Hodding Carter, an American progressive journalist and author once remarked: “There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings.” 1 Timothy 1:4 reminds us: “Nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.”
Genealogy is defined as the study of family origins and history. It encompasses an exhaustive tree of a person’s direct ancestry and roots. It is a recognized pedigree of former purity and breeding from deeds, accomplishments and individual standing that unfolds, or opens the true wings of life to reveal both the positive and negative aspects of ancestral characteristics. It may form the foundation stone by which one may live.
A book is defined as a written or printed work of thought, consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers of leather, cardboard, paper or other suitable material. It is often regarded as a manual, or a quotation from life encompassing either fiction or interpreted facts. Its contents may reveal a storyline of imaginary interest, or contain a series or records of certitude that help to form an element of history. Amongst its many prospects, a book may enlighten, teach, amuse or encourage food for thought. The Bible is regarded as a single library of books of biblical genealogy that also highlights previous factual and notable events, or specifically reveals the wishes of God to humankind as a base source of morality. It can help resolve personal dilemmas, or areas of doubt, provide comfort and conciliation where necessary, and display hope for the future.
Everyone has heredity, no matter who they are. Even the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is recorded in the Bible. Matthew 1:1-16 reveals: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.”
Many religions advocate and encourage regular readings of the Bible to gain knowledge and a better understanding. Daily readings of the Bible can not only guide a person on the correct pathway of life, it can shine a light in its darkness. The hope that enlightens the shadows in the gloom, open one’s wings to their fullest extent to soar into the sublime richness of a better understanding and existence with God. Charles C. Ryrie, an American theologian once remarked: “The Bible is the greatest of all books; to study it is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.” To elucidate life, and aid our comprehension, 2 Timothy 3:1-7 reminds us: “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra - which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
The Bible places significant importance to genealogy. It is mentioned many times in part or full, to communicate lines of descendency and background information in relevance to appertaining situations. It continually strives to provide a complete picture, to be viewed in its entirety, for clarity, precision and ease of understanding. Nehemiah 7:5-7 reminds us: “Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it: These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel.”
Amen.
