Reading the generational passages

[Weston Stoler]

How do you read through them? I have one friend who adamantly skips them every time because he doesn't see a use for them. Is this something that we should encourage? I am in genesis so generations come up quiet heavily, how would you go through them in your daily devotions?

 

[rbcbob]

How do you read through them? I have one friend who adamantly skips them every time because he doesn't see a use for them. Is this something that we should encourage? I am in genesis so generations come up quiet heavily, how would you go through them in your daily devotions?

Weston you ask a question that I am sure many of us have wrestled with. We believe that every Word of Scripture is inspired and profitable. When we take it up to read we desire to honor it and Him who gave it. But we also must admit that some portions are more difficult than other portions. Our church makes a distinction in the public reading through Scripture as compared with the private reading of the same. When reading consecutively through the Old and New Testaments we will pass over the lengthy lists of Hebrew names because we see the public reading as serving a distinct edifying purpose in worship. A long list of Hebrew names read (and poorly pronounced!) in the assembly is not likely to be unto general edification. In fact it could cause some to be distracted from the worship of God.

But private reading is of a different nature. I would recommend that you, at least occasionally, expose yourself to even the lists of names. There will from time to time be a surprising nugget of gold to reward your diligence such as

of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command; (1Ch 12:32 NKJ)

 

[louis_jp]

The genealogies in Genesis reveal something about God's covenant dealings. They should be seen as part of the narrative. The thing to do with them is to understand why they are there and what role they are playing, rather than skipping them.

 

[Rich Koster]

The meaning of Hebrew names is sometimes, if not often, significant. There may be a correlation between the beginning or end of certain events tied to a name. Looking up the meaning of certain leaders or key figures in a passage can be interesting.

 

[au5t1n]

Reading through those lists builds character and gives you a confidence in the historicity of the Bible. Most Christians struggle with doubting the historical reliability of Scripture at some point in their lives. The one who has read pages and pages of geneologies stands a better chance of overcoming that doubt than the one who skipped them. He has a subconscious "feel" for the Bible's historicity, gained by reading every word of those lists. It is not your job to decide what is important. The Word judges us, not the other way around.

 

[earl40]

I enjoy them for apologetic reasons also for Christians who may think Adam was not a historical person.

 

[py3ak]

When you come to 1 Chronicles or other areas where there is a list of names (e.g., the geographical boundaries in Joshua), simply add a Psalm to your daily reading for while you are in the genealogies. Or listen to Alexander Scourby read through them.

 

[Romans922]

Here are some sermons I have preached recently on Genesis. In them, it is communicated how to read or see what is important in the genealogy. So they may be helpful...

Genesis 4:16-26
Genesis 5:1-32


What is important early in Genesis on Genealogies is looking for what is repeated over and over and over (besides this person begat this person). Repetition is important to show perhaps the main thrust of the passage/genealogy. Genesis 5, one repetition is 'and he died...' Showing for the true effects of the fall that has just occurred in Gen. 3. There are other things as well I mention in the sermon.

Also, where is that repetition interrupted? Why is it interrupted? That is important. Genesis 5 and 11 are very important because they also give us very specific dates and very specific genealogies with no generational gaps. That means we know the exact time between creation and Abraham. VERY IMPORTANT for the dating of the earth.

You get to Jesus' genealogy (I believe in Matthew), there is a lot of going out of the way to point out the Gentiles and the sinful people brought to faith... Either way, skipping over genealogies is a huge mistake, God gives them to us not just for history but for various other reasons for the strengthening of our faith!

 

[Wayne]

Deep waters, son.

One of the better examples to show the worth of such lists is Matthew 1. Here's some examination of that text : Women, Gentiles, & Jesus, Oh My! (Sermon on Matthew 1:1-17) « The Follower
(without necessarily owning everything he may say). But it makes the point of what can be embedded in those lists.

 

[Wayne]

Deep waters, son.

One of the better examples to show the worth of such lists is Matthew 1. Here's some examination of that text : Women, Gentiles, & Jesus, Oh My! (Sermon on Matthew 1:1-17) « The Follower
(without necessarily owning everything he may say). But it makes the point of what can be embedded in those lists.

 

[FedByRavens]

I admit, I'm guilty, i was reading Genesis last night and I reached the genealogies of Jacob and I skipped right over them

 

[Weston Stoler]

Hahaha I thought only we had this problem. Thanks your insights have helped ^-^

 

[Wayne]

You might also read up on Wiseman's "toledoth" or tablet theory, namely that there are ten sets of names in Genesis,
each ending with a colophon--a concluding statement--"these are the generations of..."

That structure is there, whether Wiseman is correct in his theory that each of these lists represents a history kept by
the person named in the colophon, and that those tablets were then passed down to or gathered up by Moses for his writing of the book.

Knowing that structure helps to provide some sense of those names being there.

Also, there are in God's grand plan no little people, as Schaeffer observed. He cares deeply for each of his dear children. He knows the number of hairs on your head. Moreover, He is daily working out the reality of Christ's finished work on the cross in your life, if you are one of His. Those lists are in part a reflection of those facts.

 

[Weston Stoler]

I find it ironic that the sermon this morning was on the genealogies from Luke 3. God is sovereign indeed.