THE PEOPLE IN THE BEGINNING: METHUSELAH

Mr. Methuselah has the distinction of living longer than any other human, succumbing to death at the age of nine-hundred-sixty-nine years (Genesis 5:27). Apparently in the earth’s unspoiled, unpolluted atmosphere, humans lived long. Adam lived to be nine-hundred-thirty (Genesis 5:5). Noah lived nine-hundred-fifty years (Genesis 9:29), but Methuselah lived the longest.

Did God have a purpose in keeping Methuselah around for so long? I think so.

The Biblical scholar, A.W. Pink, suggests that Methuselah’s name meant “When he is dead, it shall be sent.”  What was to be sent? What happened in the year that Methuselah died?

With a little bit of arithmetic, and a careful reading of the genealogies recorded in the fifth chapter of Genesis, it can be deduced that Methuselah died in the exact year that the earth was subjected to God’s wrath, when “all the sources of the vast watery depths burst open, the floodgates of the sky were opened, and the rain fell on the earth” (Genesis 7:11–12).

When age-old Methuselah died, the flood waters were sent. Why does that seem important?

This clearly demonstrates that our God is long-suffering. “The Lord … is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). “The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and rebellion. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished” (Numbers 14:18).

It took God nine-hundred-sixty-nine years of patiently waiting … and then judgment came. God is graciously, generously patient … but God is just and His judgments are sure.

I’m glad that God is patient… aren’t you? 

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).