Seth was the third son of Adam and Eve mentioned by name in Scripture. He was given by God as a replacement for Abel, who had been murdered by his brother Cain. His name means “appointed” or “granted,” reflecting his role in continuing the godly lineage.
Genesis 4:25 records his birth:
“And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, ‘For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.’”
Seth’s significance is not just in replacing Abel, but in establishing the line through which the righteous would continue and ultimately, through which the Messiah would come. Genesis 5 traces the genealogy from Adam through Seth, highlighting the faithful line.
One of the key signs of spiritual revival connected to Seth is found in Genesis 4:26:
“And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.”
This verse suggests that during Seth’s lifetime, a public and communal turning to God began. It marked a contrast with the wickedness growing in the line of Cain.
Seth is later mentioned in Luke 3:38 in the genealogy of Jesus Christ:
“…the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.”
This establishes Seth as a key ancestor in the lineage of Christ, affirming his role in God’s redemptive plan.
Though not much detail is given about his life, Seth represents the continuation of God’s promise and the line through which spiritual faithfulness would endure. His legacy is one of hope and restoration after the devastation of sin in the first family.
