We often use the term, “the gospel” or the “good news” to talk about God’s message of salvation.
My question to you is, where is the first place that it appears in the Bible? The answer may surprise you.
The Bible is the most remarkable document ever created. It is not simply 66 books penned by 40 authors over thousands of years. 2nd Timothy 3:16 tells us that “All Scripture is God-breathed…” One of our great comforts is that not only do we believe in the 39 books of the Old Testament because the Lord Jesus Christ affirmed the Old Testament. But we also believe in the New Testament because those 27 books written by His apostles were in fact authorized by the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible as an integrated whole bares evidence of God’s supernatural engineering in every detail. As an example, what other religious book do you know that can predict the future as accurately as the Bible can? I mean, in so many instances to the exact and precise date and detail!
It is literally a supernaturally designed wealth of knowledge….and a messaging system far more advanced that any technology man could produce. You might ask, “what do you mean by that?”
Let me share with you a remarkable example of this.
Genesis, Chapter 5. How many of you can recall a single detail about Genesis 5 without looking?
Well, it is the genealogy of Adam through Noah and I bet you that you and I have skimmed over this chapter many times without any deep study. Often times, the meaning of proper names lends great insight and understanding to the story or scenario of any reading in the Bible. Here are some examples:
Isaiah –“Jehovah saves” or “The Lord saves”
Abraham- “Father of many” or “Father of multitude”
Jesus’ name is the root of Joshua which means “The Lord saves.”
And in the first chapter of Matthew the Lord spoke to Joseph just before His birth in a dream and told him that “they will call Him Immanuel-which means, ‘God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
Well let’s get back to Genesis 5, I want you to take a look at these names……and their meanings. And then let’s examine it and put it together.
Adam. Adam’s name means “man.” As the first man that seems straight forward.
Seth. Adam’s son was Seth, which means “appointed.”
Enosh. Seth’s son was Enosh which means “mortal, frail, or miserable.”
Kenan. Enosh’s son was Kenan, which means “sorrow.”
Mahalalel. Kenan’s son was Mahalalel which means “blessed or praise.” “El” means God.
Combined, his name means “Blessed God.”
Jared. Mahalalel’s son was Jared, which comes from root verb “yaradh”- “shall come down.”
Enoch. Jared’s son was named Enoch, which means “teaching, or commencement”
Methuselah. Enoch’s son Methuselah, comes from two words. Muth means “death”, shalach “to bring”
Combined, Methuselah’s name means “his death shall bring”
Lamech. Methuselah’s son was Lamech, a root still evident today “lament(ation)”
Lamech means “despairing.”
Noah. Lamech’s son is Noah which is derived from “nacham” –“to bring relief, comfort”
Put It All Together:
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
“Man is appointed mortal sorrow; but the Blessed God shall come down teaching that His death shall bring the despairing rest or comfort.”
HERE IS THE GOSPEL MESSAGE HIDDEN WITHIN THE GENEALOGY IN GENESIS!
In any other order it would not make sense. It demonstrates in the earliest chapters of the Book of Genesis that God had already laid out His plan of redemption for the predicament or problem with sin that mankind suffered. It is a love story, written in blood on a wooden cross which was erected in Judea almost 2,000 years ago. You were never an afterthought to God. He has always had His eyes upon you, even before you were formed in your mother’s womb!
This also completely undermines any notion that God’s plan of redemption was simply a knee-jerk reaction to the surprise of Adam’s failure. Furthermore, it makes laughable any speculation that Jewish rabbis contrived or determined to conceal the Christian gospel in its earliest chapters. When did God first begin His work in you? Ephesians 1:4 tells us it was literally “before the foundation of the world!”
There is nothing more precious than your Bible, it is the perfect Word of God!
I first learned this lesson in a Bible study from Dr. Chuck Missler, a prominent Bible scholar and ministry leader who recently went home to be with the Lord. I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I did.