Today we will be looking at a very interesting topic as the Lord gives us grace. Let’s see all of the prophetic pattern of the bible which indicate to us that the number 120 deals with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There were 120 priests blowing trumpets at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, when the Spirit of God filled that Temple (2 Chronicles 5:12). There were 120 disciples in the upper room when the spirit came to human temples (Acts 1:15). The most significant pattern of all is seen in the story of Noah. But before studying Noah, we must look at the story of the patriarchs that preceded him. This will put the story of Noah into its proper context.
The prophetic names of the patriarchs
In Genesis 2:7 the bible tells us that God formed Adam out of “the dust of the ground”. The word “Ground” is from the Hebrew word Adama, and Adam was named after the ground from whence he was taken (Gen.3:19). His descendants were named after specific circumstances or events, which were of doubt significant to them in their person lives, but which are not recorded. Nonetheless, God planned all things so that their names would prophesy of greater events in the overall Plan of God.
Cain and Abel were the first two sons of Adam and Eve. But when Cain murdered Abel, Adam disinherited Cain from carrying the birthright to rule the earth under the Kingdom mandate. Thus, their third son, Seth, became the birthright holder. His name means “to place, or replace”, because he was placed in the position of the birthright holder in place of Cain or Abel.
Seth’s son was named Enos, or Enosh, which is one of the biblical words later translated “man”. It literally means “frailty, or frail flesh”. In later usage it can be referred to mankind with a special emphasis on human nature or weakness.
Enos has a son named Cainan, not to be confused with the son of Ham named Canaan. Cainan (or Kenan) means “house, a fixed possession”, as distinct from a tent, which is movable. Caiman’s son was named Mahalaleel, which means “the praise of God”. Mahalaeel’s son, Jared, means “descent”.
Jared’s son, Enoch, means “teaching, initiation”. Enoch was obviously a very effective teacher. We would expect this, since He walked with God. This implies that he received much divine revelation which he taught the people of his day.
Enoch’s son was Methuselah, whose name means “when he is dead, it shall be sent” (see Bullinger’s notes on Gen. 5:21 in the companion Bible). , we can see how his name was prophetic about the flood that came upon the earth. The Knowledge of the flood apparently had been revealed to Enoch long before the birth of Noah. He also knew by revelation that Methuselah’s life would be the time table for the flood. One can only imagine what might have transpired between God and Enoch regarding this revelation. Perhaps Enoch prayed that his son would not be killed by the judgment of the flood. At any rate, methuselah became a prophecy of the flood and saw its timing but he died at the age of 969.
Methuselan’s son, Lamech, means” powerful, or powerful one”. Methuselah outlived his son, for Lamech died at the age of 777, just five years before the flood.
Lamech’s son was Noah. He represents the culmination of this entire revelation of the Holy spirit. Noah means “rest”, but the bible has a strange explanation for his name. it say in
“And he called his name Noah, saying, this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed,” we see this verse taking us full circle back to Adam and the curse on the ground. But why is the word “comfort” used, rather than “rest”?(Genesis 5:29)
The answer is found in the book of Jasher. In its account of Noah’s birth.
And the wife of Lamech conceived and bare him a son at that time, at the revolution of the year. And Methuselah called his name Noah, saying, the earth was in his days at test and free from corruption, and Lamech his father called his name Menachem, saying, this one shall comfort us in our works and miserable toil earth, which God had cursedJasher 4: 13-14.
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In other words, Noah had two names, both of which were prophetic. Grandpa Methuselah called him Noah, but his father Lamech called him Menachem. The Biblical account simply combine the two into a single verse, leaving out the details, but telling us his prophetic significance. If we put all these together, they form a prophecy that summarise the entire plan of God for the Earth.
Earthly man was placed in frail flesh as his houses; but the praise of God (Jesus) will descend to teach (or initiate something); when he is dead, it shall be sent – the powerful one, the comforter.
One might also add that in the coming of the comforter, men could enter into his Rest. Thus, the significance of Noah’s two names is manifest. He is a type of the comforter (“Menachem”), who leads us into God’s rest (“Noah”). Please kindly signup for more of this teaching as it continues in series, may the Lord give us understanding. Shalom!
