I have read of a man who was brought to the knowledge of the Lord by reading the fifth chapter of Genesis. Perhaps you may not see much converting power in that chapter for it largely consists of a list of names of men that lived before the flood with a general sameness in each of these little biographies, but what struck him was the fact that notwithstanding the great ages to which they attained—one of them living 930 years, another 912 years, a third 910 years, a fourth 895 years, and in one case 969 years—yet it is said regarding every one of them except one, "And he died," while regarding the exceptional, it is recorded that "he walked with God, and was not, for God took him.”
The thought that impressed itself upon the mind of the man was this, that if men who lived for centuries, all died at last, excepting the one who was taken to heaven, then no lapse of time can save us from death, and so it is well to be prepared.
What do you think of this man? Was he a wise man or a fool? God says, "It is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgment." Heb. 9:27. And this man believed Him.
The solemn truth that death was the appointed doom of man, was brought home to his conscience by the case of the antediluvians, and so he bowed the knee and thankfully accepted the salvation of Christ.