The Methusaleh Factor: God's Grace

 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
         The LORD will give grace and glory;
         No good thing will He withhold
         From those who walk uprightly.  Psalm 84:11

            Every night is filled with God’s Grace. His perfect timing chimes in the deepest corners of history. Whether I realize it or not, God is full of grace. To those who walk uprightly, looking up to Him, He will withhold no good thing. This is incredible.

            In Genesis 5, we unearth the treasure of God’s grace hidden in the seemingly mundane account of the genealogy of Seth, Adam’s third son. As the names are listed, let us pause on the name Methuselah. Methuselah is indeed the son of Enoch, the prophet who was caught up before dying; Methuselah is also the oldest man recorded in Scripture.  However, God’s grace is present in yet a deeper sense. Methuselah. The name in Hebrew means, “Dying, His death will bring.”

So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died.
Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and had a son.  And he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD has cursed.” Genesis 5:27-29

            Methuselah. who was the grandfather of Noah, bears in his name given to him by his father, Enoch the prophet, the hint that his death will bring something. A few years ago, I heard that Methuselah’s death coincided with what his grandson Noah is famous for, the Flood. Methuselah’s death brought the Flood.            

           

            Here is where we find the amazing Grace of God. Methusaleh’s death held the promise of great destruction and catastrophe to the world. Yet Methusaleh’s death was kept at bay. In fact, Methuselah lived the longest of any man recorded in history or Scripture.

           

            Was God keeping Methuselah alive to bestow grace? His death brought the Flood, and God’s judgment on the world. However, God waited for the perfect time to bring the Flood. In His grace, he refrained from judgment for many years to give all a chance for repentance.

           

            “How is God gracious? Doesn’t He see all of the horrible pain and suffering.” The answer is yes, He sees every tear and hears every cry. Yet, that is how we know He is gracious.

           

            In fact, if you saw every horrible thing that men and women do to each other in your city alone, you might immediately cast harsh judgment.

            God is gracious. He does not destroy the wicked in an instant. He is longsuffering and gives opportunities for repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 states, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

           

            Someday, we shall be caught up in the sky to be with Jesus forever. In the meantime, every second that ticks away is God’s grace bestowed on all mankind. He desires that NONE should perish, but ALL should come to repentance.

           

            God’s grace is full and great. Have you experienced God’s grace? Do you know someone who needs God’s grace today? Pray or commit that person to prayer.

Receive His great grace. Pray that your eyes would see Him working in your life and through every word in Scripture. Make a decision to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.  It will be the best decision you have ever made.

Blessings,

Robert