Sometimes when I am not focused on a particular verse or chapter I go back to the beginning and meditate on how it all began. Today was no exception as I enjoyed my first cup of coffee. I began in Gen 5, which I have not paid a lot of attention to since I wrote The Way of Enoch series. As I began to scan the “generations of Adam” the names took me back to Enoch and then the Holy Spirit said something the brought me up short… It’s bigger than that. I noted that in the margins of my bible I had written the meaning of the names in the generations of Adam and all of a sudden they took on a whole new meaning.
The generations from Adam to Noah comprised 126 years: Adam lived to be 930 years old and Noah was born in 1056, the difference being 126 years. And in those 126 years there were 10 men who were used collectively by God to set forth the gospel. Consider each of their names:
Adam – Man- Seth – Appointed
- Enosh – Subject to Death
- Mahalael – From the Presence of God; The Praise of God
- Jared – One Comes Down; He Who Descends
- Enoch – Dedicated; Teacher
- Methuselah – Dying He Shall Send
- Lamech – To the Poor Being Restored
- Noah – Comfort
When I put those in order I was amazed to see the gospel message revealed by God over 1056 years: Man was appointed subject to death, sorrowful, from the presence of God. One comes down (descends) who is dedicated and in dying he shall send to the poor being destroyed, comfort.
How sad that there are many in the body of Christ that still do not consider the Bible the Inerrant Word of God, carrying the full authority of God; without error because it is self-authenticated by God. The Word of God governs our confidence in the truth of the gospel and our faith in Christ. For those who believe otherwise, this is just one of untold examples of the gospel revealed in His Word. Think back to Adam’s fall in the Garden:
Gen 3:14-15 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
As we all know, this speaks directly to the mystery of salvation… woman’s seed (a virgin because women do not have “seed”). Satan will only bruise Jesus on the cross as He died to put away sin by His sacrifice, destroying Satan’s power and lordship over man, turning them from Satan’s power to the Power of God…
Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
How awesome is our God! His plan was fully complete at the very outset and He has not deviated from it, even in the smallest detail. And here we have a perfect example of how He has slowly revealed His plan… Adam to Noah… year 1 to year 1056.
From the darkness of man being appointed to death to comfort in faith in Christ and the forgiveness of sin!