Genealogies are important to YHWH. They are recorded throughout the Bible at times. His people were divided into tribes and families. It is part of our identity and our personal history and what influences us. I find it interesting for Matthew to list the genealogy of Yeshua through Joseph, His earthly father. There is clearly more than simply “bloodlines” that makes it significant, or we would not talk about Joseph’s genealogy. Joseph did not father Yeshua. The Spirit impregnated Mary. Who we are is as much a part of our family history in how we were raised as it is bloodlines.
If we take a look inside the genealogy below, we will see names like Abraham and David, whom we all know. They are fathers of faith, though far from perfect. We also see names like Rahab. She was a prostitute who was not even of Israel, but put her faith in YHWH. We see Ruth, who was widowed and poor. She was not from Israel by blood, but commits to YHWH because of Naomi and is then redeemed by Boaz. We further see the seed of David through Bathsheba. David and Bathsheba started as a great sin before YHWH and even led to David murdering Uriah, her husband. Yet, here YHWH includes that lineage through David for Messiah.
I can only imagine what stories are behind the rest of the names, but we can see in this list a powerful message of redemption and forgiveness… of mercy and grace. These are not perfect people. Quite the contrary. We often learn of their shortcomings and failures quite vividly. But we also see their redemption which culminates through Messiah, who serves as redeemer for all who call upon His name and submit to Him.
The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah
1The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
2Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. 3Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. 4Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. 5Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. 6Jesse was the father of David the king.
David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. 7Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. 8Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. 9Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. 10Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah. 11Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
12After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. 13Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. 14Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. 15Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob. 16Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
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