Genesis 5, where everybody dies*

Death by Chocolate: It was hard to find a lighthearted picture about death. 

In chapter 5 the Bible lists the generations of the sons of Adam and his sons, (Cain's line is not mentioned). So you have Adam > Seth > Enosh > Kenan > Mahalalel > Jared > Enoch* > Methuselah > Lamech > Noah. You know what all of those guys have in common?* They all died, (except Enoch).

How Jared spent his time on earth, then he died.

 Adam...he lived...and he died.
Seth...he lived...and he died.
Enosh...he lived...and he died.
Kenan...he lived...and he died.
Mahalalel...he lived...and he died.
Jared...he lived, he sold jewelry...and he died.
Enoch...he lived...he walked with God, and he didn't die.
Methusaleh...he lived a really long time...and he died.
Lamech...he lived...and he died.
Noah.

Sin has entered the world and now there is death. Over and over again the phrase "and he died" is repeated. God promised that those who sinned would die. Death is a reminder that sin is in the world and that man needs a savior and life giver. Every person put into the ground points us back to God as our creator, judge, giver of life, and hopefully, Savior.

They only one who doesn't is Enoch, who walked with God. Everyone else experiences the curse of sin, death, but Enoch does not. Why? What is different about Enoch than these other men? The verse says that Enoch walked with God and so he was taken by God and did not die. What do we take from this? Was Enoch so pious and righteous that he did not sin? I don't believe so, though certainly he was a devoted follower of God. I'll cheat a little bit here and look ahead to the New Testament book of Hebrews and what it says about Enoch.

Hebrews 11:5-6, "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." 

Enoch, God, walking. Enoch, size 6, God, size 22

Enoch escaped the curse of sin, (death), because he walked with God by faith. Let it be noted that there is a means of escaping the curse of sin by walking with God by faith. This will be developed more fully as we go through Genesis, but we should put this idea in the vault of our minds and remember it as we continue to read the Bible.

Lesson to be learned:
- A man pleases God not by the works he does, but by walking with him by faith. What does this look like exactly? Keep reading.
- The way to escape the curse of sin is by faith.
- The curse of sin is death.

On to Noah, and theologically incorrect baby decor everywhere!