A Messy History: A Closer Look at Jesus' GenealogySample

A Messy History

The Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus and invites us to become like Him. It’s not a story of human perfection or a historical highlight reel. Now, don’t misunderstand—it’s got some great parts: the creation of the world and everything in it, people rescued from slavery and oppression, and healings and miracles performed by Jesus, the Son of God, and His followers.

But it’s got some bad parts, too: people screw up big time, a flood wipes out the population, and abuses of power lead to people being treated as objects for others to use instead of as God’s special image-bearers.

And, it’s got some really ugly parts: rape, murder, cover-ups, betrayal. The Creator of everything is tortured and put to death at the hands of His own creation.

There are good parts, bad parts, and ugly parts in the Bible, and God uses all of it to tell the story of His overwhelming grace, His pursuing love, and our redemption. It’s all about what God has done, is doing, and will do through His Son, Jesus. And Jesus’ own genealogy is no different.

What’s a genealogy? You know those long lists of names you run into in your Bible that you can’t pronounce and usually skip over? Well, those are genealogies. They’re like a family tree, showing us where a person came from and who they’re connected to. You can find Jesus’ family tree in Matthew 1 and Luke 3.

There are some legends in Jesus’ family tree. There’s David, the greatest king in all of Israel’s history. Prophecies made it clear that the promised Messiah would come from his bloodline as a King who would establish His throne forever. And there’s Abraham, the OG. He was the father of the Jewish people and an incredible example of faith. Though Abraham only had one legitimate son, Isaac, God promised that He would bless everyone on earth through Abraham’s descendants.

But, Jesus’ family tree doesn’t stop there. His genealogy doesn’t just list the superstars; it includes the screwups.

We see mention of Rahab and Tamar, who both played the role of a prostitute—one faking it to accomplish her own agenda, one the real deal. Let that sink in. There’s a literal prostitute in the genealogy of Jesus! Then there’s Jacob, the deceiver who stole the birthright from his brother. And Manasseh, one of Israel's many kings who did evil in the eyes of the Lord, notably by setting up places of sacrifice for the worship of false gods.

This is wild. To think that Jesus, our Savior, came from such a messy, dysfunctional family.

What does this mean for you? For one, it demonstrates with finality that no matter what you’ve done, how you’ve messed up, or the baggage you carry, you’re still invited to be a part of God’s family. All of the names we’re going to read over the next few days screwed up in some way, but God still chose them to be part of His redemptive plan to rescue humanity and restore creation. Today, because of Jesus, we are offered that same invitation. Because God uses all things—the good, the bad, and the ugly—to tell a better story. One of His grace and our redemption.

Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You that there is nothing You cannot redeem. Thank You for using every part of my life and story for Your glory. I submit my whole self to You—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Would You tell a better story through me than I ever thought possible? I want my life to be a story that points people to Jesus and shows the world a picture of Your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.