The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. – Matthew 1: 1

Matthew 1: 1 provides us with the print out of Jesus’ Ancestry.com report. Granted, the Lord was the Son of God on His Heavenly Dad’s side, but he also had a human lineage on his human dad and mom’s side. The Gospel of Matthew introduces us to Jesus by first introducing us to his ancestors. When we read this genealogy of Jesus we cannot help but notice the following.

1). Jesus had some famous and faithful people in His background. The first name mentioned is Abraham. There are few in the Bible who have more status as a man and more standing with God than Abraham. 2). Jesus had immigrants in His background. Ruth came back to Judah with Naomi as an immigrant. She left her home country of Moab for a better life among the people of God. That personal pilgrimage of hers led her to Boaz who was the great- grandfather of David. 3). Jesus had royalty in His background. He was not only the son of Abraham, but the son of David. David was not just a King. With all of his flaws and faults, we was a musician, a poet, a warrior and a worshiper. 4). Jesus had Africans in His background. Verse six mentions that David begat Solomon “of her who had been the wife of Uriah.” That would be Bathsheba who was a Hittite. The Hittites were an African people. If today’s standard that one drop of Black blood makes you Black, then what do you think Jesus was? 5). Jesus had rich people in His background. King Solomon was not only known for his wisdom. He was also regarded as the richest man of his time and, perhaps, all time. 6). Jesus had some pretty anonymous and non-descript people in His background. Outside of this list, whoever heard of Abia, Achaz, Abiud or Azor? Surely, they must have been nice people, but nobody in particular other than people who helped to bring us Christ.

In all, it took forty two generations to get Jesus from the throne room of God to the barn in Bethlehem. His genealogy encourages us to know that no matter what or who we have in our background, we can still be used by God in marvelous and mighty ways. That is miraculous!