THE GENERATION OF JESUS CHRIST #2
Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
We are seeing that which generated from the eternal Son of God which includes his own Incarnation. For he was himself born of a woman, making him the son of Abraham and the son of David. Truly did the apostle state, And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…(I Tim. 3:16).
There are three names given in verse seventeen of our text which precede the appearance of the blessed name of our Lord. As the Eternal Son of God, he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Col 1:17, 15). But as the son of man, he succeeds the appearance of these upon the stage of human kind.
This is a puzzling question that the Lord Jesus posed to the religious gang of his day. Mark 12:35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? Nevertheless he is both the son of David in his humanity, and the Lord of David in his eternal glory! And in regards to each he could both say with equal honesty; I and my Father are one, and, my Father is greater than I. (John 10:30, 14:28).
Now let us see what we can concerning the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in this generation of Jesus Christ. And the first of the names mentioned is that of Abraham. His name means father of a multitude. Genesis 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Therefore he is a personal type of the Lord Jesus, as every one of God’s elect children were chosen in Christ. Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
So as all who are of faith are said to be of Abraham, so all those who shall enjoy eternity, abiding in the glory of God, were every one chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world! Hebrews 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
And Abraham being this personal pre-figuring of Christ, was given the issue of faith of not being able to produce one son, much less multitudes. For the production of God’s spiritual children is Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zech. 4:6). Rom. 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And as Abraham is the father of the faithful, so the Lord Jesus is the author and finisher of faith. (Hebrews 12:2). For he brought faith into existence when he had to cast his soul upon the Father’s pleasure regarding his death! The Apostle Peter states on Pentecost that David, as a prophet, was speaking of Christ and not of himself in regards to Christ’s flesh resting in hope. Acts 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
David and all the Old Testament believers were saved on credit. Then the Lord Jesus came and paid the debt of believers, past present and future. Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Abraham’s faith was under the shadowy figures of the sacrifice of animals, bringing him on to see in the attempted sacrifice of his son the day of Messiah! John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
But once the issue of faith – believing in the birth of Isaac – was completed, Abraham had many sons by Keturah! Genesis 25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
Our second name in verse seventeen of Matthew one is David. And his name means loving. It is derived from the Hebrew word translated, My beloved, in Song of Solomon 2:8,9,10, & 16. Here we are allowed to see, not a different Christ, but a different view of the same Christ! For now abides faith and hope, but the greater of these is love! (1 Corin. 13:13). Therefore we need an Abraham to represent faith to begin the issue of spiritual birth. But we also need David to bring us to view the heart of God, for God is love! (1 John 4:8, 16). And we know that it was said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. (Acts 13:22). We do not separate David from faith any more than we separate Abraham from love. But it is just that their principle issues were different in order for us to view a broader scope of the immeasurable God by the combination of their personalities and spiritual gifts!
Faith and love cannot be separated. For they work in conjunction with each other. Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. It is just a matter of their successive order. Love is the source of faith! Christ as God, is love! And he is the Alpha, the source of all things.
And when faith has completed its work, love shall succeed faith (1 Cor. 13:13). For the Lord Christ is the Omega. All things find their object in him. Just as Noah’s bird flew from the ark as its source, and not finding any place to rest, it flew back to the ark as its object, so faith originates from Christ as its author, and returns to Christ as its object!
This clearly comes forth as the Son prays to the Father as recorded in John 17:23, 24. Would you be interested in that which God communes to God about? They commune about their mutual love for One Another, and in doing so, of their love for all believers! John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
And as love is the identification of God, (God IS love), so it is the identifying of all true believers! John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
We come now to the third name in our verse. It is not a name of a person, but of a country, Babylon. But it is a location outside of the realm of Israel. And it is noted twice in our verse, not for its specific identity, but by the carrying away of rebellious Israel into its dominion. And just how does this fit in with the generation of Jesus Christ? It is most important!
For one cannot assume to have faith (Abraham), nor the love of God (David) except he realize that he is a sinner who is without hope and is in the world without God! (Ephesians 2:12). The word Babylon is associated with “confusion.” Gen. 11:9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
The future believer must first come to recognize himself a sinner, and as such is responsible for the confusion between himself and God, and God’s righteous order. Daniel 9:8 O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
He comes to realize that God is not confusion’s author! 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Therefore we come to see even sin as the servant of God! He is not its author, but he most assuredly is its Lord! For his use of sin is in order to cause us to see the high value of grace! And it is the order of sin reigning unto death that grants us the view of the principle of Christ reigning in grace!
The Apostle Paul proclaims that the law of Moses was added to mans knowledge in order that sin might be more highly recognized. And then sin, being identified more clearly, causes us to see the need of a great Savior, and great grace! Those with no awareness of the exceeding sinfulness of their sin will rightfully “accept” this two-for-a-nickel Jesus being offered in religious houses across our nation! Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Listen at the redeemed gang singing the new song of redemption: And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Rev. 5:9 & 10.)
The reason that there is little worship in religion today is because there is not much value in Christ, the only object of worship. And the reason that there is little value in Christ is due to the fact that there is but little awareness of sin! Religionists are all too comfortable and happy with either a dead Jesus on a cross, or a baby Jesus in a manger! But a living, sovereign Lord Jesus, commanding men to take up their cross, or they cannot be his disciple is not at all in the minds of church attenders of our day. May God have mercy!
Now we come to the fourth name of our verse. It is the most glorious name in all existence. For it is above every name in this world and also in that which is to come! It is the name of Christ. And that name implies that he is the “anointed” one. For the word Christ is derived from the Greek word translated, he hath anointed in Luke 4:18. And that is the account of his first recorded public reading in the synagogue. The Book of Isaiah is handed to him and he opens it to chapter sixty one. And as he reads, he opens both the scriptures and their understanding (see Luke 24:32 and 45), that they may know it was written concerning himself! Here is that account: Luke 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
All things are by him and for him! Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
He created the worlds of Abraham, David and of Babylon. He predestinated every event, structures every influence, moderates every purpose, restrains every demonic force, exalts ever drop of faith, and rules over every order in heaven and earth to bring forth The Generation of Jesus Christ! And he continues doing so today! Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. He is very God of very God! He is presently ruling and reigning Lord! For once his cross work was ended he began his crown work! Heb. 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Pastor Gene Breed, December 14, 2013
