Matthew 1:1–25 The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus Christ

[Study Aired February 24, 2025]

Introduction

Today, we shall begin the study of the Book of Matthew which gives an official account of our Lord Jesus Christ’s life here on earth from His birth to His ascension. It is not clear as to who wrote the Book of Matthew. However, the earliest reliable tradition links it to Matthew, the tax collector, one of the twelve apostles that Jesus appointed, who appears in the book himself. To us, we know that the author is the Holy Spirit since all those who wrote the Bible were moved by the spirit. 

In studying the Book of Matthew, we shall focus on what the spirit is teaching us since it is the spirit behind the written accounts that gives life and not the written account itself. 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

In studying the Book of Matthew, we shall make use of similar accounts recorded in the other three Gospels (Mark, Luke and John) to bring in the additional information they provide to make our understanding complete. 

The Gospel of Matthew describes the Lord as a lion of the tribe of Judah. Like a lion, the Lord did not turn back from all the trials and tribulations that He encountered in this life. He will not rest until He makes our enemies (our flesh) a footstool, that is, defeat our enemies. What He starts, He is able to bring to completion!!

Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 

Pro 30:30  the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any; 

Isa 31:4  For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. 

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:  

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

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

Usually, the genealogy of a person is traced backwards from the sons to the father. However, if the person is a king, the pedigree usually proceeds forward from the ancestry. Here in Matthew 1:1, we can see clearly the kingship status of our Lord Jesus Christ as His roots are traced from His fathers to Himself. 

Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 

Rev 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The Book of Luke, on the other hand, focuses on our Lord Jesus as a man just like us, and therefore, his genealogy account (Luke 3:23 – 38) starts from Jesus and traced back to Adam.

Luk 3:23  And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 
Luk 3:24  Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, 

Luk 3:38  Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

In the Bible, there are two places where the phrase “the book of the genealogy” occurs. One is in the Old Testament, and the other one is in the New Testament. In the Old Testament (Genesis 5:1), it has to do with the birth or origin of Adam.

Gen 5:1  This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 

In the New Testament, it is found here in Matthew 1:1 where we are talking about the birth or origin of our Lord Jesus Christ. What this observation implies is that the first one relates to Christ as the first Adam, and the second one in the New Testament (Mat 1:1) is Christ as the last Adam, a life-giving spirit./p>

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 
1Co 15:48  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 
1Co 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

This is all to let us know that to know Christ, we must first know the first Adam. That is to say that we must know our carnal state of our flesh before we are given to know Christ in the spirit.

It is instructive to note that here in verse 1, our Lord Jesus Christ is reported as the son of David and that of Abraham. We know that David’s son Solomon was the one who inherited David’s kingship. Therefore, saying that Jesus is the son of David is to say that Jesus is like Solomon. In Solomon’s life, he did two significant things. He spoke words of wisdom and also built the holy temple. We know that Jesus is the embodiment of words of wisdom which is the word of God and that He is the one who prepares our hearts and minds as the temple of God to sit in.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 

In likewise manner, Jesus being mentioned here in verse 1 as Abraham’s son means He is likened to Isaac. In Isaac’s time, he carried out two significant things which show us what our Lord Jesus Christ was born in the flesh to do. Isaac was technically offered as a sacrifice on the altar which signifies the sacrificial offering of our Lord Jesus Christ for our sins and the sins of the whole world. 

1Jn 2:2  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 

Isaac also married Rebecca who came from his kindred or relative. 

Gen 24:2  And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 
Gen 24:3  And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
Gen 24:4  But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. 

This shows us our Lord Jesus’ marriage to the church consisted of those who are of His kindred, that is, those who are clothed with His righteousness.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.  

Mat 1:2  Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 
Mat 1:3  and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 
Mat 1:4  and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 
Mat 1:5  and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 
Mat 1:6  and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 

What is significant about this account of the fathers is the mention of four women – Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba (wife of Uriah the Hittite).  In any of the genealogical accounts in the Old Testament, no woman was mentioned and more especially when these women were foreigners whom the Israelites consider as sinners. Three of these women are foreigners who became part of the commonwealth of Israel. Tamar was a Canaanite who was a daughter-in-law to Judah, and she committed the sin of incest. Rahab was a harlot and a citizen of Jericho, whom the Israelites defeated immediately after crossing the Jordan river. Ruth was a Moabitess whose nation was forbidden to enter the assembly of the Lord even to the tenth generation.

Deu 23:3  “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the LORD forever, 

In the case of Bathsheba, her name was not mentioned in this genealogy. However, we know that she was the wife of Uriah, the Hittite, a foreigner who became a citizen of Israel. Bathsheba was involved in an adultery with King David. The question is, why were these women mentioned in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ? 

In the scriptures, a woman signifies a church. In the case of these four women, we are talking about Babylon who is a harlot. The number four means the whole of the matter under consideration. Thus, it is the whole of the church system of this world that has gone astray as a harlot to her husband Jesus. Jesus’ ancestry involving these women is to show us that technically, Jesus came out of the harlot church to establish the church of the first born or the New Jerusalem signified by Mary. As He is, so are we. We must come out of the harlot church to become part of the church of the firstborn.   

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

On another perspective, we can say that the fact that these women are foreigners (except Bathsheba who had links to a Hittite, a foreigner) is to reveal to us that the gentiles were part of the Lord’s plan right from the start of the establishment of the kingdom of God here on earth. It also implies the Lord’s plan of destroying the middle wall of partition between the Gentiles and the people of Israel. 

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

In this genealogy from Abraham to David, we have fourteen generations. The number fourteen means spiritual progress. It signifies that we have not attained yet but we are definitely making spiritual progress. It is important to note that it was only David that he was referred to as king in the fourteen generations mentioned. It is in David that we see the man after God’s own heart and how the Lord picks us up with all our frailties to establish us as kings in the kingdom of God. That is spiritual progress. 

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.  

Gen 31:41  Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

David being given the title of “king” is to reveal to us that David is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ as king because of the following: (1) David as king was chosen by God, (2) David was a warrior king, and (3) David as king was rejected by men. We can see that our Lord Jesus being chosen by God as King of Kings is a man of war and that He was rejected by men.

Joh 1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 
Joh 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 
Joh 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:  

Mat 1:7  and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 
Mat 1:8  and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 
Mat 1:9  and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 
Mat 1:10  and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 
Mat 1:11  and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 

It is important to note that this set of fourteen generations ends up with the deportation to Babylon. This set is of fourteen generations because David is double counted as the father of Solomon. As indicated, the number fourteen means spiritual progress. This implies that the deportation to Babylon is all part of our growing up in Christ as the Lord’s elect.

Gen 31:41  Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

A closer look at the names of the kings shows the absence of some of the kings as listed in 1 Chronicles 3:11-12. Those missing were Ahaziah, Joash and Amaziah. 

1Ch 3:10  And Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, 
1Ch 3:11  Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, 
1Ch 3:12  Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son,
1Ch 3:13  Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,   

To understand why they were missing here in this account by Matthew, we need to look at the lives of these kings.

1Ki 22:51  Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 

1Ki 22:52  And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother (Jezebel), and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: 
1Ki 22:53  For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

2Ki 1:2  And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.  

Ahaziah was the son of Jezebel and he was one of the worst kings in Israel. He served Baal just like his mother Jezebel. In Revelation, the Lord says concerning the children of Jezebel (that is, those who follow Jezebel doctrines) that He will kill them with death and that was what happened to Ahaziah – he died an unnatural death. Ahaziah was therefore not fit to be a king and therefore Matthew did not include his name in Jesus’ lineage.  

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Rev 2:21  And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 
Rev 2:22  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 
Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.  

Joash or Jehoash was the son of Ahaziah but his reign was delayed because his grandmother Athaliah killed all the royal heirs except him because he was hidden by his aunt. Athaliah therefore reigned in Judah until when Joash was seven years old and was made king by Jehoida, a priest. During the early part of his reign, he repaired the temple and destroyed Baal worship. However, over time, he allowed idolatry to grow and even went as far as had Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, who made him king, stoned to death for rebuking him. He was killed by his own servants. Athaliah was cast in the mold of Jezebel and Joash being the grandson was not different from her or Jezebel. His wickedness because of his Jezebel spirit, coupled with his unnatural death made him not fit to be king in the lineage of Jesus. 

2Ch 24:24  For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash. 
2Ch 24:25  And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings. 

Amaziah was the son of Joash who took the reins of government when his father was unable to rule on account of sickness. After defeating the Edomites in the valley of salt, he brought back the idols of Edom and worshipped them. A conspiracy was formed against him which caused him to flee, but his life was ended by assassins. He was not regarded as being fit for a king in the lineage of Christ, and therefore Matthew omitted his name. 

2Ch 25:1  Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2Ch 25:2  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart. 
2Ch 25:3  Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.

2Ch 25:14  Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them. 

2Ch 25:27  Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.

All these kings not mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy died an unnatural death. Spiritually, this unnatural death refers to being put to spiritual death through serving another Jesus propagated by false apostles parading as angels of light in the corridors of Babylon. We must leave Babylon and be very resolute in our stand on false doctrines to stand the chance of being counted as king. 

Mat 1:12  And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 
Mat 1:13  And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 
Mat 1:14  And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 
Mat 1:15  And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 
Mat 1:16  And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 
Mat 1:17  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. 

In this set of fourteen generations, a close scrutiny of the list compared with the set given in 1 Chronicles 3:15-19 shows that Jehoiakim’s name is missing here in Matthew. This is because Jehoiakim was made king by Pharaoh of Egypt and not by the Lord, and therefore his name was taken out from the genealogy of the kings. Here we are reminded that the birth of Jesus in our lives marks a giant leap in spiritual progress after escaping from being held as captives in Babylon or the physical churches of this world, to be welcomed in the New Jerusalem.

Gal 4:19  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 

It is important to note that in this list, Mary is mentioned as the wife of Joseph. Mary represents the church of the first born or the new Jerusalem. This is contrasted with the four women in the first list of Jesus’ lineage where the four women signify the whole of Babylon or the physical churches of this world. It is through the New Jerusalem signified by Mary that Christ is formed in us through what every joint supplies. We must remember that our Lord Jesus Christ’s outgoings were of old, from everlasting and none can declare that generation but in the fullness of time, our Lord came as man, born of a woman to deliver us from our sins. 

Mic 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.    

The Birth of Jesus Christ

Mat 1:18  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 

In the Book of Luke, we are given a more detailed account of how Mary was found with child of the Holy Ghost as follows:

Luk 1:26  And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 
Luk 1:27  To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 
Luk 1:28  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Luk 1:29  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 
Luk 1:30  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 
Luk 1:31  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 
Luk 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 
Luk 1:33  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 
Luk 1:34  Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 
Luk 1:35  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 
Luk 1:36  And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 
Luk 1:37  For with God nothing shall be impossible. 
Luk 1:38  And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. 

Mary being highly favored among women signifies that she represents the New Jerusalem or the church of the first born. It is through what every joint supplies that the church gives birth to Christ within each of His elect. 

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

The fact that Mary knew no man when she conceived Jesus means that the birth of Christ in His elect is all the work of God from the very beginning to the end. It is therefore not of Him that wills or runs, but of God showing mercy to us that counts.

Rom 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 
Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 

We therefore bring nothing to the table. Does Mary saying that be it unto me according to thy word suggest that she played a part in the birth of Christ for her own salvation and that of all humanity at large? Absolutely No!! That is why we must have confidence in the Lord that what He starts, He is able to bring to completion. We may not be where we want to be in the Lord as of now, but let’s not focus on our shortcomings and struggle with sin but let’s keep trusting, hoping and expecting until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts!!  To Him be all the Glory!!

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 

Mat 1:19  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 
Mat 1:20  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 
Mat 1:21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 
Mat 1:22  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 
Mat 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 
Mat 1:24  Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 
Mat 1:25  And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. 

Joseph being a just man is the same as Job being called a righteous man. Joseph being a just man means wanting to do the right thing. It has nothing to do with the righteousness that comes through Christ. This is because we know from the Book of Job that Job himself confessed that he was a vile man when the Lord came to Him through His judgment.

Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

Job 40:3  Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 
Job 40:4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.

Job 42:5  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 
Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.  

Joseph wanted to put Mary away secretly and did not want to make her a public example. As he was pondering on this, the angel of the Lord came to him in a dream to explain the whole situation. This shows us one of the key principles to unlock the mysteries of the kingdom of God. We must ponder or meditate on the word of the Lord, and it is through this that the Lord opens our understanding to the truth of His words just like what happened to Joseph. 

In my own experience, there are several times that I do not have a clue as to what the Lord is saying in His words. However, as I lay down to sleep or drive to the office, I try to think about what I have read. I may not have the answers immediately but one day, it suddenly dawned on me what the Lord was trying to say, just as the angel of the Lord came to Joseph to bring understanding to Him. On other times, it is what our brothers and sisters (angels of the Lord) say that unlock the truth in our heavens. They themselves may not know that the Lord is sending them to unlock the truth to us. That is why we are given this admonition:

Jos 1:8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

Here in Joshua 1:8, we are given another key, that is, desiring to do according to all that is written. It is then that the Lord makes our way prosperous. Making our way prosperous means being given the power not only to comprehend, but also to obey.  This was what happened to Joseph as shown in verses 24 and 25, where Joseph woke up from sleep and did according to what the angel had told him. 

May the Lord make our way prosperous to do according to all that He is showing us. Amen!!

Ruth 4:1–22  So, Boaz Took Ruth, and She was His Wife

[Study Aired October 25, 2021]

Rth 4:1  Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 
Rth 4:2  And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 
Rth 4:3  And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: 
Rth 4:4  And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. 
Rth 4:5  Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 
Rth 4:6  And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. 
Rth 4:7  Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. 
Rth 4:8  Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. 
Rth 4:9  And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 
Rth 4:10  Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. 
Rth 4:11  And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 
Rth 4:12  And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman. 
Rth 4:13  So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. 
Rth 4:14  And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. 
Rth 4:15  And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. 
Rth 4:16  And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. 
Rth 4:17  And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 
Rth 4:18  Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 
Rth 4:19  And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 
Rth 4:20  And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 
Rth 4:21  And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 
Rth 4:22  And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David. 

The previous chapter of Ruth shows us the process of becoming the bride of Christ through judgment, signified by the encounter of Ruth with Boaz at the threshing floor. It is through judgment that we learn righteousness, as indicated by Ruth asking Boaz to spread His skirt over her.

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. 
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 
Isa 61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Through the furnace of affliction, we are chosen to learn the ways of the Lord as we see Ruth uncovering Boaz’ feet. We also learn to come to rest in Him, symbolized by Ruth laying down at Boaz’ feet throughout the night.

Isa 48:10  Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Psa 103:7  He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 

Rth 3:7  And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.

As Ruth was leaving the threshing floor, Boaz gave her six measures of barley.  The six measures of barley represent all that we need to know about the word of God as long as we are in this body of flesh. That is what will guarantee our inheritance.

Act 20:32  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

Naomi, representing the church, told Ruth that Boaz would not rest until He had resolved her kinsman redemption issue. That is to let us know that what our Lord starts, He is able to bring to completion. He will not rest until He has made us (His bride) ready for the marriage feast!!

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Isa 62:1  For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.

Today’s study of Chapter 4 focuses on the marriage union between Christ and the church, which is signified by the marriage of Boaz and Ruth.

Rev 19:6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

This chapter also gives us a glimpse of our reward, that is, our rulership as indicated by tracing David’s lineage to Ruth.

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rth 4:1  Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 
Rth 4:2  And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 

As we indicated in the previous review, there are two kinsmen – Boaz and another kinsman who was much closer to Naomi. Boaz here stands for the new man after the image of Christ, and the old man, or the flesh, is the kinsman closer to us. In the Jewish tradition, the older relative must take up the responsibility of a needy relative first, and if he fails to do so, then the onus rests on the younger relative. The old man, or the flesh, always comes first before the spirit or the new man comes.

1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 
1Co 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 

The failure of the old man to bring us to our safe haven provides the opportunity for the new man to come.

A city gate in the scripture is where the elders meet to decide on an issue or judge. The elders here represent the elect.

Deu 21:19  Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;

Deu 22:15  Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate:

A city gate is also a place where elders bear witness on an issue. As we can see here, Boaz took ten men to bear witness of the issue of kinsman redemption he was going to discuss with the closest kinsman of Naomi. The elders at the city gate represent the cloud of witnesses. As God’s elect, we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses which motivates us to lay aside every weight or any sin that easily besets us.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

The number ten signifies the fullness of the flesh. Boaz taking ten men is to let us know that it is when our sins are full that we are dragged by the Lord to expose who the nearest kinsman (our old man) is.  It is then that Christ comes with the brightness of His coming (which is the words spoken in the church) to deal with the old man or the wicked. So, the significance of this encounter of Boaz with the nearest kinsman of Naomi is to reveal the old man in our lives and to subsequently destroy the old man by the word of God.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Rth 4:3  And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: 
Rth 4:4  And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee.  

In verse 3, the decision of Naomi to sell a parcel of land gives us an indication of her utter poverty after coming from the land of Moab. In other words, when Naomi came from Babylon, she was spiritually poor concerning the things of God. The decision by the kinsman to redeem the land, which is our body, on her behalf is to let us know that initially, when we all come from Babylon, we think we can use our own strength in the flesh to stop sinning and to serve the Lord. That is zeal without knowledge, and in a bid to depend on the old man or the flesh to serve Christ, we establish our own righteousness.

Rom 10:2  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Rom 10:3  For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Rth 4:5  Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
Rth 4:6  And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

When sin, influenced by the flesh or the old man, has run its course, we painfully come to realize that it is impossible for the flesh to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. Raising up the name of the dead is being resurrected from our dead works to a new life in the spirit which the flesh or the old man itself admits that it does not have the capability of doing. It is when we come to this point in our walk with Christ regarding the fact that the flesh cannot help us to live the life that pleases God in the spirit, that Christ steps in as we see Boaz committing to redeem Naomi’s land in the next verse.

Rom 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Rth 4:7  Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. 

The kinsman closer to Naomi than Boaz removed his shoe to confirm the fact that he had surrendered the buying of the land and marriage to Ruth to Boaz. The removal of the shoes of the kinsman, which we have identified spiritually as the old man, means that our walk in Christ is no longer under the dictates of the old man or flesh but rather under the influence of the new man or Christ. As we walk in the spirit (influenced by the new man), we will automatically not fulfill the lustful desires of the flesh. It is only the spirit that can raise the name of the dead to inherit the land which is our body.

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Rth 4:8  Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

At a certain point of our walk with Christ, it becomes obvious to our old man, or the flesh, that the new man has come to succeed him as shown by the kinsman asking Boaz to buy the land. This is symbolized by Saul telling David that he knows that surely David would come and succeed him as king.

1Sa 24:16  And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
1Sa 24:17  And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
1Sa 24:18  And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
1Sa 24:19  For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
1Sa 24:20  And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
1Sa 24:21  Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.

Rth 4:9  And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.

As we have stated earlier, the elders at the gate represent the cloud of witnesses who have compassed us about urging us to let go of everything that offends and to run the race that is set before us with patience.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our ability to run this race of getting to know Christ in this life is because Boaz representing our Lord Jesus Christ had purchased our land, which is our body, with His precious death on the cross. Being purchased with a price means that we can now glorify God with our bodies.

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 
1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Rth 4:10  Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. 

It is this purchase of our land, which is our body, which qualifies us to become the bride of Christ. Being the bride of Christ means that in union with Christ, we are required to raise the name of the dead upon his inheritance. This means that we, the elect, are supposed to make the blind see, the lame to walk, the lepers cleansed, the dead raised and the poor having the gospel preached to them. That basically was what Christ did while on earth, and we are required to follow up with this work here on earth. That is why we are His Christ.

Mat 11:4  Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
Mat 11:5  The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

The blind seeing means that through us, those called and chosen will come to understand the word of God. The lame walking signifies the fact that our walk before Christ will be blameless. The lepers cleansed means we are delivered from the power of sin by the death of our old man. The dead raised up is to tell us that we are being awakened from our spiritually dead situation or sleep. The poor having the gospel preached to them signifies that it is only those who come to recognize that they are spiritually poor who are brought to understand the truth of the gospel.

Mat 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Rth 4:11  And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 

As indicated, the people at the gates represent the cloud of witnesses. They are the elect of every generation who have petitioned or are petitioning the Lord to bless us spiritually. Them blessing us is the same as the Lord Himself blessing us. So, the Lord is saying that we, the church (Ruth), shall build the house of Israel just like Rachel and Leah did. This house of Israel here symbolizes the church of the first born. Our union with Christ as our husband is to build the church in this age. Later in another age, as shown in other scriptures, we shall build the house of God that involves all humanity.

This spiritual building of the house of Israel is demonstrated physically by the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem by Nehemiah after he returned from captivity.

Neh 4:15  And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
Neh 4:16  And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
Neh 4:17  They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
Neh 4:18  For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
Neh 4:19  And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
Neh 4:20  In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
Neh 4:21  So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.

As indicated in Nehemiah 4:16, we build the house of Israel with all the spiritual talents our Lord has given to our brothers and sisters. In other words, our Lord has given what every joint supplies. All the weapons mentioned here in Nehemiah refer to the word of God.

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 
Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 
Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 
Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 
Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Rth 4:12  And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman. 

The mention of Tamar here is to let us know the way God operates. Tamar was a widow on two occasions and was without children just like Ruth before she (Tamar) gave birth to Pharez (Genesis chapter 38). We, the church, the bride of Christ are currently barren, but our union with Christ will finally result in us having more children than the religions of this world that have many children.

Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

Rth 4:13  So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. 

This verse speaks of our marriage union with Christ.

Rev 19:6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 

Rev 21:9  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 
Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11  Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:12  And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

What comes out of this marriage union is the birth of a son who represents the new man who is after the image of Christ.

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Rth 4:14  And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. 

We are spiritually blessed that our kinsman, the Lord Jesus Christ, has not left us alone to wallow in the miry clay of sin but has paid the price for us to be cleansed so that a new man would be birthed in us. That his name may be famous in Israel is the same as praising the Lord to the glory of His grace.

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 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:
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Rth 4:15  And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. 

Our union with Christ is what results in the birth of the new man after we have gone through suffering resulting in the death of the old man. This verse shows us the benefits of the birth of the new man in our lives.

The new man is a restorer of our lives. This means that we shall eat bread at our Lord’s table. It means we shall be given the eyes to see and the ears to hear what the spirit is saying in God’s words. We shall know the joy of God’s salvation and become the light to the Gentiles and God’s salvation unto the ends of the earth. Finally, we shall be comforted.

2Sa 9:7  And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

Psa 51:12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Isa 49:3  And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Isa 49:6  And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Isa 57:18  I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

The new man is also a nourisher of our lives in our old age. This means that the new man comes only when we are in our old age. The old age here signifies the period in our lives when we begin to walk with Christ knowing we are weak and cannot do anything. In other words, our strength has failed. That is when the new man comes to nourish us.

Psa 71:9  Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

The coming of the new man in our lives signifies that we, the elect, are better than seven sons. The better here means precious. Seven sons in the scriptures have both positive and negative applications. The seven sons in a negative application means all of our brothers and sisters in Babylon. They are the called but not chosen.

Act 19:14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 
Act 19:15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

1Sa 16:10  Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

Rth 4:16  And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

The role of the church is to nurture those whom the Lord brings into our midst so that they will grow up into Him and not tossed about by every wind of doctrine.

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Rth 4:17  And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The name Obed according to Strong’s Dictionary means serving. It is when the new man comes in our lives that we can serve the Lord acceptably. We are called and chosen to serve the Lord.

Joh 12:26  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

1Sa 12:20  And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 
1Sa 12:21  And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. 
1Sa 12:22  For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

Rth 4:18  Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 
Rth 4:19  And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 
Rth 4:20  And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 
Rth 4:21  And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 
Rth 4:22  And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David. 

The list of names of the genealogy of David is to show us the road to rulership which is our reward as the elect.

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Pharez, which is the same as Perez, means a breach, that is, the act of breaking or failing to observe the law. We all came into the world being naked or sinful but we did not know it. We were marred in the hands of the Potter which is Christ.

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Pharez gave birth to Hezron which means surrounded by a wall. In our desperate situation, we were basically surrounded by the prison walls of sin and so doing what was good was no option.

Hezron gave birth to Ram which means high. This indicates that our sins take on a higher notch bringing us to a state where we become people of liberality (the meaning of Amminadab, the son of Ram). That is, we are swept away by false doctrines and the principles of the world from both Babylon and the world. We therefore become worse off than when we started. That is the situation we all found ourselves in. We therefore cry out just like Paul as follows:

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Amminadab gave birth to Nahshon which means encounter. It is when we get to this deplorable state that we have an encounter with Christ who comes with the brightness of His coming to destroy the wicked or the old man within us.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Nahshon gave birth to Salmon which means clothing. Our Lord Jesus comes into our lives to cloth us with His righteousness.

Isa 61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 

Salmon gave birth to Boaz which means in Him is strength. As we are clothed in righteousness, we grow in the strength of the Lord.

Boaz gave birth to Obed which means serving. As we receive strength from the Lord, we are able to serve the Lord acceptably.

Obed gave birth to Jesse which means wealthy or possess. True riches means coming to know Christ.

Rev 2:9  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Jesse gave birth to David which means beloved. David is the man after God’s own heart and was therefore ready for the reward of rulership. As we press on and die daily, we automatically become like David who sought after God’s own heart. This means that we shall surely receive our reward which is to rule the earth with Christ symbolically for a thousand years and to judge the world.

1Sa 13:14  But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee. 

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

May the Lord strengthen us and grant us the grace to die daily as we wait on our Lord!! Amen.

Foundational Themes in Genesis – Study 50

(Key verses: Gen 10:6-19)

Study Aired June 12, 2014

The revelation of Jesus Christ starts off with the unveiling of the first man of sin and all its inward evil and darkness as created by the Potter (Isa 45:7). The one place where we can find all the evil is really not so far away, and that is indeed shocking to find out! Jesus Himself said these words which few can receive in this age:

Rev 1:11a Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last…

God is indeed sovereign, and He alone controls everything He created. For us the natural is indeed “the first” and must be destroyed before “the last” or “the Lord from heaven” can come into our lives (1Co 15:45-50; 2Th 2:3-4; 2Pe 2:5). The destruction of the “old world” during the flood in Noah’s days is a spiritual type of total annihilation of carnality in our own lives. The complete destruction of that carnal beast is good news for those who can receive that as the time has come for judgment through which God’s righteousness is being taught to the new man in Christ (1Pe 3:18-20; Rev 17:11) The generations of three sons of Noah are the ones who began to repopulate the whole earth, and they are the progenitors of all people and nations on the physical earth today:

Gen 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

They are of the same Adam, but here this Adam is just better defined as going through a process of spiritual completion because that is what the number three spiritually indicates. These three sons and their offspring have an even more important inward application as all words from the mouth of God are what we ourselves live and experience within our own lives (Mat 4:4). In our last discussion we focused on the inward application of Japheth and his offspring, who were the first of the three sons to be mentioned in the genealogies we find in Genesis 10; also known as the table of nations. Japheth and his offspring in us firstly represent our own carnal lusts to expand and get ahead in this life (have preeminence) which our earthly beast sees as very important to survive (1Jn 2:16; Jas 1:14). Through Japheth and his offspring we will also see at our appointed time that God’s will is actually for us to spiritually increase to “a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”, something which is impossible in the flesh (1Co 15:22; Eph 4:13):

Gen 9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth [his name means enlargement as well], and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

We indeed live by every word of God, and these three sons of Noah are part and parcel of each one’s process of development in the physical and much more so in the spiritual (Mat 4:4). From this inspired prophecy of Noah it is also clear that none of these three lines of the one family of mankind went their separate routes as some separatist and exclusive groups and movements want to believe. All three sons of Noah and their offspring were interdependent of each other on a continual basis with a symbiotic relationship between them. According to the Scriptures it is actually language more than anything else which brought in different linguistically orientated groupings after the tower of Babel when God confounded their one language (Gen 11:6-9). Here is another witness of how God caused division after the flood:

Gen 10:5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue [language], after their families, in their nations.

Language is first mentioned and how that determined the formation of nations. The continual interdependency between Noah’s three sons’ offspring is something few can accept in the first Adam, but even less when it applies to our spiritual progression towards perfection in the Christ (1Co 12-13; Eph 4:1-32). Physical divisions of humanity with their long lists of genealogies and carnal applications are for some of huge importance as they cannot see the deeper and more important spiritual applications to every word of God:

1Ti 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Tit 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

The accuracy of the Scriptures in explaining these truths in detail are for most too difficult to accept as some even label these obvious things as myths. The strong delusion promoted by the theory of evolution with all its subtle branches are deeply seated in the minds of many to deny and rebel against the very doctrine of Christ, even in these matters (2Th 2:11). Progression (or digression) on any level is a work of God and never because of the “free” will of a man or a group, as every step and every action is from the Lord (Rom 11:32; Jer 10:23; Pro 20:24). The truth is that humanity in general waxes worse and worse as the evil inside is brought to the surface progressively (2Ti 3:13). In the same sense, the Scriptures do not advocate that any human being is less human than the first man Adam at any stage of his or her development. Everything that was placed in the one Adam at his creation, which includes all the evil in all humanity at this point in time, is residing in every offspring of the first Adam (Act 17:26-29). This all helps us to understand the spiritual last Adam and those in Him – even as we are all fitly joined together in His body (1Co 12:18-24; Eph 2:21; Eph 4:16):

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 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:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Yet we are given different roles to fulfill within that one spiritual body of the Christ which is given in three interrelated families of spiritual gifts:

1Co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1Co 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

When we are in Christ, we are placed where He wants to use us, and even those who “seem more feeble, are necessary” because they are given abundantly more honour if we can see with God’s eyes (1Co 12:20-27). While “the things that [were] made” and “which do appear” to our physical senses help us to initially understand the invisible things of God as a first step in the process to obtain spiritual knowledge. Physical applications, as with all fleshly things, are not helping us to obtain or grow our faith (Rom 1:20; Heb 11:1-30; Rom 10:17). Jesus also rightly expressed this important truth as to how God is pleased by the faith of Jesus in us alone (1Co 2:4-16; Heb 11:6):

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

The spirit mind of Christ cautions His elect to not be drawn into the subtle invitations of those who overemphasize these outward things, which are of course also important in their proper context (1Co 2:13-15; Pro 12:10). However, if that is only what this life is all about and why we follow Christ, “we are of all men most miserable” (Rev 3:17):

1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Ham (along with his sons) was the second son to be mentioned in the list of the generations of the three sons of Noah in Genesis 10. Ham’s family line is more detailed in the Scriptures than that of Japheth. Ham had four sons, three less than Japheth and one less than Shem (altogether Noah had 16 grandsons). The meanings connected to their names are also very insightful:

Gen 10:6 And the sons of Ham [meaning “hot” as in “hot-headed” or “passionate”]; Cush [meaning “black”; also translated as “Ethopian” in the KJV], and Mizraim [meaning “fortified place”; also translated as “Egypt” or “Egyptians” in the KJV], and Phut [meaning “a bow”; also translated as “lybia” in the KJV], and Canaan [meaning “lowland”; also translated as “merchant”/“trader”].

The generations of Ham highlight the foundational theme of rebellion as the passionate opposition to the spirit mind of God. Not having a loving and caring spirit is what Ham displayed when he in his immaturity gazed on his father’s nakedness and then also told this to his two brothers (Gen 9:20-27; 1Co 13:4-7; Jas 5:19-20; Mat 18:15). Ham and his offspring represent our own rebellious heart when we have a covering, but not of the spirit of love (Isa 30:1-14):

Isa 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin.

We already discussed the role of Canaan, Ham’s youngest son, in the plan of God as Canaan and his offspring were cursed by Noah because of Ham’s unloving action. Canaan and his offspring were to occupy the very promised land where God’s chosen physical generation, the nation of Israel, were to live, to give Israel the needed resistance as a type of our constant battle with our own heretical and immature babyhood in Christ. As these heretics are inside our own darkness of the waters of flesh, so they are “among” the general corporate body of Christ who is still a body of flesh and bones while on this earth (Gen 1:2; Joh 15:2; Gal 5:17-26):

1Co 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

The first son of Ham mentioned in that list in Genesis 10 is the name of Cush. Moses married a Cushite woman, who is not named in scripture (we do have record of his marriage to the Midianite woman, Zipporah – Exo 2:21), who caused great offence and opposition in his brother Aaron and his sister Miriam (Num 12:1). This of course represents our rebellion toward God’s choices and His way of doing things, even in His choice to save all in Adam to be eventually be in Christ (1Co 15:22-28):

Num 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian [Hebrew: “kûshı̂yth”] woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

Nevertheless, why did they rebel? Let us look at the sons of Cush with special attention to one son whom the Scriptures give more detail than the others:

Gen 10:7 And the sons of Cush; Seba [“drink thou”/“drunkard”], and Havilah [“circle”], and Sabtah [“striking”], and Raamah [“horse’s mane”], and Sabtecha [“striking”]: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
Gen 10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one [Hebrew: “gibbôr”] in the earth.
Gen 10:9 He was a mighty [Hebrew: “gibbôr”] hunter before [Hebrew: “pânı̂ym”] the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty [Hebrew: “gibbôr”] hunter before [Hebrew: “pânı̂ym”] the LORD.

Nimrod is given more attention in these verses for a good reason. Nimrod’s name means “rebellion” according to Smith’s Bible dictionary and Hitchcock’s Bible Names – interestingly enough that is exactly what Miriam’s name also mean – rebellion. Nimrod’s character flaw is confirmed when we read what this man achieved from the hand of God. He is said that he “began to be a mighty one in the earth.” This “mighty one” is relating to him being a “mighty hunter before the Lord”. This is how Dr. Strong defines the word “mighty” in the original Hebrew:

H1368
gibbôr
Intensive from the same as H1397; powerful; by implication warrior, tyrant: – champion, chief, X excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one), strong (man), valiant man.

A negative picture of this man starts to develop as we put all this together. The Hebrew word “before” in the phrase “before the Lord” is “pânı̂ym” and this word is also translated 18 times in the KJV as “against”. Nimrod was an opponent of God, and this is how one translation has verse 9 in Genesis 10:

Gen 10:9 (ISV) He became a fearless hunter in defiance of the LORD. That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a fearless hunter in defiance of the LORD.”

The Greek word used here is “enantion” (according to the Septuagint translation), and it links with the Greek word “enantios” which means “opposite”, “antagonistic” or “contrary” according to Dr. Strong’s Greek Dictionary. When we read what this Nimrod achieved, there can be no doubt how he should be seen from a scriptural position alone:

Gen 10:10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel [Hebrew: “bâbel” = confusion], and Erech [Hebrew: “erek” = long], and Accad [Hebrew: “akkad” = subtle/ fortress], and Calneh [also meaning “fortress”], in the land of Shinar [another name for “Babylon” or “country of two rivers”].

The “beginning” of Nimrod’s achievement is termed “confusion”! God used this offspring of Ham to bring confusion, and in that sense we can see why humanity is confused as to God’s will for mankind. Nimrod was instrumental in uniting people against God. The flesh always wants to establish strong secure cities and concentrated kingdoms for its own comfort and luxury. This was all done in the “country of two rivers” (spiritual Babylon) – the very false witness against God’s spiritual city with its true witnesses (Rev 11:3-11). “Out of that land went forth” all the nations we come to know as confrontational nations in Scripture:

Gen 10:11 Out of that land went forth Asshur [also known as Assyria = to prosper/blessings/successful], and builded Nineveh [the capital of Assyria], and the city Rehoboth [meaning “space”/ “wide places or streets”], and Calah [meaning “opportunity”],
Gen 10:12 And Resen [meaning bridle] between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

This great and powerful earthly city is the opposite and a very convincing imitation of the true city of God which also lay “foursquare” – bringing all “from the four winds of the earth” in opposition to what the spirit of God will eventually do with all in the generation of Adam (Eze 37:1-14; Mar 13:27; Rev 21:16). Nimrod represents our own rebellious carnal mind which works against God and will bring forth a great earthly empire in us where wickedness, violence, corruption and oppression rules supreme. The best of Cush, even through Nimrod, cannot be equalled to the pure gold of the spirit of God and must come to be baptized in the death of Christ to enter the spiritual Jerusalem, as did the eunuch as a type of all Cush’s “Ethiopian” offspring in us (Act 8:26-39):

Job 28:19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

It just shows again that we cannot see our own evil when we focus on other’s evil. This also points out that we did not choose our own creation or position in our families – neither our movements in this life (Gen 2:7; Pro 20:24; Jer 10:23; Eph 1:11):

Jer 13:23 Can the Ethiopian [Hebrew: “kûshı̂y”] change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Let us look at the second son of Ham in this list:

Gen 10:6 And the sons of Ham [meaning “hot”/“brown”]; Cush [meaning “black”; also translated as “Ethopian” in the KJV], and Mizraim [meaning “fortified place”; also translated as “Egypt” or “Egyptians” in the KJV], and Phut [meaning “a bow”; also translated as “lybia” in the KJV], and Canaan [meaning “lowland”; also translated as “merchant”/“trader”].

Mizraim is translated from the Hebrew word “Mitsrayim” and is translated 586 times as “Egypt”, 89 times as “Egyptians” and two times as “Egyptian” in the King James translation. Here are two examples:

Psa 105:23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

Psa 106:21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;
Psa 106:22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

Egypt is the place where we “forget God [our] Saviour” as the flesh has dominion over us and keeps us in bondage as slaves for the symbolic four hundred years, typified by the nation of Israel’s time in Egypt. Here are Mizraim’s sons with all their activities on our flesh:

Gen 10:13 And Mizraim [meaning “a fortified place”/Egypt = fleshly dominion/ tribulations] begat Ludim [means “strife”/ “firebrands”/ “travalings”], and Anamim [meaning “affliction”], and Lehabim [meaning “polished blade” or “flaming sword”], and Naphtuhim [meaning “openings”],
Gen 10:14 And Pathrusim [meaning “persuasion of ruin” from “Pathros” = “the land of birth” – land of the south” – flesh – Eze 30:13-18], and Casluhim [meaning “fortified”], (out of whom came Philistim [Philistine = “migrating” or “immigrants”]) and Caphtorim [meaning “crown”].

It is only after this time in slavery to sin that we are baptized “in Moses” as a physical babe in Christ while we still depend on our own righteousness and faith – we have faith in our own faith. We move to a higher or second heaven as we enter the wilderness (“dry land”) thinking we are saved and spiritual having been given a deadly wound to only one of our seven spiritual heads which is healed (Rev 13:1-3). This “dry land” is where the rebellious dwell and tempt the Lord ten times, long before we can enter the promised land to do spiritual warfare to overcome our inward self-righteous beasts (Psa 78:8; 1Co 10:1-12):

Psa 68:6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

The next son of Ham is called Phut:

Gen 10:6 And the sons of Ham [meaning “hot”/“brown”]; Cush [meaning “black”; also translated as “Ethopian” in the KJV], and Mizraim [meaning “fortified place”; also translated as “Egypt” or “Egyptians” in the KJV], and Phut [meaning “a bow”; also translated as “lybia” in the KJV], and Canaan [meaning “lowland”; also translated as “merchant”/“trader”].

Phut means “a bow” and is also translated as “Libya” or “Libyans” in the Scriptures. This is representing the time when we handle shield and bow inspired by our fellow fleshly brothers of Babylon. We are full of earthly confidence on our horses and chariots from Egypt to battle openly against the Lord and His Christ thinking we have them surrounded (Rev 20:7-9):

Jer 46:8 Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.
Jer 46:9 Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians [Cush] and the Libyans [Hebrew: “pûṭ”], that handle the shield; and the Lydians [Hebrew: “lûdı̂y” = Ludim – one of the sons of Mizraim], that handle and bend the bow.

Ham and his offspring typify the rebellious man of sin in us and how he is used by God for His purposes in us before his ultimate destruction by the spirit of God’s mouth (Num 16; 2Th 2:1-8; Isa 13:9). In our appointed time of rebellion and stubbornness against God, we are all busy with witchcraft when we are hoping to gain from our soothsaying and false prophecies (Acts 16:16):

1Sa 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Pro 17:11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

——-

Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the www.iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

Numbers in Scripture – “Thirteen = Rebellion”

http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/numbers-in-scripture-three-the-process-of-spiritual-completion/

How Do We Possess The Land The Lord Has Given Us

A Question About Interracial Marriage

Hey Mike,

I was just comparing Matthew and Luke. I want to know what you think of the different genealogies that are given. Do you think one belongs to Joseph and the other to Mary or that Luke skipped some people in between?

Your brother in the Christ,

P___

Hi P____,

Thank you for your question. While Christ tells us “the flesh profits nothing,” we are also told that Christ is “according to the flesh” descended from King David. What that tells us is that one of these two genealogies is Mary’s simply because that phrase appears in scripture three times, and must therefore be documented to be true:

Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Rom 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

“Not the nature of angels… but the seed of Abraham… The seed of David according to the flesh.” There are two things we know for sure about Christ. We know without a doubt that Joseph was not Christ’s real Father. The Father, through His holy spirit, was Christ’s Father. Christ was not the “seed” of either David or Abraham via His Father. That promise had to be kept via Christ’s mother, Mary. So the second thing we also know for certain about Christ is that through Mary, Christ is “the Son of Man.” Christ refers to Himself as the “Son of man” twice as many times as He calls Himself the “Son of God.” Since we are told over and over that Christ “according to the flesh” was of David and was “according to the flesh” of Abraham, it follows that Luke’s genealogy would be that of Mary the only “according to the flesh,” connection to Christ, but listed as ‘in Joseph’, or as Luke puts it, “Being as was supposed, the son of Joseph.”

Luk 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,

The writers of Wikipedia appear to be set on shaking anyone and everyone’s confidence in the reliability of the word of God and should not be taken seriously. They apparently think that the holy spirit made a big glaring contradiction here and included it in the scriptures just hoping no one would notice. Not one person in a thousand realizes that truth is found only in the sum of God’s Word and that God’s Word is designed to be understood “line upon line, here a little and there a little.”

Psa 119:160 The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.
Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [ them that are] weaned from the milk, [ and] drawn from the breasts.
Isa 28:10 For precept [ must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [ and] there a little:

The authors of the information found in Wikipedia, the History Channel, and a thousand other such secular sources, have not as yet been given spiritual milk, much less being “weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts.”

Isa 28:12 To whom he said, This [ is] the rest [ wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [ is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [ and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

As far as any discrepancy between these two genealogies goes, the holy spirit in me tells me that God is true and every man is a liar.

Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Here, on the other hand, is a much more logical answer to what may at first appear to be a contradiction in these two genealogies from the Christian Apologetic Research Ministry web page. Take a look at this link and let me know what you think: http:// www. carm. org/ questions/2geneologies. htm

Your brother in Christ,

Mike

Okay Mike, I hope everything has been going good for you.
I have a question about something thats very puzzling. I was looking in Genesis and I saw that Gomer, the son of Japhet had a son by the name of Ashkenaz. This name stuck out to me, and now I know why. I have been looking into something and I wonder if you have seen it. Genesis10:5 in short states that Gomer had a son by the name of Ashkenaz, and I found that these people were still around today.
They are called Ashkenazi jews, and they make up around 80%-90% of the Jewish population. If I am not mistaken, Microsoft Encarta has them listed at 85% of the jews. Well  they are the people that live in the modern state of Israel.  Anyway the Ashkenazi are actually gentiles according to Gen 10:5
This would mean that they are not the Hebrews of old, or the Israelites.
WHAT DOES THIS ACTUALLY MEAN IN YOUR VIEWS, AS I FOUND IT VERY INTERESTING THAT SCRIPTURES STATE THAT JAPHET WILL DWELL IN THE TENT (home or homeland) OF SHEM, WHOM THE ISRAELITES DESCEND FROM, NOT ISRAELIS DESCENDED FROM THE GENTILES.
Another thing that puzzled me is that God stated that when his people returned to the land that they would exhibit righteousness, but I learned that the majority 80-90% of the people in Modern- day Israel are secular.
Also, I noticed that the term JEW is not in the original manuscripts, but I do hear people state that this means the tribe of Yahudah, or Judah. I looked into this, and it doesn’t hold water. I also noticed that the term Jew wasn’t in the 1611 KJV, AND THAT IT’S ACTUALLY MORE RECENT.
Even the letter ‘J’ was added to the alphabet as of late.
So whats going on? I sense a conspiracy, as the scriptures stated that these people were Gentiles. I also read the scriptures in Deuteronomy and Leviticus that talks about the curses of Y’israel. And these curses lead me to believe that these people are the Israelites of old, and they are not who everyone thinks they are, but I am convinced with scripture that the Ashkenazi are not the Israelites. Notice I didn’t say Israelis, I stated Israelites. Now I know that more than likely you have seen this, and if you have why have you never talked about it?
As the term jew is a person that submits to Judaism, which the Father (YAH)(Psa 68:4) never gave. He only gave instructions, and laws, but never a religion. Especially a religion that despises and holds something else in greater esteem than his word.
It is stated in Judaism, that the word of the scribes are to be held in higher esteem than the word of God. I can’t remember what verse, but if you respond and want me to I will give it.
I have also watched a couple of documentaries that have been aired of late about the Israelites and their descriptions. That’s not really important, but it does point towards one of my many assumptions. Now I am assuming about the true Israelites’ identity, and race, but I know that the Ashkenazi Jews are not descendants of the biblical Israelites. Upon further inspection, I noticed that they were of European descent, and spoke Yiddish, and later Hebrew.
If you research this, then let me know what you find and its sources (biblical and others as well). I found this amazing that I never saw this before.
Now the evidence that I have found is very startling to say the least.
Could this be another way that Satan has blinded the people of this world? I think so and would like your input on this as I continue to research this. I just have a hard time believing that many men of God have missed this, and I wanna know if you knew about it.
Also look into khazar=(ashkenazi), and the sons of Esau the  edomites as the edomites are giving a strong indication of being the Sephardic Jews, whom Yah talked about as they conspired against their brother Jacob, Ya’ccov, and God promised that they would have returned upon them, what they did to the children of Y’israel by spoiling and helping others spoil her.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Your Little brother, R____

Hi R____,
Yes, I am indeed familiar with every point you make in this letter. This was all part of the doctrines of the Word Wide Church of God, of which church I was a very dedicated member for over 10 years. For all of those years we were taught and I believed that the U. S and Britain were two of the lost ten tribes of Israel. The WWCG went to great lengths to prove this to be true.
You say:
“Now I know that more than likely you have seen this, and if you have why have you never talked about it?
The reason I do not dwell on physical descent any longer is that God has given me eyes to see and ears to hear words like these:

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

It is rather easy to demonstrate that Herod himself was an Edomite, sitting as king of Israel in the days of Christ’s time in the flesh. Yet Christ never mentioned it, and here in 2Co 6 we have the apostle Paul speaking to Gentile Corinthians about the promises that God made to Israel as if they were made to these Gentile Corinthians. Look at the very next verse:

2Co 7:1  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

To whom were “these promises” made?

Lev 26:11  And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
Lev 26:12  And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.

1Ki 8:53  For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.

Paul applies all the promises made to Israel to the church which was composed mainly of converted Gentiles.

Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Christ, and Paul, and Peter, and John, were all what are called today “replacement theologians.” All of Christ’s apostles came to see the truth of these verses of scripture:

Rom 9:6  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:7  Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [ are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

“In Isaac…” and “the children of promise” are both spiritual statements which “compare spiritual things with spiritual.” That is how the holy spirit teaches. It certainly does not concern itself with carnal genealogies.

1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

“The holy spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” The holy spirit is totally unconcerned with my physical genealogy. Physical Jews are not Jews, even if they really are physically descended from Abraham or from Jacob’s son Judah. Physical descent is of no spiritual value at all. Here is those who are “in Isaac” now that Christ has died for our sins:

Gal 4:28  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

You cannot be both a Gentile and a Jew. You are one or the other, but both are now spiritual conditions and not physical pedigrees.

Gal 4:30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
Gal 4:31  So then, brethren [ Gentile Galatians], we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Much of Paul’s ministry was spent making this change known to all men. The temple of God, God’s nation, His people, His priests and His sacrifices, are all now spiritual and are no longer physical. Being God’s children is no longer a matter of physical descent. It is now a matter of spiritual condition. Just look at who Paul tells us “Jerusalem which now is” really is:

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

It was not Hagar’s children who were at Mount Sinai in Arabia, it was Sarah’s children. But Christ has shown Paul that being the children of the freewoman is now a spiritual condition instead of a physical condition. Paul now shows us that Jerusalem that now is is spiritually the children of the bondwoman if they are physically descended from Sarah. And what does that make us, spiritually?

Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Paul drives this home at the end of this book:

Gal 6:14  For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate.
Gal 6:15  Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do– submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life!
Gal 6:16  All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God-– his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them! (MSG)

And He reiterates this spiritual fact in his next book, Ephesians:

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [ between us];
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

“In time past Gentiles… now made near by the blood of Christ… hath made both one… to make in Himself of twain one new man… therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners but fellowcitizens… and of the household of God.”
I have written very much on this. It is all through the two papers, Rightly Dividing and The Law of Moses Versus The Law of The Spirit.
I hope this helps you to see that the genealogy of the inhabitants of modern day Israel is totally irrelevant to the fact that God’s kingdom is now within His elect, simply because the kingdom is where the King is.

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

It is true that “The Lord and His Christ” will one day rule the kingdoms of this world, but the Lord’s Christ will not be those who invest long hours searching genealogies:

1Ti 1:4  Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

The origins of the nations are all Adam. Overcoming that beast named Adam is all the genealogy of which we need to be aware. That is the mark that all men have “received in their right hand and in their forheads.

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

I also hope you can now see that “the holy spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual” means that all the physical things of the Old Testament are to seen as mere shadows of spiritual realities, Egypt = the world, Israel = the church, Isaac = the children of promise, Hagar = those who reject Christ, be they orthodox Christians or Askenazi Jews. I hope this helps you to see that physical descent is spiritually irrelevant.  We cannot compare physical things with spiritual things and claim we are comparing spiritual things with spiritual, because the holy spirit simply does not teach in that manner.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike>