Genesis 5
Two Books
This is the book of...Adam. Genesis 5:1
[This is] the book of...Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:1
The book of Adam’s family tree and the book of the genealogy of Christ form a striking contrast. One is a record of death, the other of life. Genesis 5 has been called the “obituary chapter” of the Bible, for time after time we read the doleful word,”...and he died.” On the other hand, Matthew, in giving the genealogy of Jesus, constantly repeats the phrase, “...and [he] begot.” Although the people in the line of Christ did eventually die, the word “death” is never mentioned in Matthew, Chapter 1. That suggests to me this application: By our sinful nature we are in Adam’s book on death, but by our spiritual “new birth” we appear in Christ’s living register of the redeemed.
You’ve probably heard the familiar story of the man whose name was printed in the obituary column of a daily paper by mistake. Greatly disturbed, he went to the newspaper office and exclaimed, “This is terrible! Your error will cause me no end of embarrassment and may even mean a loss of business. How could you do such a thing?” The editor expressed regrets, but the man remained angry and unreasonable. Finally the editor said in disgust, “Cheer up, fellow, I’ll put your name in the birth column tomorrow and give you a fresh start!” That’s what happens when we find new life in Christ.
Are you still registered in Adam’s obituary column, or is your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life? There are only two books, and you are in one or the other! H.G.B.
No man can say he doesn’t need
Forgiveness from his sin,
For all must come to Christ by faith
To gain new life within.
- Branon
Salvation changes our heritage from a living death to a deathless life.