BARGAINS OF THE DAY!

In Genesis 49, we read the account of Jacob calling his sons before him to give them his blessing. (Remember: Jacob was renamed “Israel” by the Lord – see Genesis 35:10 – and was the father of the people who became the twelve tribes of Israel.) When he comes to his son Judah, he speaks these words: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his” (Genesis 49:10).

In Matthew 1:3-6, we read the lineage from Judah to David: “Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar; Perez the father of Hezron; Hezron the father of Ram; Ram the father of Amminadab; Amminadab the father of Nahshon; Nahshon the father of Salmon; Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab; Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth; Obed the father of Jesse; and Jesse the father of King David.”

Then we read in Luke 2 about Caesar Augustus ordering a census that required each person to report to their lineage’s hometown. Verse 4 says that “Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.”

So we see that Joseph was of the lineage of David. But what about Mary? If you look in Luke 3, you see another genealogy of Jesus – the lineage of Mary, also a descendant of David. In verse 23, Luke says, “Joseph, the son of Heli.” Most Biblical scholars agree that Heli is actually Mary's father, Joseph’s father-in-law.

Jesus’ physical/human lineage came through Mary, as seen in Luke. But even though the Holy Spirit placed Jesus into the womb of the Virgin Mary, Joseph was considered to be Jesus’ father since he was the husband of Mary; which is why His legal lineage is traced through Joseph, as seen in Matthew. In Mary and Joseph’s time, it was quite common for cousins to marry, so it would certainly not be out of the ordinary for Joseph and Mary to have been related. As you see from comparing the two genealogies, Joseph’s lineage intertwined with Mary’s.

In coming to earth as a baby and being born of Mary, Jesus Christ fulfilled the words of Jacob/Israel spoken to Judah: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet.” And He also fulfilled His promise to continue the rule of the house of David forever:

“Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:7).
 
My prayer is that you truly know and celebrate Christ this Christmas. “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).