There are certain points in the Bible that describe genealogies. Most people skip those parts or glaze over them, thinking there isn’t much of a point for reading and learning them. The first 9 chapters of 1 Chronicles is one example. Matthew 1 is another. But here Genesis 5 will be discussed. This record of people isn’t as long as the others, however it’s probably more important to understand this list of descendants than the others. But first some background on the book of Genesis.
Historians, Archaeologists and scientists have estimated that the book of Genesis was written between 1450 and 1410 BC. This means that Genesis was written roughly 3500 years ago. Mind you Jesus walked this earth 2000 years ago. No one knows who wrote the book. The most common belief is that Moses wrote it. Being that we don’t fully know adds to the faith aspect.
In the old testament, in Judaism, every name has a certain meaning and names are given with purpose. This is different from today. Many people like the sound of a name and name their child as such. But in the old testament every name is given with distinct reason. For example, my personal favorite name in the old testament is Elijah. Elijah’s name means “My God is Yahweh.” There is no question who he serves, and that is exactly who he served.
Thus we come to the verses of Genesis chapter 5. “This is the book (the written record, the history) of the generations of [the descendants of] Adam. When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]. He created them male and female, and blessed them and named them Mankind at the time they were created.
When Adam had lived a hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. After he became the father of Seth, Adam lived eight hundred years and had other sons and daughters. So Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years in all, and he died.
When Seth was a hundred and five years old, he became the father of Enosh. Seth lived eight hundred and seven years after the birth of Enosh, and he had other sons and daughters. So Seth lived nine hundred and twelve years, and he died.
When Enosh was ninety years old, he became the father of Kenan. Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years after the birth of Kenan and had other sons and daughters. So Enosh lived nine hundred and five years, and he died.
When Kenan was seventy years old, he became the father of Mahalalel. Kenan lived eight hundred and forty years after the birth of Mahalalel and had other sons and daughters. So Kenan lived nine hundred and ten years, and he died.
When Mahalalel was sixty-five years old, he became the father of Jared. Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years after the birth of Jared and had other sons and daughters. So Mahalalel lived eight hundred and ninety-five years, and he died.
When Jared was a hundred and sixty-two years old, he became the father of Enoch. Jared lived eight hundred years after the birth of Enoch and had other sons and daughters. So Jared lived nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died.
When Enoch was sixty-five years old, he became the father of Methuselah. Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God three hundred years after the birth of Methuselah and had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And [in reverent fear and obedience] Enoch walked with God; and he was not [found among men], because God took him [away to be home with Him].
When Methuselah was a hundred and eighty-seven years old, he became the father of Lamech. Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after the birth of Lamech and had other sons and daughters. So Methuselah lived nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died.
When Lamech was a hundred and eighty-two years old, he became the father of a son. He named him Noah, saying, “This one shall bring us rest and comfort from our work and from the [dreadful] toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord cursed.” Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years after the birth of Noah and had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years, and he died.
After Noah was five hundred years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” (Genesis 5)
This chapter discusses 10 people: Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. Now, going back to the above, every name has a meaning. So lets look at the meanings of these 10 people’s names. Adam’s name means, Man or mankind; of the ground or taken from the earth. Seth means compensation, appointed or substituted. Enosh means mortal man, or mortality or man in his frailty. Kenan means acquired, to possess or to mourn, lament or sorrow. Mahalalel means the praise of God or God is splendor (blessed). Jared means descending, or he that descends. Enoch means teacher, initiated, dedicated. Methuselah means it shall be sent when he dies, or his death shall bring (referring to the flood because in the year Methuselah died, the flood happened). Lamech means overthrower, a strong young man who is stuck (in despair). Noah means the same shall give us rest.
So if you take each name and it’s meaning you will come up with this:
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.
To form all of this into a sentence: Humanity was appointed to mortality and sorrow (due to sin), but the blessed God shall come down and teach that His death shall bring the despairing rest and comfort.
That is the gospel, written in the book of Genesis, long before the rest of the books of the bible — long before the rest of the prophecies. How could anyone have known this? The writer of Genesis would not have known about Jesus. But because of the guiding and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, these men were given these names, and their lineage given in this chapter tell every reader what the whole story is about.
There are references in the old testament to the awaited Messiah. These references are usually called prophecies. While the first prophecy about Jesus would be Genesis 3:15, also known as the proto-evangelium or the first gospel. Here in Genesis 5 could be the second prophecy referring to Christ. And while both references are encoded, this one is more put into laymen’s terms as opposed to the first one, when decoded. This sets up and adds to the integrity of the scripture as a whole. All 66 books are a vital piece to the story and all 66 books point to one person, Jesus Christ.
Macdonald, William, and Arthur L Farstad. Believer’s Bible Commentary. Nashville, Tennessee, Thomas Nelson, 2016, pp. 1997–2028.
Scott, Brad. “Kenan — the WildBranch Ministry.” www.wildbranch.org, http://www.wildbranch.org/teachings/word-studies/88kenan.html. Accessed 20 Mar. 2023.
Douglas, J. D., et al. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Zondervan, 2011.
314Apologia 