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by Chuck Missler
We frequently use the familiar term, gospel, or good news. Where is the first place it appears in the Bible? The answer may surprise you. The great discovery is that the Bible is a message system: it's not simply 66 books penned by 40 authors over thousands of years, the Bible is an integrated whole which bears evidence of supernatural engineering in every detail. A remarkable example of this can be glimpsed in Genesis Chapter 5, where we have the genealogy of Adam through Noah. This is one of those chapters which we often tend to skim over quickly as we pass through Genesis it's simply a genealogy from Adam to Noah.
The meaning of proper names can be a difficult pursuit since a direct translation is often not readily available. Even a conventional Hebrew lexicon can prove disappointing. A study of the original roots, however, can yield some fascinating insights.
LET'S LOOK AT THIS EXAMPLE:
| NAME |
MEANING |
| ADAM |
Adam's name means man. As the first man, that seems straight forward enough. |
| SETH |
Adam's son was named Seth, which means appointed. |
| ENOSH |
Seth's son was called Enosh, which means mortal, frail, or miserable. |
| KENAN |
Enosh's son was named Kenan, which can mean sorrow, dirge, or elegy. |
| MAHALALEL |
Kenan's son was Mahalalel, from Mahalal which means blessed or praise; and El, the name for God. Thus, Mahalalel means the Blessed God. |
| JARED |
Mahalalel's son was named Jared, from the verb yaradh meaning shall come down. |
| ENOCH |
Jared's son was named Enoch, which means teaching, or commencement. |
| METHUSELAH |
Enoch was the father of Methuselah which comes from muth, a root that means "death"; and from shalach,
which means to bring, or to send forth. The name Methuselah means, "his death shall bring". |
| LAMECH |
Methuselah's son was named Lamech, a root still evident today in our own English word, lament or lamentation. Lamech suggests despairing. |
| NOAH |
Lamech, of course, is the father of Noah, which is derived from nacham, to bring relief or comfort it is really remarkable when you put it all together. |
IT IS REALLY REMARKABLE WHEN YOU PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:
| HEBREW WORD |
ENGLISH
TRANSLATION |
| ADAM |
Man |
| SETH |
Appointed |
| ENOSH |
Mortal |
| KENEN |
Sorrow |
| MAHALALEL |
The Blessed God |
| JARED |
Shall Come Down |
| ENOCH |
Teaching |
| METHUSELAH |
His Death Shall Bring |
| LAMECH |
The Despairing |
| NOAH |
Rest or Comfort |
Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest.
Here's the Gospel hidden within a genealogy in Genesis! The implications of this discovery is more wide spread than is 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 a love story, written in blood on a wooden cross which was erected in Judea almost 2,000 years ago.
The Bible is an integrated message system, the product of supernatural engineering. Every number, every place, every name, every detail, every jot and tittle is there for our learning, our discovery, and our amazement. Truly, our God is an awesome God.
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