In the season of Advent, we re-read the stories of Christ's birth and the fulfillment of many prophecies. There is much hope and wonderful anticipation hidden in these special pages of the Bible. One of the passages that often gets brushed over is Matthew 1 (and Luke 3), which includes the Genealogy of Jesus.
I think the reason it gets skipped past is because we are confused by the many names. Some of the people mentioned we recognise, but many of the names don't ring a bell for us. However, we must remember that they are all included for a specific reason, and we would do well to understand the significance of each person - after all, they are all ancestors of Jesus Christ.
During Advent this year, I will try and shed a little light on some of these people and it is my prayer that this will help us understand the magnitude of the birth of Christ.
In Matthew 1:6 we come across arguably three of the most recognizable names in the bunch - "Jesse the father of King David. David the father of Solomon..." Each of these men has their own powerful story and legacy, but to note that they are ancestors of Jesus is remarkable.
Jesse is a unique man in that he is also surrounded by famous family members. He is the grandson of Ruth and Boaz, and then the father (and grandfather) of the greatest Kings of Israel. He was obviously some special guy and even his name alludes to this: Jesse means 'God's gift.'
Isaiah writes of him:
"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; .." (Isaiah 11)
As we slowly focus our attention on the Christmas season, let us not overlook the deep significance of the people involved in our Lord's life.
Living in Grace
D3LM3
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