METHUSELAH

Time with Jesus - Monday, 05 November 2012

Hi all,

Methuselah lived to the age of 969. That’s a long time by anybody’s standard. It would mean that you and I could have been alive at just about the time when William the Conqueror invaded England. (1066). Today if someone lives to be 100, it’s exceptional. Today we meditate on Methuselah and related issues.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Monday, 05 November 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	METHUSELAH
Anyone remember reading Oliver Twist? Well, if you haven’t read it, did you see the movie? I regret to say it’s the only Dickens book I’ve read. Not that I’ve a problem with Dickens. He was a brilliant writer. My grandfather had a library which included every book Dickens wrote. Unfortunately, for me, when it came to a choice between Dickens and Springbok Radio, Dickens was a non-starter. When it came to books and their characters, I preferred young Teddy Lester to young Oliver Twist! What most Christians don’t know is the possible connection between Oliver’s diet and longevity. You may remember that when young Oliver “stood up for himself” Mr Bumble stated that Oliver’s behaviour was attributed to meat! Now I rather doubt Dickens was familiar with the possible reasons for longevity, or in our case “shortevity”. (A new Jim type word) But there just might be a case to put forward. We are all aware that before the flood, people seemed to live a lot longer than they do now. Scripture tells us Methuselah lived 969 years. No one can say for certain why? Perhaps God wanted us to live that long? In this regard an analysis of the lifespan of Adam, Methuselah and Noah’s sons tells us Methuselah was a contemporary of them all. Of course they may not have known each other. But the fact remains Adam was alive when Methuselah was born. Furthermore, Methuselah died when the flood came. So he may have known Noah and his three sons! Incidentally, Noah was 4 when Adam died. So much for today’s bit of useless information! Why did everyone live so long? One view is that it took Satan all those years to work out how to kill Adam. Another view is tied up with the flood. We understand there was a canopy over the earth. Something a bit like a UV filter preventing harmful sunlight falling on the inhabitants. It’s thought that this canopy contained water which was released with the flood. Another thought is that after the flood, man started to eat meat. Before that time it was forbidden (see Gen 9:3) After the flood, man’s lifespan slowly reduced. Why? Sure, God had so willed it. But God would most likely have used a “natural mechanism” to achieve this purpose. The absence of the canopy could well have been a major contributing factor. We are informed that if a similar flood occurred today; taking the water content of the polar ice-caps into consideration, the water level could be as much as 7km above Mt Everest. It is suggested the run off from the land as the water levels retreated, could account for many of the geological features on our planet. But could the effect of meat in our diet perhaps also be a contributing factor? So was Mr Bumble right after all? Yes? No? Can you help? No! Neither can I! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			31 Those who use the things of the world should not become all wrapped up in them. The world as it now exists is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:31 NIrV 27 Methuselah lived a total of 969 years. And he died. Genesis 5:27 MSG 9 Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honoured them. 10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. 11 The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. James 1:9-11 NLT 14 You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. James 4:14 MSG 17 The world and all it’s wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out--but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. 1 John 2:17 MSG 4 "LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered--how fleeting my life is. Psalms 39:4 NLT 3 When people are saying, "Everything is peaceful and secure," then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman's labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. 4 But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. 1 Thessalonians 5:3-4 NLT	Methuselah: The oldest man who lived upon this earth. “It will happen when he dies” they called him from his birth. His father’s name was Enoch and sixty five years old. He knew a flood was coming, for that’s what he was told. Nine sixty nine years later, when he had passed away, The rain-drops started falling, upon that very day! At least that’s what is stated and what we understand. For Noah and his animals, were in the Ark as planned. That’s what the Bible tells us and I believe it’s true. No matter what the scientists will ever say to you. For almost a millennium, the people had been warned. But sadly, God’s opinion was put aside and scorned. “What is this funny substance? This “stuff” that you call rain? We’ve never even seen it, so Noah, tell us plain, What is going to happen? Tell us; we insist. What’s this about rain water, there’s only been a mist That comes up from fountains and waters all the ground. (Gen 2:6) There is no other method that we have seen or found.” Noah tried to tell them but they did not believe. They thought he was a crazy man; that he had been deceived. But when it started raining and the great flood waters rose. Everyone was washed away. Everyone who chose, To ignore God’s warning, were swept away and drowned. Almost twelve months later, the Ark returned to ground. God is very patient. He waited all those years. Methuselah’s whole lifetime, He warned them, it appears. But did they pay attention? It’s clear that they did not. So they deserved the judgement, that all of them then got. We try and find the reason, why people had to face, Such terrible destruction to wipe out the human race. Genesis has answers; in chapter six verse five, The things that men imagined, or thought while still alive, Consistently and totally, was evil through and through. The planet was polluted. What could the Lord God do? It needed disinfecting, so He could start again, Without all the descendants of the wicked line of Cain. Thus Noah and his family would be the one blood line, Through whom God would send Jesus, the Son of God Divine! Jim Strickland  Written 5th November 2012