Q&A: Did the people back in Adam and Eve’s days really live to be 1000 years old?
Throughout the book of Genesis, the recorded lifespans of people are much greater than they are today. Methuselah being the oldest recorded at 969 years (Gen 5:27). This is a major point of contention for those who consider that today, living to be 100 years old is quite an accomplishment. However, there is purpose in everything in God’s Word, even if at first, you don’t understand it.
When things are put in a strange way, we should stop, take notice, and ask questions. This is one of the intentions of allegory and what are sometimes viewed as inconsistencies in God’s Word. They draw our attention to them for consideration. Upon consideration, we might find that they were simply translation errors. On the other hand, we might find hidden gems waiting for our discovery. Remember, God is the Creator of our perfectly ordered Universe (kosmos), so anything coming from Him MUST be logical.
This particular inconsistency regarding the lifespans of the people of Genesis has done its job well. Christians of all denominations and Atheists alike have filled books attempting to address this question. Most assume that this is literal and sadly the discussion ends there. Atheists accusing Christians of the belief that people lived to be 900+/- years old. Christians accusing atheists of not having the faith to believe in what seems illogical.
What you will see if you continue reading is that the power is in the allegory or shadow and not the literal meaning. Don’t get caught up in something that is unproveable and miss the point.
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