THE Descendant of David

Family trees can be interesting but also revealing, not always in favorable light.  Therefore, not everyone wishes to delve too far into the past.  Yet, curiosity kills the cat and some people spend years and years of careful research and recording of their family connection findings.  Others meticulously record as it happens because they believe their lineage is an important part of who they are and each family member is special.

I know of one family whose father escaped from China just prior to Mao Tse Tung's takeover.  His progeny and grand-progeny had their births, deaths, marriages, etc registered in the annals of the father's ancestral village.  The progeny didn't know it until they were allowed to go and visit many years later.

Recently, I've heard of another family, rather a couple branches of that family, who trace their roots back to the last of the five emperors of China so many centuries BC ago!  This was Emperor Shun.  Well, actually not the emperor himself but of one of his generals, to be precise.

This general was the current generation's great-great-great (Xs how many?!) grandfather.  How do they know?  Genealogy accounts.  The ancestry findings...back then, having more than one wife was a norm.  In this particular genealogy  this general had at least three wives.  All these lines of family descendants have been dutifully recorded over the many millennia. 

BAM!  The last of the five emperors and all closely associated with him fell from grace (to make a long story short). The emperor's generals ran for their lives; no less, this great (X's how many) grandfather and his families.  They ran and changed their names going into deep cover, some of whom eventually emigrated out of China ending up in present day Malaysia so many golden ages later.  Fascinating family history that has been painstakingly chronicled.

This story was related to me by one person who had the story told to her by someone who had the story told to him, etc, up the lineage.  It was then told to me.  Hopefully I have the story right.

Years ago, while growing up, I've heard of Levites (the priestly tribe of Israelites), who've kept similar logs of their genealogical heritage.  These they keep very close to the vest and only on extremely rare occasion did they get shown outside the family circle.

Some of us may be able to go back a few generations, maybe even a 100 or so years.  How many of us can go back that far?  Or further as in the stories above?  Stranger still, how many can predict who will be in their family down the line?

There is One.  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the prophesied Messiah of God's chosen people, the Israelites.  The Old Testament records these.  Some say there are about 300 instances of prophesy regarding the coming of Jesus the Messiah.

One website article, 55 Old Testament Prophecies About Jesus, by jesusfilm.org, categorize these into four areas:  Jesus' birth; ministry; death and resurrection; and His role in the church.  Click on the link to read more about them.  Totally amazing!

Throughout the ages from Noah, Abraham, Isaac and David, God made covenants and promises to them concerning the coming Messiah.  Indeed, even ancient philosophers such as the Chinese sage Confucius seemed to have a knowledge of Jesus coming, or at least of Someone who would be able to be what all the sacrifices were about. (Read the book, God and the Ancient Chinese by Samuel Wang and Ethel R. Nelson.)

Back to God's Word...Jesus' genealogy is documented in four groups of fourteen generations beginning with Abraham (Matthew 1:17).  Read the whole of Matthew 1 reading Jesus' genealogy through Mary's husband Joseph's line (Jesus' supposed father -  Luke 3:23).  Flip over then, to Luke 3 where we learn Jesus' genealogy through Mary's line.  The legacy goes all the way back to God (Luke 3:21-38).  These establish Jesus' right to the throne despite it appearing to be two genealogies that may look subtly contradictory.  However,  you can read more about that in Why Does Jesus Have Two Genealogies?  

The legacy goes all the way back to God (Luke 3:21-38)!

Look at specific verses that focus our attention on Jesus' birth being foretold.

"He will be great and will be called the son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David..." (Luke 1:32 NIV;  see also Isaiah 9:6-7).

Peruse the genealogy in Luke 3 and verse 31 and Matthew 1:6 NIV.  What do you see?  Mention of David?

Read further in Luke 1, verse 69 (NIV)...

"He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David..."

Cross reference those to Psalm 89:3 & 4 and Psalm 111:9.  Then hop, skip and jump to Revelation 22:16 (NIV).  God wants to get the Good News out,

"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you (John) this testimony for the churches.  I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

There is no mistaking the Messiah, Jesus Christ the Savior of the world who had been foretold 1000's of years prior, had arrived in that lowly stable in Bethlehem.

Praise God for His love to you and me.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16 KJV).

The King of kings and Lord of lords had come.  What a holy night that was!

And when we accept this Jesus as Savior we become part of His family tree where He records our name in His book of life (Luke 10:20; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 20:12-15).

                                                         ~ERC  December 2019~

Sing "O Holy Night"-this rendition by David Phelps

See also cross references in regards to the "horn of salvation":  Psalm 89:17; Jeremiah 30:9; and Ezekiel 29:21.