The Generation of the Prince (Matthew #1)

Text: Matthew 1:1-17

Office is the Prince, not the King (yet).

Generation of Jesus Christ is in contrast to the generations Adam

  • Genesis 5:1…generations of Adam… but note Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ…
  • Notice the singular “generation” compared to the plural “generations” in Genesis 5:1.
  • Ecclesiastes 1:4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
  • Repetition indicates imperfection.  As opposed to something being done once and for all time.
  • Eternal because it is a spiritual generation as opposed to the temporary limitations of a carnal generation.
  • Psalm 14:5 …God is in the generation of the righteous…
  • Psalm 22:30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
  • 1 Peter 2:9
  • Matthew 5 is going to describe characteristics of Jesus Christ’s eternal generation.
  • Miraculous birth into this generation
    • First birth in the genealogy is the miraculous birth of Isaac
    • Promise of God when the flesh was too weak to do the job
    • Reformation won’t do.  Must be born again of the Spirit of God.
  • Matthew 1:16 Jesus is the name of the man and Christ describes the Spirit in the man.
  • The thing God is trying to produce is a people for Himself to fellowship with forever.

Generation of Jesus Christ was also in the fulness of time

  • Generational timing
    • Matthew 1:17.  For some reason, the Lord thought it significant to point out the number of generations from Abraham to Jesus.  And a breakdown of how those generations divided out.
    • Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
    • From the promise of land (Abraham) to the acquisition (David) is 14 generations.  From the acquisition to the loss of the land to the Gentiles (Nebuchadnezzar) is another fourteen generations.  That was according to the law. From the loss of the land to the birth of Jesus Christ the promised seed would be another fourteen generations.  42 generations from Abraham
    • Other instances where judgement would be complete after 42
      • 42 cities set aside for the Levites in Numbers 35:6 – administration of judgment
      • 42 years to clean out the house of Saul in 2 Samuel 2:10 – purging of a household
      • 42 children killed by bears for mocking Elisha in 2 Kings 2:23-24 – satisfied judgment of mockers
      • 42 months given to Gentiles to trample underfoot, Revelation 11:2, 13:5 – judgment of God on the Jews religion
    • Generation – Matthew 1:1, 3:7, 11:16, 12:34, 39, 41,42,45, 16:4, 17:17, 23:33, 36, 24:34

Generation of Jesus Christ is the legal document in the court of Almighty God

  • The Bible is the legal document in the court of Almighty God
  • Daniel 9:25 notes that Jesus Christ is the Prince, not yet the King of kings
    • Daniel 8:25
    • Acts 3:15
    • Revelation 1:5
  • Bible traces Jesus Christ’s genealogy to the throne of David
    • Genealogy of a prince of utmost importance.  Is he the rightful heir?
    • Matthew 1 is the legal record linking Jesus Christ to the throne of David.
  • Bible has the official land grant to Abraham
    • Genesis 12
    • Oldest title to a piece of land in history.
  • Bible is the law book for the Judge of all the earth
    • John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
    • Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
    • People say they can’t know whether they will go to heaven or hell need to understand that God’s judgment is not hid from the world.  It is open for the world to see.

Generation of Jesus Christ contains some strangers

  • Gentiles included.  
  • 1:3 Thamar – Canaanite Genesis 38:13, 15-16, 24-26, and 27-29.  Phares is born of a father-in-law and his daughter-in-law.
  • 1:5 Rachab – Amorite Joshua 6:25; Ruth 4:21
  • 1:5 Ruth – Moabite Ruth 4:9-10
  • 1:6 Bathsheba – Hittite 2 Samuel 12:10, 24
  • 1:7 Naamah – Ammonite 1 Kings 14:21

Generation of Jesus Christ is missing some names

  • There are some missing generations in Matthew’s list.  Look at 1 Chronicles 3:10-16
    • Jehoshaphat – 2 Chronicles 21:1
    • Jehoram – 2 Chronicles 21:1, also called Joram
    • Ahaziah – 2 Chronicles 22:1 (missing in Matthew 1)
    • Joash – 2 Chronicles 24:1 (missing in Matthew 1)
    • Amaziah – 2 Chronicles 25:1 (missing in Matthew 1)
    • Uzziah – 2 Chronicles 26:1, also called Azariah in 2 Kings 15:1
  • Exodus 20:5 written out of the physical genealogy, but also can be applied spiritually.  There will not be any idolaters in heaven or any haters of God in eternity.