1 Chronicles 1:1-4

LESSON ONE 1-3

I. GENEALOGIES FROM ADAM TO DAVID (1 Chronicles 1:1 to 1 Chronicles 9:44)

1. THE GENEALOGY OF THE HUMAN RACE FROM ADAM TO NOAH AND NOAH'S THREE SONS

INTRODUCTION

The first three Chapter s of I Chronicles cover the list of descendants from Adam until the times of Zerubbabel and the return from captivity. Special attention is given to those of the line of descent which would ultimately lead to Jesus Christ.

TEXT

1. Adam, Seth, Enosh, 2. Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, 3. Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 4. Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth.

PARAPHRASE[10]

[10] The Living Bible Paraphrased, Wheaton, Tyndale House Publishers, 1971.

1. These are the earliest generations of mankind: Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

COMMENTARY

The record in I Chronicles begins with Adam and lists the patriarchs of whom Noah is the tenth. The chronicler[11] is not primarily concerned about the creation of the heavens and the earth as described in Genesis, Chapter 1. He is concerned with Adam and those of his kind through whom the promised Seed will come. The men named above are very important in God's plans. It will be clearly evident to the careful student that the chronicler establishes the fact that the house of David will by God's direction produce the Messiah. Questions will arise. Credentials must be presented. What is this house of David? Who is the Messiah? Can you present historical data to support your conclusions? Both books of Chronicles are designed to answer these questions. Therefore, the first word in the record is Adam.

[11] The human agent used by God to write the Books of Chronicles.

The name Adam means red or ruddy. While it is a personal, name, in the Hebrew it also may mean mankind. A genuine acquaintance must be formed with Adam if one is to come to appreciate man and the eternal God who created him. Adam is mentioned many times in the scriptures. His creation in God's image (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 2:7); his appointment in Eden (Genesis 2:15); his marvelous intelligence manifested as he named the animals (Geneis 1 Chronicles 2:20); his participation in the creation of Eve (Genesis 2:23); his temptation and sin (Genesis 3:8); his being driven out of Eden (Genesis 3:23); his role as the father of at least three sons (Genesis 4:25); and his office as he pointed to the second Adam, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:22-47)- all need to be carefully explored. With Adam, God opened the revelation of Himself to mankind. Since all men must trace their origin to Adam, the line of godly descent leading through David to Christ begins with Adam.

Seth comes on the scene as Adam's son when the father was one hundred thirty years of age sometime after Cain had murdered Abel. His name means setting or appointed. When Abel was killed, Eve said, God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel (Genesis 4:25). Eve was concerned about the seed promised by God in Genesis 3:15. Seth's main purpose in life was to provide a link in the godly line of descent. At the age of one hundred and five years Seth became the father of Enosh (Genesis 4:26). No other incident in his life is recorded. He died when he was nine hundred and twelve years of age. It was at this time that men began to call upon the name of Jehovah (Genesis 4:26).

The fifth chapter of Genesis records the generations from Adam to Noah. Considering the age of each father when his son was born, a total of one thousand six hundred and fifty six years passed from the time of Adam to the beginning of the Flood. When Enosh was ninety years old his son Kenan was born. Enosh died at the age of nine hundred and five years. Kenan was the contribution of Enosh to God's purpose (Genesis 5:9-11). The birth and training of a godly child can be a most important enterprise.

When Kenan was seventy years old he became the father of Mahalalel. As had been true with preceding patriarchs, in addition to the godly seed, other sons and daughters were born (Genesis 5:12-14). Those not in the godly lineage are not named, Kenan died when he was nine hundred and ten years of age.

Mahalalel was only sixty five years old when his son, Jared, was born. So Mahalalel lived and died at the end of eight hundred and ninety five years (Genesis 5:15-17). Jared, at the age of one hundred and sixty two years, became Enoch's father, Having fathered other unnamed sons and daughters, Jared died in his nine hundred and sixty second year (Genesis 5:18-20). Jared's love for God is revealed in the character of his son, Enoch.[12] When Enoch was sixty five years of age he became Methuselah's father. When Enoch was three hundred and sixty five years old God took him. Unlike the patriarchs before him, he did not die. When he was a young man, in comparison with the long lives of those who preceded and followed him, he walked with God and did not experience death (Genesis 5:21-24). This reflects the training which Enoch undoubtedly received in his father's house. Enoch's faith qualified him for immortality among the faithful (Hebrews 11:5; Jude 1:14).

[12] Not to be confused with the Enoch of Genesis 4:17.

At the age of one hundred and eighty seven years Methuselah became the father of Lamech[13] (Genesis 5:25-27). After that, other sons and daughters were born into his family. Methuselah's claim to distinction is that he lived nine hundred and sixty nine yearsthe most advanced age for man recorded in scriptures. In this long life there is a hint or foretaste of God's purpose for those who love him.

[13] Not to be confused with the Lamech of Genesis 4:18.

Lamech, at the age of one hundred and eighty two years, became the father of Noah (Genesis 5:28-31). The name Noah means comfort or rest. Lamech said that Noah will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands. Here is a man whose godly son rose up and called him blessed. Lamech died at the age of seven hundred and seventy seven years; but his son was destined to be God's man in one of the darkest hours of human history.

Considering the promised seed (Genesis 3:15), Noah carried in his life the prospects of a better day. When he was five hundred years old, his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth were born (Genesis 5:32). The Flood came when Noah was six hundred years of age (Genesis 7:6). For one hundred and twenty years prior to the Flood Noah was building the ark and doing the work of a preacher of righteousness (Genesis 6:3; 2 Peter 2:5). When he attained the age of nine hundred and fifty years he died (Genesis 9:29). By his godly life he qualified for the roll of the faithful (Hebrews 11:7). Adam's relationship to mankind in the beginning is renewed in Noah's importance in God's plans after the Flood. From his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, (Genesis 9:18-19), the whole earth was eventually to be populated.

These sons were three in number. God will use only one of them as a vehicle for the Godly seed. Genesis, chapter 10, names the sons and descendants of Noah's sons. Japheth's people were the Medes, Greeks, Asians, and Europeans. Ham's descendants were to live in Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, and Canaan. Shem's people, called Semites, were to become the Persians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Syrians, and the Hebrews. The godly line will come from Shem through Arpachshad (Genesis 10:22). So it is from this point that the genealogy continues in Genesis, chapter 11 (Genesis 11:10-11) and carries to Abram (Genesis 11:26).

Against this background every name in 1 Chronicles 1:1-4 is very important. In the history bound up in these lives the foundation for Israel's history is laid. Apart from these patriarchs, David's life would have no meaning.