What's in a Name?

Some scholars of biblical studies have noted the ten generations from Adam to Noah, and the meaning of their names seem to be hiding a celestial message of sorts. While other biblical commentators brush it off as 'nonsense', many theologians question the significance of the cryptic story that seems to unfold as you read the name meanings in chronological order. It is a rather remarkable theory. 

Name                                                                                                        Meaning of Name

Adam --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- man
Seth -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  appointed
Enosh -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  mortal
Kenan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sorrow
Mahalalel --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- blessed God
Jared -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- shall come down
Enoch ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- teaching
Methusalah -------------------------------------------------------------------- his death shall bring
Lamech -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  despairing
Noah ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- rest

In reading the name meanings, the following sentences of doom emerge, "Man appointed mortal sorrow. Blessed God shall come down teaching. His death shall bring despairing rest."  Or it certainly appears a dark message of doom is hidden in the name meanings? Categorically, it seems the cryptic words indeed held a dire warning for the Pre-Flood world. 

While not many scholars have made mention of the name meanings from Noah to Jesus, this article will touch upon that subject and will include the known wives of these famous men mentioned in the Bible. Will there be a parallel to the names and their meanings like the first ten generations [of mankind] suggested to imply?

The following timeline of the patriarchs and matriarchs are based on the genealogy found in Matthew 1:1-16, which most biblical scholars believe is the lineage of Joseph, Jesus' earthly father.

Name                                                                                                        Meaning of Name

Abram ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ high father 

[Abraham] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- many, multitude

      Sarai -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- my princess

     [Sarah] -----------------------------------------------------------  lady, princess, noblewoman

Isaac ----------------------------------------------------------------- he will laugh, he will rejoice

      Rebekeh -------------------------------------------------------------------------- join, tie, snare

Jacob -------------------------------------------------------------  holder of the heel or supplanter

[Israel] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- God contended

      Leah ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- weary 

Judah -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- praise

      Daughter of Shua ---------------------------------------------------------------- Crying, saving

Perez ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ breach, burst forth

      Tamar-------------------------------------------------------------------- date palm or palm tree

Hezron ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- court or enclosure

Ram -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  exalted

Amminadab --------------------------------------------- my people/kinsman is generous/noble

Nahshon ----------------------------------------------------------- that foretells, that conjectures 

       Rehab ------------------------------------------------------------------ to be wide or spacious

Boaz ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- swiftness 

       Ruth ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- friend

Obed ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- servant, worshipper

Jesse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- gift

       Nitzevet (per the Talmud) ----------------------------------------------------- sound, healthy

David ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- beloved

       Bathsheba ----------------------------------------------------------------- daughter of the oath

Solomon --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- peace

       Naamah --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- pleasant

Rehoboam ------------------------------------------------------------------  he enlarges the people

       Maacah -------------------------------------------------------- pressed down, worn, fastened

Abijah -------------------------------------------------------------------------- my father is Yahweh

       Annas -------------------------------------------------------------- One who answers; humble

Asa --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- healer

       Azubah --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- desolation

Jehoshaphat --------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahweh has judged

Joram -----------------------------------------------------------------------------  Jehovah is exalted

Uzziah ------------------------------------------------------------------------- my power is Yahweh

       Jerusha --------------------------------------------------- banished, possession, inheritance

Jotham ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahweh is upright

Ahaz ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- has held

       Abijah ------------------------------------------------------------------- the Lord is my father

Hezekiah ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahweh strengthens

       Hephzibah -------------------------------------------------------------------- she is my delight

Manasseh -------------------------------------------------------------------------- causing to forget

       Meshullemeth ------------------------------------------------------- to be unbroken or whole

Amon -------------------------------------------------------------- secret; faithful; roaring stream

       Jedidah -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  beloved

Josiah ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahweh supports

       Zebudah -------------------------------------------------------------------- endowed, endowing

Jeconiah -------------------------------------------------------------------- established by Yahweh

Shealtiel ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have asked of God

Here it is suggested by some scholars that Shealtiel died childless; his brother, Pedaiah, married Shealtiel's widow, hence the biological father of Zerrubabel is [Pedaiah] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  redemption of the Lord

Zerubbabel -------------------------------------------------------------------------- seed of Babylon

Abiud -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Father of praise

Eliakim -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- God rises 

Azor ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- resurrection of God 

Zadok ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  righteous

Achim --------------------------------------------------------------- he whom Jehovah has set up

Eliud ------------------------------------------------------- God is grandeur or God is my praise

Eleazar ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- God has helped

Matthan ------------------------------------------------------------------- gift, or hope, of the Lord

      Esther (per Sextus Julius Africanus) ----------------------------------------------------- star 

Jacob-------------------------------------------------------------- holder of the heel or supplanter

Joseph ------------------------------------------------------------- may Jehovah add/give increase

      Mary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- wished-for child

Jesus (Yeshua) ----------------------------------------------------------------- to rescue; to deliver 

who is called Christ -------------------------------------------------------------- the anointed one 
and Emmanuel ------------------------------------------------------------------------- God with us  

"So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations." ~ Matthew 1:17

Remarkably, it appears as if another celestial message develops throughout the name meanings listed in the Post-Flood world of the ancient patriarchs and matriarchs. From Abram to Perez the following sentences materialize, "[The] high father of many multitudes will laugh, he will rejoice.  [He will be a] supplanter; God contended. [Give] praise, [let it] burst forth." Likewise from Sarai to Tamar, "[His wife is a] princess and noblewoman. [She will] join, tie and snare. [Making] weary; crying. [Let us] save [the] palm tree." Palm trees were mentioned several places within the Bible, and its branches are usually symbols of victory and overcoming hardship. Whether you read the male and female names separately or read them consecutively, a story definitely unfolds that presents promises, warnings and instruction. 

"the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people." Colossians 1:26 (NIV)

     

Birth Pains: The Beginning of Sorrows

"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows." ~ Mark 13:8

It is quite certain the first part of this particular bible verse is coming to fruition as there is so much unrest around the world today. Especially in the Middle East where fighting has been going on for decades (2 Chronicles 15:5). Then there is the North Korean conflict that is worrying many leaders around the world. That Kim Yong Un is threatening to "push the nuclear button" has many dignitaries scrambling to find a peaceful solution. 

And ISIS is one the most dominant renegade factions in the world today, killing anyone who gets in their way, including women and children (Isaiah 59:8). Even countries, such as America, France and Argentina are trying to find solutions to the civil unrest that is uprising in their nations. 

The Christian Bible states that during the End Times there will be much turmoil in the world and Earth will be a testament to the events in the form of Mother Nature herself. We have wildfires spreading their destruction, earthquakes rumbling all around the globe, unprecentented hurricanes tearing up coastal cities and volcanoes that had lain dormant for hundreds of years coming to life. The prophets of the Old Testament were quite precise when talking about earthquakes during the End Times (Isaiah 24:18-20; Ezekiel 38:19,20; Joel 2:10(?); 3:16; Amos 9:5; Zechariah 14:4). The Roman Catholic priest, Padre Pio (who was born Francesco Forgione), was also quoted as stating that during the End Times the seasons would not know one another.

“You will know when that time is approaching because the seasons will change so the only way you will know the seasons is by the leaves on the trees.” ~ Padre Pio

This quote comes from a translation of a copy of a personal letter written by Padre Pio and addressed to the Commission of Heroldsbach appointed by the Vatican that testifies to the truth and reality of these revelations on the "Three Days of Darkness" given by the Lord Creator to Padre Pio, a Capuchin priest who bore the stigmata.  

"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." ~ Matthew 24:7-8 

In the last decade alone, famine has become a major concern around the globe like has never been seen before. (Jeremiah 8:13) According to a United Nations report conducted in 2017 there are over 20 million people suffering from famine, including an estimated 1.4 million children. 

While famine is being experienced in a number of nations around the world, the major countries that are being affected are northern Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen and South Sudan. Sadly, these famines are not being caused by natural disasters like crop failure or droughts, but rather are "man-made" -- the direct result of bloody wars and insurgencies that are raging in these countries. (Ezekiel 30:12)

Among holy scripture, one the most controversial and debated prophetic subjects is Matthew 24, which is also referred to as "The Olivet Discourse". The debate primarily revolves around the timing of the fullfillment of the prophecy. There are some scholars of religion that maintains the prophecies in the Apocalypse have already been fulfilled during the events that surrounded the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. 

Other theologians disagree and believe that Jesus was speaking about the "End Times", which was to happen in mankind's future, not during the dawning of a new epoch (changing from the B.C. era to the A.D. era). Then there are yet other biblical commentators that see some portions of the prophecy as having been fullfilled in 70 A.D. and other sections referring to the "End Times" that are to occur in the future. C.A. Carson, a brilliant biblical scholar, outlines the passage as follows:

vv. 4-14: General prophetic warnings for all of history.  

vv. 15-28: Prophecy concerning the events of 70 A.D. 

vv. 29-31: Prophecy concerning the second coming. 

vv. 32-35: Prophecy concerning the great tribulation. 

vv. 36-44: Timing here is unclear.

Most scholars and theologians of religion find Carson’s outline of the passage both confusing and confused, arguing Jesus meant the passage to be more literal than subjective. Yet this is what prophecy is made of - a race to unravel an understanding of the Creator's meaning of prophetic words. 

Related Topics:

Birth Pains are Increasing

Tracking the Birth Pangs

What the Bible Says About the Beginning of Birth Pains