Genesis 5

Genesis 5 is a rip-roaring genealogical account, but it is only an inkling of the no-holds-barred party to be had in the initial chapters of 1 Chronicles. Especially notable is how positively ancient some of these guys were (and it's always guys here; as in much of human history, the poor women get the short end of the stick). Did telomeres shorten at a slower rate back then? If you live to be 969 years old, how much of that time are you virile and lucid? I'm going to forbear from making old people jokes, because God knows the elderly suffer enough disrespect as is. But just think: if people still lived that long, the oldest person today could have been at the Battle of Hastings. The NIV study Bible notes that the ages might have been symbolic--a nifty technique for literary and theological purposes, but obfuscatory to those of us wanting literal facts.

The common refrain in this chapter is, "and then he died." Kind of depressing that your whole 900-year life, with all your experiences, moments of elation, heartbreak, struggle--the vicissitudes of personal humanity--will, in worldly terms, mean nothing. Mahalalel is just a fellow about whom we know next to nothing, except that he might have been miffed at the exoticism of his name and thus decided to give his own son a normal name--Jared--that wouldn't elicit giggles from the other kids on the jungle gym.

All kidding aside (and apologies to Mr. Mahalalel--I actually think it's a genuinely mellifluous moniker), life is transient. We all end up rotting or getting cremated. (Exception: See next paragraph). Mufasa understands this. Yet I admit to thinking that I'll live, well, maybe not forever, but at least for several more decades. Because of that, I often think to myself, "Yeah, it's important for me to follow my dreams and make a difference and all that BS. But I'll do it later. I wanna watch another Blu-ray now." But I could also get hit by a cement mixer tomorrow. Of course, it's equally unhealthy to live in perpetual fear that one is going to experience some bizarre, Final Destination-type mishap. But if I don't start living a Christ-centered life right now, will I ever? Yes, life is transient. But (and I'm sorry if this reeks of pontification) it's also precious.

The other standout of this chapter is Enoch, who is one of only two mortals (Elijah was the other) who didn't die but got taken directly to heaven. It's tempting to wonder what criteria Enoch and Elijah met to receive such special treatment, but that's not the mindset that I think God wants us to have. We shouldn't compare our "righteousness" with others'; our own personal relationship and journey with God, fortified by the support of fellow believers, should remain our focus--advice I myself have to remember to follow. It's not my goal to get taken up into Heaven to the strains of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" (as in the movie This Is the End). But it is my goal to walk faithfully with God, a goal that I will spend the rest of my life striving to achieve.