From Promise to Fulfillment: The King Has Come (2nd option)

Big Idea: God’s unbroken covenant promises, from Abraham to Christ, prove that He is faithful to redeem and include all who trust in Jesus into His eternal kingdom.

Introduction

When you open the New Testament, you are not greeted with a miracle, a parable, or even the birth of Christ — but with a genealogy.

A list of names.

For many, this is the place in Bible reading plans where enthusiasm fades.

Yet Matthew, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, begins his gospel here intentionally.

Matthew — also known as Levi — was once a despised tax collector, an agent of Rome who extorted his own people.

But after Jesus called him to follow, Matthew left everything and became a witness to the King and His kingdom.

Writing around the late 50s to early 60s AD, likely from Antioch or Palestine, Matthew had a specific purpose: to present Jesus of Nazareth as the long-awaited Messiah — the fulfillment of all God’s covenant promises to Israel — and to call all nations to follow Him.

For Matthew’s original Jewish audience, a genealogy wasn’t boring; it was thrilling.

It was proof of identity.

To them, the Messiah’s pedigree mattered — He had to be the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.

This genealogy is Matthew’s way of saying:

The wait is over.

The promised King has come.

And for us, sitting here this morning, these 17 verses matter because they remind us that the God who worked through centuries of history is the same God at work in your story today.

Your life may feel random, your season may feel silent, but heaven’s timetable is never off.

The same sovereign hand that guided history to Christ is guiding all of history — and your life — to His purposes.

In just 17 verses, Matthew condenses over two thousand years of history into three movements:

From Abraham to David (vv. 1–6a) – The Period of Promise and Covenant Blessing

From David to the Exile (vv. 6b–11) – The Period of Kingdom Glory and Decline

From the Exile to Christ (vv. 12–16) – The Period of Silence and Sovereign Preparation

He closes with verse 17 to show that these aren’t random names.

They are evidence of God’s meticulous faithfulness, His precise control over history, and His unstoppable plan of redemption.

So before we rush past these names, we must slow down.

Every name here is a thread in the tapestry of God’s plan — a plan that begins with promise and ends in fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Transition to Point One: And Matthew begins where the story of promise begins — not with Adam, but with Abraham.

Why?

Because Matthew’s aim is to show Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Israel, which began with Abraham.

Let’s look first at this opening section — From Abraham to David: The Period of Promise and Covenant Blessing.

1. From Abraham to David (vv. 1–6a) – The Period of Promise and Covenant Blessing

Matthew begins his genealogy not with Adam, as Luke does, but with Abraham.

This is deliberate.

By starting with Abraham, Matthew connects Jesus directly to the foundation of Israel’s identity — the man through whom God made His covenant promises.

God’s Covenant with Abraham

Genesis 12:1–3 records God calling a pagan man from Ur with an astounding promise:

“I will make you into a great nation.”

“I will bless you.”

“I will make your name great.”

“All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

This blessing would not come through Abraham’s virtue or wisdom but through God’s sovereign grace and covenant faithfulness.

The entire Old Testament unfolds from this promise — God creating a people, giving them a land, and through them bringing blessing to the nations.

God’s Covenant with David The genealogy moves through Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and down to David — Israel’s greatest king.

To David, God gave another promise (2 Samuel 7:12–16): a son whose throne would be established forever.

Israel came to understand this as the promise of the Messiah — God’s anointed ruler who would bring justice, righteousness, and peace.

Matthew’s point to his readers is unmistakable:

That promised Son has come!

Jesus is the seed promised to Abraham who blesses all nations, and the royal Son promised to David whose kingdom will never end.

The Flow from Abraham to David

Abraham to Isaac – God’s promise survives the impossible odds of barrenness.

Isaac to Jacob – God chooses the younger, the weaker, the undeserving.

Jacob to Judah – The line continues through flawed men and surprising turns.

Judah to David – God’s covenant faithfulness raises up Israel’s greatest king.

This section is the period of promise and covenant blessing — a story of God’s faithfulness in building His kingdom through chosen instruments, often in spite of their failings.

Illustration – The Author’s Foreshadowing It’s like reading the early chapters of a grand novel and seeing subtle hints of the ending.

Every twist, every unlikely choice of character, is leading toward the climactic moment when the long-promised King arrives.

Historical Illustration When the exiles returned from Babylon, they clung to genealogical records to prove their place among God’s people (Ezra 2:59–63).

A verified lineage was proof of identity and inheritance.

Matthew’s genealogy functions the same way — it is the legal and prophetic “title deed” proving Jesus is the rightful King.

Application This reminds us that God’s promises are unstoppable.

Across centuries marked by wars, famines, betrayals, and moral failure, His covenant line endured without break.

If He kept His promise to send Christ through such a turbulent history, He can keep every promise He has made to you.

Even when your circumstances seem to contradict His Word, He is working all things for His glory and your good in Christ (Romans 8:28).

You may not see the full picture yet, but the Author has already written the ending.

Transition to Point Two But just as the sunlight of promise and blessing shone brightly from Abraham to David, the story does not stay on that mountaintop.

Matthew’s genealogy turns a corner in verse 6 — from the glory of Israel’s greatest king to a slow descent into rebellion, idolatry, and national collapse.

The line that once carried covenant hope now walks a dark road toward exile. Yet even here, the promises of God are not erased — they are refined in the furnace of judgment.

2. From David to the Exile (vv. 6b–11) – The Period of Decline and Covenant Judgment

After the high point of David’s reign, Matthew’s genealogy takes a sobering turn.

The kingdom that began in promise descends into decline.

The period from Solomon to the Babylonian exile is one of increasing compromise, rebellion, and judgment — yet still under the watchful hand of the covenant-keeping God.

The Kingdom’s Splendor and Its Cracks David’s son Solomon inherited a united kingdom, great wealth, and unmatched wisdom (1 Kings 3:12–13).

But his heart turned away from the Lord through the influence of foreign wives and idolatry (1 Kings 11:1–8).

What began in golden glory soon fractured.

After Solomon’s death, the kingdom split — Israel in the north, Judah in the south — each marked by a steady erosion of covenant faithfulness.

The Long Slide into Exile Matthew’s genealogy includes kings who reigned well, like Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah — reformers who sought to turn the nation back to God.

But most were unfaithful, leading God’s people into idolatry, injustice, and moral decay.

From Rehoboam’s arrogance to Manasseh’s shocking evil, Judah spiraled toward the covenant curses God warned about (Deuteronomy 28).

Finally, in 586 BC, the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and carried the people into exile.

This was not a random tragedy but the fulfillment of God’s Word through the prophets — the judgment of a holy God upon His rebellious people.

Illustration – The Fall of a Dynasty History is filled with stories of great dynasties that rose to power only to collapse under the weight of corruption — the Ming dynasty in China, the Roman Empire, the House of Bourbon in France.

Each thought its reign would last forever, but sin rotted the foundations.

Judah’s story is no different, except for one critical truth:

God’s covenant was not abandoned.

God’s Faithfulness in Judgment Even in exile, the promises to Abraham and David were not erased.

The prophets spoke of a remnant, a return, and a future King who would sit on David’s throne (Jeremiah 23:5–6; Ezekiel 37:24–28).

God’s judgment was severe, but it was never the final word.

His discipline was aimed at purifying His people and preparing the stage for the coming of the Messiah.

Application This section of the genealogy is a warning and a comfort. It warns us that sin brings consequences, even to God’s covenant people.

The same God who keeps promises also keeps His word of judgment.

But it comforts us that even when God’s people are at their lowest, His purposes cannot be stopped.

He weaves redemption through the darkest chapters.

Believer, maybe you feel like you’re in a “Babylon” season — far from where you thought you’d be, under the weight of consequences, wondering if God’s promises still apply.

The genealogy says, “Yes.”

The covenant line was not cut off in exile, and neither is God’s mercy cut off from you in Christ.

Transition to Point Three And that is where Matthew’s genealogy takes us next.

Out of the ashes of exile, God begins to rebuild — not with political might or human greatness, but with quiet faithfulness, obscure names, and an unbroken line leading straight to the birth of the King.

3. From the Exile to Christ (vv. 12–17) – The Period of Waiting and Covenant Fulfillment

The final section of Matthew’s genealogy moves from the return from Babylon to the arrival of Jesus Christ.

At first glance, these verses might feel like a blur of unfamiliar names — Zerubbabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor.

But for Matthew’s original readers, every name was a link in the chain of God’s unbroken promise.

From Exile to Restoration After seventy years in Babylon, a remnant returned under leaders like Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah (Ezra 1; Nehemiah 2).

They rebuilt the temple, restored worship, and resettled in the land.

But this was not the glorious kingdom the prophets had promised.

Israel remained under foreign rule — Persia, Greece, and finally Rome. There was no Davidic king on the throne.

Centuries passed in what seemed like silence from God.

The Silent Centuries The period between Malachi and Matthew spans roughly 400 years without a single new prophetic word.

Yet this was not a void in God’s plan — it was a season of providential preparation. Empires rose and fell.

The Greek language spread across the known world, the Old Testament was translated into Greek (the Septuagint), and Roman roads and law created a framework for the rapid spread of the gospel. God was setting the stage for the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4).

Seemingly Ordinary Names, Extraordinary Faithfulness The men listed here were not kings, prophets, or famous warriors.

They were ordinary people in obscure times, but their names are remembered because God remembered His promise.

His covenant line did not depend on political strength or human fame — it depended on His faithfulness.

Illustration – The Long-Awaited Sunrise If you’ve ever waited through a long night, you know how it feels to wonder if the morning will ever come.

But no matter how dark or cold it gets, the sun always rises.

For Israel, the exile was a long night, and these centuries of waiting were the deep hours before dawn.

Matthew’s genealogy ends with the first light of day:

“…and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.” (v. 16)

Christ the Fulfillment Every covenant promise, every prophetic hope, every longing of God’s people meets its “Yes” in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20).

He is the true Son of Abraham, bringing blessing to the nations.

He is the greater Son of David, ruling forever.

And He is Immanuel, “God with us,” ending the long exile by bringing His people into God’s presence forever.

Application This final section reminds us that God’s timing is perfect.

We may feel like we are in a season of waiting — waiting for answers, for rescue, for justice, for healing.

But the God who kept His covenant line through centuries of silence will keep His promises to you in Christ. His delays are not denials; His waiting is never wasted.

Conclusion – The King Has Come, and He Is Yours

Matthew’s genealogy is not just a list of names. It is the story of God’s sovereign grace across the centuries:

From Abraham to David – the period of promise and covenant blessing. God called a pagan man, made him a friend, and promised that through his seed the nations would be blessed. That seed has come.

From David to the Exile – the period of kingdom glory and tragic decline. Israel’s golden age ended in rebellion, yet the promise of an eternal King still stood. That King has come.

From the Exile to Christ – the period of silence and sovereign preparation. For centuries God seemed still, but He was quietly setting the stage for the arrival of His Son. That Son has come.

This is not random history.

This is redemption history — one unbroken line leading straight to Jesus Christ. Even the structure of the genealogy — three sets of fourteen — reminds us that history is under God’s perfect order and timing.

Every birth, every king, every exile, every return was a step toward Bethlehem’s stable.

And here is the astonishing truth:

The Jesus at the end of this genealogy is not just the climax of Israel’s story; He is the hope of your story.

The promises to Abraham reach to you.

The throne promised to David belongs to your King. The silence before Christ mirrors the seasons of waiting in your life — and the same God who kept His word then will keep His word to you now.

Gospel Call: You may be here today feeling far from God, tangled in sin, weighed down by shame, or weary from waiting.

The genealogy tells you — God has not forgotten.

He has not abandoned.

He has not failed.

Every twist and turn of history was leading to Christ, and every twist and turn of your life is meant to lead you to Him.

Jesus Christ — the Son of Abraham, the Son of David, the Son of God — came to bear your sin, to break your chains, to reconcile you to the Father.

His cross is the place where all of God’s promises are “Yes” and “Amen” (2 Cor. 1:20).

His resurrection is the guarantee that no exile is final, no silence is permanent, and no grave can hold you if you belong to Him.

So come to Him.

Trust Him.

Follow Him.

Because the King has come — and He is yours if you will have Him.