The House and Line of David
Prayer: Dear Lord God, I am so grateful that You want me to know You. You have given me a fantastic gift in Your Holy Word. Please shine the light of inspiration into my heart as I learn from You today. Use this Word to deepen my faith and enhance my love for You. Holy Spirit, may I listen as You help me understand the Word and apply it my own life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Read: Luke 2:4-7
Think about It : Every year, on January 1, many people make a resolution to read the Bible from cover to cover. It's a great goal and when we start off in Genesis 1, it seems like it might work. The stories are interesting and the action is pretty good. Exodus comes along and it's pretty good too. There's plagues and sea crossings, and miracles throughout. Leviticus becomes a challenge as there isn't much story and lots of laws. Only the truly intrepid make it through Leviticus. Then comes Numbers and for most, that's where it ends - the genealogies can drag the enthusiasm for the project right out of you!
But those long lists of names and begets must be important, right? Otherwise, why would God have put them in? And of course no one in the Old Testament named their kid Harry or Susan. No, we get Amminshaddai and Pedahzur! Suddenly, we are stuck and either we quit the project or just skip over that part. But God included that information for a reason. It's important. Especially important are the connections between Adam, David, and Jesus.
In Genesis 3:15, God promised the now fallen Adam and Eve that He would send a Messiah to save them from the sin that now engulfs their lives. Then, In 2 Samuel, God promises King David that a his name shall be forever known because his descendant would occupy the throne forever! When Luke tells us that Joseph is related to none other than King David, we know that Jesus answers that promise. Ah, but Jesus isn't related to Joseph by blood, you might say. Well, as it turns out, Mary is related to King David as well! For the Jew, that may not have been important, but God takes care of that detail for us anyway.
So when we read the words (which most of us could probably recite from memory because we hear them every year) that Jesus was born as the Son of Joseph and Mary, we see the fulfillment of promises made to both Adam and David - and ultimately to us as well, as we count on those promises for our own salvation!
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I love to read Your story! There are no important details left out and I marvel at the simplicity of Your birth. You were royal both in heaven and here on earth! I am so grateful that I can trust in all of Your promises because You have always kept Your Word. Thank You. In Your name I pray. Amen.
Read: Luke 2:4-7
Think about It : Every year, on January 1, many people make a resolution to read the Bible from cover to cover. It's a great goal and when we start off in Genesis 1, it seems like it might work. The stories are interesting and the action is pretty good. Exodus comes along and it's pretty good too. There's plagues and sea crossings, and miracles throughout. Leviticus becomes a challenge as there isn't much story and lots of laws. Only the truly intrepid make it through Leviticus. Then comes Numbers and for most, that's where it ends - the genealogies can drag the enthusiasm for the project right out of you!
But those long lists of names and begets must be important, right? Otherwise, why would God have put them in? And of course no one in the Old Testament named their kid Harry or Susan. No, we get Amminshaddai and Pedahzur! Suddenly, we are stuck and either we quit the project or just skip over that part. But God included that information for a reason. It's important. Especially important are the connections between Adam, David, and Jesus.
In Genesis 3:15, God promised the now fallen Adam and Eve that He would send a Messiah to save them from the sin that now engulfs their lives. Then, In 2 Samuel, God promises King David that a his name shall be forever known because his descendant would occupy the throne forever! When Luke tells us that Joseph is related to none other than King David, we know that Jesus answers that promise. Ah, but Jesus isn't related to Joseph by blood, you might say. Well, as it turns out, Mary is related to King David as well! For the Jew, that may not have been important, but God takes care of that detail for us anyway.
So when we read the words (which most of us could probably recite from memory because we hear them every year) that Jesus was born as the Son of Joseph and Mary, we see the fulfillment of promises made to both Adam and David - and ultimately to us as well, as we count on those promises for our own salvation!
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I love to read Your story! There are no important details left out and I marvel at the simplicity of Your birth. You were royal both in heaven and here on earth! I am so grateful that I can trust in all of Your promises because You have always kept Your Word. Thank You. In Your name I pray. Amen.
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