Gen 6:3...his days shall be 120 years

[Michael]

From what I understand there are a couple interpretations here. One sees the 120 years in relation to the coming Flood, another sees it as referring to the length of human life. If there are any other angles, let me know.

Regarding the latter: First, we know Abraham lived 175 years. Then there are also claims of people in recent times who have done so. However it is very interesting that even Wikipedia only lists one person [dead at 122] as ever having been verified living longer. And of course that should be taken with a massive grain of salt. But that list may very well grow soon though as there are now claims of a 130 year old lady still alive in the Soviet Republic of Georgia.

Georgian TV Locates 130-Year-Old Woman - Video - WSB Atlanta

What do you think?...

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

John Calvin.... Very interesting question Mike.

Yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years. Certain writers of antiquity, such as Lactantius, and others, have too grossly blundered in thinking that the term of human life was limited within this space of time; whereas, it is evident, that the language used in this place refers not to the private life of any one, but to a time of repentance to be granted to the whole world. Moreover, here also the admirable benignity of God is apparent, in that he, though wearied with the wickedness of men, yet postpones the execution of extreme vengeance for more than a century. But here arises an apparent discrepancy. For Noah departed this life when he had completed nine hundred and fifty years. It is however said that he lived from the time of the deluge three hundred and fifty years. Therefore, on the day he entered the ark he was six hundred years old. Where then will the twenty years be found? The Jews answer, that these years were cut off in consequence of the increasing wickedness of men. But there is no need of that subterfuge; when the Scripture speaks of the five hundredth year of his age, it does not affirm, that he had actually reached that point. And this mode of speaking, which takes into account the beginning of a period, as well as its end, is very common. Therefore, inasmuch as the greater part of the fifth century of his life was passed, so that he was nearly five hundred years old, he is said to have been of that age. (263)

John Gill

yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years: meaning not the term of man's life, reduced to this from the length of time he lived before the flood; but this designs the space that God would give for repentance, before he proceeded to execute his vengeance on him; this is that "longsuffering of God" the apostle speaks of in the afore mentioned place, "that waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing"; and so both the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan interpret it of a space of an hundred and twenty years given them to repent: now whereas it was but an hundred years from the birth of Japheth to the flood, some think the space was shortened twenty years, because of their impenitence; but it is more probable what Jarchi observes, that this decree was made and given out twenty years before his birth, though here related, by a figure called "hysteron proteron", frequent in the Scriptures.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Matthew Poole

Gen 6:3

The Lord said; either,

1. To the men of that age by the mouth of Noah; or,

2. Within himself; (see Psa_14:1) he determined.

Strive with man, or, contend, or, debate in or against men, as it hath hitherto done, by inward motions and suggestions in the minds and consciences of wicked men, or by the mouths and ministry of that small remnant of holy men, and particularly of Noah, who protested against and contended with the world of the ungodly, and by their doctrines, admonitions, threatenings, and examples, endeavoured to bring them to repentance: 1Pe_3:19; or dispute with, or concerning, or because of men, i.e. whether I should destroy or save him, as God disputes with or about Ephraim, Hos_11:8.

For that he also, i.e. even the seed of Seth, or the sons of God also, no less than the offspring of Cain; the pronoun being here put for the foregoing noun, and the singular number put for the plural, he, i.e. they, to wit, the sons of God. Both which figures are frequent in the use of Scripture. Or, he, i.e. man, all mankind, the sons of God not excepted,

is flesh; not only fleshly in part, or in some actions, but altogether, in regard of soul as well as body, minding nothing but making provision for the flesh to fulfil its lusts, Rom_13:14.

Not having the Spirit, Jud_1:19, nor heeding its good motions, but suppressing and resisting them.

Flesh not only in the condition of their nature, but in the baseness and corruption of their hearts and lives; as the word flesh is commonly used when it is opposed to the Spirit, as Joh_3:6 Rom_7:18, Rom_8:5, Rom_8:7, Gal_5:17.

Yet, though he deserve a speedy destruction,

his days, i.e. the time allowed him for repentance, and the prevention of his ruin,

shall be an hundred and twenty years. During which time Noah was preaching; and, to assure them of the truth of his doctrine, preparing the ark. See 1Pe_3:20 2Pe_2:5.

Quest. How did God perform this promise, when there were but a hundred years between this time and the flood, by comparing Gen_5:32, with Gen_7:11?

Answ.

1. The increasing wickedness of mankind might justly hasten their ruin, and forfeit the benefit of this indulgence.

2. This promise, though mentioned after that, Gen_5:32, yet seems to have been made twenty years before it; for that verse is added there out of its proper place only to complete the genealogy; and therefore, after this narration, it is repeated here in its due order, Gen_6:10. And such hysteron proterons are frequently noted in Scripture.

 

[Michael]

Georgian TV Locates 130-Year-Old Woman - Video - WSB Atlanta

BTW, at the end of the video she knocks back a shot of vodka.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Georgian TV Locates 130-Year-Old Woman - Video - WSB Atlanta

BTW, at the end of the video she knocks back a shot of vodka.

That is my drink... But I add sweet tea to it. She has a tougher palate than I do.

 

[Michael]

That is my drink... But I add sweet tea to it. She has a tougher palate than I do.

Well, to your defense, she might not have much of a palate left at all...

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

That is my drink... But I add sweet tea to it. She has a tougher palate than I do.

Well, to your defense, she might not have much of a palate left at all...

 

[nnatew24]

From what I understand there are a couple interpretations here. One sees the 120 years in relation to the coming Flood, another sees it as referring to the length of human life.

Interesting topic. I wonder though, could the answer be, in some sense, both?

That is, I agree that the explicit sense of the text is referring to the time of the flood, where God postpones the flood 120years. However, just as we recognize other typological truths about the flood, would it be too much to infer that God again postpones the execution of His justice, in some sense, in that He is patient with man, even to the extent of giving some men 120years to repent? Seems plausible to me.

Just a thought.

 

[Michael]

bump

 

[kvanlaan]

I can't remember where, but I read something about many Georgians having no or forged birth certificates (something to do with service in the army, I don't recall right now) so this may not even be a valid age for this woman. There was more to the story (she wouldn't have served in the armed forces anyway), but I don't recall right now.