The Oldest Person in the Bible, And Why He lived So Long On Earth

The Oldest Person in the Bible, And Why He lived So Long On Earth

The saying “as old as Methuselah” is used to describe as the oldest person in the bible. When you delve into the story of Methuselah from the Bible, it becomes understandable. According to the Bible, it is mentioned that he lived for a remarkable 969 years. Methuselah holds a significant role in the biblical family tree, as his genealogy can be traced all the way back to Adam and Eve. Eventually, this lineage leads to Noah. Methuselah’s name is often associated with longevity, but what is the reason behind his advanced age? What does the Bible say about him and his relatives, and what can we learn from his story?

Who was Methuselah?

In Genesis 5, we learn about Methuselah, who was the son of the righteous Enoch. Enoch is a unique figure in the Bible because, unlike most people, he did not experience death. Instead, he was miraculously taken to heaven, as described in Genesis 5:24. According to 2 Kings 2:11, it tells us that Elijah was taken up to God in a whirlwind. Enoch became a father when he was 65 years old, and his son Methuselah holds the record for being the oldest person in history, living to the remarkable age of 969 years. According to Genesis 5:26-29, Methuselah had a son named Lamech, who eventually became the father of Noah.

It’s fascinating to think about how Methuselah and Lamech were actually alive during the time when Noah was constructing the ark. However, it’s worth mentioning that they unfortunately passed away before the flood occurred.There is a suggestion that Noah’s grandfather Methuselah passed away the week prior to the flood. This is based on the interpretation of Genesis 7:1, where God instructed Noah and his family to enter the ark seven days before the rain started. Some people believe that these seven days were a time of mourning for Methuselah, a practice that was common in early human history. It’s impossible to say with absolute certainty, but according to the Bible, Noah and his family were the only righteous individuals left on earth when the flood occurred.

It is possible that Methuselah, being raised by the righteous Enoch and having his grandson Noah also walking with God, was a godly man as well. It’s possible that Lamech also followed God’s instructions and assisted his son in constructing the ark. It appears that the family line from Enoch to Noah, who were descendants of Adam’s son Seth, were known for honoring God and were the only ones through whom God carried out His plan to save the world. We don’t have any information about whether Methuselah and Lamech helped to build the ark. However, it is important to acknowledge that the individuals we encounter in biblical accounts have lives that extend beyond what is explicitly mentioned in the Bible.

Just like us, there were actual individuals who had authentic connections and faced their own challenges. We don’t know everything about Noah building the ark. There’s a lot more to the story. He spent many years working on it, and it’s unlikely that he did it all by himself. Did Noah speak the truth to the neighbors who assisted him? Did Lamech and Methuselah provide assistance?Methuselah, being a person who lived for a very long time, would have likely been aware of God’s impending judgment and the purpose behind building the ark. However, interestingly, God does not mention Methuselah as a potential occupant of the ark. It seems like he was aware that he would pass away before the flood and had the understanding that God recognizes and saves those who belong to Him from His punishment. While we may not live as long as Methuselah, if we are connected to God, we can experience his peace regarding the impending judgment that will come upon the world.

Why did people in Genesis live so long?

It’s quite puzzling why people in the early chapters of Genesis had such long lifespans. Biblical scholars have proposed many different theories. The lineage in Genesis 5 is a record of the descendants of Seth, who would eventually give rise to the Messiah. Maybe these people were granted unusually long lives by God because they were obedient and devout. That’s one way to interpret it, but the Bible doesn’t specifically state that the long lifespans are only applicable to the individuals mentioned in Genesis 5.

In addition, apart from Enoch, Genesis 5 does not specifically mention any other individuals as being exceptionally righteous or godly. During that time, it is likely that people lived for several hundred years. There could be a few different reasons for this. Men’s lifespans were shortened during the global flood due to certain events that occurred. If you look at the lifespans before the flood and compare them to the ones after, you’ll notice that the ages decreased significantly and continued to decrease over time.It is possible that the answer lies in Genesis 6:3, where God mentions that His spirit will not strive with humans indefinitely, as they are mortal and their lifespan will be limited to 120 years.

Many people interpret the reference to 120 years as the new limit on human lifespan that has been set by a divine authority. During Moses’ time, people generally had shorter lifespans, even though Moses himself lived to be 120 years old. According to 2 Chronicles 24:15, it is believed that only one person lived past the age of 120 after Moses. There is a theory that suggests the reason why people in Genesis lived for such long periods of time is because there used to be a water canopy surrounding the earth. According to the canopy theory, it is believed that there was a layer of water above the firmament which created a greenhouse effect. This effect would have blocked the radiation that currently reaches the earth, resulting in favorable living conditions.

According to Genesis 7:11, it is mentioned that during the time of the flood, the water canopy was poured out onto the earth, which marked the end of the perfect environment. Most creationists have abandoned the canopy theory. Another thing to think about is that the human genetic code experienced some flaws in the initial generations after its creation. Adam and Eve were created in a flawless manner. They had a strong resistance to illness and disease, and their descendants would have inherited some of these advantages, although to a lesser extent. As time went on, the human genetic code started to get more corrupted because of sin. This made humans more prone to getting sick and dying, which led to much shorter lifespans.

In the movie “Noah” from 2014, Methuselah is depicted as a peculiar witch doctor. The Bible doesn’t provide any specific information about Methuselah that confirms or denies this portrayal. However, it does raise doubts since the lineage from Adam to Noah in Genesis 5 is described as an honorable line that followed the Lord’s commands. Methuselah, the oldest person mentioned in the Bible, is someone we have limited knowledge about. He managed to live for a remarkable 969 years and unfortunately passed away during the same year as the flood.

He was Adam’s great-great-great-great-great grandson and also the grandfather of Noah. It’s likely that Methuselah was a deeply religious man, given that God blessed him with such an extraordinary long life. Methuselah is a significant character in the family tree mentioned in the Bible. His name has become well-known for being associated with living a very long life.