| What do you believe was the reason why after the great Flood, the lifespan of humans began to decrease rapidly and drastically? by Victor Edwards, Pastor of Spurgeon Herirage Church |
| Good question. One cannot read the first eleven chapters of Genesis without taking note of this significant phenomenon. Indeed, the antediluvian (pre-flood) patriarchs actually averaged a lifespan of over 900 years! Adam lived to 930, Enosh 905, Methuselah 969, and Noah himself lived 950 years. Up until the Flood, these ages did not significantly change, and each generation countinued to about the same age. But a quick look at the geneaology in Genesis 11 will show clearly that the duration of the lifespan of men after the Flood immediately behane to nosedive, finally leveling off at "three score and ten." This is a significant issue and one that is not near as easy to answer as to why it happened as it is east to say that it did happen. The bottom line is that there is no clear and convincing proof as to what caused this to happen, There are a variety of views which posit reasons, but few are convincing. Thus, as is the case in many things that we have addressed in our responses till now, we must remain less than dogmatic in our answers, and confess humbly that some things in the Scriptures are left without affirmative, dogmatic answer. Nonetheless, I think such a significant thing as the dramatic drecrease in human lifespan has some important spiritual meaning, so we will attempt to draw out that meaning from the Scriptures. The Biblical references to human lifespan By the time we get to Joseph, we find that he lived 120 years, down precipitously from the 900 average of the antediluvian patriarchs. By the New Testament era, lifespan had actually decreased below the "three score and ten" mentioned elsewhere in the scripture. The central Scripture and one most often quoted by preachers and hymns is Psalm 90. The book Ecclesiastes is also very important in answering this question. Let us first look at Psalm 90. There we find these words: " For all our days have passed away in your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow... " (vss. 9-10) "... So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Return, O Lord! How long? And have compassion on your servants." " O satisfy us early with your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!" " Make us glad according to the days fo which you have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil." Psalm 90, then, is the SCripture quoted to support the idea that the average lifespan has decreased to "threescore and ten" (70), or in some cases, by reason of strength, perhaps 80. Surprisingly, I believe that modern statistical science would bear out this very reality in human life here in the 21st century! We all know that there are those that live many more years, but we also know that there are many who live many less years as well. It seems that God has determined the limits to human life, and man's vigorous efforts to change it by extending life have been unsuccessful. The entire book of Ecclesiastes is notable in reference to the brevity of life. Indeed, it could be called the motif of the whole book. Man is brief while God is eternal. But Ecclesiastes also gives us some clue as to teh purpose of man's lifespan being decreased. Because human life is "full of trouble" and "toilsome labor," man should be thankful that he does not live for long periods in a sin-stricken world. Repeatedly, the author of Ecclesiastes makes this point, that human life has been spoiled by sin in the creation, and God has graciously delivered man from it by shortening his lifespan. Analysis and Connection with the Flood We will all remember that the Flood was a judgement of God for the evilness of man in the earth. Man, through blessed of God, had rebelled against God and had polluted the earth with their sin and violence. Therefore, God determined to destroy them from the face of the earth, saving only 8 persons total. But it was through these 8 persons that God had promised and further accomplished the redemption of mankind. Notice also that Paslm 90 is couched in the tone of man's frailty and shortness of existence as compared to God Almighty, who lives eternally. It is also a Psalm of confession of sin and awareness that man has offened and sinned against God, and is deserving of His wrath. The Psalmist uses the brevity of man's life to illustrate the need for our attention to be focused on God and not this world, for this world is passing away speedily. The book of Ecclesiastes seems to support this notion, that's man's shortened lifespan is actually a blessing, for existence in a sin-wrecked world is painful, toilsome, and "vanity." The only thing that makes this life bearable is God and Christ, and that is the whole purpose of man, to obey God and keep His commandments. Thus, we think that we might posit that God's purpose in shortening man's lifespan was a gracious act towards us, recognizing as the sin-stained world moves on, it becomes worse and worse, and for men to exist for extended periods on earth would be more and more vanity. "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!" Conclusion: While this may not answer the question with absolute clarity, I think it is surely a view that is scriptually supported, and seems to harmonize with the various statements throughout the Scriptures that speak of man's lifespan. |
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