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Human longevity: Difference between revisions
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* The ages of the Biblical [[genealogy]] are exaggerated. | * The ages of the Biblical [[genealogy]] are exaggerated. | ||
* The ideal genetics of Adam were increasingly diluted through the postdiluvian generations, making the body less robust. This is supported by the geometric decrease in lifespan before leveling off. | * The ideal genetics of Adam were increasingly diluted through the postdiluvian generations, making the body less robust. This is supported by the geometric decrease in lifespan before leveling off. | ||
* A significant differential in the earth's gravitational attraction (below) before the Flood versus after, as higher gravity would put far more stress on an individual's constitution. | |||
Recent research into size ratios and gravity, with earth's current gravity we can expect a maximum of 22,000 pounds for a land animal. Considering many of the larger dinosaurs were 150-200 tons in size, and many species had extended necks, the gravity of today would preclude the existence of such an animal. The modern giraffe's long neck has an extraordinary valved design for maintaining blood pressure even when it bends over to drink. Dinosaurs with 20-ton necks towering many stories high would have extraordinary blood pressure problems coupled with the torque required to keep such a neck aloft. The point being, the gravity before the Flood was clearly much less than today's gravity. Did the earth acquire more mass through asteroid impacts or some other means? When we examine extraordinary sizes for all creatures prior to the flood, it is clear they were able to achieve these sizes (especially the largest flying insects and pterosaurs) because gravity was far less. | |||
All that said, gravity is a significant factor in the physical stress on a human body. This additional stress should also be considered as a factor in declining longevity. Again. God would have visibility to the change in gravity, the stress it would cause, and could easily align his 120-year declaration to man accordingly. | |||
It is argued by some that the decline in human longevity was either an intended or knowingly concomitant result of the flood. The following passage quotes the words of God declaring man will live to be 120 years because He would destroy the [[Earth]] by flood. | It is argued by some that the decline in human longevity was either an intended or knowingly concomitant result of the flood. The following passage quotes the words of God declaring man will live to be 120 years because He would destroy the [[Earth]] by flood. | ||
{{Bible quote|''"Then the L<small>ORD</small> said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." ... The L<small>ORD</small> saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The L<small>ORD</small> was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the L<small>ORD</small> said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them."'' - |book=Genesis|chap=6|verses=3-7}} | {{Bible quote|''"Then the L<small>ORD</small> said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." ... The L<small>ORD</small> saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The L<small>ORD</small> was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the L<small>ORD</small> said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them."'' - |book=Genesis|chap=6|verses=3-7}} | ||
What would be the purpose of limiting mankind's lifespan? Clearly God had in mind a "corruption of the flesh" problem coupled with a wickedness and violence problem. Both of these were exacerbated by mankind's ability to live long lifespans. We can see someone like Hitler come to power if he has relatively unlimited tries to get it right. With today's longevity, such a global power-grab is a once-in-a-lifetime. Likewise, Hitler was about as evil as he was going to get by age 20. He then had several decades to amass disciples. What if he had several centuries? His influence would be unstoppable. Clearly the limiting of man's lifespan had a purpose in keeping evil at bay through simple attrition. | |||
In our limited understanding, we can imagine putting something into play for purposes of good, and returning to find it had been irreversibly corrupted for evil. The pain and grief we might experience are barely a glimmer of the magnitude God expresses in the above passage. Would we choose to tear-down everything and start over? Clearly God knew the corruption was irreversible and he had a narrow path to correct it. | In our limited understanding, we can imagine putting something into play for purposes of good, and returning to find it had been irreversibly corrupted for evil. The pain and grief we might experience are barely a glimmer of the magnitude God expresses in the above passage. Would we choose to tear-down everything and start over? Clearly God knew the corruption was irreversible and he had a narrow path to correct it. | ||
Some have asked, "why couldn't God hit the reset button" and just annihilate everything and start over? Why the boat? There are several reasons for this, not the least of which is Jesus is the "lamb slain from the foundation of the world". Adam, Methuselah, Seth, Abel and many others had already died in the hope of a coming Redeemer. God has already promised (to Adam) the Redeemer will come. What then does God do with all those eternal souls? They are not in heaven yet (John 3:13) so must wait for their redemption. For God to keep his promises and the theme of the creation (the Lamb of God) he is compelled by his own holiness to see the plan through. The Ark therefore, is an act of preservation of bloodlines, but is also a preservation of a promise, that God would enter humanity as a human. | |||
As the Flood occurred 100 years after God commissioned Noah, the number "120" cannot apply to when the Flood would occur. It is however, very compelling that the maximum life expectancy for humans hovers around 120 years. The longest verified modern lifespan on record for a human was Jeanne Calment who lived to be 122 years of age[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Calment]. | As the Flood occurred 100 years after God commissioned Noah, the number "120" cannot apply to when the Flood would occur. It is however, very compelling that the maximum life expectancy for humans hovers around 120 years. The longest verified modern lifespan on record for a human was Jeanne Calment who lived to be 122 years of age[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Calment]. | ||
