The Forefathers of Modern Man

Genesis 4:25-5:17

“And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.” (Genesis 4:25-26)

After God pronounced judgment for Cain’s murdering Abel, rather than turning to God in repentance, Cain went from the presence of the Lord, and the civilization he started followed his example, with wickedness and violence continuously increasing. Seth had a totally different attitude than his brothers and sisters who’d been born in intervening years. Eve recognized Seth as being more like Abel. During Enos’s leadership, the group started by Seth began to seek the Lord and really worship and follow him.

“This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.” (Genesis 5:1-5)

Seth was born a hundred and thirty years after creation. He was more like Adam than any of his brothers and sisters, in much the same way Adam was created in the image of God. It will be this group, in the image of Adam that will be followed throughout the Bible, the group we are descended from. Adam lived eight hundred more years after Seth’s birth, and had additional children. Think of the potential rate of population growth with people having children for eight or nine hundred years.

Until a few years ago, such ages were often scoffed at. Today, we are told that the human body is designed to rebuild itself in such away that it should be able to live forever except for one small problem. There is what is called a genetic feature called a telomere which is depleted each time a cell divides. When the there telomere is used up, the cell stops reproducing and dies.

For years we have propagated certain varieties of fruit trees by taking cuttings from the original tree and rooting them. It has been discovered that this process can only continue for a certain number of times before the plant loses vigor and begins to die. It is the depletion of the telomere that causes aging. When a new seed is developed or an embryo forms, new telomeres are formed. This is one reason scientists are so interested in embryonic stem cell research, because it offers the possibility of starting a damaged organ with new telomeres. It has been found that certain diets and activities can accelerate of slow the depletion of the telomeres, extending or shortening one’s life. At least one company is trying to develop a practical means of renewing the telomeres.

After the flood, it would appear God reset the telomeres, even before the end of the Antediluvian or pre-flood period. In Genesis 6:3, God stated, “… My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” While we have a lot of people who get to be a hundred, almost no one in our world lives to a hundred twenty, and the vast majority stop around seventy, despite our medical advances. This is in line with the statement in Psalm 90:10. “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”

“And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.

And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan: And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.” (Genesis 5:6-11)

It was during Enos’ life that people began to turn to and worship God. In the Garden, Adam walked with God. More than two hundred thirty years after creation, Seth’s family turned to God, while Cain’s followers ignored him.

“And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel: And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.” (Genesis 5:12-17)

Assuming that the generational periods were roughly the same for Cain’s followers as for Seth’s family the development of animal husbandry, music and metal refining and working probably took place during the lives of Mahalaleel and Jared, a period of about a thousand years from about four hundred after creation. To about two hundred fifty years before the flood. The increasing population increased the need for better tools and ways of producing food, and people who did not trust God to provide had and extra incentive to develop their own methods of provision. As the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” It is interesting that while those advances were adopted by our forefathers, they were not developed by them.

It is interesting that legends from several ancient cultures describe learning some of these things from another race or culture, with at least one describing it as happening before a huge flood. In Navajo tradition, the other culture is referred to as the Diyiini or Holy people. Could it have been handed down verbally for about five thousand years?