What’s My Line?

GETTING STARTED

Genealogies can help us understand where we have been and where we may be going. Genesis 5 states the genealogy from Adam to Noah. It is the genealogy of those who called on the name of the Lord in Genesis 4. In Noah’s lineage, there were some who walked with God and some who didn’t, but God worked in the midst of that to accomplish his purposes. Remember that we are all building a genealogical line, and history will note whether we walked with God and influenced those who follow us.

  • These are two big and somewhat vague questions. Take some time to reflect on them in light of your spiritual journey. Where have you been? Where are you going?

READ THE WORD: GENESIS 5:1-32 (ESV)

5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Manwhen they were created. 3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4  The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. 5 Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.

6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. 7 Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.

9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan. 10 Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11 Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.

12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died.

15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17 Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.

18 When Jared had lived 162 years he fathered Enoch. 19 Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.

21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.

28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son 29 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.” 30 Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.

32 After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

While these verses are not the most exciting ones you will ever read, there are important truths here that impact all of us.

  1. How does the fact that God made us in his image impact your life? How does it give you value?
  2. What does almost every person in the list have in common? 
  3. What unique experience did Enoch have (vs. 24)? 
  4. In the beginning, I asked you where have you been and where are you going. How do the realities of today’s passage make you think more intentionally about those questions?       

RESPOND TO GOD

Someday we will all be part of a genealogical story, for good or bad. Someday we will die and someone will write an obituary of our life and death. The question is, will the story told reflect a life lived in following Jesus? Will the rest of our life’s accomplishments pale in comparison to the work of God in our life? Will there be someone who follows after us who will be impacted by our love for Christ and ministry in their lives? Will someone point back in their lineage and identify us as the one who pointed them to Jesus? God can use you to break a bad lineage and make it a godly one, and he can use you to keep a godly lineage going. 

  • Ask the Lord to make your life story about him and not you.
  • Ask the Lord to use you to impact someone else’s story—your family, your friends.
  • Pray for one person you know, and ask God to use you in his/her life to point him/her to Jesus.