The Great Consummation – Genesis 5

This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.

Another genealogy. Be still our beating hearts.

But this one’s a bit different. The previous genealogy in the second half of chapter 4 was meant to be a perfect seven generations, but it ended up in sin and murder. So now we start again with Seth and Enosh and the “signs and symbols” of salvation are laid out in full.

Now arguably some will dispute the interpretations of the names based on the Hebrew roots, but there is a strong pattern and interesting connections. Enoch is translated into heaven just before his son is named, so we have a man in heaven and then “His Death Shall Bring”. Likewise, though Lamech’s name is “Despairing”, he is revealed as living for 777 years (three sevens, the numbers of God and Perfection) just before we move onto his son, Noah, whose name means “Rest” and whose age isn’t given here. It’s not that Noah is ascribed immortality, it’s rather that his age doesn’t matter because he is the symbol of the perfect Sabbath that all who are in Christ share.

The other interesting thing about this procreative line is that the only mentions are of men, not women. Though the promise of the future serpent head crusher is given to the woman Eve, none of these Patriarchs are described as sons of women. Men begat men, and whilst there are women clearly involved they don’t get a look in. Despite these men signifiying the work of Christ to come, he himself is not yet here.