The begats

​Scripture:  Luke 3:23-39 “ Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,[e] the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.”
Observation:  Though I thought I would surely be writing about Noah and God’s destruction of flesh, I found myself totally drawn to the geneology of Jesus.  It amazed me how so many stories of the Old Testament came alive in my mind.  For example, when I saw son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, my mind went to the book of Ezra.  Zerubbabel and his family built the altar in Jerusalem to restart regular sacrifices when they returned from Babylon.  Then I noticed David, as in the king, who was the son of Jesse who was spoken of in Isaiah as where a branch would spring up from.  We see Obed, the son of Boaz.  He was the son of Ruth, who married Boaz when she came back to Israel with her mother-in-law Naomi.  There is Perez, the son of Judah.  His mom was the one Judah had promised a son as her husband, but when he didn’t deliver she played the prostitute and had twin sons.  Of course Judah, according to his father Jacob was like a lion which is where we get the concept of the Lion of Judah.  Jacob was a deceiver.  Isaac almost didn’t live to see adulthood.  Abraham made the covenant with God.  Shem was one of the three men God used to populate the earth after the flood. Methuselah is considered to have live longer than anyone else.  Enosh was born at the time people first began to worship the Lord by name.  Seth is the last son born to Adam and Eve that is mentioned by name,  and Adam who was the son of God.   It amazes me how Luke was able to trace Jesus’ history all the way to God.  Of course, he was God and was there in the very beginning, but what documentation.
Application:  For anyone who does not feel worthy to be loved by God, take a look at some of the people in Jesus’ lineage who were used of God.  Without any one of them the line would be incomplete.  David was an adulterer and murderer.  Perez was illegitimate. Judah didn’t keep his promises. Jacob was a liar.  Then you have Abraham who went wherever God led him and Noah who was the only righteous man alive at one point in time.  I guess my point is that no matter your past, God has a purpose and a will for your life.  You may not understand it right now, but embrace who you are in Christ and hang on because our ride is not over.  Abraham was in his 80s before God made any promises to him, and in his 90s before God fulfilled His promises.  We have the promise that God will never leave us or forsake us.  We should live every day knowing we are loved, and knowing we have a reason for the hope we profess.
Prayer:  Lord God, that you for revealing the past to us. Thank you for the many good and bad witnesses you have shown us in your past.  Thank you for leaving us with your Word so we can really get to know you and to have faith.  Thank you that no matter what we have done in our past, you are happy to forgive our sins and use us to do your work here on earth.  That you that no matter how tough things are for us in the present, we have a glorious future in heaven to look forward to.  Amen
Tomorrow’s reading:  Genesis 9-11; Luke 4 – Join me won’t you? This is an amazing journey.