Genealogies? Yes!

Genealogies. You know they are important---especially a certain one that allows you to see the line of Christ and shows you the faithfulness of God through each generation---but if you're anything like me you tend to skim over the long lists of them when it comes to reading them in the Bible.

The problem is, I never realized before how amazing genealogies could be...but now that I know I thought I'd share it with you all, in case you haven't learned it either. I learned this from the book "The Six Days of Genesis" by Paul F. Taylor which I've been reading for one of my classes and the following is what I found to be so extremely fascinating.

"We are probably by now used to the idea that Hebrew names have a meaning. However, the meaning of the names of the ten patriarchs provides a very interesting insight into the prediluvian world.

Adam, means "Man"

Seth means "Appointed"

Enosh means "Mortal"

Kenan means "Sorrow"

Mahalalel means "The God Who is to be Praised"

Jared means "Shall Come Down"

Enoch mean "Teaching"

Methusaleh means "His Death shall Bring"

Lamech means "Despairing"

Noah means "Comfort or Rest"

There is a passage in the Bible that contains all these names, one after the other. It is 1 Chronicles 1:1-3 'Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methusaleh, Lamech, Noah.'

Now that we know the meanings, this passage can be read 'Man is appointed mortal sorrow, but the God who is to be praised shall come down, teaching that His death shall bring the despairing rest.'"

Wow!

It's incredible to see that even in the very names of these men "a dramatic statement of the gospel" was clearly spelled out.

"God gave us hope right from the very beginning."

I don't know about you, but that just gave me a tiny glimpse of the great love and care of my God. It was a reminder that His plans are from before the beginning of time and He may or may not choose to reveal them to us in His grace, but ultimately He WILL bring them to pass.