On Aging and Fatherhood

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Bible Reading: Genesis 5 AMPC

Meditations:
Genesis 5: 5 Adam lived 930 years, and he died. 8 Seth lived 912 years, and he died.

• Adam reached 930 years and after him, the years have slowly gone down. It may be due to a number of factors. Environmental changes would be one, nature like man was slowly wasting away and the earth was no longer in a prime condition as it was during the immortal days of Adam and Eve. Stress factors also contributed to physical degeneration. Man was no longer in control and animals, especially the wild ones no longer answered to him. The era of hunting began. Animals witnessed the first of their kind slain for Adam and Eve's clothing. Fear and mistrust already began, and surely, hostility. Man now faced danger from large, powerful, wild animals who would no longer submit to humanity. Who really became the first predator? That's one interesting thing we can only speculate on.

Genesis 5:22 Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God after the birth of Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 And Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God; and he was not, for God took him [home with Him].

• Enoch walked with God. He walked with God after his son was born and he continued to walk with God even after his grandchildren were born. He remained steadfast, he remained devoted. And God had great notice and care of him that He didn't allow Enoch to experience a body wasting away. He spared him from the pain and experience of physical death.

Genesis 5:29 He named him Noah, saying, This one shall bring us relief and comfort from our work and the [grievous] toil of our hands due to the ground being cursed by the Lord.

• From Enoch, to Methuselah, to Lamech. Three generations of godly fathers begat Noah who found grace in God's sight. It is important to pass spiritual truths and experiences on. That is our only hope of preparing our kids and leaving them with a future that is spiritually secure. Proverbs 22:6 NIV says, Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Although we are not assured that nothing will ever go wrong, we can know for sure that even when they fall, there is hope of restoration for they will have a sure foundation to go back to.