I am super excited to bring you my first article written about new cards and a new set!  I had the privilege of being allowed to help shape part of the upcoming set, which I will talk about in a few moments.  Luckily for me it was actually about something that I had been taught about and even studied on my own some. One thing that was taught to me long before I became a youth minister and started truly studying on my own was “If there is something written down in the Bible, it has meaning.  Sometimes you have to go digging to find it, but there is ALWAYS a reason it is there.”

I have taken this to heart and I do what I can to try to uncover truth in places that don’t seem very obvious.  All of this being said, I can’t take credit for the following, but loved it so much I taught on it and had it share it with others.  So going back to the point of something being in the Bible means there is something there: Let me start with a question. What is something in the Bible most people just look at and say “Nah, I don’t understand why this is there, so I’m just going to skip it.”  Let me give you a hint. The specific thing I’m talking about is in Genesis chapter 5 and Matthew chapter 1. What? You don’t know what those chapters have in common? Shocking, I know. Well the answer is they are genealogies. Most people don’t care or want to read a long list of names.  But what if I told you there is a story written within these names that you probably didn’t even know were there.

So for this article I’m looking at the genealogy in Genesis.  We simply start with the first man Adam, and list his lineage.  Seems very simple. Let’s take the first man and connect him to another important figure in Noah, simple enough, let’s move on.  But wait! You are missing the story of Jesus! The story of Jesus is literally written out within the first ten generations of existence!  OK, no more delaying, let me show you what I mean, while introducing you to some cards. Let’s start from the beginning, and I will be listing the names with their approximate Hebrew meaning.

Adam (Man)

Seth (Appointed)

Enosh (Mortal)

Kenan (Sorrow)

Mahalelel (Blessed God)

Jared (Shall Come Down)

Enoch (Teaching)

Methuselah (His Death Shall Bring)

Lamech (Despairing)

Noah (Rest And Comfort)

Did you see it?  I know you didn’t because you were so excited to look at new cards.  So let me put all the words together and make three sentences out of them.  Man appointed mortal sorrow. Blessed God shall come down teaching. His death shall bring despairing rest and comfort.  Now, while some of you might see it, I’m going to explain it because we obviously don’t talk like that and then you will see it!

*Man appointed mortal sorrow.  Mankind (us) was appointed (set, established, scheduled) for mortal (death) sorrow.  We were set for death and sorrow because of our wickedness and sin against God.

*Blessed God shall come down teaching.  But despite that “appointment” God Himself came down and taught us a different way.

*His death shall bring despairing rest and comfort.  His death on the cross proved that the different way he taught us meant the despairing (dying, lost, broken) people of this world were given rest and comfort through Him.

So the first 10 generations of this world tell us the story of Jesus!  Because of our sinful nature, we are not only set for death but extreme sorrow within a terrible place called Hell.  But Jesus didn’t want that for us so He came and taught us about a different way and path. That path was through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Which again gives us the ultimate peace and comfort of not only knowing God and what He has done for us, but being able to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

So next time you see something in the Bible that seems like it doesn’t belong, I hope this article is a reminder that it is very much there for a reason.  That very reason might be to show you another way of just how much He loves you because He had you in mind when the world was created!

To buy singles, sealed product, and other gaming supplies mentioned, please visit Three Lions Gaming!