Without a
doubt, our Creator God is a God of continuity. In this chapter we see a re-visitation
of His intention. The human race started with Adam. He was the head of the
human race, made in the image and likeness of God. The intention of God had
always been for him to be His image bearer. Adam had responsibility but he also
had tremendous privileges and potential. He had unparalleled access to God and
could communicate with Him like no other creatures. God also gave to Adam dominion
of the earth and he was to rule it on God’s behalf. But Adam failed God through
disobedience. With that failure the realm of evil was introduced. There will
always be this demarcation between what’s good and what’s evil. However, it
must be said that failure and evil cannot obliterate God’s plan and intention.
So we see whatever represents evil is being dealt with. Although Cain and his
family degenerated and evil propagated through them, evil could not obliterate God’s
program. For He always do something positive to nullify evil and not allow it to
destroy His plan for mankind. In Genesis 4, we see the line of Cain, representing
evil being dealt with. And in Genesis 5, we see the introduction of the ten generations
of Adam’s godly line. The ten generations are: Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan,
Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Mathuselah, Lamech and Noah. And beginning from Seth we see the emergence
of a hope.
Adam’s fall
did not abrogate the blessing of God. So in the line of Seth the likeness and
image of God in Adam continued. The task of continuing God’s plan rest in this
new line. However, the consequence of sin still took effect as God had
forewarned. So we read repeatedly the gloom of death. The cycle that kept repeating
itself was the birth and death of every person and generation. Generally, this is
a universal experience of man since the fall. However, in the midst of the
gloom, we see something bright in the life of Enoch. It’s interesting that
Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam. It was intentionally put to mirror
the opposite effect of evil. Enoch’s life was the exact opposite of evil. He
lived a life to please God. In Genesis 4, we see evil clearly displayed in the life
of wicked Lamech. He was also the seventh generation of Adam but from the line
of Cain.
So what’s so
special about Enoch? He disrupted the rhythm of death. He did not die. That’s
because he walked faithfully with God. It’s interesting that his son,
Methuselah was born to him when he was 65 years old. That was the year he began
his walk with God more seriously. He started where many would have stopped. Many,
after becoming a father would stop walking with God. Suddenly, their whole attention
is on the son and not on God. But Enoch was different. Verse 22 tells us that
as a father, Enoch’s walk became more faithful. And he was rewarded for his
faithfulness. God snatched him up and he was translated into His presence without
going through death. Like Enoch, we must make faithfulness a definition of our
walk with God. Enoch literally closed the gap with God, kept his pace and company
with Him throughout life’s journey. There is no telling of what God can do for us
when we emulate Enoch’s faithfulness.
Know that we have inherited Adam’s fallen nature, but even the fall did not annul the image
and likeness of God in us. It only marred it but the image of God persists. The wonderful thing is that in Christ we have
become His new creation. And with His help and of the Holy Spirit within us, we
still have vast potential to live triumphantly for God. Knowing and sharing a
deep intimate fellowship with Him can be our perpetual experience. And we also
have the capacity to fulfil God’s plan for the earth. Bear in mind that our
calling is not just to touch His Kingdom but to enlarge it. Let us press on - to
see Him more clearly, to love Him more dearly, to follow Him more nearly, and to
serve Him more faithfully!
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