Continuing on from Matthew chapter 1 verse 1 we will begin to dig into the generation or lineage of Jesus Christ. We'll see how Father God used imperfect people to be the example of a perfect God. I thought we were going to be able to group scriptures together and just pick out key points from a collection of scriptures but Father showed me that each verse needs to be addressed individually. There will be a lot of references from the old testament to give understanding to the lineage and we're not going to insert every verse. We encourage you to grab your bible so you can follow along and read for yourself from whatever Bible reference you are comfortable with. This is leading up to something GREAT!
Matthew chapter 1 verse 2 reads "Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren;". Begat means to bring into existence by the process of reproduction [Google]. This verse will be broken into three parts. May God bless his word and teach us what He wants us to know. In Jesus name, Amen!
Part 1
Abraham begat Isaac therefore Isaac is Abraham's son. Isaac was a true gift from God and he was not easily begotten. To better understand this we're going back to Genesis 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, and 22. Follow along and ask God to give you godly wisdom and understanding.
In Genesis chapter 14{read} Abram just defeated some bullies that had taken one of his relatives. Abraham was able to save his relative and return goods that belonged to some neighboring Kings. Abram gave God the glory and would not accept the reward for returning the goods. After this God blessed Abram and allowed a him to ask for a reward directly from God.
Genesis 15 verses 1 through 3 reads, "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord God what will thou give me, seeing I go childless and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? and Abram said, behold, to me thou has given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir." Abram had no children and had been unable to have children so that was his one request of God, so that he wouldn't have to leave his possessions to his servant. God then made Abram a promise and Abram believed God which shows what God counts as righteousness. Genesis 15 verses 4 through 6 reads, "and, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, this shall not be thine heir, but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth a broad, and said, look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, so shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness." God told Abraham that he would bring forth a child out of his own body and he wouldn't have to leave his things to his servant. God even said that he would have more children than he would be able to count. Then because Abraham believed God, God counted Abram as righteous.
Was God specific enough in His promise to Abram? Genesis 16 verse 1 says, "Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar." God was not specific in the timing of His promise and Sarai allowed her impatience to be a distraction. Sarai thought she would help the process by giving her servant to Abram and have children through her. Abram agreed because Hagar had a son and named him Ishmael. What trouble this caused but you will have to read that for yourself to see how we can make a mess of things and only delay God's promise.
In Genesis 17 God specifically says in verse 19-21,"And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year." God made it clear that Isaac is the one God will have a covenant with. He didn't forget about the first born son and blessed him as well. This time he gave reference to a time frame for the promise for Abraham and Sarah. God really wanted them to get this and previously changed both Abram and Sarai's name to reflect his promise to make them a father and mother of many nations, Genesis 17: 5,6 & 15,16{read}.
Let's skip ahead to Genesis 21:1-5 it reads, "And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him." So after Abraham is 100 years old he and Sarah have their promise. God keeps his word.
Remember how Abraham believed God, but then he took matters in his own hands. He didn't stop believing God, Abraham just couldn't see what God could see. I believe if we just trust God in the promise and stop trying to work out all the details and timing God will show himself trustworthy, mighty, strong, and faithful to preform His own words. The best example of this is found in Genesis 22: 1-3 and reads, "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him." Ok, wait so in my mind I'm thinking, you want me to take the promise, the one you said you will establish your covenant with, the one whose seed after him you will use. How can you use his seed if he doesn't get the chance to produce seed? Abraham however, got up early and journeyed to the place God told him and prepared to sacrifice his promise from God. Surely Abraham thought what the same thing I did. I believe at this point Abraham trusted God so deeply and truly he knew somehow God would keep his word. Abraham was all in and about to complete the sacrifice when the Angel of the Lord called out to him in Genesis 22:12 " And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son." Once again God did not take back His promise.
Today we can read the first and second part of Matthew chapter 1 verse 2, "Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob" because God had a plan even in Genesis. Genesis is defined as the origin or mode of formation of something[Google]. Part 2 coming soon. Be blessed!
