Other Religious Writings

Other Religious Writings – Are They From God Too?

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries June 2, 2025 (Donate)

What about the Hadith, Josephus, Koran (Qur’an), Book of Mormon, Vedas and Upanishads, Apocrypha, Studies in the Scriptures, Book of Enoch, Protoevangelium of James…and the list continues? My answer sometimes seems too simple to grasp: No, they disagree with the Bible.  

Let me explain this “presuppositional” concept. Being “presuppositional” means that we take on faith that God exists and that His Word, the Bible, is the truth. This is our foundation, starting point or “presupposition”.  We use the Bible, like a set of glasses, to look at all other worldviews and test them. 

Image from Presentation Library

When we look at the Bible, God never tried to prove His existence or prove that His Word is superior. God simply opens with a statement of His existence and that His Word is flawless (Genesis 1:1, Proverbs 30:5). The Bible also says that Christ has all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, so God’s Word should be our starting point for all knowledge and wisdom (Colossians 2:2-3). As a point of note, God can only reveal Himself as the final authority that He is. He is that source authority for all knowledge, truth, wisdom and revelation. 

In fact, if God would have tried to prove He existed or that His Word was flawless, then that created evidence, tool of logic or other means to try to prove such a thing would be greater than God and His Word. But God knows that nothing is greater than He and His Word and so logically, God is also presuppositional—that is that God takes Himself as the ultimate standard and stating point. 

In a like manner God expects us to take on faith that He exists. Hebrew 11:6 says: 

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.[1]

The next several verses mention “by faith Noah”, “by faith Abraham”, “by faith Sarah”, “by faith Isaac”, “by faith Jacob”, “by faith Joseph”, “by faith Moses” and so on. So faith is an important aspect. By faith, these people trusted God’s existence and what He said to them (His Word to them).  

We shouldn’t neglect their example. By faith we trust God exists and that His Word is the truth just as these great people of faith. This faith, though, is not a blind faith as some suppose but a logical, defendable faith. True science confirms the Bible; the Bible’s history is accurate, and so on.  

In taking the Bible as the Word of God on faith, books that disagree with the Bible are not the Word of God nor even close to equal with its status. This doesn’t mean these other books are useless as they can have other value, such as historical uses (e.g., Josephus), but they are not infallible and inerrant as God’s Word, the 66 books of the Bible, is. 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16). If a book isn’t from God, then who is it from? It would be from man (even if is it influenced by satanic or demonic ways). So regardless if a book that is claimed to be from God or not, if it not the Bible, then it is not holy or of divine origin.  

Some books attempt to add to the Word the God such as the Book of Mormon, some have even claimed the Qur’an is an addition to Scripture. When such claims are made, one should always be cautious. God warns about trying to add to His words in Proverbs 30:5-6 and Revelation 22:18.  

When there is a claim of inspiration for a “holy book”, the book must be tested against the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:21) because God will never disagree with Himself because God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18) nor can He deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:23). 

When Paul was preaching to the Bereans (Acts 17:11), he commended them for checking his words against the Scriptures that were already written. If someone claims that a book is of divine origin, then we need to be like the Bereans and check it and see if it is from God or from man. In other words, use previous revelation to test and check any alleged new revelation—if it contradicts, it is not new Scripture.   

These other books such as the Qur’an[2], Book of Mormon[3], Vedas[4] and so on have disagreements with the Bible confirming they are not Scripture. For example, the Qur’an says God had no son in Sura (Chapter) 4:171 and Sura 23:91 whereas the Bible is clear Jesus is the son of God (Matthew 26:63-64). 

The Book of Mormon says in Moroni 8:8 that children are not sinners whereas the Bible teaches that children are sinful, even from birth (Psalm 51:5). Few would dispute that the Vedas and other writings in Hinduism are starkly different from the Bible. 

These other belief systems do have many adherents throughout the world. Of course, we knew that there would be false philosophies based on man’s ideas that would try to turn people from the Bible, Christ’s Word. It was predicted nearly 2000 years ago:   

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

We need to be discerning when it comes to non-biblical writings and stand firm on the Bible and not be swayed (1 Corinthians 15:58, 2 Thessalonians 2:15). Also, it reveals the need to share the bad news in Genesis with them as well as the good news of the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20). Many in false religions have false foundations and need the true foundation so that they can have a better understanding of the Gospel that is built on that foundation.   

Image from Presentation Library   

I want to encourage you, the reader, to consider the claims of the Bible, if you haven’t already. The Bible is the Word of God. So there are two options: place your faith in a perfect, all-knowing God who has always been there or trust in imperfect, fallible mankind and their philosophies. God will never be wrong so I want to encourage you to start with God’s Word and begin to build your faith begin to have a biblical worldview, instead of worldview based on man’s ideas.    

It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. (Psalm 118:8) 

For a more refutation of false religions, see World Religions and Cults, Volumes 1-3, Bodie Hodge and Roger Patterson, Master Books, Green Forest, AR. 

Originally published in Answers Magazine and appeared here: https://answersingenesis.org/world-religions/other-religious-writings/; Edited; Republished by permission. 

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[1] All Scripture references from NKJV

[2] The Koran vs Genesis, David Catchpoole, Creation 24(2): 46-51

[3] World Religions and Cults, Volumes 1, Bodie Hodge and Roger Patterson, Master Books, Green Forest, AR; chapter on Mormonism. 

[4] A Ready Defense, The Best of Josh McDowell, Compiled by Bill Wilson, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1993, pages 271-276

Methuselah The Great

 Methuselah The Great

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, May 14, 2025 (Donate)

Prior to the Flood, people lived to great ages. In fact, one still hasn’t died—Enoch. Enoch was taken to heaven without dying (Genesis 5:24, Hebrews 11:5). Elijah was also taken to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11).

Conversely, there have been a few people who had a horrible “opportunity” to die twice.  Lazarus, whom Jesus resurrected (John 11:39-44), the dead son that Elijah resurrected through the Lord (1 Kings 17:19-24), Elisha, through God, raising the son of a Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:32-37) and Eutychus though God by the embrace of Paul (Acts 20:9-12) had to once again undergo dying. Though in Christ, death has no sting for those who have received Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55)—what a blessing!

An aged Methuselah as shown in Creation Museum; Photo by Bodie Hodge

Age

Of those who died, Methuselah is the longest-lived patriarch at 969 years. He even outlived Adam, who died at 930, and his grandson Noah, who died at 950. See the chart below:

	Patriarch	Age	Bible Reference
1	Adam	930	Genesis 5:4
2	Seth	912	Genesis 5:8
3	Enosh	905	Genesis 5:11
4	Cainan	910	Genesis 5:14
5	Mahalalel	895	Genesis 5:17
6	Jared	962	Genesis 5:20
7	Enoch	365 (translated)	Genesis 5:23
8	Methuselah	969	Genesis 5:27
9	Lamech	777	Genesis 5:31
10	Noah	950	Genesis 9:29

Name

It’s somewhat ironic that Methuselah, whose name partially resembles the Hebrew word for “death,” would be the one who lived the longest. The name is often interpreted to mean “man of the dart” or “man of the sword.”

Hebrew names in the Bible often carry significance, either inherently or retroactively. For example, Peleg means “division,” and he lived when the earth was divided linguistically at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 10:25). Abraham means “father of a multitude,” reflecting God’s promise (Genesis 15:5). Noah means “rest,” and through him, humanity found relief from the curse of the ground by the reduced the years they had work it (our ages declined significantly after Noah). 

Hebrew names can be deeply meaningful, though not all names in Scripture are given explicit definitions. The Bible doesn’t specify the meaning of Methuselah’s name like it does for Noah. Interpretations must therefore be made cautiously. 

Some derive meaning by examining the root words. For instance, muwth means “die/death” in Hebrew. Some suggest Methuselah’s name, derived from meth/muth and selah, hints at the coming Flood.

A leading Hebrew scholar of the 1700s, Dr. John Gill, affirmed this interpretation:

“...Enoch being a prophet gave him this name under a spirit of prophecy, foretelling by it when the flood should be; for his name, according to Bochart, signifies, 'when he dies there shall be an emission,' or sending forth of waters upon the earth, to destroy it.”
(Notes by Gill: Eupolemus apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 9. c. 17. p. 419; Bochart, Thaleg. l. 2. c. 13. col. 88; Ainsworth.)[1]

Gill echoed earlier scholars such as Eusebius, Bochart, and Ainsworth. Commentators Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown agreed:

“This name signifies, ‘He dieth, and the sending forth,’ so that Enoch gave it as prophetical of the flood. It is computed that Methuselah died in the year of that catastrophe.”[2]

This interpretation is also based on the Greek form of Methuselah’s name as found in Luke 3:37: Μαθουσαλά (Mathousala), which the New Testament Greek Lexicon defines as:

“When he dies, there shall be an emission.”[3]

Thus, some scholars argue that Methuselah’s name prophetically signals the arrival of the Flood—"when he dies, it shall come."

However, not all scholars agree. Dr. Ben Shaw, a Hebrew scholar formerly of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, offers a linguistic rebuttal:

“…it is extremely unlikely that the name Methuselah has the significance that Gill and others give to it. It is unlikely for the following reasons. The name is made up of two parts: Methu and shelah.

The methu part does not come from the word for death, because that would require a long u vowel between the m and the t. As it is, if this part of the name has any significance, it may come from a rare noun meaning "man." The second part of the name cannot mean ‘it is sent’ or ‘there is an emission.’ Even supposing that the root meaning of the word is send (which is doubtful), it would have to be in a passive form, producing something like ‘shahluh.’ In order to produce the meaning, ‘when he dies, it is sent,’ the Hebrew would have to be something like ‘bematoshahluh.’ Again, if the name means anything in Hebrew (which is at best doubtful), it is probably something like ‘man of a spear.’”[4]

So, while it’s tempting to assign prophetic meaning to Methuselah’s name, it may be unwise to be definitive. Regardless, the Flood occurred the same year Methuselah died.

Enoch’s Prophecy

Methuselah’s father, Enoch—not Cain’s son but Noah’s great-grandfather—was said to be a prophet (Jude 1:14). There exists a so-called Book of Enoch, which is not inspired Scripture. It is a post-Flood work—or at least had been seriously edited after the Flood, as it references geography that didn’t exist until after the Flood. So, it has been edited or rewritten significantly to arrive at what we have today.

While Jude 14–15 does quote a phrase also found in the Book of Enoch (1:9), it simply means that the quote used by Jude was inspired by God; the rest of the Book of Enoch was not.

So, is the version of Enoch we have today really from the pre-Flood prophet? No—except for possible snippets. It’s not part of the biblical canon and refers to Mt. Sinai, which didn’t exist in Enoch’s time (it is mountain made as a result of the Flood).

What we do know is that Enoch was responsible for the naming of his son (no doubt with his wife!). Thus, it is possible that Enoch prophetically named Methuselah, as some believe.

The Death Of Methuselah

If you match the ages of the patriarchs, Methuselah died in the same year as the Flood.

Illustration by Bodie Hodge

Though some mistakenly think he died in the Flood, this is unlikely. Methuselah was raised by Enoch, a godly man whom God took without death. It's unlikely Enoch would have raised an unrighteous son. In fact, Methuselah may have actually helped Noah in the construction phase of the Ark. But his death would have preceded the Flood.

7-Day Mourning Period

Some have suggested that Methuselah died immediately before the Flood. Whether this is true or not, we cannot be certain. God instructed Noah and His family to board the Ark seven days in advance was for several reasons (Genesis 7:1,4,10). Obviously, one reason was to complete the final phase of loading the animals (Genesis 7:2-9). Also, this was a final test of faith for Noah and his family with the final boarding being on the seventh day (Genesis 7:11-16). 

But keep in mind that it was common for prominent people to have designated times of mourning after they passed (Genesis 27:41, Genesis 50:4, Deuteronomy 34:8, 2 Samuel 11:27, etc.), though, there were surely many who had mourning periods that are simply not mentioned in the Bible. In light of this, some have suggested that these seven days were also a grieving period for Methuselah. While speculative, it would be a fitting tribute.

Less Than Ten

With the passing of Methuselah and the recent passing of Lamech (just a few years before), we pause to realize that there were only 8 righteous people left on earth. In other words, less than ten people were saved on the Ark. 

Do you remember Abraham and his discussion with the Lord over Sodom (where Lot was living when judgment was decreed per Genesis 18:26-32)—Abraham’s pleading from 50 down to 10 righteous. Abraham did not proceed to go less than ten righteous people when pleading for Sodom. Why? I suggest Abraham knew that judgment would come if there were less than ten which is a reflection of his knowledge of the Flood.

Methuselah and Lamech had recently died, and this left eight in the shadow of Noah’s righteousness. So, judgment was coming, but the Lord also prepared a means of salvation for Noah and his family on the Ark, as He did by sending the angels to bring out Lot and his family from Sodom.

Conclusion

Even someone mentioned only seven times in Scripture—mostly in genealogies—can yield valuable truths when studied. It can also leave wondering about the intricacies of his name too!

My hope is that you will be inspired to get into the Bible and discover more about hosts of others, whose names we may not be able to pronounce very well, but gain gleanings that most gloss over.

Many names appear in Scripture, even strange ones like Methuselah, but keep in mind these names are still part of the Holy Bible and profitable for understanding doctrines (2 Timothy 3:16). And consider this final thought: we are all descendants of Noah—which means we are all descendants of our great, great, great…grandfather Methuselah—I hope you enjoyed reading this cousin!  

Originally here: https://answersingenesis.org/bible-timeline/genealogy/when-did-methuselah-die/; Updated and expanded; Republished by permission. 

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[1] John Gill commentary notes on Genesis 5:21.

[2] Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary notes on Genesis 5:21.

[3] New Testament Greek Lexicon as listed under Methuselah, 3103, http://www.biblestudytools.com/search/?q=methuselah&s=References&rc=LEX&rc2=LEX+GRK.  

[4] Personal Correspondence by the author with Dr. Ben Shaw over the name Methuselah, 7-8-2010.