Day 5: B’reisheet/Genesis 4:25-5:24
Following the genealogy of the first generations of men and the “righteous seed” through the details inscribed in Torah is a remarkable Bread trail, to say the least. Looking at a timeline using the ages of each man, Lamech could have easily sat upon Adam’s lap as a child and then ben taught about the Garden, the first sacrifice, and the expulsion as first-hand knowledge
Lamech would have been 56 years old when his great (x6) grandfather (Adam) passed away. That’s old enough that Lamech could have had children who sat upon Adam’s knees, as well. Ironically, though those children could have heard true stories of Paradise straight from the man who sinned there, it would be Lamech’s son Noach who would be the bearer of the Seed of Righteousness for the genealogies of the ages.
It is the Seed promised to Adam and Chavah that is of real interest and importance in the genealogies listed in Torah. From Adam to Seth and passed through Enosh, Kenan, and all the way down through Methuselah and beyond to Noach, the Seed of promise and hope was the beacon that each generation counted on to reunite men to the Creator and wipe away sin, forever.
In Seth’s day, some men called upon Elohim, via the name He had revealed to them in that age. Their struggle with the earth through the curse and each other was enough to send them to prayer. Others, like Enoch, walked with Elohim in a way that was so pleasing to the Creator that He recorded it in Torah so that all could remember His servant and that He took Him prematurely and, quite possibly, miraculously.
Like bookends, the first B’reisheet genealogy is marked with descriptions of men who called upon the name of Elohim and those who walked with Him and were even found to be blameless in their time, such as Noach. Enoch was one of these men as well. Their lives were set apart as different to the Father and were surely seen as different to men of the earth. To some onlookers, perhaps their firstborn received that peculiarity as a blessing and walked with that same mantel as it was handed down from father to son, generation to generation. Others of that day had firstborn sons who did not take hold of and/or receive the anointing of the Righteous Seed bearer.
The observer could view this trail of Bread crumbs as a lineage of a priestly line leading all the way to the High Priest of the ages, Yeshua. Each generation, like what would be formally instituted in the days of Moshe, had a high priest figure who carried first-hand stories of the Garden, sin, sacrifice, and banishment. Similarly, in the temple days, some priests would more lax in their job descriptions while others, likened to Enoch and Noach, were more respondent to Elohim’s voice and instructions. To that end, the ultimate reward will be long life and/or salvation from the impending destruction of the earth or death and separation from Elohim. This extends from the informal priesthood of Adam’s loins all the way to today’s priesthood birthed of Messiah’s blood, water, and Ruach.
YHVH our Elohim has seen fit that we realize from whence we came and to where we will go in our decision to either follow or rebel in His gracious Covenant. The story may not be first hand from the mouths of our forefathers, but it has been preserved and even spoken of through angels (Hebrews 2:2) as a witness to us and our descendants after us. What has been bestowed upon us is nothing less than grace personified, in that YHVH has led us to His Way, Truth, and Life in Messiah, His Son. Yeshua is the promised Seed that can be traced all the way back to Adam, with the Bread trail that continues to His execution and resurrection. He is the Bread from which we must all partake in order to satiate eternal hunger and thirst. Yeshua is the succession of all genealogies for those who accept His yoke on their lives and seed within their hearts. We are to surrender to Him in dying to our flesh so that we will begin to live again as we were been created to live. He is our Righteousness and the Seed of hope that was promised to Adam, Chavah, and to us, their many, many grandchildren.
Dwell upon Psalm 40:6-8, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Messiah Yeshua.”