If you are anything like me, when it comes to reading the genealogies in the Bible, my eyes tend to glaze over. First, I don’t know how to pronounce over half the names. Secondly, it really doesn't matter to me that I see who gave birth to who and who was the father so and so. My brain just runs it all together, and it is what it is. It’s like hearing the teacher on Charlie Brown talking to those students in the classroom. It was important, but as the viewer we didn’t care what the teacher was saying, we just hoped that they would be done with class so Charlie Brown could try and kick the football again.
In one of the books I recently read, it challenged us to read the Bible with a fresh set of eyes. Just to start reading it and try to experience it for the first time again. It’s kind of like wishing you could watch your favorite movie over again, not knowing how it ended. But I was determined to just really fall in love with the Scripture again.
So, I settled in and started in Matthew and prepared for the long list of names. I was initially reminded about Rahab and Ruth. I had forgotten just how close in generations they were to King David. It was amazing to see how God had laid it out to have 14 generations from Abraham to David. Then it was another 14 generations from David to the exile to Babylon, and still another 14 generations from the exile to Jesus.
Sometimes, when I stop and look at these kinds of details, I am just amazed at how God orchestrated it all. Only in His planning could things happen like this.
But as I was reading the rest of that chapter, something really stuck out to me. It ends by letting us know that Jacob was the father of Joseph, who was the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus. Now we all know Joseph and Mary, but as I continued to read the story of Jesus’s birth, we saw that the angel came and spoke to Joseph in a dream. He said, “Joseph, son of David.” Wait, but Joseph was the son of Jacob, not David. And David was so many generations ago. Why would he be called the son of David?
I believe that God has a calling on each and every one of our lives. Joseph was living his life and doing what he was supposed to do. Right before the angel came to him, he had found out that Mary was pregnant (and not from him). At this time in history, he could have had her killed for this. But he was trying to be honorable and decided to divorce her quietly. Instead, the angel came and spoke to him and told him that God was in this and that her baby was from God. In fact, it says that all of this took place to fulfill the Word of God through Isaiah. Talk about a calling!
See, I think that Joseph just saw himself as Joseph, son of Jacob. But God had a bigger calling on his life: Joseph, son of David.
What area has God called you to? Who is he wanting you to reach? First, let me tell you that he calls you a son/daughter of God (2 Corinthians 6:18). Secondly, the angel told him to not be afraid. May we hear that today as well. Do not be afraid of the calling that God has placed on your life. He made you and created you. Be ready for the mission that God has placed before you.
In Matthew 1:24a it says, “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him.”
My encouragement to you is to get up and do what the Lord has commanded of you!
