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number, place name, even subtleties of the structure of the text—is the result of skillful design. When this strategic integrity of the whole is grasped, the entire panorama is brought into focus. It has been said, "The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed, and the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed." As we carefully examine the "days of Noah" and the Biblical record of the time before the Great Flood, we will discover some surprising aspects hidden within the text itself. The events in the days of Noah did not happen suddenly. The intrusions by the alien "space beings" (fallen angels) are believed to have begun in the days of Jared (from the Hebrew verb, Yciradh, meaning "descent," or "shall come down"). Four subsequent generations of Jared's descendants—including Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah—were apparently called upon to deliver divine warning of the forthcoming flood judgment. Enoch proves to be one of the most fascinating characters in the Bible and deserves our close attention. Understanding his remarkable life will give us some insights concerning the warning which Jesus used to point us to this strange period. Enoch apparently had an unusual experience when his son was born. For the rest of his life, it is said that Enoch "walked with God." Enoch named his son Methuselah, which means "his death shall bring." Methuselah comes from nin, muth, a root that means "death", and from rn shalach, which means "to bring" or "to send forth."? Enoch was given a prophecy of the coming Great Flood, and apparently he was told that as long as his son was alive, the judgment of the flood would be withheld; as soon as Methusela died, the flood would be sent forth. (Can you imagine raising a kid like that? Every time the kid caught a cold, the entire neighborhood must have panicked!) Indeed, the year that Methuselah died, the flood came. Methuselah's life was a symbol of God's mercy in forestalling the coming judgment of the flood. Therefore it is remarkably appropriate that his lifetime is the longest in the Bible. TREE With all of this significance hidden in the name of Methuselah, it's no surprise that there also seems to be a complete message hidden in the genealogy from Adam to Noah. In our Bible, we read a transliteration of the Hebrew names, but what do these names mean in English? The meaning of proper names can be a difficult pursuit since a direct translation is often not readily available. Even a conventional Hebrew lexicon can prove disappointing. A study of the original roots, however, can yield some provocative insights. Adam's son was named Seth, which means "appointed." At his birth, Eve said, "For God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew " 128 HIDDEN MESSAGES IN THE TEXT A HIDDEN MESSAGE IN THE FAMILY Adam's name, means "man." As the first man, that seems straightforward enough. Seth's son was called Enosh, which means "mortal," "frail," or "miserable." Enosh is