GST Methuselah

GST Methuselah
Wreckage of the GST Methuselah.
Unit
Faction	GDI

The GST Methuselah was the first Global Stratospheric Transport to take flight, in 2071. It became part of a fleet of similiar craft, aiding in the defeat of the Nod separatist movement. While serving in the Incursion War, it was downed in 2074.

History

GST Methuselah plummeting in 2074

Ever since the defeat of the Separatists in 2073, the Methuselah, as part of the First Fleet, orbits Earth, ready to respond to any sign of trouble instantaneously. However, despite the threat being effectively vanquished, the worst was yet to come.

In 2074, Gideon, leader of the Nod Separatists, took control of the Methuselah during the Incursion War and tried to crash it into Chicago. He was foiled by GDI Captain Christian Pierce.

Biblical references

Methuselah or Metushélach (Hebrew: מְתוּשֶׁלַח / מְתוּשָׁלַח, Modern Mətušélaḥ / Mətušálaḥ Tiberian Məṯûšélaḥ / Məṯûšālaḥ; "Man of the dart/spear", or alternatively "when he dies/died, it shall be sent/has been sent") is the oldest person whose age is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, given as 969 years. According to Rashi on Gen. 7:4, The Holy One delayed the Flood specially because of the 7 days of mourning for the righteous Methuselah in his honour. Methuselah was son of Enoch and the grandfather of Noah.

“

(21) And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: (22) And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and Methuselah begat sons and daughters: (23) And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: (24) And Enoch walked with God: and he [was] not; for God took him. (25) And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: (26) And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters: (27) And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. - Genesis 5:21-27

”

Extra-biblical references

Methuselah appears in two important Jewish works from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. In the Book of Enoch, where Enoch (as the narrator) tells Methuselah of the coming worldwide flood and of the future Messianic kingdom. The Book of Jubilees names Methuselah's mother and his wife - both are named Edna - and his daughter-in-law, Betenos, Lamech's wife.

The 17th century midrashic Sefer haYashar ("Book of Jasher"), describes Methuselah with his grandson Noah attempting to persuade the people of the earth to return to godliness. All other very long-lived people died, and Methuselah was the only one of this class left. God planned to bring the flood after all the men who walked in the ways of the LORD had died (besides Noah's nuclear family). Methuselah lived until the ark was built, but died before the flood, since God had promised he would not be killed with the unrighteous. The Sefer haYashar gives Methuselah's age at death as 960 and does not synchronize his death with the flood.