The first Book of Chronicles opens rather strangely with a list of names, but without any indication of its object. It reads, “Adam, Sheth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah.” These men are to be regarded as the patriarchs of the time before the Flood. An interesting comparison arises when this record is considered in conjunction with archaeological discoveries affecting Babylonia and Assyria.
This is not the opportunity to discuss in full the evidence which exists to demonstrate the fact of the Flood. Yet attention may be drawn to an exhibit in the Ashmelean Museum at Oxford. The monument came from Babylonia and gives the names of ten kings “who reigned before the Flood,” thus indicating that a great deluge took place.
It is interesting to note that, like the ten patriarchs who lived before the Flood, as stated in the Book of Chronicles, the number of the Babylonian kings is ten. The historian, Berosus, begins his account of the early history of Babylonia by giving a list of the ten kings. The last of them is Xisuthros, the Noah of the Babylonian account of the Flood. Berosus gives these rulers incredibly long reigns. In fact the total is 430,000 years. Nevertheless, it is significant that the number of persons mentioned is the same in each case.
The Gospel in early Genesis
When the meanings of the names of the Biblical patriarchs are considered interesting facts emerge. These meanings, in some cases, are rather obscure, but from a joint use of Young’s and Strong’s Concordances, suggestions as regards the Gospel in early Genesis became apparent.
The first name mentioned is, of course, that of Adam. Young gives the definition, “Out of the ground, firm.” Strong gives, “to flush or turn rosy (ruddy) and explains the word “ruddy” as referring to a human being. He adds as a rendering in the Authorized Version, resulting from an idiom, peculiar to the Hebrew, “a man of low degree or a person.” Thus “Adam” may be taken to mean “man,” illustrating human nature and our inheritance from him. By the sin of him and his wife, sin entered into the world and death by sin, so that all men are born to mortality.
Sheth, or Seth, was a substitute as Eve said when he was born, “God hath appointed (set) me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew” (Gen. 4:25). Thus, one meaning of the name is “compensation” (Young) Associated meanings, given by Strong, are “to put.” “to place,” “to set.”
The son of Sheth was Enosh, as he is called in Chronicles. In Genesis, he is named as Enos or Enoch and, in the New Testament, Enoch. In Genesis it is stated that “Enoch walked with God and was not (found): for God took him” (Genesis 5:24) and in the letter to the Hebrews it is recorded, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). Thus he, full of the faith that sanctifies, is an illustration of the communion with God that leads to separation from the world. A further suggestion may be that he represents those who will be alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, and will be caught up to meet the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:13).
The Concordances are agreed in this case that the name Enos means “mortal.”
The fourth patriarch was named Kenan, or Cainan, to be distinguished from Canaan, the son of Noah. Young gives the meaning as “acquired or begotten,” Strong defines it as “fixed.” The mortality of man was fixed by his transgression.
Mahalaleel, according to Young, means, “God is Splendor.” Strong renders it “God is Praise” or “Praise of God.” The Deity’s care for the race which He created for His glory begins to appear.
Both Concordances are agreed that Jared means “a descent” or “descending” The means of recovery from the consequences of sin, is the descent of Divine mercy to men, God manifest in the flesh.
The son of Jared was Henoch. According to Young the name means “tuition” “teacher” or “dedicated.” Strong suggests “dedicated,” “disciplined” or “trained.” God was manifest to men in Jesus, who was taught the wisdom of God, and was disciplined (learning obedience by the things which he suffered) and dedicated to his task.
Young does not attempt to assign a meaning to the name “Methuselah, but Strong suggests “man of a dart,” a “shoot of growth” or “a branch.” Jesus, the branch out of the stem of Jesse” gave his life when he was “pierced” of men.
In the case of Lameth, it is the turn of Strong to be uncertain, but Young suggests “a wild man” or, more acceptably, “an over-thrower.” Jesus was the overthrower of evil.
As regards the name Noah, both Concordances give its meaning as “rest” or “comfort.” His was the faith which testified to the means of salvation for mankind in the ark of safety. Thus he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
In spite of some obscurities, it is possible to link all these meanings together to describe the Gospel as appropriate to the Ante-antediluvian Age.” It may be rendered: —
Man, being set in the position (by sin) of being begotten mortal, the glory of God descended in the consecration (of His son) as the man of the branch, to overthrow (sin ), and bring rest and comfort.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One