A Look at the Genealogy of Christ
Notes
Transcript
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1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,
Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Setting the Stage
Setting the Stage
Christmas time is a time that is usually celebrated with family.
It is a time that, as Christians, we celebrate family…
But, most importantly the family of God.
Because the Eternal Son of God took upon flesh and became the God-Man…
Our Savior has a physical lineage.
This lineage began in Genesis 3 as the seed of the woman.
It then was promised through the seed of Abraham.
Then the seed of Judah.
Then through the seed of David.
And, when we get to the New Testament, we see the news explode as the seed has a name and His name is Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is Emmanual, God with us.
So, I want us to take some time this morning and look at some characters from the lineage of Jesus.
I know that most of the time, we just pass over the genealogies as if they were a foreign language…
But, oh, the riches we find when we search for the gold of God’s Word.
The first set of names I want us to look at is Salmon, the father of Boaz by Rahab.
Salmon & Rahab
Salmon & Rahab
We don’t know much about Salmon.
His name is also Salma.
Both carry the meaning of Peace/Peaceable.
This morning, I want us to peer into the life of Rahab.
So, turn with me to Joshua 2.
Just a little context for those who may not know.
Moses has died.
Joshua has taken Moses’ spot of leadership under God’s direction.
Joshua is going to lead the people into the Promised Land.
The land of Canaan.
Land promised to Abraham and his offspring through the Abrahamic covenant.
So, Joshua has the people prepared for war.
And, all the men of valor are prepared to take the land.
Now, follow with me as we read…
1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there.
Here we are informed of Rahab’s immoral lifestyle.
A lifestyle that is not acceptable for a follower of God.
But, in Canaan, a land of perversion and cruelty…
It is most likely not only tolerated, but celebrated.
Especially if she is a temple prostitute, which would have been acceptable work in the eyes of Canaanites.
It is most likely not a lifestyle that would be frowned upon by peers.
2 And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out.
The act of Rahab lying to the Kings’ men would have been an act of lying to the King himself.
This was an act of deceit, but of bravery as well.
This act already shows us that she has rejected her people, her laws, her government, and her gods.
This was a great risking of her life.
And, for who…two strange men that she’d never met?
—> No.
It was for something that meant far more to her than two strange men.
8 Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. 11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.
This is why she risked her life.
She risked her life, not for two strange men…
But, for the one, true God of the universe.
She had not witnessed a single miracle, but she believed them by faith.
Rahab is a woman who has been transformed by the power of God and the testimony of the one, true God.
And she has a response to the power of God that most of Israel, who actually witnessed the miracles, never had…
—> A response of faith.
And, her faith is expressed in a confession that is akin to an Israelite Apostles Creed.
25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
She didn’t just say she believed in God.
She acted like she believed in God.
We are justified by faith alone, but justifying faith is never alone.
True justifying faith always produces works.
Let’s continue…
12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign
She could have sounded the alarm.
She could have been loyal to her people and their gods.
But, she was loyal to the one, true God.
And, she already had a lvoe for His people.
Notice that she doesn’t ask them to swear by any of the myriad of Canaanite gods.
She asks them to swear by the only God that mattered to her.
And, that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
13 that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.”
Notice, that she is not only concerned with her own salvation…
She is concerned with the salvation of her entire family.
And, she is risking her life for not only her own life…
But, the life of her entire family.
14 And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall.
This explains how the two spies ended up in her house.
They entered at an easier point in order to enter the city.
And, by divine providence they happen to enter Rahab’s house
16 And she said to them, “Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.” 17 The men said to her, “We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head.
Does this remind you of anything?
This is very reminiscent of the blood of the passover lamb on the doorpost.
Safety within the house. Death outside of it.
20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear.” 21 And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
Rahab risked her life, kept her word, and trusted God to protect her because she believed in God.
Listen to the closing of Rahab’s story in Joshua’s words…
After they defeated Jericho and Rahab and her family was saved…
17 And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.
And, continuing in…
24 And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
The actions of Rahab that were expressions of faith in God saved her that day.
They delivered her from sin and condemnation.
They delivered her into the people of God.
Because of Rahab’s faith in God, she dwelt the rest of her life in the midst of the people of God.
31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
A welcome that was founded on faith in God.
And, she is in the hall of faith as one who entered the true rest that only God can give.
And, we lay hold of that eternal rest by faith in the living God.
Let’s think about this…
Let’s think about this…
Here we have a prostitute transformed by the power of God…
Into a wife of a man of peace, Salmon.
From a harlot to a Mom who raised a godly son.
Here we have a woman who believed God and it transformed her life.
She abandoned everything she had previously practiced and everything she previously knew.
She walked away from a sinful lifestyle, in which she knew lots of people, and could probably call in all kinds of favors.
She didn’t want salvation for herself only.
She wanted it and risked all for the salvation of her entire family.
And she was moved by faith to embrace a people whom she knew none.
But, she knew their God and she trusted Him with everything.
Before this morning, you may have never heard of Salmon.
But, you most likely have heard of Rahab.
Every Jew knew of Rahab.
Everyone Jew knew her occupation as a Canaanite woman in the city of Jericho.
She was a foreigner and an immoral woman.
Yet, in spite of that, Salmon married her.
Why?
Because she’d been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
—> And, Rahab took part in the lineage of Christ.
Rahab is a testimony that there is no sinner so deep in sin that God’s grace can not lift them out.
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
