Genesis 5, What's in a name?
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Alright, so tonight me continue our journey into the book of Beginnings; Genesis. Last time we looked at the story of Cain and Abel. We learned some important truths about each of us one of which is that, just like Cain, we have to learn to deal with disappointments and negative impulses; like anger and jealousy.
God told Cain after his sacrifice was not accepted,
7 “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
Sin is always looking for an opportunity to strike but we must learn self control.
Paul said,
7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
In the NKJV its reads a “sound mind” and means to be “self-controlled.” Which is what true maturity is, to be self controlled.
We learned that the need to sacrifice was instituted by God from the very beginning and that Abel was performing the duties of the Priest in his offering and is identified by Jesus as a Prophet.
Last time we finished with verse 24, so we will pick at verse 25 & 26. as this begins our story into Gen 5.
25 Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for, she said, “God has appointed me another offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.”
26 To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord.
Now, notice here that the name Seth means “appointed.” It seems that Eve may have believed that this was the promised “seed of the woman.” We are going to talk a lot about names tonight.
Now notice that Seth has a son, whom he calls Enosh, meaning “mortal” or “incurable, desperately wicked.” More on that later but notice what it says next.
Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD.
There are two views on this verse. One takes it at face value and sees it as a kind of revival. A beginning of organized worship. It differentiates, what is referred to as the Godly line of Seth from the un-godly line of Cain.
But there is another view that sees the verse as mistranslated. So instead of, begin to call on the Lord, men profaned the name of the Lord. Sort of beginning the downward slide of mankind leading to the flood.
The ancient Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan and other Church Fathers saw it this way. The word for “began” has a verity of meanings in Hebrew.
The word is ḥālal to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
Neither view ultimately changes the overall message but the second view seems to make more sense when you consider, that certainly Adam and Abel and Seth all called on the Name of the Lord. It didn’t begin at Enosh. The view lines up with with downward trajectory that mankind was on.
So with that preface, we get to what on the surface might appear to be somewhat boring but turns into one of the most incredible hidden gems in the word.
So lets stand as we read and then we will get into it;
Genesis 5 (NASB95)
1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.
2 He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created.
3 When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth.
There is an important distinction to be made between A&E and everyone else born after them. Adam like Jesus and the Angelic Host was and are true b’nai Elohim sons of God and were made in His (God’s image.) We on the other hand are born “b’nai Adam”, children of Adam. We remain that way until we are Born Again.
John 1:12 (NASB95)
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
4 Then the days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he had other sons and daughters.
5 So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died.
6 Seth lived one hundred and five years, and became the father of Enosh.
7 Then Seth lived eight hundred and seven years after he became the father of Enosh, and he had other sons and daughters.
8 So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died.
9 Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan.
10 Then Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years after he became the father of Kenan, and he had other sons and daughters.
11 So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died.
12 Kenan lived seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel.
13 Then Kenan lived eight hundred and forty years after he became the father of Mahalalel, and he had other sons and daughters.
14 So all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died.
15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared.
16 Then Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years after he became the father of Jared, and he had other sons and daughters.
17 So all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years, and he died.
18 Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch.
19 Then Jared lived eight hundred years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters.
20 So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died.
21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.
22 Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.
23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.
24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
25 Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech.
26 Then Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after he became the father of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters.
27 So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died.
28 Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and became the father of a son.
29 Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the Lord has cursed.”
30 Then Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years after he became the father of Noah, and he had other sons and daughters.
31 So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years, and he died.
32 Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
On first reading one could be very underwhelmed, but hang with me I think you will be amazed. However, on first look one thing stands out in this list of Patriarch’s. That is that the all lived to about 900 years except one which we will covet later.
Are we to take this literally? How can this be? Well I believe God says what He means means what He says. So yes, in that time prior to the flood there was extreme longevity. For reasons we have looked at in depth previously like the purity of the genome and the lack of solar radiation by the thick mist blanket that covered the Earth at that time. These and others are possible answers but we just don’t know for sure.
What we do know is that immediately after the flood life spans were drastically reduced and by Abraham’s day were less than 200 years. We will look at this closely in Chapter 11.
Now we will get back to Gen 5 and pull this apart; look again at 1 & 2
1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.
2 He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created.
First notice that A&E were created in the likeness of Elohim. And God called them (both) Adam. Mr & Mrs Adam if you please. Adam means man, as well as being a proper name.
Now as we get into the rest of the chapter I would like to thank Dr Chuck Missler for his research on this topic. I have included an article that will detail much of what I will be referring to.
Let’s begin, towards the end with the patriarch Methuselah. Who knows what he was famous for in scripture. He was the longest living human recorded at 969 years! However what is more interesting was that his name contains a prophesy.
The name Methuselah comes from two Hebrew words, Meth meaning death, and Shalach meaning shall bring. So Methuselah means His death shall bring. Interestingly if you do the math you will find that the very year M dies the flood comes.
So if we find meaning in M’s name wouldn’t it be interesting to see if there is meaning in the other names. Now if you look up these names in Strongs or another Lexicon you will find just the proper name but behind each Hebrew word is a 3 letter root and its from there we get these meanings.
So lets look at what we have so far, Adam- Man, Seth- appointed, Enosh- Mortal.
Now we get to V9 -14;
9 Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan.
10 Then Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years after he became the father of Kenan, and he had other sons and daughters.
11 So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died.
12 Kenan lived seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel.
13 Then Kenan lived eight hundred and forty years after he became the father of Mahalalel, and he had other sons and daughters.
14 So all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died.
Next we have Kenan which means Sorrow or dirge, Kenan then has a son and names him Mahalalel whose name means blessed or praise and includes God’s name El. Its seems that after some depressing names Kenan chose a name for his son that was uplifting. Even in English you see Hallel Hebrew for praise in his name.
15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared.
16 Then Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years after he became the father of Jared, and he had other sons and daughters.
17 So all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years, and he died.
So Mahalalel has his own son and names him Jared. Jared means “shall come down” and may possibly speak to the topic next week of the Nephilim (the fallen ones.)
Now we get to some extremely interesting people.
18 Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch.
19 Then Jared lived eight hundred years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters.
20 So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died.
21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.
22 Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.
23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.
24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Jared then has a very special son and names him Enoch. The Enoch means “teacher from a root that means to train up or dedicate.
So, what makes Enoch special? He didn’t die!
Only two humans in scripture can claim this title, Enoch and Elijah. For that reason many see E&M as the two witnesses of Revelation.
Mainly because Hebrews tells us;
27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
So we learn that Enoch lived 300 years after having Methuselah and then mysteriously,
24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
There is much extra biblical information on Enoch as well. Their is an ancient book, very controversial, that is credited to Enoch. It is not part of our canon of scripture but is part of the Ethiopian bible to this day. We will take more about this book in chapter 6.
So what does, Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him... Mean? Well what does it sound like? He was raptured, just taken. One moment here and the next moment there.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
The word in Greek for “caught up” is harpazo meaning to snatch away. This is the moment we are all waiting for who love Jesus.
Now in our text in Gen 5 we see an interesting type with timing of Enoch being taken by God. Notice we just read that Enoch was the father of Methuselah whose name meant, prophetically, when he dies it over. We know that when M died the flood came. so in relation to the flood judgement when does Enoch go away? Obviously prior to the flood. So in type Enoch represents a pre-tribulation rapture. Just another interesting picture the HS has placed in the word.
Now back to the story;
25 Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech.
26 Then Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after he became the father of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters.
27 So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died.
28 Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and became the father of a son.
29 Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the Lord has cursed.”
30 Then Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years after he became the father of Noah, and he had other sons and daughters.
31 So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years, and he died.
32 Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
So Methuselah has a son a the ripe old age of 187 and names him Lamech. We saw this name in the genealogy of Cain as well. The name Lamech according Dr Missler’s research;
Methuselah’s son was named Lamech, a root still evident today in our own English word, “lament” or “lamentation.” Lamech suggests “despairing.” (This name is also linked to the Lamech in Cain’s line who inadvertently killed his son Tubal-Cain in a hunting incident. )
What’s interesting about Lamech is that he lived nearly 800 years, 777 to be exact and yet died 5 years before his father Methuselah. What is also interesting is that Methuselah lived longer than any other yet died before his father. How can that be? His father, remember was Enoch who never died.
So now, Lamech has a son and names him Noah. Noah comes from a root that means “rest or comfort.”
As an aside notice how old Noah was when he has Shem, Ham, and Japheth? 500 years, My observation is that many of the significant people in the redemption story were born to elderly parents.
So let’s tie this up together and see what the HS is telling and has told us from the beginning.
Adam - Man
Seth - Appointed
Enosh - Mortal
Kenan- Sorrow
Mahalalel - The Blessed God
Jared- Shall come down
Enoch - Teaching
Methuselah - His death shall bring
Lamech - the despairing
Noah - rest or comfort
Wow! we see the Gospel of Jesus Christ embedded in the genealogy of the patriarchs.
The implications of this discovery are far more deeply significant than may be evident at first glance. It demonstrates that in the earliest chapters of the Book of Genesis, God had already laid out His plan of redemption for the predicament of mankind. It is the beginning of a love story, ultimately written in blood on a wooden cross which was erected in Judea almost 2,000 years ago.
In closing, maybe you are not sure that you are included in this plan. You can make sure right now with a simple prayer of faith.
Prayer