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Storytime Tapestry Newsletter
The newsletter devoted to
spreading love and cultural awareness around the world
Christian Meditations – A
Chris Hansen Column
December 19, 2007
You met Chris, now you can read more of
his work:
By Chris Hansen author: “Revelation Revisited,” a very
dramatic trip through John’s visions: “Secret of the Psalms,” amazing
prophecies about Jesus written centuries in advance: and “Grandfather’s
Journal,” a touching children’s book about a boy who loses his terror of death
when he discovers that Jesus really rose from the grave.
Publisher’s website www.xlibris.com publisher’s phone
1-888-795-4274 local bookstores and tapes and publications First Baptist Modesto www.fbcmodesto.com
Trying to unravel Jesus’ family tree can quite literally
drive you up a tree! Luke 3:23 clearly says that Joseph’s father was
Heli. However, Matthew 1:16 clearly says that Joseph’s father was Jacob. So, which is it? Actually, part of the confusion lies in the
word “father.” This word can also mean
ancestor-not necessarily a father, but perhaps a grandfather or even a great
grandfather. Well, that clears up some
of the mystery. Matthew 1:12 clearly names Zerubbabel as an ancestor of
Jesus. So does Luke 3:27. So that clears up a bit more of the
confusion. Matthew 1:6 clearly links
Jesus to David. So does Luke 3:31. However, Luke links one ancestor to Nathan,
one of David’s sons, and Matthew links Jesus’ ancestry to Solomon, another of
David’s sons in Matthew 1:6. So, who in
the world is Nathan anyway? Well, you
have to do some digging around in 1 Chronicles 3:5. David reigned in Jerusalem for 33 years
and had quite a number of sons while there.
We find out that Nathan’s mother was Bathsheba and we also find out that
Solomon was his brother. So, to make a
confusing story simple, Luke traces Jesus from Nathan, and Matthew traces Jesus
from Solomon, Nathan’s brother. Got a
headache yet? So, this all means that
after David and his dysfunctional family with numerous sons, things get really
messy. Before David, things are much
simpler to follow-thank goodness! David
was a very complicated man. He was a
brave warrior. He was a dynamic king. He was a gifted musician and poet. He was also trapped by sexual lust and fits
of rage. David’s life was never the same
after his affair with Bathsheba. His
family line was filled with murder, political intrigue, bitter hatreds, rape,
revenge, and everything one could wish for in a soap opera-only this time the
drama was tragic and true. So, who was
Zerubbabel? Both lineages of Jesus land
on this hero of the Jews. It was a hard
time in Israel at about 458
BC. Babylon had decimated Jerusalem and its holy
temple 70 years before. Cyrus had
finally given permission for Jews to return to their ancestral homelands. Artaxerxes was now in power, and he too
granted permission. So, an enthusiastic
group of rebuilders came back to start again.
One of these men was Zerubbabel, evidently one of the heroic leaders
among such men as Nehemiah, Ezra, and even Mordecai who had raised Esther. The list of men in Ezra chapter 2 puts
Zerubbabel right in the middle of these heroic men. What does all this mean? Simply that Jesus came from a long tradition
of ancestors who were fiercely dedicated to serving God-flaws and all. Perhaps you come from a long line of family
ancestors who served God faithfully. If
so, thank God for your heritage. Perhaps
you are trying to start a family heritage.
Take heart. You too can begin a
faithful family line that will follow the Lord.
Perhaps, like Ruth, a Gentile ancestor of Jesus, you don’t have a family
line that follows God. Ruth’s husband
wasn’t even supposed to have married her because Ruth wasn’t Jewish. He died in Moab even though he
had fled there to escape famine. Things
didn’t look very promising for Ruth.
Yet, in God’s providence, Ruth followed her mother-in-law back to Israel, where she fell
in love with a prominent Jewish leader.
Ruth had a tenacious devotion to God even though her ancestors worshiped
other gods. Zerubbabel shows us the
value of a long heritage which follows God.
However, Ruth shows us the value of individual dedication to God even if
the family has not had this wonderful tradition. When I read about people in the Bible, I make
it my habit to look at 1 Chronicles chapters 1 through 10 as a handy reference
guide. I find it very helpful to find
out what sort of ancestry a Bible character may have had. Bible passages are there for a reason, even
if that reason is not evident right away.
As a new believer, I couldn’t understand why all these names were there. Then I began to discover how valuable a
reference guide they could be for future reference. I discovered that bad families can produce
good people, and that good families can go bad.
I also found that bad families tend to produce bad descendants unless
heroic people reverse the trend. I also
discovered that even good families can go bad through lack of attention or
individuals who make poor choices. So,
does your family tree matter? Yes, and
no. Yes, because it influences many of
your traits and decisions. No, because
you and I still have a free will and can make our own choices. Some of Jesus’ ancestors made very good and
very bad decisions too. Ruth made good
choices. David made both good and bad
choices. Solomon started well and made
very poor decisions, and pulled himself up just in time-but only after a
lifetime of unhappiness. Zerubbabel made
very good choices. Joseph and Mary, made
very good choices indeed in caring for Jesus, though they were perplexed much
of the time by their very unusual son.
Just how do peasants raise the Son of God anyway! Finally, Jesus faced the hardest choice any
human has had to make. In the garden of Gethsemane
Jesus had to decide between doing what He wanted
and what His Father wanted. Jesus had to
choose between the eternal doom of all mankind and the horrors of being
crucified on a Roman cross. Neither
choice was a pleasant one. During His
ministry, Jesus described Hell in chilling terms clearly suggesting that Hell
was worse than any fate one might imagine.
In Mark chapter 9 Jesus suggests that hell is worse than losing a hand
or a foot, worse than losing an eye, and worse than drowning in the depths of
the sea. Evidently, Hell was even worse
than a Roman cross! Only this horror
explains why Jesus was willing to go through such terrible agony to save
us. Hell is locked by sinful human
hearts with no escape. However, Hell is
unlocked by a key in the shape of a Roman spike piercing Jesus our Savior! Thanks be to God!
Chris Hansen
chrishansen54@sbcglobal.net
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