Spiritual Pedigrees

In Genesis 5 there are 3 anomalies among a list of Adam offspring ending with Noah.  What is obvious is that there is an every decreasing lifespan.  This is obviously the result of Adam's sin and Original Sin upon subsequent generations.

Each of the offspring of Adam are reported with a similar cadence.  For example: “When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.” (Genesis 5:6–8, ESV).  However there are 3 notable exceptions as noted by the underlining:

1.  “When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died” (Genesis 5:3–5, ESV);

2. “When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:21–24, ESV); and

3. “When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.” Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died” (Genesis 5:28–31, ESV).

In the first instance the author reinforces the idea that Seth was made in the image and likeness of Adam. "This verse makes the point that the image and likeness of God which was given to Adam at creation was inherited by his sons. It was not obliterated by the fall." [1]

To emphasize that Enoch walked with God and instead of dying, was taken. "Remarkably, because of this special relationship, Enoch does not die." [2]  Like all people of faith, there is a sense where the body dies, but they never die. “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this”” (John 11:25–26, ESV)?

Lastly, Lamech gave hope that would come through his son, Noah. Lamech expects that Noah will bring both rest and comfort from the painful toil of working the soil. Lmech looks back to the curse but somehow understands that through Noah there is hope. Noah prefigured the salvation of Christ -- the removal of the curse.  “... when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:20–21, ESV).

"In contrast with the line of Cain (4: 17– 24), the regularity of Seth’s line, its positive notes of God’s blessing— Enoch (vv. 21– 24) and Lamech (vv. 28– 31)— and its extension beyond the seventh generation to Noah identify this as the line of hope." [3]

There is but one spiritual pedigree that brings hope.  It is only found within the chosen seed. One is either in the line of Seth, or the line of Cain. To be in Christ is to be part of the chosen seed, the elect of God, the generation of the righteous.




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1. Wenham, G. J. (1998). Genesis 1–15 (Vol. 1, p. 127). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.
2. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 60). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
3. Zondervan. NIV Zondervan Study Bible, Hardcover: Built on the Truth of Scripture and Centered on the Gospel Message (Kindle Locations 7382-7385). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.