I recently read the genealogy of Christ in Matthew One and was reminded of His messy lineage. Wow!
One might think that Creator God would have orchestrated a sequence of exemplary, law-abiding, and morally pure citizens through whom the Messiah would come. People whom He could feel honored to claim as His own – – like the good folks I’ve gone to church with all these years. But it would appear to be quite the opposite.
There’s Jacob, the father of Judah, who schemed his way into the rights of the firstborn. And Judah and Tamar. His lie about giving her his last son; his decision to buy sex, thinking she was a temple prostitute; and her deception about her identity were not what one would predict as a link in the lineage of the Messiah!
And what do we do with “Rahab the harlot”? Even if she was just an innkeeper and not a prostitute as some say, she disobeyed the king’s order, hid the two spies, and told a bald-faced lie about them having fled the city. Yes, the mother of Boaz was a tainted figure.
And how could God possibly use David? Lust, adultery, scheming, deception, pre-meditated murder – – wow. And Uriah, the “good guy,” gets murdered! Unthinkable – – and yet, “A man after God’s own heart”! Is there a clue there to explore? Maybe next time.
There’s probably other shenanigans along the way but that’s enough to convey the idea that God does His work through terribly imperfect people and that gives me hope. For me. For you.
Even Mary’s pregnancy had the appearance of scandal although it certainly wasn’t. If we were God, wouldn’t we have avoided how that looked, to preserve our appearance of credibility?
Next up, Part 2.
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, OH USA
June 9, 2021
CLICK HERE for a printable pdf
Love this and looking forward to part 2!
No one can live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit. No one. It’s impossible because it is so challenging!! I know it to be true based on my own experiences. I can do nothing good apart from HIM. We are so rotten to the core. (well, maybe not the people you go to church with)