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15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared. 16 After he begot Jared, Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years, and had 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 begot Enoch. 19 After he begot Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years, and had 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 begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. 25 Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and begot Lamech. 26 After he begot Lamech, Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years, and had 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 had a son. 29 And he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.” 30 After he begot Noah, Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years, and had sons and daughters. 31 So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years; and he died. 32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth. ~ Genesis 5:15-32
Today, we return to our study of the genealogy found in Genesis 5. In our last study of this chapter we considered the meaning of the first five names of the ten names given therein. Today, we will consider the last five names and their meaning. Then we will marvel at the message that comes forth.
In v.15-20 of today's passage we read, "15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared. 16 After he begot Jared, Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years, and had 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 begot Enoch. 19 After he begot Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 20 So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died."
Mahalalel was the father of Jared whose name means "came down." Then Jared begot Enoch whose name meant "teaching." So, to this point we have considered the meaning of seven names and the message that comes out of the meaning of these seven names is: "Man (was) appointed mortal sorrow (but) the blessed God came down teaching..."
In Hebrew, the name Methuselah means "his death shall bring judgment." When we put the meaning of Methuselah with the previous five names we end up with "Man (was) appointed mortal sorrow (but) the blessed God came down teaching his death shall bring."
In v.21-24 of today's passage we read, "21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."
Enoch is mentioned more in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. There are five passages altogether in the Bible that mention Enoch. Two of them are in genealogies. There are three verses in the Old Testament and two verses in the New Testament that mention this man who never died. When we count the words used for Enoch, 51 words in the Old Testament speak of him, while 94 words are used of him in the New Testament. So more is written about this man in the New Testament than is written in the Old Testament.
In Hebrews 11 we read of Enoch: "By faith Enoch was taken away so he did not see death." Enoch was raptured. Interestingly, the Bible predicts that there will yet be another event like this, but this time many more lives will be raptured. In 1 Thessalonians 4:17 we read: "Then they who are alive, shall be caught up together into the clouds with them who remain, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we be ever with the Lord."
Enoch walked with God which means he went in the same direction God went. God is forever moving in human history. The man or woman who walks with God knows which way God is going and goes the same way. In walking with God, we are defined by God because as we move with Him, we live and move according to His definitions of things.
In Amos 3:3 we read, "Except two be in agreement, how can they walk together?" To walk with God, we must be in agreement with Him. For three hundred years Enoch walked with God, and this is the same activity to which we are called. We are told in the New Testament to "walk as children of light" and, we are to "walk in the Spirit."
In v.25-27 of today's passage we read, "25 Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and begot Lamech. 26 After he begot Lamech, Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years, and had sons and daughters. 27 So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died."
Methuselah begot Lamech which means "despairing." And, when we include the meaning of Lamech's name with the previous names we get: "Man (was) appointed mortal sorrow (but) the blessed God came down teaching his death shall bring (the) despairing."
In v.28-32 of today's passage we read, "28 Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and had a son. 29 And he called his name Noah, saying, 'This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.' 30 After he begot Noah, Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years, and had sons and daughters. 31 So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years; and he died. 32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth."
Finally, Lamech had a son named Noah which means "hope." When we put all the meanings together from the ten names we get this message: Man (was) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the blessed God came down teaching His death shall bring the despairing hope.
