Posted on 08/12/2015 7:23:42 AM PDT by Salvation
I sometimes get questions about the remarkably long lives of the patriarchs who lived before the great flood. Consider some of their reported ages when they died:
How to understand these references? There are many theories that have tried to explain the claimed longevity. Some try to introduce a mathematical corrective, but this leads to other pitfalls such as certain patriarchs apparently begetting children while they are still children themselves. Another approach is to say that the “ages” of the patriarchs are actually just indications of their influence or family line. But then things don’t add up chronologically with eras and family trees.
Personally, I think we need to take the stated ages of the patriarchs at face value and just accept it as a mystery: for some reason, the ancient patriarchs lived far longer we do in the modern era. I cannot prove that they actually lived that long, but neither is there strong evidence that they did not. Frankly, I have little stake in insisting that they did in fact live that long. But if you ask me, I think it is best just to accept that they did.
This solution, when I articulate it, causes many to scoff. They almost seem to be offended. The reply usually sounds something like this: “That’s crazy. There’s no way they lived that long. The texts must be wrong.” To which I generally reply, “Why do you think it is crazy or impossible?” The answers usually range from the glib to the more serious, but here are some common replies:
So I think we’re back to where we started: just taking the long life spans of the early patriarchs at face value.
There is perhaps a theological truth hidden in the shrinking lifespans of the Old Testament. The scriptures link sin and death. Adam and Eve were warned that the day they ate of the forbidden fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they would die (Gen 2:17). But they did not drop dead immediately, and though they died spiritually in an instant, the clock of death for their bodies wound down much later. As the chart above shows, as sin increased, lifespans dropped precipitously, especially after the flood.
Prior to the flood, lifespans remained in the vicinity of 900 years, but right afterward they dropped by about a third (Noah and Shem only lived to 600), and then the numbers plummeted even further. Neither Abraham nor Moses even reached 200, and by the time of King David, he would write, Our years are seventy, or eighty for those who are strong (Ps 90:10).
Scripture says, For the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). Indeed they are, especially in terms of lifespan. And perhaps that is why I am not too anxious to try to disprove the long lifespans of the patriarchs. For what we know theologically is borne out in our human experience: sin is life-destroying. And this truth is surely writ large in the declining lifespan of the human family.
Does this prove that Adam actually lived to be more than 900 years old? No. It only shows that declining lifespans are something we fittingly discover in a world of sin. Since God teaches that sin brings death, why should we be shocked that our lifespan has decreased from 900 to 85 years? It is what it is. It’s a sad truth that God warned us about. Thanks be to God our Father who in Jesus now offers us eternal life, if we will have faith and obey His Son!
So how or even whether the patriarchs lived past 900 is not clear. But what is theologically clear is that we don’t live that long today because of the collective effect of sin upon us.
Monsignor Pope Ping!
I wouldn’t call it a mystery, especially considering they most likely had superior genes. And that of course undermines the notion of any “master race” based on genetics.
One of God’s fun mysteries.
I picked up a book called “The Biblical Flood and the Ice Epoch” back in the early 80’s that exposed me to some interesting parts of genesis.
It strongly suggests that before the great flood there was no such thing as direct sunlight, rain, starry nights, etc. and there was almost certainly a MUCH thicker ozone layer. But we came into close proximity to another planet for a while and, well, the great flood, mountain ranges created (thanks to magma tides), ice dumped on our poles, etc. The continental shelves used to be dry land. There were no mountain ranges, etc.
What about the “sin” part of his article?
Perfect genetics, and I mean absolutely PERFECT genetics, were present in Adam and Eve, who were essentially male and female “clones”.
As the generations went by within the framework of a cursed/fallen world, our genes began to “drift” and the only reason we maintain even a semblance of 3 score and 10 or 4 score is our modern medicines.
That sounds like an extremely interesting book.
Interesting. I never gave it much thought. I just took it at face value. I can see the argument that they would not have had the concept of time like we do. They would know days and months and seasons and a yearly cycle, but did they write down how many calendar years and say “happy ### birthday”? Anyway, I just consider the bible to be the word of God and NOTHING in it is an error.
“Prior to the flood, lifespans remained in the vicinity of 900 years, but right afterward they dropped ...”
That there’s your answer. The water canopy collapsed (and the waters from the deep erupted), which radically changed the environment, and also left humans more exposed to solar stuff ...
Earth was spinning a lot faster.
We also know that aging is biological helped by environmental toxins, Solar radiation and Cosmic Radiation. In short, we know of a supernova that occurred around the time of Noah that increased the amount of cosmic radiation in our solar system. This continues today.
“So how or even whether the patriarchs lived past 900 is not clear.”
Though he personally seems to believe they lived really long lives, he allows for doubt. And what he doubts is the veracity of the Bible itself.
Doubt as to the literal truth of Genesis is one of the main drivers of apostasy in our day.
Never thought of it this way.
But it makes sense....the extremes of temperature in the summer and the low temps of winter do take a toll on some people.
I am one who does not like it to go above 80 degrees in the summer. Sadly that hasn’t been the case in Oregon this year. (89 or 90 today)
They probably lived to be 80. Don’t take the Bible literally.
Logically in a different world before the flood it could be true.
Maybe the sun is what limits our lifespan and maybe before the great flood the sky was more covered in vapor and the whole thing made lifespans longer.
Could have been, I wasn’t there.
I have been saying this for years when asked to explain lifespans pre-flood and post-flood.
It may also have helped to screw up the gene pool and made begatting amongst close family members verboten.
Because as we all "know," the testimony of G-d Himself isn't good enough for Catholics (or Orthodox).
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