In the intricate tapestry of biblical narratives, certain threads run deep, weaving together the spiritual lineage that shapes the course of human history.
One such thread, explored in Lesson 4-the Godly Line of Seth, delves into the Godly Line of Seth. This often overlooked aspect of the Bible holds a significant place in understanding the genealogy, faith, and divine purpose that underpin the Judeo-Christian tradition.
The story of Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve, represents a pivot in the early narrative of Genesis. Amidst the backdrop of human sin and divine judgment, Seth emerges as a beacon of hope, carrying forward the righteous lineage and unwavering faith in God.
Lesson 4 -The Godly Line of Seth
In many respects, the birth of Seth was, to the first couple, a new beginning. Adam and Eve were freshly emerging from the tragedy of Abel’s gruesome murder by Cain.
Abel was lost to death; Cain traded the sentence of divine banishment. Abel was a devout worshipper whose faith God approved. He was to have been the patriarch of a godly line.
Cain, on the other hand, was churlish and evil; he was “of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous” (1 John 3:12).
As it has always been the trend since then, “he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit.” Cain’s treachery was the very first manifest consequence of the fall of man.
The next child Adam had after that tragedy was much expected. When he came, he was named Seth, meaning, Substituted, “for God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew” (Genesis 4:25).
In God’s program, the child would be the divine replacement for righteous Abel and the descendant of a godly line through which the Messiah would eventually be born. Of a truth, “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18).
THE MORAL DEPRAVITY IN SETH
(Genesis 4:25; 5:3; Job 14:4; Psalm 51:5; John 8:44; Romans 5:12- 14,19; Ephesians 2:1-3).
Although the line of Seth was godly, the man himself partook of the depravity that was the lot of Adam and all his seeds after the fall. Seth was the third child born after Adam and Eve fell out of divine favor.
His original nature and character at birth clearly contrast with Adam’s at creation. Whereas the latter was created in the exact image and likeness of God, Seth was begotten in the image of the likeness of Adam.
“And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his own image; and called his name, Seth” (Genesis 5:3). Livab at 18
There is more to this verse than meets the eye. True, it means that the son was, like his father, a living soul; and true, it means that the son was, like his father, a male creature.
He was like his father, morally depraved, sinful, frail, mortal, and earth-bound. Adam’s own likeness, at this time, was the exact reverse of the divine likeness in which he was made. His sin and disobedience ensured this difference.
The soul of Adam was created in the moral image of God – pure, righteous, and enlightened. Having sinned, he lost all moral resemblance to his Maker. His image and likeness were therefore widely different at this time from what they were earlier. Since like begets like, Adam could only beget a depraved seed, Seth.
The beginning of Seth’s life presents before us the fact of the moral depravity of all men, a truth we are reminded of by saints of God in every age. Said Job, one of the patriarchs;
“Who can bring a clean thin out of an un-
clean? Not one” (Job 14:4). David in his confessional prayer seemed to be re-
minding God of the same truth:
“Behold I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5).
Among the prophets, we have the testimony of Isaiah (Isaiah 64:6) and of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 13:23). For His part, Christ rebuked the Pharisees with the same fact when he said:
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do…” (John 8:44).
Paul wrote to the Roman Christians:
“There is none righteous, no, not one, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10,23).
The uniform teaching of the word of God is that grace does not run in the blood but corruption does. A sinner begets a sinner, but a saint can never beget a saint.
Of this truth let all Christian parents be mindful and therefore personally ensure the commencement and progression of grace in the soul of their children, “lest there should be among (us) man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God… lest there should be among (us) a root that beareth gall and wormwood” (Deuteronomy 29:18).
Many parents seem to forget that whereas moral vices. are like weeds that grow on their own, moral virtues, like food crops, must be deliberate, prayerfully, and patiently cultivated. All that parents need to do if they want their children to grow wild is nothing.
By contrast, however, not even the best of human efforts can be enough to form Christ in our children; God must be involved. The reason is simple: sin is natural to all men but righteousness is not.
This brings to us, in bold relief, the miraculous working of God in Seth’s life even way back in those days before the Flood. Though born with internal depravity, Seth obtained a limited revelation of God, he walked in that revelation and began the human line through which the Messiah eventually came.
THE MANIFEST DEVOTION OF SETH
(Genesis 4:25,26; Psalm 55:16; Romans 10:12,13; Zephaniah 3:9; 2 Timothy 2:22).
“And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then be- gan men to call upon the name of the LORD” (Genesis 4:26).
In this tense but punchy sentence, we are permitted an insight into the devotion to God and the virtuous character that Seth manifested. Doubtless, a righteous man like Abel would have called upon the name of the Lord earlier. From Seth and Enos, the worship of God began to be accorded a high priority.
The worshippers of the true God began to do so not only in private devotions as Abel did but also in public, solemn assemblies where they became manifest and easily distinguishable. A clear, thick line of distinction was drawn between the holy and the profane, between those who served the Lord and those who served Him not.
This truth is confirmed by the literal reading of the twenty-sixth verse of the fourth chapter of Genesis as rendered by a Bible commentator. “Then men began to call themselves (to identify themselves) by the name of Jehovah”.
A New Testament equivalent of this is in the Book of Acts. “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26).
Ancient historians affirm that Seth, though born in sin, became a virtuous man in his adult years. He was of a noble character and he left a godly heritage for his posterity.
Most of his direct descendants until the end of the seventh generation (excluding Seth himself) were reputed to have imitated his virtues and died well, although we have a comparative insight into the life of only two of them.
Noah’s was the eighth generation, by which period the holy seed had mingled with the profane in marriage. The situation was irredeemable and God v was compelled to bring an end to that whole generation (Genesis 6:1,2; Ezekiel 22:26), we
If in the days of Seth and Enos “men began to call upon the name of the Lord”, then those men must have been saved (Romans 10:12,13); they must have called upon God out of a pure heart before they could be heard (2 Timothy 2:22) and they must have served the Lord in the measure of the revelation they had (Zephaniah 3:9).
Moreover, if they were named by the name of the Lord they must have departed from iniquity (Psalm 14:4; 2 Timothy 2:19).
At the head of this open devotion to God was Seth. His descendants followed in his footsteps. It should be the constant prayer of faithful ministers and Christian workers in Christendom that the coming generations would follow in their godly footsteps. To the youths in the church as well as the upcoming generation a challenge here comes:
“Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follows, considering the manner of their conversation” (Hebrews 13:7).
THE MAJOR DESCENDANTS OF SETH
(Genesis 5:6-32; Psalm 16:6; Proverbs 10:7; Hebrews 11:7; 2 Peter 2:5; Jude 14).
In brief running accounts the Holy Ghost presents to us the lives and times of the descendants of Seth. They all lived very long years, they had children and then died. Of Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel; Jared,
Methuselah and Lamech, we read nothing more sides. Short as their mention may even seem, it was far more than the memory of Cain’s descendants that was hastily passed over in two verses (Genesis 4:17,18). The Scriptures speak the truth:
“The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot” (Proverbs 10:7).
Enoch and Noah stand out as two major descendants of Seth. Both had the testimony that they walked with God (Genesis 5:24; 6:9). Both were preachers of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5; Jude 14).
În holy living and faithful ministry were both outstanding, but that is how far the comparison goes. In later life, Noah erred while Enoch never stopped pleasing God until he was removed from the earth alive
Going by scripture accounts, the godly line of Seth branched into three heads beginning from the three sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The Messiah eventually came hundreds of years later through the line of Shem.
Personal Questions
1. Describe the first manifestation of the fall of man.
2. Why was Seth a special child to Adam and his wife?
3. Explain the fact of moral depravity in Seth. How is that true of all human beings on earth today?
4. What lessons are there for Christian parents to learn on child training in our lesson today?
Conclusion
As we draw the curtains on Lesson 4 and the exploration of the Godly Line of Seth, we find ourselves enriched with a deeper appreciation for the intricate threads that make up the tapestry of faith and heritage in the Judeo-Christian tradition.
Through the lives of Seth and his descendants, we have witnessed a steadfast commitment to righteousness, a tenacious adherence to God’s guidance, and an unwavering hope in the divine promise of redemption.
The stories of these individuals serve as a timeless reminder that, even in the face of adversity and temptation, the pursuit of a life centered on faith and virtue can profoundly impact the course of human history.
