What Jesus Did : Matthew 1:6b-10 - No Hidden Skeletons
by Phil Ware
No Hidden Skeletons - Matthew 1:6b-10
David was the father of Solomon. (Solomon's mother had been Uriah's wife.) Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the father of Abijah. Abijah was the father of Asa. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram. Jehoram was the father of Uzziah. Uzziah was the father of Jotham. Jotham was the father of Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Amon. Amon was the father of Josiah. (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
Nearly every family has a few skeletons in its closets, and you can find them if you open up enough closets! As a propaganda piece, the Bible is not very good because it doesn't even try to hide the skeletons—not even in Jesus' family tree. Instead, the Scriptures are brutally honest about the failures of even our greatest Bible heroes. You look through today's verses and you'll find some serious skeletons. It's as if God is saying to us, "If I can bring triumph through them and their failures, just imagine what I can do through you!" I don't know about you, but that surely is encouraging to me. I call this the principle of “Hallelujah anyway!” God’s power and grace triumph over our failures. (FYI, for those not familiar with the idiom, "a skeleton in the closet" is another way of saying that someone has some bad family secrets that they try to keep hidden. One of the most significant "skeletons" is Bathsheba, the one for whom David lusted, then had her husband placed in danger so that he died in battle, and then David finally married her.)
Today's Prayer
Almighty God, I am thankful that your strength is made perfect in weakness. I don't want to stumble or fall in my service to you, but it is very encouraging to know that you have raised so many others up from failure and made them useful and holy to you. Please forgive my sins and empower me to overcome my weaknesses and sin. Thank you for giving me reasons not to give up when I do falter. In the name of Jesus, my atoning sacrifice and hero, I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
This is the family history of Jesus Christ. He came from the family of David and Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah. (Their mother was Tamar.) Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz. (Boaz' mother was Rahab.) Boaz was the father of Obed. (Obed's mother was Ruth.) Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon. (Solomon's mother had been Uriah's wife.) Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the father of Abijah. Abijah was the father of Asa. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram. Jehoram was the father of Uzziah. Uzziah was the father of Jotham. Jotham was the father of Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Amon. Amon was the father of Josiah. Josiah was the grandfather of Jehoiachin and his brothers. (This was during the time that the {Jewish} people were taken to Babylon {to be slaves}.) After they were taken to Babylon: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the grandfather of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim was the father of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Achim. Achim was the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph. Joseph was the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus. Jesus is called the Christ. So there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David. And there were fourteen generations from David until the time when the people were taken to Babylon. And there were fourteen generations from the time when thepeople were taken to Babylon until Christ was born.-- Matthew 1:1-17 (ERV)
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