In the Beginning

“Genesis 5 is my favorite chapter in the whole of the scriptures!,” said no one ever.  In fact, most of the time we skip over it.  After all, we can only be reasonably subjected to so many “begats” before we are begotten unto a sound sleep.  Unclear why we need to know the names of all these ancients whose names we can’t spell, let alone remember, we quickly skim, perhaps pausing long enough to thank the heavens that we don’t live that long anymore, and move on to chapter 6.  Chapter read.  Mission accomplished.

I’m indebted to Patrick Degn, an inspirational scholar of the scriptures from whom I was privileged to be instructed by for the better part of two years, for showing me the error of my ways.  He constantly encouraged his students to ask questions of the scriptures, “Why is this here?  Why is it said this way?  Is there any background information regarding these verses that if I knew would help me understand them better? How does it apply to me?,” etc.  Learning the meaning behind Chapter 5 of Genesis not only blew me away but has inspired me to seek deeper into the “ordinary” of the scriptures that I have previously “skimmed” over.  Discovering “hidden treasures” has been the result.  

Prepare yourself.  

Ready? Read/review/skim Genesis chapter 5 provided below. 

"This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.  And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos.  And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:  And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died. And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan: And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died. And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel: And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.  And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died. And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch: And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.  And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.  And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.  And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth." (emphasis mine)

Asleep yet?  This should wake you up.  Ever wonder why the author chose to mention these particular men?  After all, living that long, they must have had hundreds of posterity to choose from.  Why are just these mentioned?  I’m confident there is more than one answer but perhaps Someone was trying to send us a message.  Below is a list with the names listed and their English meanings.

Hebrew               English

Adam Man

Seth Appointed

Enosh (Enos) Mortal

Kenan (Cainan) Sorrow

Mahalalel The Blessed God

Jared Shall come down

Enoch Teaching

Methuselah His death shall bring

Lamech The despairing

Noah Rest, or comfort

So, putting it altogether you get something like this:  Man is appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest. 

Um...wow?  That hardly covers it for me.  This revelation spoke volumes to me about the efforts of a loving God to send a message to His children of the true Source of hope, not just to the ancients but to generations yet unborn.  Knowing this work would not be compiled until Moses’ day and then not available en masse until  thousands of years later when the printing press was established and the Bible was translated, God inspired our fathers to name their children those names and then to have Moses compile them in such a way as to witness of the Savior so that from the beginning we might have confidence that there is a plan for our redemption and that this world, no matter what it throws at us, is not the end.  Leaning on our Blessed God, we can find rest here and in the eternities. 

Truly...WOW!