Hope Throughout The Ages

Matthew 1:1 - 17 (NLT)

This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the father of Abijah. Abijah was the father of Asa. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram. Jehoram was the father of Uzziah. Uzziah was the father of Jotham. Jotham was the father of Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Amon. Amon was the father of Josiah. Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon). After the Babylonian exile: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim was the father of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Akim. Akim was the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.

How often do we read the first part of the gospel of Matthew and just skim over it or tune out the genealogy section? Do we really think about the significance of these names in Jesus’ family tree? For some reason, God must have thought this was important for us to know and think about. Matthew wanted the reader to understand that all that had happened from the time of Abraham to the birth of Christ revealed:

1. God’s perfect plan

2. God’s perfect promises

3. God’s perfect timing

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1. God’s perfect plan

Every person in Jesus’ family tree has a story and actually their story plays a part in the first Christmas celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, God incarnate. Matthew was intentional when listing the 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 generations from David to the Babylonian deportation, and then the next 14 generations from the deportation to the Messiah, the long-awaited deliverer of God’s people. And Luke records Mary, the mother of Jesus saying,

God’s mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who stand in great awe of God] and fear Him (Luke 1:50 AMP).

When we look back and see God’s plan, God’s promise and perfect timing we are in awe.

Matthew was placed first in the synoptic gospels as it was considered a natural transition from the OT to the NT. We know by the contents of the text that it was written to bring the gospel specifically to a Jewish audience. Matthew uses Jewish terminology, talks about Jewish customs, and refers to Jesus as the Christ (Messiah), a term that Matthew feels no need to exposit for his readers. Matthew locates Jesus firmly in the story of God’s relationship and redemption of His people Israel, and as the fulfillment of the covenant promise made to them.

Through this genealogical list, Matthew was setting out to verify Jesus’ origin in fulfillment of four specific prophecies about the Messiah. Before Jesus was born, the Jewish nation was anticipating the arrival of the Messiah. Even though no one was quite sure how God would fulfill His promise nor accomplish His plan, this was their hope through the ages.

There are four main prophecies about the origin of the Messiah: First, the Messiah would be born from the seed of a woman which points to the virgin birth. Second, the Messiah would come through Abraham’s lineage. The third prophecy is that He would come from the tribe of Judah. And finally, Matthew narrows His lineage down to the line of David.

As God’s perfect plan unfolds over the 1700 years from Abraham to the Messiah it’s interesting to see who specifically is mentioned in Jesus’ family tree. Tamar is the first woman mentioned in the lineage. She was Judah’s daughter-in-law who became a widow who later pretended to be a prostitute so her father-in-law would have sex with her so she could have an heir. Who is the second woman mentioned in the genealogy? Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute who was instrumental in the defeat of Jericho. Ruth was the third woman mentioned in Jesus’ lineage. She was from Moab, the inhabitants of whom the Jews despised. The fourth woman mentioned in the line of Jesus was Bathsheba, the one who committed adultery with David and then whose husband David had killed.