Do you like Maths?

Because if you do, I have something for you to count.

This post is inspired by what a brother from Nilai Gospel Chapel shared today.

If you have read Genesis 5, you will know that the whole chapter is basically a genealogy of Adam, all the way to Noah. One of Adam’s descendants was named Enoch. When Enoch was 65 years old, he had his own son, whom he named Methuselah.

Methuselah means ‘his death will bring it’. But what is this “it” that Methuselah’s death will bring? And why did his father give him such an ominous name? Can you imagine raising a child like that? Every time he catches a cold, the whole village would probably panic and worry that he will die, and then “it” will come!

Now, Enoch was a man who walked with God. He was so close to God, that he was the only one in the genealogy who did not experience death – God took him away.

Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

Genesis 5:24

Since he walked with God, the name Methuselah must have come from God. In fact, the “it” that was brought about by Methuselah’s death was the Great Flood during Noah’s time [read Genesis 7]. The year that Methuselah died was the year that the whole earth was flooded. Methuselah is the longest living man in records – he lived 969 years! And the floods came exactly 969 years after his birth.

Don’t believe this? Well, do the maths!

²¹ When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.

²⁵ When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech.

²⁷Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.

²⁸ When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. ²⁹ He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.”

⁶ Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.

Genesis 5:21, 25, 27, 28 & Genesis 7:6

God was using Enoch to warn the people of the Great Flood that would befall them. Amazing, eh?

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Here’s another one for you (this time without the maths):

Earlier, I mentioned that Genesis 5 is a genealogy from Adam to Noah. If you didn’t know, all those names are actually Hebrew names. And like your name and my name, they have their own meaning.

Now I will tell you what the names of Adam’s descendants are, and their meanings, according to the order of their birth.

1. Adam – Man
2. Seth – Appointed
3. Enosh – Mortal
4. Kenan – Sorrow
5. Mahalalel – The Blessed God
6. Jared – Shall Come Down
7. Enoch – Teaching
8. Methuselah – His Death Shall Bring
9. Lamech – The Despairing
10. Noah – Rest, or Comfort

Now, lets string the meanings of the names together in a sentence:

Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down, teaching. His death shall bring the despairing rest (or comfort).

And that is what the Christian Gospel is about! Long before the prophets even wrote about it, God had already set in motion His divine plan to send his Son, Jesus, to die for us, that we may attain rest and eternal life in Him!

This just goes to show just how much God really does love us. He was well aware of the suffering that we go through everyday, and now through Christ Jesus, we can come to the Father and just lay down our burdens before Him. Let him take care of it all.

²⁷ “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. ²⁸ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! ²⁹ And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰ For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹ But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Luke 12:27-31

 

Hope you were blessed! =)