Introduction:
What does wickedness mean? How does mankind's wickedness affect us, and how can we continue to walk and live with God despite the increasing wickedness around us? In our Torah portion, we trace the genealogy from Seth (which means “appointed, substitute” to Noah, which means “rest or repose.”) to Noah. The righteous lineage in chapter 5 is juxtaposed with the universal wickedness in chapter 6, which was spreading across the earth. While Seth called upon the Lord and Enoch walked with God, mankind multiplied, and wickedness escalated alongside the population.
Verse 1 says, “On the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God which was first mentioned in Genesis 1:26. Why is this repeated in our Torah portion? Because we were created wonderfully in the image of God. But sadly, after the fall in the garden of Eden, man became like Adam, in his own likeness, after his image. But when Adam begot Seth, and Seth begot Enosh, God shows us His wonderful plan. How? The name of Seth means “appointed, substitute” while Enosh, his son’s name means “mortal.” which is subject to death because of sin. Yeshua, from the line of Seth is the appointed and substitute for a mortal, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
What were the results of man's wickedness? Clearly, the lifespan of humans became significantly shorter. Adam lived for nine hundred and thirty years, Seth for nine hundred and twelve years, Enosh for nine hundred and five years, Cainan for nine hundred and ten years, Mahalalel for eight hundred and ninety-five years, Jared for nine hundred and sixty-two years, Enoch for three hundred and sixty-five years, Methuselah for nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and Lamech for seven hundred and seventy-seven years. From their lives, we can observe two recurring phrases: "and he had sons" and "and he died." Through the wickedness of man, their lives became shorter. Abraham lived for one hundred and seventy-five years, Isaac for one hundred and eighty years, Jacob for one hundred and forty-seven years, Joseph for one hundred and ten years, and Moses for one hundred and twenty years.
God shortened the life expectancy of humans out of the necessity to restrict the evil that mankind was committing. Let us read Psalm 90:10, which states, "The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away."
Walking with God in a Wicked World
Now, how should we walk with God in this wicked world? We can learn from the lives of Enoch and Noah. In Chapter 5, verse 24, it is written that "Enoch walked with God." What does it mean to walk with God?
Firstly, walking with God implies following His direction. We must walk in the path He sets for us, working towards the same ends that God is working towards, and not pulling away from Him. Instead, we should move towards Him, faithfully following His will for our lives.
Psalm 32:8 says: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”
Secondly, walking with God implies fellowship with Him. First John 1:7 states, "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yeshua His Son, purifies us from all sin." Therefore, we cannot claim to walk with God if our lives do not reflect His life. We cannot say that we are in fellowship with God if we continue to practice sin.
Thirdly, walking with God also implies verification. To be verified with God means that we live in such intimacy with Him that when others see us, they see God in us. When others hear us, they hear God speaking through us. We must be verified with God in our speech, thoughts, purposes, and actions. Enoch not only walked with God but also pleased Him (Hebrews 11:5).
Noah and Finding Favor in God's Eyes
Now, how did Noah find favor in the eyes of God? Noah believed in God as the Creator, Sovereign, and the only Savior. God preserved the seed of the woman through righteous Seth and later through righteous Noah because He intended to fulfill His promise of bringing forth the completely righteous Savior for humanity—Yeshua.
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The wickedness of Judah in our Haftarah portion goes beyond mere rebellion; it involves being children of lies. They are not simply ignorant of the Torah but also refuse to hear it. As part of God's plan, He will use the hostile power of Assyria to break up Israel, just as a clay jar is shattered (Isaiah 30:14). For a time, God will withhold compassion so that Israel will realize their need for Him and learn to walk with Him. Similar to Judah, many believers today, despite having been given freedom in the Messiah, choose to return to wickedness and the bondage from which they were delivered.
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Yeshua condemns the behavior of the Scribes and Pharisees. Their motives are not sincere, humble service to God, but rather a desire to be seen and approved by others. Above all, these religious leaders lived to be noticed, respected, and praised. They loved being addressed by their official titles in the marketplace. Yeshua condemns these attitudes and urges His followers not to make the same mistakes and engage in wickedness.
In this chapter, Yeshua repeatedly calls the Scribes and Pharisees "hypocrites." The Greek term "hypokrites" literally refers to stage actors. In this case, these are leaders who instruct people to do something while they themselves do the opposite. Their faulty leadership closes the door of eternity in people's faces. Their choices will not lead them to the Promised Land, and those who follow their wickedness will be lost as well.
Our Apostolic portion concludes with Yeshua lamenting over Jerusalem. He mourns how He would have protected the people, but they refused. The next time the people will see Yeshua openly will be when He returns (Revelation 19:1-15) as a conquering Judge and King (Matthew 23:37-39).
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The connection between these portions is evident. In the Torah portion, the wickedness of man was great, but Noah found grace in the eyes of God, and Enoch walked with God. In the Haftarah portion, Judah became a wicked people when they chose to seek alliance with Egypt for protection against Assyria. They were ignorant of the Torah and refused to hear it. Thus, God sent Jeremiah to lead them in repentance and to teach them how to walk with God. In the Apostolic portion, Yeshua warns His disciples not to follow the wickedness and hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees.
Conclusion
Every human deserves death, and judgment is what each person earns through wickedness, which is inherent in humanity's nature. However, God intervenes wonderfully. He preserved the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15) through Seth and Noah, fulfilling His promise to bring the Savior, Messiah Yeshua.
We can surely draw lessons and courage from the lives of Noah and Enoch. The increasing wickedness in our world does not prevent us from walking with God, nor does it hinder us from pleasing Him and proclaiming His truth from His Torah. We can and must remain faithful in the midst of a wicked generation. If we walk with God, we will live a life that is pleasing to Him, and we will hear the sweetest words when He comes: "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
Shabbat Shalom,
Topher
Sources:
bible strong app
thebiblesays.com
sweetteaandsavinggraceblog.com
christianstudylibrary.org
khouse.org
bethmelekh.com
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