Faith & Love: A One Year Bible Reading Plan - Part 4Sample

Most modern readers, trying to read through the New Testament for the first time, are puzzled to find, on the very first page, a long list of names he or she has never heard of. But it’s important not to think this is a waste of time. The beginning of Matthew 1 is the equivalent of a drumroll, a fanfare of trumpets and a town crier calling for attention. Like a great procession, we watch the figures passing by, but all eyes are waiting for the one who comes in the position of greatest honour right at the end: Jesus, the Christ.

This genealogy makes the claim that this is where history – both Israel’s and the whole world’s – was always heading.

And here comes the fulfilment of God’s promise to David –

2 Samuel 7:12&14 says "I will raise up your offspring after you, …. I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, … I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son." The son of David will also be the son of God who will be raised up. Jesus is that son.

And through this anointed King - that’s what the word Christ means – God is fulfilling His covenant with Abraham: God promised that through Abraham’s family, He would bless all the nations of the world. Jesus is Abraham’s son. He is the fulfilment of that promise. The rest of Matthew will tell how he accomplished this. May God bless you as you read through Matthew to remember: You are a son or daughter in this family - a family that is a blessing to the whole world.