What 120 Years Really Means in Genesis 6:3

“Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6:3

Originally, I wrote this article just for fun. Then, in conversation, someone asked a serious question: “What does this mean? Why does Genesis say this, yet people still lived past 120 years?”

That got me thinking harder about this passage, so I dug and ignored my opinion.

First and a big foremost. 

My original opinion was way off. Even I knew I didn’t quite understand it, hence why I said “I have my own thoughts” in the first place.

Behold my excerpts below:

“but I have my own thoughts on the matter.”

“Only God knows everyone’s age; there is no way in the world we could possibly know the oldest people still alive, what their ages are, and when they passed.”

“What if the last person to live to 120 years old passes, and that’s the time God will come back?”

Kind of embarrassing, but we’ll move on. Let’s look at my boring Canva image and read verses 1–6.

Canva —Genesis 6:1–6

Now, I’m going to show only what the Bible is saying and nothing more. Also, for the sake of my sanity, I am not touching the Nephilim thing.

Context is key.

I took that section out of context and inserted a wild theory, but now let’s put it back into context, and what do we see? This was not a statement about mankind's lifespan being limited. This is a statement from God Himself about the situation happening on Earth.

Some bad stuff was going down, God saw it and started setting a plan in motion. The topic of lifespans for humanity is actually not found in the flood story at all, and we are very aware that people lived way beyond 120 years. 

That right there should have clued me into the “more” going on here.

This “outlier” verse isn’t an outlier after all. 

It’s to do with this situation. In fact, it is perfectly placed right in the middle of what’s going on.

Apparent Contradiction?

At the start of this passage, we see God talking about this situation that is unfolding before His eyes, and He is not pleased one bit. 

And we know God doesn’t contradict Himself, so now the question becomes: What does this really mean? 

Different translations render it as:

• NASB: “nevertheless his days shall be”

• NIV: “their days will be”

• ASV: “yet shall his days be”

  
  

(If you caught it, sweet, if not….neither did I, so don’t feel bad.)

This was a judgment. 

Now things are making a bit more sense, but I do know this question will pop into heads. If there was judgment, how was that fair if there were no prophets, preachers, etc to speak God’s truth?

Meet Methuselah.

The son of none other than Enoch, the man who walked with God, and the Father of Lamech (the good one) and grandfather of Noah. 

In the 2nd Testament, we learn a few key things about these gentlemen. (btw, this is an example of why the 1st Testament is still very relevant)

“Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness” 2 Peter 2:5

“And to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied” Jude 1:14

Then Lamech made a prophecy about his son Noah when he was born: “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.” Genesis 5:29

Judgement was declared, they were warned, and Grace was given.

They had 120 years of God’s grace to get their crap sorted out, and we all know how that went.

So, that 120-year judgment wasn’t directly tied to the amount of time Noah had to build the ark because we don’t actually know when he started. God didn’t go to Noah and say, "You have exactly 120 years to build the ark.”

God first declared the judgment, then went to Noah, so Noah knew the timeline to be done by. 

If you open your Bible and go to Genesis 6:13, read that, then go back to verse 6. Go back and forth a few times, and you’ll notice something neat.

It’s very similar to Genesis 1 and 2, both saying the same thing just in different ways. One from God’s view (cosmic), the other from Noah’s. (personal)

From the moment God declared 120 years, it was the beginning of His countdown to worldwide judgment.

Something to think about.

There was a clear, definitive time and date stamp on this judgment, with people preaching this. God gave a grace period. 

And they didn’t listen.

Maybe it is for the best that we don’t know the time and date stamp for us now. Because getting as close to that line as possible and being a willful sinner, then “repenting” will get you absolutely nowhere.

Side Note:

This whole article should show if you are not sure, state it as an opinion, thought, or possibly, or just say you're not sure, let’s find out. 

I openly stated “my own thoughts” and “what if” because I was honest. But then when I was presented with the question, I went back into to Bible, dug around, and found the answer. 

I did not double down and create my own doctrine, which very well could have led people way off course. There is absolutely nothing wrong with learning or re-learning something and admitting it.

(definitely a big ole’ revision from the original)

© Jane Isley

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