The Lineage Leaves No Doubt

Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him. So she changed out of her widow’s clothing and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. Then she sat beside the road at the entrance to the village of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. Judah noticed her and thought she was a prostitute, since she had covered her face. So he stopped and propositioned her. “Let me have sex with you,” he said, not realizing that she was his own daughter-in-law. [Genesis 38.14-16a]

So, according to Matthew's lineage record of Jesus, this circumstance (Judah visiting a "prostitute") provided the indicative thread of lineage pointing to the Messiah.

This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of 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 (whose 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 (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). 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 father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon). After the Babylonian exile: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the father 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 Akim. Akim 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, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah. [Matthew 1.1-16]

As much as we might want to question the methods that point to Jesus as Messiah, I think there is a much more important consideration. 

Jesus' bloodline did NOT come from the lineage detailed in Matthew's gospel. Jesus was Fathered by the Holy Spirit of God Who came upon Mary. The lineage so painstakingly preserved in Jewish culture served to identify the Messiah using the very meticulous and forward-looking methods of the Jewish people to do so. The Story is NOT about Judah's indiscretions (or anyone else's for that matter - King David's, Solomon's, etc...). The Story is about the clear line of genealogy pointing to Jesus. 

Jesus is the much-anticipated Messiah. The lineage leaves no doubt.

But there is more doubt the lineage eliminates. The fact that the lineage pointing to Jesus is riddled with questionable circumstances - even some of them embarrassingly forbidden, just proves that humanity needs redemption. If there had been a "perfect" lineage to point to Jesus, there would have been no need for Jesus! We must remember that. We must appreciate that!

I know, in the past, I have been alarmed at the Godless escapades of many of those found in the Messiah-indicating lineage. But I was wrong to do so. Not that their deeds were acceptable, but that their deeds confirmed the need for the Messiah!

Father, I am so grateful for Jesus. But I am also so grateful for the lineage that pointed to Jesus as while also pointing out the need for Jesus. Your plan is perfect!