The Mystery

The word mystery, according to linguists, is derived from the monosyllable “mu”. In Greek, mystery is “musterion”. The Greeks had many mysteries in their pagan religious rites. The mysteries were secrets, which were revealed only to the initiated. Outsiders could not understand the symbols, but insiders knew their meaning and significance.

Imagine for a moment that you went up to a cow to explain to her something about mathematics. She would look at you and what would she say? “Moo, moo.” What you are saying to me is simply “mu” – musterion – a mystery!

The Apostle Paul used the same Greek word “musterion” known to Socrates and Plato, in the New Testament epistles. Paul believed that mysteries of the gospel were sealed and hidden from the unbelievers. They did not understand the symbols, parables, and prophecies because they could not. It was “mu” to them. But the same symbols, parables, and prophecies were revealed, opened, and understood to those who were spiritually minded, to those who had faith and were guided by the Spirit of God.

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory; which none of the princes of this world knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned,” 1 Cor. 2:7, 8, 10, 14.

What mystery was Paul specifically citing? It was the “mystery of godliness”. It was the plan of redemption hid for ages, but revealed to God’s servants over time. “The mystery of godliness is the pillar and ground of the truth, and without controversy a great thing: God was manifested in the flesh, was justified by the Spirit, seen by angels, and preached among the gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up into glory.” 1 Tim. 3:16; John Wesley’s version (1)

The crux of the mystery of godliness was that “God was manifested in the flesh” – the incarnation, baptism, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the prophesied Messiah. Jesus is the revelation of the mystery of God.

The Will Over Mind

Blaise Pascal, an outstanding physicist, philosopher, and mathematician of the seventeenth century, commented on the figures or mysteries of the Word of God. He wrote, “Why was the coming of Christ prophesied? Why prophesied in an obscure way?… We can understand nothing of God’s works unless we accept the principle that He wished to blind some and enlighten others… God wishes to move the will rather than the mind. Perfect clarity would help the mind and harm the will. (Thus God would) humble their pride.” (2)

Jesus told His hearers that it was not just a matter of the mind or the heart, but a matter of the will. One must be willing to do what God wishes, only then can one understand the mysteries of the Bible. “If any man will do his will, he shall know the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” John 7:17.

Are you willing to do God’s will9 The will is so important in understanding the mysteries of God that the Bible ends with an invitation for the “willing”. “And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev. 22:17.

The Secret Code

A few years ago, Reader’s Digest decided to print a compact Bible without all the unnecessary genealogies. It would be 40% less in volume and it would be free of the cumbersome, multiple, and long family trees. But in so doing, they were removing the secret code God was revealing to humanity over a period of 1000 years and ten generations.

The Bible is unlike any other book. It has many mysteries. Many of them remain hidden, and many have been revealed to those who are willing to do as the Spirit leads them. Genesis 5 presents the “book of the generations of Adam”. Gen. 5:1. The first ten patriarchs in the family tree of Jesus Christ and of every other living human today, presents a secret code.

Those first ten patriarchs keep reappearing throughout the Bible. The last book in the Hebrew Bible is Chronicles. 1 Chron. 1:1-4, lists the ten patriarchs – the secret code: “Adam, Sheth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah.”

Those first ten patriarchs are also cited in the New Testament as part of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. “Noe which was the son of Lamech, which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jarec, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.” Luke 3:36-38.

As each patriarch had a male son and gave him a name, he was unknowingly filling in the blanks of God’s great mystery of godliness. Each son had a very important name, which described as by a secret code the development of the plan of redemption. The names of the first 10 patriarchs were part of the oral Bible transmitted from father to son until the Bible was finally put in writing by Moses.

The native American Indians believed that names were sacred and foretold the life of their bearer. They would often give a name to someone or change their name based on a natural experience. They had names like crazy horse, sitting turtle, wounded owl, etc.
The Hebrews, like many ancient groups, took special care in naming their offspring.

Each Hebrew name meant something important. For example, Abraham means “Father of many nations.” Gen. 17:5. He is the father of Jews, Christians, and Arabs.

Melchizedek means “King of Righteousness.” He was the king of the city of Salem in Abraham’s time and was considered a righteous king. Heb. 7:1,2. Daniel means “God is judge.” The book of Daniel is centered around the great investigative judgment in heaven. Dan. 7:9, 10, 13; 8:14.

Likewise, each Hebrew name of the first ten patriarchs has an English equivalent. In 10 words, or 10 names, like the 10 commandments of God’s law, we have the mystery of God revealed. He took ten generations to reveal this awesome mystery.
This is “the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.” Rom. 16:25,26.

Take Strong’s numbering system and you can easily decipher the Hebrew meaning of each of the names. Here is the meaning of the secret code of Genesis 5:
1. Adam (Strong’s no. 120) means “humanity or mankind.” Gen. 2:23.
2. Seth (Strong’s no. 8352) means “placed” or substituted. Gen. 4:25.
3. Enosh (Strong’s no. 583) means “misery”. Gen. 4:26.
4. Kenan (Strong’s no. 7018) means “fixed”.
5. Mahalaleel (Strong’s no. 4111) means “praised God”.
6. Jered (Strong’s no. 3382) means “descended”.
7. Henoch (Strong’s no. 2585) means “discipline”.
8. Methuselah (Strong’s no. 4968) means “pierced man”.
9. Lamech (Strong’s no. 3929) means “fallen”.
10. Noah (Strong’s no. 5146) means “rest or comfort”. Gen. 5:29. (3)

Thus if we join each of the 10 names listed above, we form a paragraph which says:
“(As a result of sin), humanity (was) placed (in) misery fixed, (so the) praised God descended (to a life of) discipline, (and became a) pierced man, (so that the) fallen (might have) rest.”

Because of sin, humanity was inescapably miserable, but God in the person of Jesus Christ descended and lived a life of discipline and was finally pierced on the cross, so that fallen humanity might have true peace and rest.

Jesus said that those who are lukewarm Christians are “miserable”. Rev. 3:17. Paul alludes to the misery of the convinced but unconverted Christians by exclaiming, “O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Rom. 7:24; Reina Valera version. Sin has made humanity miserable – just consider the amount of suffering, pain and tears shed because of disease, divorce, disability, and death. As the code stated, because of Adam’s sin, humanity—without God—was to be bound in a life of misery and wretchedness.

But God purposed in His perfect will to send His son Jesus. “Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in the fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name… And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:5-9, 11. As the code predicted, Jesus, being God, descended from heaven to redeem us and for this He is to be praised eternally.

Jesus in His life on earth had to learn to live a disciplined life. “Who in the days of His flesh… though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey Him.” Heb. 5:7-9. As the code predicted, Jesus lived a life of discipline and obedience.

While on the cross of Calvary, Jesus was pierced on His side. Immediately, water and blood issued out and sprinkled the earth as if symbolically stating that by His death, He was redeeming not only humanity, but planet earth. John, who was a witness, wrote concerning this event: “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.” John 19:34. As the code predicted, Jesus was a pierced man.

Jesus offers all men salvation and rest from the works of the flesh, slavery of sin, and tyranny of vice. He says, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28. As the code predicted, Jesus is the way to find true rest – physically, mentally, and spiritually. A Proof of God’s Omniscience

“The Word of God, like the character of its divine Author, presents mysteries that can never be fully comprehended by finite beings. The entrance of sin into the world, the incarnation of Christ, regeneration, the resurrection, and many other subjects presented in the Bible, are mysteries too deep for the human find to explain, or even fully to comprehend.

“The difficulties of Scripture have been urged by skeptics as an argument against the Bible, but so far from this, they constitute a strong evidence of its divine inspiration. If it contained no account of God but that which we could easily comprehend; if His greatness and majesty could be grasped by finite minds, then the Bible would not bear the unmistakable credentials of divine authority. The very grandeur and mystery of the themes presented should inspire faith in it as the Word of God.

“Thus the plan of redemption is laid open to us, so that every soul may see the steps he is to take in repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, in order to be saved in God’s appointed way: yet beneath mysteries that are so easily understood, lie mysteries that are the hiding of His glory— mysteries that overpower the mind in its research, yet inspire the sincere seeker for truth with reverence and faith.” (4)

The Morse Code

Samuel F.B. Morse (1791-1872) is credited with the invention of the telegraph. He also invented a code consisting of dots and lines, which would be used to communicate by telegraph. The first message ever sent via telegraph wire occurred in 1844 – a memorable year for Adventists – and it was Numbers 23:23, “What hath God wrought!”

To those who do not know the Morse code, the dots and lines simply seem to be meaningless or a mystery. But to those who know the Morse code, the dots and lines contain a relevant message communicated via telegraph wire. Is it any different with the mysteries of the Scriptures?

In like manner, deciphering the secret code, the mystery of godliness, revealed in the interpretation of the names of the first 10 patriarchs of our human family tree, we can also exclaim: Look at what God hath wrought with His plan of redemption.
A few years before his death, Morse wrote: “The nearer I approach to the end of my pilgrimage, the clearer is the evidence of the divine origin of the Bible, the grandeur and sublimity of God’s remedy for fallen man are more appreciated, and the future is illumined with hope and joy.” (5). AMEN.

References

1. John Wesley (reprinted 1986). Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament, Vol. II. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.
2. Blaise Pascal (reprinted 1995). Pensees. London: Penguin Books, p. 72.
3. James Strong (reprinted, undated). The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.
4. E.G.White (1958). What to do with doubt. Steps to Christ. Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publ. Assoc., p. 106, 107.
5. Henry M. Morris (1988). Men of science. Men of God. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, p. 47.