“Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.” – Matthew 1:17

I’m beginning the book of Matthew during my devotional times, which seems appropriate with Christmas around the corner. This Gospel book links the Old and New Testaments by referencing many links to Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. While 400 years had passed since the last Old Testament prophecies, faithful Jews were still waiting for the Messiah.

Because a Jewish family line proved whether or not a man or woman was chosen as God’s own, Matthew’s opening presentation of Jesus’ genealogy would have held a fascination for his Jewish readers. The first of many proofs to connect Jesus as the Messiah is evidenced with Jesus Christ being a descendant of both King David and Abraham, as the Old Testament had predicted. But Matthew takes it a step further by writing that God did not send His Son to be an earthly king—as the Jews hoped—but a heavenly king. Unlike King David’s kingdom, Christ’s kingdom would never end (Isaiah 11:1-5).

Forty-six people whose lifetimes span 2,000 years—all ancestors of Jesus—are listed in the first 17 verses of Matthew, chapter one. Here is the record of Jesus’ Genealogy: Matthew 1:1-17.

What I love about this record is the fact that all of Jesus’ ancestors were different in their experience, spirituality, and personality. The Life Application Study Bible notes: “Some were heroes of faith—like Abraham, Isaac, Ruth, and David. Some had shady reputations—like Rahab and Tamar. Many were very ordinary—like Hezron, Ram, Nahshon, and Akim. And others were evil— like Manasseh and Abijah.”

Reflect

God is not limited by human sin and failures. Just as He used a variety of people to bring His Son into the world, He continues to work out His purposes through all kinds of people. How has God used you in the past? How does He want to use you now?