Enosh and Enoch are the third pair in the first group of figures presented in Genesis as seeds of the divine truths. In the divine revelation, Adam, among the first pair of characters, points to God’s redemption, which was promised by God and was needed by fallen man. Abel, who is of the second pair, indicates a man who takes God’s way of redemption and life according to God’s revelation. Then, of the third pair, Enosh signifies a man who realizes his fragility and impotence while taking God’s way of redemption and life; and Enoch signifies a man who is being supplied by God to walk and live with God and thereby to escape death.
Enosh’s father, Seth, was born to take Abel’s place (Gen. 4:25). This shows that he was consistent with Abel and was the continuation of Abel. He named his son Enosh, which means “frail man.” This surely indicates that as he took God’s way of redemption and life, he sensed the extreme fragility, the impotence, and the complete helplessness of fallen man. His son, whom he begot and named Enosh, must have inherited the same realization and sense.
Because Seth sensed his own fragility, impotence, and helplessness, he must have sought God’s help by calling on the name of Jehovah, the One who is, who was, and who will be forever—that is, the name of the One who always is—and thus enjoying His rich supply. This One who exists forever is everlasting, immortal, ever unchanging, self-existing, and ever-existing. He is the source of every rich supply and is fully sufficient to meet man’s every need. Romans 10:12 says, “For the same Lord of all is rich to all who call upon Him.” Whenever a person calls on His name, he will enjoy His rich supply. The name Seth gave to his son indicates that before naming him, Seth may have already begun to call on the name of Jehovah. Therefore, after he gave his son such a name, Genesis 4:26 says that men began to call on the name of Jehovah. Because Enosh was born of such a father, one who called on the name of Jehovah, he inherited this blessing naturally and became one who called on the name of Jehovah, thus enjoying God’s riches.
Enosh, as one who called on the name of the Lord, became a model representing all those who call on the name of Jehovah and enjoy God’s riches. The blessing of calling on the Lord’s name continues throughout the entire Bible. It is inherited throughout the generations by those who take God’s way of redemption and life, and it is practiced by the New Testament believers also. In the Old Testament age, Job (Job 12:4; 27:10), Abraham (Gen. 12:8; 13:4; 21:33), Isaac (Gen. 26:25), Moses (Deut. 4:7), Samson (Judg. 15:18; 16:28), Samuel (1 Sam. 12:18; Psa. 99:6), David (2 Sam. 22:4; Psa. 17:6; 55:16; 116:4; 118:5; 145:18), the psalmist Asaph (Psa. 80:18), the psalmist Heman (Psa. 88:9), Elijah (1 Kings 18:24), Isaiah (Isa. 12:4), Jeremiah (Lam. 3:55, 57), and others all practiced calling on the name of the Lord. Also, Isaiah charged God’s seekers to call upon the name of the Lord (Isa. 55:6). It is God’s commandment (Psa. 50:15; Jer. 29:12) and desire (Psa. 91:15; Zeph. 3:9; Zech. 13:9) that His people call on Him. It is the joyful way to drink from the fountain of God’s salvation, and the enjoyable way to delight oneself in God (Isa. 12:3-4; Job 27:10). Hence, the psalmists called upon the Lord’s name daily (Psa. 88:9). Joel the prophet prophesied that people would call upon His name in the year of the New Testament jubilee (Joel 2:32).
Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when all who believed were saved by calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 2:17, 21). This became the way in the New Testament by which man can be saved and enjoy God’s riches (Rom. 10:10-13). The early believers practiced calling on the name of the Lord everywhere (1 Cor. 1:2), and this calling became a popular sign by which Christ’s believers were recognized by the unbelievers, especially the persecutors (Acts 9:14, 21). When he repented and believed in the Lord, Saul, who had helped to persecute Stephen, one who called on the name of the Lord (Acts 7:58-60), was told by Ananias to be baptized, calling on the name of the Lord. In this way Saul washed away his sin of persecuting those who called on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). Thereafter, he himself also became one who called on the name of the Lord. This can be proved by the fact that he exhorted others to be saved by calling on the name of the Lord (Rom. 10:13) and to enjoy all the riches of the Lord by calling on His name (Rom. 10:12). He told us that all who seek the Lord out of a pure heart call on the name of the Lord in this way (2 Tim. 2:19, 22).