Fathering Sons
A Devotional Series from Genesis
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
5/25 Reading Portions: Numbers 34; Psalm 78:38-72; Isaiah 26; 1 John 4
Genesis 5:32
After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
NOAH
Apart from Lamech’s life (who would still be alive when Noah was 500 years old), the mention of Noah in this verse, as the 10th generation from Adam, would seem to round out the genealogy of this fifth chapter. This sentence must be illuminated by the next three chapters, the details of which will be our meditations in the upcoming days and weeks. After four decades of reading through Genesis using the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan every year, and after having studied and preached verse-by-verse through the entire book of Genesis three times in the past 30 years, I still may not have quite the handle on its details as my mind insists to convince me. As much as I think I know about Genesis, I must continue to lean completely upon the Holy Spirit to even attempt to exposit the least of God’s Word. You and I should always take this approach to Scripture. Only Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith, had all of Scripture down as a Man, because He is the very God who had given it by the Spirit to be penned by men. Passages like today’s humble us to answer to Christ Jesus, even as the prophet had when he pondered the Valley of Dry Bones:
And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” Ezekiel 37:3
As we approach many of the following verses that connect to this one today, we will meditate upon each and attempt to understand what is written by the truth of Christ’s gospel. But today, let’s look at Noah fathering sons.
Noah probably sired many sons and daughters prior to his 500th year, but only these three are mentioned. The others perished in the flood and are probably included in the wicked rabble mentioned in the next chapter (Gen 6:5), because only Noah, his wife, these three sons, and their wives escaped God’s judgment (Gen 6:18; 7:7; 2 Pet 2:5).
Fathering sons unto faith in Christ is so important that not only was it mentioned throughout the genealogy of this chapter, but it is also mentioned in the last verse of this chapter concerning Noah, before any of the other details are given in preparation for the judgment to come. The New Testament tells us of this important responsibility for Christ’s exaltation unto the Father’s glory:
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
Men, are we praying for strength to raise our children, especially our sons and grandsons, in the discipline and instruction of the Lord?
Are we praying for our brothers to do likewise?
Are we praying for single men to raise sons in Christ, just as Paul did for Timothy and others.
Ladies, are you praying that the godly men you know are being strengthened to take this stewardship seriously, since we men, like our father, Adam, are weak, pathetic sinners in need of all of God’s grace in Christ?
Brothers and sisters in Christ, are we seeing how impactful this verse is, that although the redemption through judgment was prophesied by Lamech 500 years earlier (Gen 5:29), that Noah was faithful with fearful reverence (Heb 11:7) to father sons?
Do we see how this most certainly applies to us? that although the return of Jesus Messiah is imminent, and though He may tarry for yet one more day, we should not relent or relax in the evangelism of others and the upbringing of our children?
