repentance in the life of Jared, and rededication to the Lord. Enoch is seventh from Adam, and Lamech, also seventh from Adam by Cain, is noted for taking two wives - suggesting a time of moral decay and a "falling away" from calling upon the name of the Lord. But Jared raises a son who is able to "walk with God".
• 5:21 Methuselah - "[when] he dies, it [will be] sent". (Some scholars read this as "man of the javelin": man is mortal and a javelin is sent out.)
  Enoch lived in a time of moral decay. At the birth of his son, Enoch receives a revelation of coming judgement. Our world will also end in judgement, following a "falling away".

  "And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all." Luke 17:26,27
  "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first." 2 Thessalonians 2:3
  "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."
  2 Timothy 3:13

  Just as only a remnant was delivered from the flood, so only a remnant will be delivered from the coming judgement.

  "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:14

• 5:22 "Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah." There is nothing like knowing that the world as you know it will die when your son dies to motivate a closer walk with God. Think of the terror with every little accident that boys are so prone to!

  And we know some of what Enoch preached:

  "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these [ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, v4], saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly acts of wickedness, and of every harsh word which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." Jude 14,15

  "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death, and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:5,6

  How did Enoch please God? By faith - he believed and acted on what God revealed to Him. But beware of bringing your own works like Cain: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:21-23

• 5:24 "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." Enoch is a type of the church, and like the faithful few in the church, is raptured before the coming judgement. (There is much controversy over exactly when - for the church. Enoch is recorded history.)

  "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments? and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy." Revelation 3:4
  "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall be all changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. 1 Corinthians 15:51,52

• 5:29 Noah - "rest/comfort". Put this in your brain for later - Noah is also a type.
• 5:31 Grampa Lamech has died - but the ark isn't quite finished, so great grampa Methuselah is still hanging on!
• 5:27 "And all the days of Methusaleh were 969 years: and he died." His long life was yet another evidence of God's love and grace, withholding judgement as long as possible, giving more time to repent.