Why Did The Old Testament Saints live longer than Today.

[Chopper]

As I study in the O.T. the thought comes up, what exactly is the reason that those Saints of old lived longer lives than we do. Is it sin with us? Genetics?

 

[This Vale Of Tears]

As I study in the O.T. the thought comes up, what exactly is the reason that those Saints of old lived longer lives than we do. Is it sin with us? Genetics?

It's disease. Ultimately what kills us is the millions of bacteria that assault us even from the day we're born. Many things changed after the flood. People started eating meat because plants were no longer sufficient. Grape juice could no longer be kept in pitchers unrefrigerated, it fermented into wine, much to Noah's surprise. And most importantly, this world became disease ridden so that people could no longer live hundreds of years. The flood changed a lot of things and FORTUNATELY one of them is longevity. This is actually a blessing from God when viewed correctly.

 

[aspen]

They lived a normal lifespan. Years were added as a literary device to show how important they were to their people. It is a common within ancient literature.

 

[RANDOR]

They lived a normal lifespan. Years were added as a literary device to show how important they were to their people. It is a common within ancient literature.

Exactly.....

 

[This Vale Of Tears]

They lived a normal lifespan. Years were added as a literary device to show how important they were to their people. It is a common within ancient literature.

People were living over 900 years. They weren't having children before the age of 50 which suggests that even childhood lasted several decades. Yes they lived a normal lifespan, but normal changed after the Flood, as God commanded that man's years would not exceed 120. Do you really see the whole book of Genesis as just an engaging story book?

 

[Chopper]

No it certainly is not a story book but a history book. The 120 years you spoke about was 120 years before the flood would come. It took 120 years for Noah to build the ark, all the while telling the people IMO, to believe or die in the flood. That must have blown their minds because there was no water for the big boat and they did not know what rain was.

 

[This Vale Of Tears]

No it certainly is not a story book but a history book. The 120 years you spoke about was 120 years before the flood would come. It took 120 years for Noah to build the ark, all the while telling the people IMO, to believe or die in the flood. That must have blown their minds because there was no water for the big boat and they did not know what rain was.

The passage of Genesis 6:3 is at least very controversial because even your interpretation runs into problems in that Noah was 500 years old when God spoke to him and 600 years old when the flood came, not quite 120 years. Couple this with the fact that lifespans began to dramatically decline after the Flood, which goes to my theory on bacteria being introduced which radically changed the nature of all life on earth. It's true that Abraham lived to be 175 years, Jacob to 147 years, etc. But look what happens by the time we get to the days of King David: The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10) making the average lifespan around 70 years. But most significant here is the over 80% decline in lifespan immediately after the Flood and Noah's generation. It's clear, as I've been arguing, that fundamental changes were made in the physical world and speaking from a biological viewpoint, the easiest explanation is bacteria.

 

[Chopper]

The passage of Genesis 6:3 is at least very controversial because even your interpretation runs into problems in that Noah was 500 years old when God spoke to him and 600 years old when the flood came, not quite 120 years. Couple this with the fact that lifespans began to dramatically decline after the Flood, which goes to my theory on bacteria being introduced which radically changed the nature of all life on earth. It's true that Abraham lived to be 175 years, Jacob to 147 years, etc. But look what happens by the time we get to the days of King David: The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10) making the average lifespan around 70 years. But most significant here is the over 80% decline in lifespan immediately after the Flood and Noah's generation. It's clear, as I've been arguing, that fundamental changes were made in the physical world and speaking from a biological viewpoint, the easiest explanation is bacteria.

I'll buy that. Thank you very much for your post. As for Noah's age being 500, that's when he became a father. We can't be sure about the age that God spoke about the flood. So I'll stick to 120 years before the flood. I accept your theory about bacteria, and actually I had forgotten about the 70 year lifespan, thanks for the reminder.

 

[Madad21]

The passage of Genesis 6:3 is at least very controversial because even your interpretation runs into problems in that Noah was 500 years old when God spoke to him and 600 years old when the flood came, not quite 120 years. Couple this with the fact that lifespans began to dramatically decline after the Flood, which goes to my theory on bacteria being introduced which radically changed the nature of all life on earth. It's true that Abraham lived to be 175 years, Jacob to 147 years, etc. But look what happens by the time we get to the days of King David: The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10) making the average lifespan around 70 years. But most significant here is the over 80% decline in lifespan immediately after the Flood and Noah's generation. It's clear, as I've been arguing, that fundamental changes were made in the physical world and speaking from a biological viewpoint, the easiest explanation is bacteria.

Actually this is pretty interesting, bacteria as I think about it is pretty plausible.

 

[This Vale Of Tears]

Actually this is pretty interesting, bacteria as I think about it is pretty plausible.

I honestly believe that Noah was the first man in history to get drunk, having found out the hard way that juice doesn't keep shelf life like it used to.

 

[Madad21]

I honestly believe that Noah was the first man in history to get drunk, having found out the hard way that juice doesn't keep shelf life like it used to.

Mate that cracked me up :lol:

I know your serious though,
Just thinking however about how things where in his time with the people in sin as they were and I cant help but to think that the production of wine was probably quite wide spread.

 

[aspen]

people would die without bateria. we could not digest our food without bateria.

 

[This Vale Of Tears]

people would die without bateria. we could not digest our food without bateria.

People also die because of bacteria. It begins killing us the day we're born.