A Messy History: A Closer Look at Jesus' GenealogySample

Matthew’s Genealogy

Yesterday, we learned that those long lists of names in the Bible are called genealogies. Most of the time, the temptation is to skim the names and just keep on reading. And that’s fair—it’s hard to understand their purpose or how those lists could possibly apply to you.

But, if you truly think about it … names matter! When you meet someone new, and they remember your name the next time you see them, it makes you feel valued. Because names have purpose.

When we look at the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew, it may look, at first glance, like just a long list of names. But as we begin to pick apart these names, we realize each of these people has a story to tell. Through all the good they did, the bad they fell in bondage to, and the ugly parts of their stories that they’d rather replace, all of these people have one thing in common: They were intentionally placed in the lineage of Jesus—the Messiah who came to rescue us from sin, once and for all. While their stories may have been messy, God used them to bring the Savior into the world. Let’s look at a few of their stories now.

Starting with Abraham. Abraham was asked to show his trust in God in a really big way. God asked him to take his son, Isaac, up on a mountain to offer him as a sacrifice. WHAT? At the last minute, an angel appeared to Abraham and said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy …” (Genesis 22:12). God’s plan was never for Abraham to harm his son; it was a moment that painted a picture of what God would later do through Jesus, God’s only Son and the sacrifice for our sins. Through Abraham’s willingness to obey what God asked, he demonstrated unwavering trust in God’s ability to provide and even to raise the dead. Are you catching the easter eggs? Abraham’s trust was a building block for the rest of the lineage of Jesus.

Then there’s Ruth. Her story is one that begins with heartbreak and ends with redemption. After her husband and father-in-law both die, we see this Moabite woman show devout loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi. While Ruth is working to provide for Naomi and herself, she just so happens to meet Boaz. Through an intricate turn of events, Boaz marries Ruth, and we see the heartbreak that was present at the beginning of this story turn to unceasing joy. Ruth, a foreigner who most would have turned away, becomes a pivotal person in the coming of Jesus because of one small decision to put her trust in the God of Israel. The throughline of trust continues.

Later, in the time of the kings, we meet Hezekiah. 2 Kings says that “Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.” But, later in his life, he decided to make worldly alliances. He placed his trust in his own abilities rather than trusting that the Lord would deliver him. Ultimately, he fell short. Despite his shortcomings, he was still considered one of the most obedient, God-fearing kings to rule over God’s people.

Finally, we meet Joseph. Joseph was happily engaged to a woman named Mary when he found out that she was pregnant with a child that was not his. This child is Jesus. With some insight from an angel, Joseph decides to trust God’s direction and stay with Mary—even as things turn out much differently than he expected. God entrusted him with the role of being the earthly father of Jesus!

These are only four of the stories found in the genealogy of Jesus—a genealogy filled with twists and turns, heartbreaks and hurts, scandals and scars. And yet, through all of that, we see a God who loves us so much that He chose for His Son’s lineage to include each of these stories. Because of this, we can rest assured that despite our mess-ups that seem too cringe-worthy and our mistakes that we’d like to forget about, God is weaving every piece of our stories together for His glory. When we belong to Jesus, we can rest with confidence in the hands of a God who meets all of our mess with His overwhelming grace.

Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for inviting me to trust You. Thank You for the examples from Scripture of people who trusted You and even the stories of people who didn’t. Help me become more aware of the opportunities to trust and obey You, even today. I want to follow You faithfully. In Jesus’ name, amen.