January 6, 2023
Big Idea
We can trust God when we don’t know how things will turn out.
This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.
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 Man 1 5:2 Hebrew adam when 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 2 5:22 Septuagint pleased God; also verse 24 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, 3 5:24 Septuagint was not found 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 4 5:29 Noah sounds like the Hebrew for rest 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.
1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in 5 6:3 Or My Spirit shall not contend with man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim 6 6:4 Or giants were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
Did Methuselah really live 969 years? What in the world are Nephilim? Can God regret His actions? If you have these thoughts after reading today, you're not alone! The good news? God isn't afraid of our questions. He invites us into further study and understanding of Him and is certainly big enough to handle them.
Today, we'll consider the most significant question raised in today's reading: What is God's intended design for people?
Genesis 5 opens with a call back to creation. Notice the allusions everywhere! We read of Adam and Eve who are made in the likeness of God. The 10-name genealogy reminds us of the 10 times in Genesis 1-2 where "God said," showing Him speaking creation to life. What do you think Genesis 5 might be trying to bring to mind? Creation of course!
As a recap, God fashioned the world in an outpouring of love. He shaped humans from dirt and breathed life into them so that they could be part of the love that already existed within the Trinity. Just like Jesus prays thousands of years later in John 17, "You, Father are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us."
God's design for humans? Beings made in the image of God, capable of relationship with God. Simple enough, right? Well...
In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve saw, desired, and took fruit they weren't supposed to eat, breaking union with God. In Genesis 6 we find a repeat when the Nephilim saw, desired, and took women, thus mingling human and spiritual beings, altering the basic ingredients for humanity. Further, Genesis 6:5 describes worldwide rebellion against God's design. But just because things have gone awry doesn't mean that all is lost.
God is passionate about His intended design and will preserve and restore it at any cost. This isn't because God just likes things His way. Rather, His design is for our good, leading to flourishing and rest. One day, God will restore all things so we'll be able to experience the perfect relationship with God for which we were created.
This month's memory verse
We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
1. If God's design leads to our flourishing, then it only makes sense that we consider if there are ways we are living outside His pattern. Are there any areas of your life that you'd like to ask the Holy Spirit to help bring you back in alignment with God's design?
2. As beings made in the image of God, we have inherent value in God's eyes. When you consider how God feels towards you, do you know that He loves you regardless of your performance or effort? Romans 5:8 says, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God's love isn't conditional.
3. Where do you go when you encounter tricky passages or questions while reading the Bible? Here are just a few of my favorite resources:
As we gear up to release even more features for Join The Journey in 2025, our staff team, unfortunately, no longer has the margin to continue to support the comment functionality. We have big things in store for Join The Journey 2025. Stay tuned!
Hugh Stephenson
Hugh Stephenson
Hugh Stephenson
Chris Landry
Michael Scaman
emma dotter
Amy Lowther
Sue Bohlin
Alan Beam
Michael Sisson
Michael Sisson