The little girl slowly opened her eyes. The sun had yet to
peep over the horizon. She was about to snuggle back into the covers when the
faint smell of bacon caused her to sit up. Why is Dad making
breakfast so early? We don’t have to do school… oh! Suddenly remembering the significance of the day, she leapt
out of bed and ran to her siblings’ rooms.
“It’s Christmas, guys, get up!”
Three pairs of feet tumbled down the stairs and breathlessly
wished their parents a “Merry Christmas!” before carefully examining the
presents beside the tree.
“Eat your breakfast first, kids,” their mother said, smiling
at their eager faces.
Breakfast was dutifully consumed, but there was yet one
thing left to do before tearing into the colorfully wrapped presents. Picking
up a Bible, their father led them to the family room where they all sat next to
the fire and listened as he read the Christmas story.
This scene is one which replays every year at our house, as
it undoubtedly does in numerous other Christian households. While we no longer
exchange gifts, one tradition still remains: reading the opening chapters of
Matthew or Luke. I heard the Christmas story so many times growing up, that I
knew it by heart.
At least I thought I did.
Several years ago, I decided to read through the Matthew
account on my own. To my surprise, Matthew doesn’t start with the familiar
words, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was
on this wise...” No, the opening verses of Matthew are:
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son
of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas
and his brethren; and Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar....
The Christmas story starts with a genealogy!
That certainly seems like an odd place to start. But both
Matthew and Luke clearly thought it was the perfect way to introduce Christ’s
birth. Why? Because in reality, the story of Christmas started thousands of
years before that dark night in a Jerusalem stable. Peter writes in 1 Peter
1:18-21 (emphasis added),
Forasmuch as ye know that ye
were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the
foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who
by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory;
that your faith and hope might be in God.
Before there was a Joseph and
Mary, an Adam and Eve, or even a universe, God ordained His Son to come into
this world, be born as a baby, then suffer and die for the sins of His people. Before
the world existed, God planned for certain people to be born and for specific
things to happen to them so that His Son would be born in the right place at
the right time. Let’s take a moment to examine some of the individuals in
Christ’s lineage, looking for how God supernaturally orchestrated events in
their lives so the Messiah would be born.
The book of the
generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat
Isaac…
According to Genesis 11:30,
…Sarai was barren; she had no child.
Not only was Sarah barren,
but both she and Abraham were nearing one hundred years of age. There is no
physical way that Abraham could have begot Isaac! But did that prevent God’s
promise from being fulfilled and the Messiah from coming to earth? No!
For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son
in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him (Genesis 21:2).
God hadn’t forgotten His promise. He was waiting for the right time, and when
that time came, He gave Abraham a son.
…and Isaac begat
Jacob…
Looking at Isaac’s surroundings, one could easily conclude that
there was no chance of him even getting married! Isaac lived in Canaan, a land
inhabited by heathens. Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac were the only godly
individuals in the area. Not only that, but Isaac was forty years old! Who
would marry him? Yet once again, the Lord’s promise was not thwarted. By a
miraculous twist involving a wise servant, a well, and several thirsty camels,
God provided a righteous wife for Isaac, and children to carry on the lineage.
…and Jacob begat
Judas and his brethren…
Jacob? He shouldn’t even be in the lineage of Christ! The
birthright and all the blessings that came with it (along with the promise of
being in the Messiah’s lineage) were meant for the firstborn, and that wasn’t
Jacob. What caused the reversal of Esau and Jacob’s roles? Before the two were
born, the Lord told their mother,
Two
nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy
bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the
elder shall serve the younger (Genesis 27:23).
As it turned out, Esau had
no regard for his birthright and sold it to Jacob for a steaming bowl of red
lentils saying,
Behold, I am at the
point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? (Genesis 27:32)
Thus,
the Lord’s prophecy was fulfilled and Jacob was put in the lineage of Christ
instead of his brother.
Those are only three example of how God used extraordinary
and unusual circumstances to fulfill His purposes. Do you ever wonder why God allows
strange and sometimes difficult events happen to us? I’m sure Abraham wondered
why God made him leave behind his home and family to journey through a barren
land filled with ungodly individuals. Sarah was undoubtedly disappointed when, after
asking God repeatedly for a child, she was denied for many years. Isaac
probably began to think after forty years that God would never give him a wife.
Jacob may have become disheartened by his position as the youngest in his
family, with no hope of a future in the family line. Yet the Lord caused these
various struggles to occur in order that a greater purpose would be
accomplished: the birth of Jesus Christ.
This Christmas, I encourage you to read the entire
Christmas story. As you look at each of the names in Christ’s lineage, take a
moment to flip back to the Old Testament and consider how God worked through
the difficult circumstances of their lives. Then, take a moment to reflect on
the trials of your life. You may not yet understand why they’ve happened to
you, but know that God does everything for a purpose, and the results will be
more glorious than we could ever imagine.
Gloria Kluth is 19 years old and lives in the suburbs of D.C. She was saved in her early teen years and has since devoted her entire life to the Lord. When not engaged in college schoolwork, she enjoys working on her two books, writing for her blog, Reflections, (gloriakluth.blogspot.com), memorizing Scripture, playing guitar, and reading books on Christian heroes, history, fiction, and Christian living.
