The Year of Methuselah

I hesitated to put this post up, but with the passing of Bob Jones I felt that I needed to go ahead with it. I have had four people I personally know pass away since the first of this year. In addition to that, my church has had four funerals just this week. This includes my spiritual mother and other long-time saints--godly and righteous people in the faith. I questioned the Lord about so many deaths and I believe I heard Him say, "The year of Methuselah." 

Methuselah is the son of Enoch and grandfather of Noah. He is the one in the Bible that is recorded as living the longest--969 years. When the Lord said, "the year of Methuselah." I know from my studies years ago that Methuselah died the year of the flood. I never believed he died IN the flood and through my recent research it doesn't look like most Bible scholars believe that either. 

What I believe the Lord is saying, is that there are many godly, righteous people He is taking home to be with Him prior to a major "flood" He is about to bring. I don't know why He prefers these people to be with Him, but looking at the caliber of people who are dying I don't think it speaks negatively on their part. I think God is getting ready to do something big and He is positioning His people to prepare for that.

We don't read much in the Bible about Methuselah. His name means "man of a dart." It comes from a word meaning a missile of attack--like a spear, or a shoot of growth--like a branch. Some say his name means "his death will bring judgement." That's a little scary and I'm not sure how reliable that is, however God's judgments are the best of all and we can rest assured that God loves and protects His people and we have nothing to fear when we abide in Him.

I would encourage you to ask the Lord yourself what this means, as I shared it with a friend of mine she gave me the Scripture, Isaiah 57:1-2, about the righteous who perish and no one takes it to heart. It's time to press in and seek Him in a way like never before and find out our positioning in the body of Christ.