# On Reading the Begats



## greenbaggins (May 23, 2012)

Most of us have probably experienced the phenomenon: reading those portions of Scripture heavy on genealogy, resulting in the yawn or the rapid skimming. It seems like a waste of time, since these people have nothing to do with us, and lived thousands of years before us. Not so fast. Slow down and take a deep breath.

First point: the genealogies ensure the covenant succession of God’s people. I remember reading a story of a missionary who was sharing the Gospel with some tribe somewhere, and was getting nowhere. He stated the Gospel in the clearest possible terms, but the tribe simply wasn’t getting it, even after he learned the language well. Finally, he simply started reading to them different parts of the Bible. When he got to the genealogies, all of a sudden, there were mass conversions to Christianity. The missionary, stunned, asked the tribal leaders why it was the genealogies that had led to these conversions. The leader responded that they had genealogies going back only so far. They did not know the ultimate origins, and there were many gaps in their genealogies. But now that those gaps had been filled, they knew that the Bible was truth, and that the Gospel was true. This tribe was part of the covenant succession of God’s people now, and that factor was huge in their conversion to Christ. Never discount the power of God’s Word, even those parts that WE do not find particularly compelling!

Second point (and this goes right along with the first point): ALL Scripture is inspired by God and is useful. The problem is not with the text, but with our attitude towards it. If we take a minimalist approach to the genealogies, then we won’t be expecting to receive any edification whatsoever from it. If, however, we read prayerfully, then the Holy Spirit will guide us into the truth that that Scripture has for us.

Third point: we often do not read genealogies properly. When you read a genealogy that has names associated with particular stories, you are meant to recall the entire story. Genealogies are the Bible’s way of recapping what has come before. What is particularly effective about this is the organic connection of God’s people by covenantal generation. In fact, the story of those people IS our story!

Fourth point: whenever you read a person’s name in the Bible, never forget that your name is also written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life, if you trust in Christ Jesus. Suppose (hypothetically) you were reading the Bible one day, and saw your own name there, referring to you, and not to your namesake. Would that change your attitude towards that history? If you remember that your name is written down, everything changes. You will pay attention. You will see the connections of history, and the organic connection that the earlier generations have to us. You ARE reading your own genealogy: the genealogy of faith.


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## Rich Koster (May 23, 2012)

I am intrigued by the fact that Judah and Tamar are listed in the genealogy of Jesus. It reminds me of the Sovereignty of God. No matter how bad His people can mess things up, He can turn it around to complete His purposes.


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## fredtgreco (May 23, 2012)

I agree whole heartedly, Lane. I am preaching through Genesis, and preached on Genesis 5 on Easter! And I preached last week on Genesis 10. I an incredible amount of positive feedback from the congregation, because they were greatly encouraged by the depth and power of *all *of God's Word.

Genesis 5:
Christ Church, PCA: Katy, TX > Sermons > The Book of Generations

I'll add Genesis 10 when it goes up later today.


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## Contra_Mundum (May 23, 2012)

Thanks for that summary, Lane.

During family devotions, we've been reading the division of the land in Joshua. The list of towns enclosed and borders can seem like tedium. But it is a concrete fulfillment of a particular promise, and they are actual hometowns where generations of descendants and future listeners to the prophetic history lived. And of course some of these places are mentioned in the later books. Besides, there are just enough little details interspersed (as sometimes in the genealogies) that one naturally (and apparently designedly) keys in on such things for an important insight.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (May 23, 2012)

I have actually made this point using the "begats" as an example the last two Lord's Days. There are no "superfluous" parts of Scripture.


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## Miss Marple (May 23, 2012)

I heard an anecdotal story about the begats that made an impression upon me.

Some translators were doing some tough Bible translation work with a tribe of peoples on the African continent. After years of work they began telling the stories of the Bible to the tribesmen, with little positive response. As they persevered they got to some "begats," probably the beginning of a gospel. Surprisingly, it was during this portion that the people began to respond. I cannot quote directly but essentially the missionary was told afterwards "We did not believe in this Jesus, until we heard of his parents, now we believe." This particular tribe depended heavily upon oral history and oral traditions, and had the habit of telling genealogies at gatherings. When Jesus' genealogy was recited, He became real to them.

I thought it was a beautiful example of God's grace, that He knew when He inspired that Scripture that it would reach those very people.


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## J. Dean (May 23, 2012)

The thing that sticks out with me regarding genealogies is that it's considered history, meaning it's rooted in actual fact that really happened. This in fact flies in the face of those who teach that Genesis 1-11 is myth: it seems awfully odd to contain genealogical lists in a section intended to be regarded as myth.

So for me it's not so much "who begat who" as it is the fact that people _were_ begotten, really did live and die, and that by itself adds an anchor of reality to the Scriptures.


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## Unoriginalname (May 23, 2012)

greenbaggins said:


> Third point: we often do not read genealogies properly. When you read a genealogy that has names associated with particular stories, you are meant to recall the entire story. Genealogies are the Bible’s way of recapping what has come before. What is particularly effective about this is the organic connection of God’s people by covenantal generation. In fact, the story of those people IS our story!


I have always enjoyed when someone has been able to point out who each of these individuals are. I have always loved seeing how stories I thought were disconnected from each other turned out to be stories about one family or line.


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## Alan D. Strange (May 23, 2012)

Thanks, Lane, and all the other good brothers and sisters.

Two little anecdotes: About twenty years ago, I guest preached a sermon on Matthew 1 (in a neighboring pulpit) and could see the incredulous looks as I read the genealogy of our Lord from the pulpit. I hit hard how that our Lord's own genealogy testifies to the need of a Savior and He came to save His people, including His own sinful ancestors, from their sins. An elder's wife's mother heard the sermon on recording later and was converted, seeing herself for the first time truly as a sinner as some of the details of Judah, Tamar, et al were set forth and how we need One to come to save His people from their sins.

And a good friend of mine, whose wife died several years ago, is about to marry a woman whose husband died earlier as well. She was Jewish and hearing the Matthean and Lucan genealogies some years ago convinced her that this was reality and that Christ did come as Savior, whom she came to trust in. 

There are many more details here but the long and short of it is that the Lord was pleased to use sermons treating our Lord's genealogy to bring His own to Himself. 

Peace,
Alan


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## Mushroom (May 23, 2012)

And, when we get home, we're gonna have plent of time to meet and commisserate with these forebears... what sweet fellowship that will be! The import of their inclusion will be quite evident then.


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