“You, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” —Matthew 2:6
The book of Matthew begins with a genealogy, which includes a list of familiar Old Testament characters who went on significant journeys:
Abraham left his homeland in obedience to the Lord, though he didn’t know where he was going (Gen. 12:1–5; Heb. 11:8–10). Jacob fled from his brother and later returned, wrestling with God along the way (Gen. 28–33). Ruth followed Naomi to Bethlehem, where she found redemption and a place in the lineage of David (Ruth 1–4). David was first a shepherd boy, later a fugitive, and finally a king (1 Sam. 16–2 Sam. 5).
“From this man’s descendants,” Acts 13:23 says, “God brought to Israel the Savior, Jesus.”
This list of descendants lived by faith in God’s promises. But their journeys all pointed forward to the long-awaited Messiah. The genealogy in Matthew 1 culminates with His entrance—Jesus, the Son of God born in Bethlehem.
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“Seeking Him at Christmas”
(Katie Laitkep, ReviveOurHearts.com/blog)
Scripture taken from The CSB
Make it Personal
How does seeing God’s faithfulness in the stories of Abraham, Jacob, Ruth, and David, encourage you to trust Him in your own journey?