Tag Archives: Genesis 5

What’s in a Name?

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Mahershalalhashbaz—how would you like to have that name?

The prophet Isaiah and his wife choose this name for their baby boy. It means “Quick-To-The-Plunder-Swift-To-The-Spoil.” The birth of this son was part of a prophecy. Before the little guy could say “Mama” or “Dada,” Assyria was predicted to invade and punish Damascus and Samaria. The army from the north would be Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. (Isaiah 8)

I hope they called him Baz for short.

Names are important. It’s one of the biggest decisions parents make at the birth of a child. PB and I thought long and hard when picking our kids’ names. We gave each one a middle name that had family connections, but also sounded good should they become famous. Katie Sims. Samuel Bradley. Anna Somers. Jacob Daniel. (Not to be confused with Jack Daniels.)

Names in the Bible always mean something.
Nowhere is that more clear than in the first pages of Genesis.

The first ten generations that would become Jesus’ line of ancestry are listed in Genesis 5. Whoo-boy. In what looks like a boring list of weird names, there is a message that’s just too good to miss. Get ready for goosebumps.*

Here’s the list of generations in the family tree:

  1. Adam—means “human” or “man”
  2. Seth—means “appointed”
  3. Enosh—means “mortal”
  4. Kenan—means “sorrow”
  5. Mahalalel—means “the blessed God”
  6. Jared—means “shall come down”
  7. Enoch—means “teaching”
  8. Methuselah—means “his death shall bring”
  9. Lamech—means “the despairing”
  10. Noah—means “relief” or “comfort”

Now string it all together.

Man is appointed to mortal sorrow but the blessed God shall come down teaching. His death shall bring the despairing relief and comfort.

That’s not a coincidence.
That’s Jesus, right there in Genesis 5.
That’s pretty wonderful.

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”
Psalm 119:18

*Thanks to “Bible Bookclub Podcast” for this insight.

Begats

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Matthew and Sarah begat Matthew II.

Matthew II and Mary begat Richard.

Richard and Ann begat Adolphus.

Adolphus and Amelia begat Elmer.

Elmer and Ada begat Roger.

Roger and Elinor begat ME!

This is the account of my family line.
These were real people who lived real lives in the real world.

I love Herman’s mustache and Margaret’s no-nonsense look.
I like the twinkle in John’s eyes and Elizabeth’s fancy hat.

If one of these couples had not met and married,
the whole family tree would come tumbling down.

For example, in the mid 1800’s in Cornwall, England, Matthew and Mary took their 9 children to the beach for a Sunday picnic. As it happened, James and Betsy and their 14 children were also at the beach that day. Out of that chance meeting on the rocky shores of Cornwall, four of Matthew and Mary’s kids married four of James and Betsy’s kids.

Just think, if Richard or Ann hadn’t felt like going to the beach that day, Ann would never have fallen for Richard’s wavy hair and Richard wouldn’t have noticed Ann’s dark, mysterious eyes.

Maybe my love for family trees is the reason why I never skip the genealogy chapters in the Bible. Genesis 5:1 says, “This is the written account of Adam’s line.”

Adam begat Seth, who begat Enosh, who begat Kenan, who begat Mahalalel, who begat Jared, who begat Enoch, who begat Methuselah, who begat Lamech who begat Noah. This may seem like a yawner, but there is treasure galore in this chapter.

These were real people who lived real lives in the real world.
This line of begats would one day lead to Jesus—
the snake head-crusher,
the only begotten Son,
the second Adam,
the Messiah.