The Genesis Genealogies. Abraham Park

5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam.

      The “book of the generations” in Genesis 5:1 signifies “a record of family history,” “lineage dating back to the ancestors,” “a record of people’s bloodline,” and “an order of academic or philosophical system.” The word “book”) can also be translated as “writing,” “letter,” or “scroll.” Other genealogies are simply but the genealogy in Genesis 5 is

      This difference is significant: Adam’s genealogy in Genesis 5 is neither a simple list of names nor a mere appendix. It contains a significant amount of content, enough to be considered a complete book in and of itself. From the perspective of God’s redemptive history, it holds great covenantal value, similar to a legally binding document or treaty.

      The term sepher toledoth, that appears in the genealogy of the first man, Adam (Gen 5:1), appears also (in Greek) in the genealogy of the second man, Jesus Christ, in Matthew 1 (1 Cor 15:45–47).

      Matthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

      Again, the terms used in Genesis 5:1 is not just toledoth (“generations”); it is sepher toledoth (“book of generations”). Likewise in Matthew 1, it is not just genesis (“genealogy”); it is biblos geneseos (“book of genealogies”).

      The genealogies of the first man (Gen 5:1) and the second man (Matt 1:1) both use the modifying word “book”: in Hebrew, (biblos) in Greek. The emphasis on “book” implies that the genealogy in Matthew 1, like the genealogy in Genesis 5, contains enough content to be considered a complete book on its own.

      It is important to note that only the most crucial information is compressed into the genealogies. The genealogies replace an immeasurable amount of writing usually necessary to record a detailed narrative. This narrative would have recorded all of the great works that each patriarch performed in his generation as he battled against the world’s wickedness (Ps 40:5; 71:15–16; 139:16–18; Heb 11:32).

      John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which were written.

      What was the common message of these patriarchs (representatives) from each generation? What inspired them to continue their solitary struggle? It was the fulfillment of God’s administration to save all mankind. For this purpose, the godly descendants of Seth and Shem continued faithfully to run their respective legs in the course of redemptive history and pass down the baton to the succeeding generations even through the tears, the agony, the loneliness, and the pain of being forsaken by the world.

      The genealogies are full of the traces left behind by the godly descendants who fought the good fight until the coming of the promised seed. As we delve deeper into the study of the Genesis genealogies, we will be able to sense the magnitude of God’s abundant grace and love. Ultimately, it was His fervent zeal that achieved salvation for mankind through the incarnation of Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross.

      4. The Method of Studying the Genesis Genealogies

      The ten genealogies in Genesis are not all recorded in the same format. Some genealogies are recorded twice, and some are written in simple story format. The genealogy of Seth in Genesis 5 and the genealogy of Shem in Genesis 11 are written in the most typical genealogy format, including the details of the sons’ names and ages. In this book, we will study the genealogies of Cain’s line in Genesis 4, of Seth’s in Genesis 5, and of Shem’s in Genesis 11 with a focus on the factors listed below.

      (1) The meaning of the names

      A name distinguishes a person, place, or thing. A person’s name not only validates his or her existence (Gen 2:19), but also connotes that person’s character and personality. The greater significance of a name lies, however, in the fact that it not only follows a person throughout life, but also remains on earth even after death. For example, the name Jacob means “one who takes by the heel” or “deceiver” and his new name Israel means “striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” This demonstrates that Jacob became a new person with a new character by receiving a new name.

      The faith of the parents greatly influences the naming of a child. A name does not just describe the child; it reveals the parents’ hopes and expectations for the child, and it provides insight into the situation of the times. Thus, by studying someone’s name, it is possible to obtain an extensive amount of information about that person and the times in which he or she was living.

      For the godly patriarchs, who were men of prayer, assigning names to their sons was a solemn matter. The names most likely reflected their understanding of God’s will and His desire toward their generation.

      Although there may be many children in a family, the child who brings honor to the parental name is the pride of that family. Similarly, the names of the people specially listed in the genealogies of the godly offspring have not faded away even until now. Likewise, the names in the genealogies not only reflect the circumstances of the times, but also contain God’s work of redemption that penetrates through the times. Therefore, it is meaningful to explore carefully the redemptive significance and the origin of the names in Adam’s genealogy, especially in the line of Seth.

      (2) Life span—birth and death

      Another basic factor in the study of the genealogies is life span: when the patriarchs were born, how long they lived, and when they died. A person’s life span reflects the historical circumstances surrounding his or her time. Therefore, it is necessary to examine how religious and social experiences of the different times may have affected each person’s life span.

      (3) Relationships with preceding and succeeding generations

      It is also crucial to know where each person lived within the historical timeline because it helps us to understand the person’s relationship with the preceding and succeeding generations. It also aids in determining which other patriarchs were his contemporaries. Ultimately, we can discover the path and method through which God’s administration for redemption was delivered down from the older generations to the younger generations.

      Of special importance is the length of time during which Adam and Noah—the first and second ancestors of mankind—lived contemporaneously with their direct descendants. This will bring to light many important facts that once had been unknown and will lead us to a better understanding of God’s redemptive providence. In summary, understanding the patriarchs’ relationship with their preceding and succeeding generations through a close study of their births and life spans will confirm that even the years recorded within these genealogies progressively reveal the Messiah, who would come as the promised seed of the woman (Gen 3:15).

      (4) Progressive revelation of the coming of the Messiah

      The Bible progressively reveals Jesus Christ (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39, 45–47; Heb 1:1–3). The format of the genealogies and the meanings of the recorded names contain the hope and anticipation of how the redemptive promise would unfold with each successive generation and eventually be fulfilled through Jesus Christ. Discovering this will greatly broaden our perspective of the flow of redemptive history. For example, Adam is connected to Noah through Enoch and Methuselah. Noah is connected to Abraham through Shem and Eber. In their respective times, Adam and Noah play the role of