The Family of God

 Don’t you just love reading a story you’ve already read over and over again? Some people cannot stand to read a book (or watch a movie or show) that they’ve already seen, there are so many great things out there why would I stick with what I’ve already seen? Some people would rather stick with an “oldie but a goodie" because they like what’s familiar, they know what’s going to happen and they can pay more attention to what’s going on in the background because they already know the main story. That is me, I am the person who likes to watch old shows and ready old books over and over again; just ask my family. 

Maybe that’s why I’ve never had any real problem with devotions. I’ve never had a problem with reading this same Book over and over again, for 1 thing, it’s amazing!! For another, it’s a really big book so there is always more to notice. 

So today I was reading one of the most over-read but under-appreciated passages in scripture: The Genealogy of Jesus in Mathew 1. I know, fascinating stuff. But it’s got some fantastic truth hidden in plain sight.

Have you ever noticed the women listed in Jesus’ genealogy? The Bible was written in a time when women had little more rights than a slave and many of the people it was written for still had that view as well (old habits die hard), and these women were not women that were ever famous. So why were they included?

I will tell you. 

In verse 3 it says “Judah the father of Perez and Zarah, who’s mother was Tamar”.                         

Who is Tamar? Her story is in Genesis 38 but I will summarize it for you. Tamar was Judah’s daughter-in-law. Unfair things happened to her and she also responded in not-so-great ways, plus Judah didn’t always give her great advice. In a moment of weakness and stupidity Judah got Tamar pregnant. Very few societies have treated unwed mothers very well and this is no different. 

Back in Matthew 1 verse 5 it says ‘ Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab’. Who is Rahab?

I will tell you. 

Joshua 2 is the story of the Israelites having to cross through the city of Jericho and spies went to see how Jericho could be concurred and a Prostitute who lived in the city wall helped them; she and her family are the only people mentioned as survivors of Jericho and then joined the Israelites. Even though this prostitute was from another people group she knew that God was to be feared and did what she knew was right.

That Prostitute was Rahab.

Continuing on in verse 5 of Matthew 1 it says “Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth”

Who’s Ruth? 

I’ll tell you.

The Book of Ruth is her story. She was a Moabite Woman who married an Israelite man after he and his family moved away from the Promised Land because of famine. When all 3 men in the family died Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi (you may remember this story) decided to go back to Israel since she still at least had old friends there. Naomi told her 2 daughters-in-law to stay with their families but Ruth refused. She was going to stay with Naomi and help her in any way she could. Ruth ended up meeting Boaz their Kinsmen Redeamer (I know what you’re asking but I’m gonna have to go into that in another post). Boaz helped Ruth and Naomi and married Ruth and a Woman who wasn’t even from there became the Great Grandmother of King David. 

So what does all this mean?

I’ll tell you (you ask great questions, btw). 

Society has a horrible term (a few actually) for women with children out of wed-lock and those times weren’t any different.

Tamar was probably scorned by society, rejected by family and friends and the very man who wronged her. But God provided and her story is not forgotten.

Rahab was a prostitute and an outsider, but she did what she knew was right and chose to risk her life for God who she hardly knew anything about, but she knew He was great and to be feared. And God provided and her story is not forgotten.

Ruth as an outsider who married into a family with seemingly nothing but bad luck. She could have easily gone back to her family and tried again for a better life (and no one would have blamed her) but she stayed by her depressed, widowed mother-in-law to make sure she was ok. And God provided and her story is not forgotten.

Jesus was not only real but His genealogy is full of misfits, failures, and outsiders. He was impure, and I think that is exactly how God wanted it. 

This was God’s hidden message where He is calling out to us that no one is beyond His use and grace.

No matter what’s been done to you or what horrible things you have done, you are never beyond God’s hope and help and he even uses our mistakes to show others His grace.

Don’t ever forget it.