Two Different Fates: Methuselah and Enoch
September 12th, 2010 by Brian Keating
Background on Methuselah
One of the patriarchs who is listed in Genesis chapter 5 is Methuselah. He has the distinction of being the longest-lived person recorded in Scripture – he lived to the ripe old age of 969.
Recently, I discovered a relatively interesting fact about Methuselah. Here are some of the items that are listed about Methuselah and his descendants:
Genesis 5:25 (ESV):
25When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech.
So, Lamech was born 187 years after Methuselah was born.
Genesis 5:28-29a (ESV):
28When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son 29and called his name Noah
Lamech was 182 when he became the father of Noah. 182 + 187 = 369. Therefore, Noah was born 369 years after Methuselah was born.
Genesis 7:11-12 (ESV):
11In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Noah was 600 when the flood began. 600 + 369 = 969. So, the flood began 969 years after Methuselah was born.
As mentioned above, Methuselah died 969 years after he was born. In other words, Methuselah died in the exact same year that the flood began.
As a result, it is possible that Methuselah – Noah’s grandfather – was killed by the flood!
Of course, it not guaranteed that Methuselah was killed by the flood; because he may have died earlier in that same year.
However, if Methuselah did die in the flood, then that may be one reason why God closed the door of the ark (rather than Noah closing it) – because if Noah had to close the door, then he would have had to condemn his own grandfather to drown in the flood.
There are two other items that arise, from this initial information about Methuselah.
Noah’s other relatives
First, it seems strange to me that only Noah – and his immediate family – were saved from the flood. One might expect that at least one other member of Noah’s family – brothers and sisters, cousins, nephews and nieces, etc – would have been influenced by Noah’s good behavior; and would therefore warrant being spared.
Of course, Scripture tells us that the time right before the flood was extraordinarily filled with wickedness:
Genesis 6:5-7 (ESV):
5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
Note verse 5: “every intention … was only evil continually.” If that statement is literally true, then the wickedness of that time period must have been unimaginable to us.
Even if that statement is not literally true, Scripture certainly seems to be emphasizing the point that wickedness and sin were rampant during that period, to an amazing extent. Of course, all of us are influenced by the people around us – so if everyone (or even most people) around us are constantly practicing sin, then that will have an extremely corrupting influence on us.
So, the extreme wickedness of that time period may explain why none of Noah’s other relatives – other than his immediate family – were saved from the flood. In other words, all of his other relatives – including Methuselah – may have been “corrupted” by the sinfulness of that period.
What about Enoch?
The second item regards another one of Noah’s relatives: his great-grandfather, Enoch. Almost all of the patriarchs listed in Genesis 5 lived until they were over 900 years old. Enoch is the big exception in that group. Here is what Genesis 5 says about Enoch:
Genesis 5:21-24 (ESV):
21When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
So, Scripture tells us that “all the days of Enoch were 365 years” – far lower than the normal 900+ years of the rest of the patriarchs in Genesis 5.
Hebrews chapter 11 – the famous “heroes of the faith” chapter – has this to say about Enoch:
Hebrews 11:5 (ESV):
5By 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.
That verse states that “Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death”. That seems to indicate that Enoch ascended into heaven - so that he did not die at all. However, that understanding is contradicted by other Scripture.
First, Jesus explicitly told us that no one has ascended into heaven, except Jesus himself:
John 3:13 (ESV):
13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
The only person who has ascended into heaven is Jesus – not Enoch! So, Enoch cannot be in heaven now.
Also, Hebrews chapter 11 goes on to say that all of the heroes who are listed there – including Enoch – actually died:
Hebrews 11:13 (ESV):
13These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
Some people may claim that the above verse only applies to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph – because those are the people who are mentioned immediately above that verse; and because the verse states that “they did not receive the things promised”. In other words, some people claim that that verse is only speaking about Abraham dying, without inheriting the promised land. However, take a look at what is stated in verses 39 to 40:
Hebrews 11:39-40 (ESV):
39And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
The individuals who are mentioned immediately prior that passage are: Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets. Did those individuals live in the promised land, after it had been conquered by the Israelites? Yes! So, it seems to me that Hebrews 11:39-40 – as well as Hebrews 11:13 – do not only apply to Abraham – they apply to all of the heroes listed in that chapter!
As a result, it appears that Enoch actually died - just like all of the other heroes mentioned in that chapter (Abraham, Moses, David, etc.)
Final thoughts
So, what can we make of Hebrews 11:5, when it states “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death”?
Well, here are some facts about this overall subject:
1. Scripture tells us that Enoch “walked with God”, and “was commended as having pleased God”. As a result, I would expect that Enoch would live a very long life – that is, longer than his contemporaries lived.
2. All of the patriarchs listed in Genesis 5 lived for at least 777 years – except Enoch. Enoch had a much shorter life than all of the other patriarchs – which is exactly the opposite of what I would expect!
3. Apparently, everyone who lived during the time of Noah – except Noah and his immediate family – became corrupted by the wickedness of that time. As a result, everyone else who lived during that time was killed by the flood.
4. The fact that Enoch had such a short life means that he did not live during the time of Noah. As a result, Enoch did not have a chance to become “corrupted” by the wickedness of Noah’s time.
So, here is one possible understanding of what Hebrews 11:5 means:
“Since Enoch had great faith, God ended Enoch’s life prematurely - so that Enoch would not get corrupted by the wickedness of Noah’s time – and wind up being killed by the flood.”
In other words, when that verse states that Enoch “should not see death”, it may mean that Enoch “should not see death in the flood.”
“First, Jesus explicitly told us that no one has ascended into heaven, except Jesus himself:
John 3:13 (ESV):
13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ”
Brian
First is Jesus is speaking which would make this verse impossible to be speaking of himself.
The son of man is a title used before Jesus ever used it and Jesus could very well be referencing Enoch.
————————————————————–
“Also, Hebrews chapter 11 goes on to say that all of the heroes who are listed there – including Enoch – actually died:
Hebrews 11:13 (ESV):
13These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
As a result, it appears that Enoch actually died – just like all of the other heroes mentioned in that chapter (Abraham, Moses, David, etc.) ”
Brian
The context of this verse is those who didnt receive the things promised which would exclude Enoch and even Noah .So this verse doesnt support your view
Hi Brian
OK, here is a completely different idea, which will doubtless produce some opposition. We know from the scripture that Enoch had God’s favour. We also know that he was alive round about the time of the flood. If the flood was not global, but regional, as some people believe, how about that God moved Enoch to an area on the earth that was not flooded, perhaps to spread God’s word to a nation of pagans elsewhere? This is probably a long shot, but was just a thought I had. I love your topics you pick, Brian, you always get me scratching my head!
Fiona
Hi Fiona,
Sure, if the flood was only regional, then the phrase “he was not found, for God had taken him” could certainly mean that God placed Enoch on a different part of the world. (I have some doubts about the flood being regional, though.)
My primary reason for writing this post is that most Christian denominations believe that Enoch was taken up to heaven – and they use that belief to state that all believers go to heaven when they die. I certainly do not believe that.
Brian
Brian,
Thanks for the sharing. Since it is clear from the Scriptures that no one except Jesus has ascended into heaven (John 3: 13), it is good to evaluate what is meant about Enoch not seeing death (since “these all died in faith” – Heb. 11: 13) Actually, his death is corroborated by Genesis 5: 24 where it says: “he was not” or “he was no more”- Tanakh; this is an idiom used for death in the O.T. Example: Jacob thought Joseph had died and that Simeon was as good as dead:”Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more”- Genesis 42: 36- Tanakh. What you share here is a real possible understanding of not “seeing death” in light of the times of the flood. Thanks.
Ken
While Hebrews 11:5 says Enoch was “taken up” in the NASB and other versions, the KJV, as well as some others, has it, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” The Greek word for “translated” is metatithemi which is translated “carried over” in Acts 7:16 and “removed” in Galatians 1:6. The word simply means that he was carried from one place over to another. Thus “taken up” is not the most accurate translation.
This also fits with the idea that he was moved somewhere else to avoid the corruption that was so prevalent just before the flood. In fact Jude 14 tells us that Enoch prophesied against the evil ones around him, which would not have made him very popular, to say the least. So not only did moving him somewhere keep him from being corrupted by evil, it may also have kept him from being killed!
Hi All,
It appears that there are two specific questions to be answered here:
- Did Enoch die at age 365 or not;
and
- Was the flood worldwide or not.
If Enoch did die at 365, and if the flood was worldwide, then it certainly seems possible that God ended Enoch’s life prematurely, to prevent him from being corrupted and dying in the flood (as I mentioned in the post.)
If Enoch did not die at 365, and if the flood was not worldwide, then it certainly seems possible that God moved Enoch to some other part of the world (as mentioned by Fiona and Mark.)
The item that does not seem possible is that God took Enoch to heaven, so that Enoch would never die. After all, take a look at these verses:
If Enoch never died, then that would violate the fundamental concept that all of us are subject to death!
Brian
The item that does not seem possible is that God took Enoch to heaven, so that Enoch would never die. After all, take a look at these verses:
Brian
where God took Enoch is not clear but the fact he didnt see death is perfectly clear.
Again I would like to state that Heb. 11: 13 is about those who received a promise but died before it was fulfilled, This excludes Abel,Enoch and Noah because EVERY PROMISE was fulfilled to Noah and we dont know of any promises that Abel and Enoch were given.
The whole context starts with Abraham which is perfectly clear,So the use of this verse is certainly without any merit.
John 3;13 is not even speaking of Jesus unless you believe he pre-existed his birth which contradicts most unitarian beliefs here.But there are several Heavens in which God could Keep Enoch alive and certainly isnt something within God’s power either.
“If Enoch never died, then that would violate the fundamental concept that all of us are subject to death!”
Brian
Again you are twisting something to apply, This was being spoken as a present reality and doest carry a past tense so it isnt violated by Enoch Not seeing Death
Using all these verses to determine and contradict a VERY VERY clear statement like “NOT SEE DEATH” is beyond fiction.
I think it’s possible that God moved Enoch during his life to keep him from seeing death, but at some point he must have died, according to Hebrews 11. It certainly could have been before the flood as he was translated almost 700 years before the flood, which I do not believe was only regional.
“I think it’s possible that God moved Enoch during his life to keep him from seeing death, but at some point he must have died, according to Hebrews 11.”
Mark
Actually Hebrews 11 states HE DIDNT DIE, what so difficult in believing the CLEAR TRUTH
I dont need to twist this to know The ultimate Heaven where those pleasing to God l dwell with God is something still of the future
Hebrews 11:5
Context
NET © By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death, and he was not to be found because God took him up. For before his removal he had been commended as having pleased God.
NIV ©
biblegateway Heb 11:5
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
NASB ©
biblegateway Heb 11:5
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.
NLT ©
biblegateway Heb 11:5
It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying––”suddenly he disappeared because God took him.” But before he was taken up, he was approved as pleasing to God.
MSG ©
biblegateway Heb 11:5
By an act of faith, Enoch skipped death completely. “They looked all over and couldn’t find him because God had taken him.” We know on the basis of reliable testimony that before he was taken “he pleased God.”
BBE ©
SABDAweb Heb 11:5
By faith Enoch was taken up to heaven so that he did not see death; he was seen no longer, for God took him away: for before he was taken, witness had been given that he was well-pleasing to God:
NRSV ©
bibleoremusHeb 11:5
By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and “he was not found, because God had taken him.” For it was attested before he was taken away that “he had pleased God.”
NKJV ©
biblegateway Heb 11:5
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Hi Mark,
I might not have explained my two “possibilities” above very well – in both of those possibilities, I certainly do expect that Enoch died at some point. My main question was – did he die when he was 365 years old or not. The reason why that is an issue to me is that 365 is far younger than any of the other patriarchs – which is the opposite of what I would expect.
So, if I understand you correctly, you are positing that God did move Enoch to a different area of the world – and that that happened before a world-wide flood. Is that correct? I can certainly see that possibility; but that still begs the question – why would Enoch only live 365 years, when he had such great faith in God? (Of course, the possible answer that I gave for that question is: to prevent him from dying in the flood.)
Brian
Yes, I think that is possible. I’m not entirely sure whether he died at 365 or was moved and died later. The phrase “he was not” in Gen. 5:24 could mean he died, as that was a euphemism for death in the OT. But the use of the word metatithemi in Hebrews 11 strongly implies that he was moved somewhere else so as not to “see” death.
In addition, we are told that he walked with God, so it seems more likely that he was moved rather than dying prematurely, especially in light of Jude 14, as I mentioned before. The world was filled with evil, and he preached against it, prophesying God’s judgment. This could have put him in danger, so God could have moved him somewhere else to keep him safe. The Bible doesn’t say specifically, but I think it’s a possibility.
The only way that moving him would have prevented him from dying in the flood is if the flood was not global but regional, which I have a problem with. I know there are many who believe this, and I haven’t looked into it in any great depth, so I’ll have to leave it at that. But the Bible says that “few, that is, eight souls” were saved in the ark (I Pet. 3:20), which strongly suggests that neither Enoch nor other people in other parts of the world were saved by not being in the region where the flood was.
Well Yall have turn the bible into a myth by rewriting it in your minds.
The only way Enoch is dead is for him to die after what was written in Heb 11. The author says at the time it was written that Enoch Did NOT SEE DEATH.IN the passage we get the whole context of verse 13
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. 13 These all died in faith, [3] not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
In verse 13 we have those who died WITHOUT Receiving the PROMISES. Doesnt take a scholar to figure out this can only be said from Abraham and is speaking of Abraham,Isaac and Jacob who were strangers and pilgrims in the land they dwelled in.
I know yall really cant address this issue so that is why you are flat out ignoring it but at least it there for others who might want to follow whats clearly written in the bible.
Hi Mark,
OK, point taken about Enoch being moved to some other part of the world – that does certainly seem possible.
In addition to that, though, if Enoch actually died at age 365, then it certainly seems to me that God ended Enoch’s life prematurely – because that lifespan is so much shorter than the other patriarchs.
In other words, it seems to me that both points are possible – God moved Enoch, and God ended Enoch’s life prematurely.
Brian
Brian
You can ignore me but you cant keep ignore the clear facts that prove you TOTALLY wrong here.
All your doing is proving there is no answer to the problems I am showing in your reading.