The Genealogies of Genesis chapter five lists ten men. They all lived incredibly long lives.  Leupold argues, “There is no reason for doubting the correctness of the chronology submitted by the Hebrew Masoretic text. This is intended to be a complete chronology, complete as far as marking the actual lapse of time is concerned. No other nation has anything to compare with it. Yet, strange to say, the only reliable chronology which we have, which purports to be a good chronology dating back to Creation, is continually being questioned, corrected, amended, and condemned in favor of fallible documents which are historically but poorly attested and marked by many a gap. The claim that the Scriptures do not give a complete and accurate chronology for the whole period of the Old Testament that they cover is utterly wrong, dangerous and mischievous. At the slightest objection, men are ready to cast aside as inadequate the only adequate chronology mankind possesses.”[1]

The attacks on these genealogies and other subjects mentioned in the early chapters of Genesis are all based on man’s ability and reason to work out things for himself. It’s very reminiscent of the spirit and intent of those in the genealogy of chapter four, the genealogy of Cain. It speaks about all the wonderful deeds of his descendants: One built cities, another made weapons, and still, another advanced in the production of music and musical instruments. Cain’s genealogy ends with Lamech, who committed what seems to be a double homicide and introduced bigamy into the world. In Genesis 5:7-8, we read of the second line of descendants from Adam, the line of Seth. It says, “Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.”

We don’t have any record of outstanding accomplishments except that they “called out in the name of the Lord.” And as the line of Cain, the murderer, led to more murder, the line of Seth led to more Faith in God. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Enoch walked with God by “faith.” I agree with Augustine that it’s most likely that accomplishments were achieved and cities were built. Louth quotes from Augustine’s “City of God” and suggests we “…Notice that when the inspired writer sets forth the length of the lives of the men he mentions, the narrative always ends with the formula, ‘and he begot sons and daughters, and all the time that so and so lived were so many years, and he died.’ Considering that these sons and daughters are not named and remembering how long people lived in that first period of our history, can anyone refuse to believe that so great a multitude of men was born to have been able, in groups, to build a great number of cities?”[2] Yet, what mattered to those in Seth’s line, was their walk with God, not their outstanding accomplishments. It’s not what we do; it’s what God has done for us that matters.

[1] Leupold, H. C. 1942. Exposition of Genesis. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

[2] Louth, Andrew, and Marco Conti, eds. 2001. Genesis 1–11. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.