This week we’ll take a look at Jesus’ human genealogy and His divine genealogy.
Jesus’ human genealogy shows He had a legal right to Abraham’s (spiritual) inheritance. Jesus’ genealogy listed in Matthew includes five women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba) and Mary. And these weren’t fine, upstanding women!
Tamar was a Gentile who went to great lengths to become a part of God’s family (see Genesis 38). Rahab also was a Gentile who had such faith in God that she trusted He would rescue her and her family (see Joshua 2, 6:17). Ruth married into an Israelite family and remained loyal to God and her family (see Ruth 1, 4:13-17). Bathsheba committed adultery with King David, but later she became his wife and the mother of King Solomon (see 2 Samuel 11; 12:15, 18, 24). Mary was the mother of Jesus, the Messiah (see Luke 1:26-56).
Jesus’ genealogy includes people we probably wouldn’t choose to include in our own genealogy let alone in the Messiah’s genealogy. It may seem like these people should have been disqualified from being a part of God’s family based on their sins. But God chose to use them to accomplish His divine purpose. If these people can have a place in God’s redemptive plan, then I can, too. God used these people to show that He had a plan for them and a plan for us. If He could love them in their sin, He can love us in our sin. No matter what I’ve done, God’s redeeming love and grace have covered my sins through Jesus’ death on the cross.
Jesus was fully God and fully man because God was His Father and Mary was his mother. Mary was terribly frightened when an angel told her she would give birth to the promised Messiah. But she responded in faith when she said, “I am the Lord’s servant…May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38).
Mary and Joseph were considered married during this betrothal period. So legally, Joseph could have divorced her and could have had her stoned. But when an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, he immediately obeyed God and the angel.
Both Mary and Joseph responded in faith. They obeyed God in a way that went against their culture.
Things to Think About
- What difference does God’s redeeming love and grace make in my life?
- What step of faithful obedience is God asking me to take with Him? Will I ask Him for a new perspective and to help me along the way?
- Friendships in our lives can be precious, but nothing is more precious than having Jesus as my friend and Savior.