| It has been necessary by way of introduction, to not only show that Jesus is the Christ because he is the son of David and son of Abraham . But also to show how he is Christ by his cross and resurection. Also to show Jesus wasn't playing games when he announced the Kingdom of God. To show that he did not fail to bring in the Kingdom, he said was about to break in. We still see that the Kingdom is now but also not yet. Hopefully this has brought the genealogy to life for you. It is basically the story of Israel up to the time of Jesus. The birth of Jesus Matthew now moves on from the genealogy of Jesus to the birth of Jesus. He tells us that Joseph is a son of David just to make that connection again for us. He tells us that as he was considering divorcing Mary quietly, an Angel of the Lord appeared to Him not to divorce Mary. He is assured that the child she carries is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Angel proceeds to tell him what he is to name the child. he is to be called Jesus for he will save his people from their sins. Now Jesus in Hebrew is Joshua. Joshua is the name of Israels ruler and deliverer after Moses. He established them into the land and defeated Gods enemies just as future deliveres in Israel did. There is one difference, this deliverer will forgive Israel their sins. Such a claim would at once grab the attention of a pious Israelite. For Israel was told that when she returned to the Lord with all her heart her exile would end. This is what the prophet Daniel said in Daniel 9. When sin and transgression is ended God would bring His righteous Kingdom in. When Israels sins were forgiven the time of the Kingdom had come. The angel then told him this was to fulfill what Isaiah the prophet had written when he wrote about a virgin conceiving and bearing a child. Again he gives him a name, this time "Emmanuel" Emmanual was what Isaiah named one of his sons as a sign to Israel that God was with them in judgement. But this Emmanuel was to save them from their sin, so Emmanuel carried a dual meaning that God was with them in salvation and judgement. This Jesus was to be the salvation and ruin of many in Israel. This was God's end time prophet, the last prophet sent by God to Israel.. So Joseph did all that he was commanded and wasn't sexually intimate with Mary until after she bore the boy Jesus. Matthew then tells us about the wise men who come to pay the King of Israel homage. They appear in Jerusalem asking for the King of the Jews. This greatly troubled King Herod, for to hear that there was another king meant he was soon to be dethroned. He called the scribes and chief priests to enquire where the Christ would be born. He then shows us the baby Jesus being born in Bethlehem. This fulfills what was written about Judah and that Israels ruler will come from Bethlehem in Judah. Herod tells them to inform him once they have found him. He claims that he too wants to go worship him. But Herod is instead threatened by Him and wants to kill the baby boy. |
