Birth of Noah

The power of words

²⁵When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. ²⁶After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. ²⁷Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died. ²⁸When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. ²⁹He named him Noah^[a] and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.” ³⁰After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. ³¹Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died. ³²After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Genesis 5: 25-32)

Methuselah means, “When he dies, it (judgment) will be sent.” His name is a prophetic name.

When he was 187 years old, Methuselah gave birth to his son Lamech (verse 25). And when his son Lamech gave birth to his grandson Noah, Methuselah was 369 years old (187 + 182, verse 28). And when Noah turned 500 and gave birth to his great-grandchildren Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Methuselah was 869 (369 + 500). The Flood occurred when Noah was 600 years old. Noah was 600 years old when the Flood struck and the water was above the ground (Genesis 7: 6). At that time, Methuselah was 969 years old (869 + 100, verse 27). Methuselah died at the age of 969. It was just the year of the Flood. While Methuselah was alive, it was a period of repentance. Because it was prophesied that “when he dies, it (judgment) will be sent”, and judgment will not come until he dies. God has endured human sin. However, when Methuselah died, the prophecy was fulfilled and a great flood was sent as God’s judgment.

God is also patient with the sins of modern mankind. Now is the period of repentance that God has given to mankind. However, in the near future, God’s judgment will surely come like Noah’s flood.

⁶By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. ⁷By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.⁹The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3: 6,7,9)

And the day of judgment will come suddenly, like Noah’s time.

³⁷As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man (Jesus Christ of the Second Coming). ³⁸For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24: 37-39)

Now We still have the opportunity to admit our sins, repent (turn around), and return to God. God invites mankind to accept the gospel (to escape judgment and enter the ark). However, the opportunity to respond to the gospel is not always open (the time will come when the ark door will be closed). After that time has come, it’s too late. Let’s respond to God’s invitation.

Indeed, it is a time of grace and a day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6: 2).