Genealogies are very important in the Bible. There are chapters upon chapters of what we look at as 'lists of boring names' but which are all there for a particular purpose. For instance -
- Genesis 5:1-32 gives us the family line from Adam to the children of Noah
- Genesis 10 tells us about their descendants after the flood
- Ruth 4:18-22 explains where Boaz comes into the family line of David
- 1 Chronicles has 10 chapters telling us about each of the tribes of Israel
- Matthew 1:1-17 has the route from Abraham right through to Jesus - Joseph's line
- Luke 3:23-28 through the linage of Mary
Biblical genealogies tell us a lot of things - they tell us that God is interested in history, it shows us He is interested in the family lines that we are born into ( every line) and it shows us that He uses insignificant and flawed people in the most famous genealogy of all. One article I read mentioned the following examples -
The Genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 records several people with well-known sins:
- Jacob, stealing brother’s birthright (who is mentioned in Matthew 1:2)
- Rahab, who was a prostitute (mentioned in Matthew 1:5)
- David, committed adultery and murder (mentioned in Matthew 1:6)
- Solomon, disobeyed God by taking foreign wives and storing up earthly riches (mentioned in Matthew 1:6-7)
Genealogies are also important for helping us to see prophecies fulfilled. Look at the linage of Jesus -
- Luke 3:36 tells us Jesus was 'the son of Shem', fulfilling Genesis 9:26,27
- Matthew 1:1 tells us He is the 'son of Abraham' fulfilling Genesis 12:1-3
- Matthew 1;1,2 tells us 'Abraham begot Isaac' fulfilling Genesis 26:3,4
- Matthew 1:1,2 also says 'Isaac begot Jacob' fulfilling Genesis 35:11,12
- Matthew 1:1 also says 'son of David' fulfilling 2 Samuel 7:12
How amazing is it to see God's Words come to pass!
But Jesus isn't the only one in the Bible who has an interesting genealogy and these two couldn't be more different!
Firstly Saul - he was a Roman citizen and in Acts 23:6 describes himself as a 'Pharisee, as were my ancestors!' and his mission - 'how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it.' But God intervened in amazing ways to turn his ancestors' legacy into something he could use to share Christianity with the world.
And then we have Timothy -
He was given the greatest legacy by his grandmother - the gift of knowing God. She had a faith worthy of a mention by one of the greatest men of faith. And she shared it with her family. One of the biggest things we can do is share God. We have a gift that will keep giving long after we are gone - a gift of life for all eternity, and a gift of hope for the future. We need to share it.
And of course the last five words - 'dwells in you as well' - Timothy took his grandmother's legacy and went forward really serving God with his heart and life.
And if you haven't got a legacy like that to start on?
Hebrews 12:1 says:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
We have a multitude of great warriors of faith who have run this race already and had victory in God. We can take their legacy and use it to spring forward and run our race - so if you think your legacy isn't going to help you, read through Hebrews 11 and step out with confidence that the God who helped each of those amazing men and women of faith, is the same God who loves you and wants to help you!
Tanya ♥
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