Is there a Harbinger of Judgment Today?
© 2022 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)
After God created everything, Adam and Eve sinned. They ate fruit from the tree which God had forbidden. As God had warned, death resulted (see Genesis 1:1-Genesis 5:5). Adam’s sinful nature infected humanity.
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12)
Wickedness increased as more people were born. However, one man, Enoch, sought to walk with God in a righteous manner. Eventually, God took him directly to Heaven.
“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24)
Before being taken, however, Enoch fathered a son named “Methuselah.” Careful scrutiny of Scripture’s time-line reveals that Methuselah was born 687 years after creation. He lived 969 years until he died in the 1656th year after creation. No one else ever lived this long. This is the same year that God sent judgment by the worldwide flood.
Humanity’s increasing wickedness had continued. God always, eventually, judges all wickedness. Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names, indicates that “Methuselah” means “When He Is Dead It Shall Be Sent.” Methuselah, became God’s harbinger of the coming judgment. When it came it destroyed all humanity except Noah and his family. Noah, grandson of Methuselah, was born 600 years before Methuselah died. Noah was the one God instructed to build the ark. Only eight chose to enter that ark. All others were destroyed.
Isn’t it remarkable that God provided mankind so much time to repent? He marked that time by the lifespan of the longest living human ever born. God will judge but it gives Him no pleasure.
“For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” (Ezekiel 18:32)
It’s been over 2000 years since Jesus Christ came, died, and rose again as redeemer. This is even longer than the time God withheld the flood.
“…there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (2 Peter 3:3-7)
God’s patience shall end. His judgment is coming! Methuselah’s role as a harbinger of judgment proves this!
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