A Family Tree

The Bible is an integrated design and it is based on a plan. Genesis 5 produces a rather profound demonstration of this in the genealogy of mankind from Adam to Noah. I have given the Hebraic/Aramaic translation of their names.

Adam: Man
Seth: Appointed/Substituted
Enosh: Mortal
Kenan: Sorrow
Mahalalel: Blessed God
Jared: Shall Come Down
Enoch: Teaching
Methuselah: His Death Shall Bring
Lamech: Death and Despairing
Noah: Comfort and Rest

Place these translated words/ideas together in a sentence and it reads as follows:

"Man [was] appointed mortal sorrow [which is death]. Blessed God shall come down teaching His death shall bring lament and despairing [then] comfort and rest."

The list goes on to reveal exactitude about Israel, kingdom, division, etc. but you get the picture.

In other words, Adam's sin brought death into the world. Christ came and taught the truth. He was crucified which brought lamenting and despair but when He was resurrected it brought comfort to those that were dying physically (bodily) and spiritually (in their sin). All that believe in Jesus will have rest in Him, salvation, comfort in eternal life.

The Bible doesn't make this exact analogy with mankind's genealogy (I did). I do not believe this genealogy with its members names meaning what they mean is an accident. Nor do I think they were cognizant of what they were doing when they named these men as such. God did, they did not. Believers know that nothing in the Bible is accidental. It is tragically ironic that genealogies are constructed on trees and because of the aforementioned family tree, Jesus would need to be nailed to a tree.

The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. ~Acts 5:30

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree" ~Galatians 3:13

I am trying not to read something into the text that is not their (eisegesis) but I do not believe it is any accident that Jesus cursed a fig "tree" either. The cursing of the fig tree was judgement being passed figuratively on Israel. At the same time this tree was being cursed other descendants of Adam were plotting Christ's death. This plotting and evil is the direct product of the sin started in the garden with Adam. Christ's death would end the line of sin started with Adam. Christ would be the last Adam. Jesus would bring rest to those that believed in Him. In Israel's place there would be a Kingdom that would produce the fruits of righteousness, holiness and the good the God originally intended before Genesis 3. Adams tree brought sorrow and death, Christ's tree brought salvation, comfort and rest. Although the exact interpretation of Mark 11:14 is judgement on Israel...what is Israel really? They are all descendants of Adam. It isn't just Israel either, it is all of mankind.

"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" ~Romans 3:23"

I would expound on this further but my head is swimming in the implications of this right now.