Matthew 1:17
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
Focused Thinking:
The whole genealogy may be conveniently divided into three fourteens, each embracing one marked era, and each ending with a notable event, according to the Jewish annals.
Such artificial aids to memory were familiar to the Jews, and much larger gaps than those here are found in some of the Old Testament genealogies.
In Ezra 7:1–5 no fewer than six generations of the priesthood are omitted, as will appear by comparing it with 1 Chronicles 6:13–15. It should also be noted that the number fourteen had symbolic meaning to the Jews, for the numerical value of each of the Hebrew letters in David’s name equals fourteen. This shows the connection between David and Jesus.
FYI…I would never learn this kind of stuff on my own. This is the value of research and benefiting from the strengths of others. I enjoy learning this kind of stuff from others, but it is in my skill set or temperament to do that on my own.
Finally, it will be observed that the last of the three divisions of fourteen appears to contain only thirteen distinct names, including Jesus as the last. Some commentators think that this was meant as a tacit hint that Mary was to be supplied, as the thirteenth link of the last chain, as it is impossible to conceive that Matthew could have made any mistake in the matter. But there is a simpler way of accounting for it. As Matthew reckons David twice—as the last of the first fourteen and the first of the second—so, if we reckon the second fourteen to end with Josiah, who was coeval with the “carrying away into captivity” (1:11), and the third to begin with Jeconiah, it will be found that the last division as well as the two others embrace fourteen names, including that of our Lord.
Again, that level of detail is good to know but I’d never find that on my own. I’m not saying that negatively about scholars or as a deficiency in me; I’m simply affirming that we need to learn from the whole body of Christ and benefit from people who have different strengths than us.
Personal Application:
I have to admit that I got impatient several times as I went through the genealogy, but I learned much that reinforced my faith in God and my confidence in the history of my Savior.
Now, I look forward to having that study as a resource and focusing on prayer in this moment.
Interactive Prayer:
Father, thank you for sending Your Son. Thank you for fulfilling Your promise. Thank you for not destroying Your people throughout their many seasons of disobedience. Father, Your Word humbles me. It gives me a glimpse of magnitude of Your story. It gives me Your perspective. It gives me the ability to quit focusing on my temporary desires and to start focusing on eternal desires. Father, You are extraordinary. You are higher than the heights, You are deeper than the depths. You are My God. You are awesome. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing You in people, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Father, dwell in me. Fill me up with all the fullness of God. Fill me up with Your Spirit. Father, give me the faith to believe what You believe. Father, give me the ability to hear Your voice and to obey it. Give me the ability to bring Your visions into reality. Father, please anoint me for Your purposes. Father, give me a double portion of Your Spirit. Give me the ability to see the power of Your Spirit flow in and through me. Give me the privilege of teaching people to read the Word of God to know the God of the Word. Give me the privilege of helping people fall deeply in love with You. Father, give our people ears to hear, hearts to believe and the will to obey. Father, protect me and our church from the attacks of the enemy. Bind the enemy from our people and give us favor as we teach people to read and pray Your Word.
Father, anoint my teaching and all the resources designed to help people become addicted to Your Word. Father, I pray that people will prioritize 20 minutes with You, God, every morning. I pray that our people will believe me and trust me instead of argue and make excuses. I pray that people repent of their laziness. I pray that people will repent of their excuses. I pray that people will commit to having a daily, unhurried time to the read the Word of God to know the God of the Word. Father, the possibilities are unlimited if we become men and women of the Word. Father, give our people the ability to be courageous and to commit to the Word of God.
Father, I pray that unbelievably numbers of people show up for Alive Sunday. I pray that all the inconsistent people would come. I pray that all the middle people would come. I pray that all the Christmas and Easter Christians would come. Father I pray that the Word of God becomes alive to our people. I pray that our church takes significant steps to drink the milk of the Word. I pray that other members of our church will take significant steps to go from milk to meat. I pray that our church will commit and decide to mature this week. I pray that You will give us favor with people. Give us the ability to repent of laziness. I pray that we would repent of our excuses. I pray that we will repent of our impure addictions. I pray that our people will repent of casual Christianity and commit to courageous Christianity.
Father, I pray that our services will be anointed. Come Holy Spirit Come. I love You. I love the Spirit of God. I love seeing the Spirit of God in our people. Show up in our worship. Show up in our music. Show up in my teaching. Show up in our response. I pray that our people will see and understand the investment we are making in their spiritual lives. I pray for the Holy Spirit to blow through our congregation. Give me the ability to discern and understand the Holy Spirit. Give me the ability to respond appropriately.
Give me the ability to speak and teach with great authority. Give me the ability to say what needs to be said and to say it with Your authority and conviction. Father, give us the ability to focus Sunday. Blow Holy Spirit blow. Move Holy Spirit Move. Come Holy Spirit Come. Father, I am incapable of doing anything Sunday unless You do it. Start a movement in people’s hearts tomorrow. Start a movement for this church to mature and to sow the seeds of revival so we can reap the harvest of revival. Father, the only thing I know to pray is “show me Your glory.” Do a new work in and through us Easter Sunday. Father, I humble myself and ask You to anoint me. Anoint me dear God. Anoint me for Your glory. Unify our hearts. Give our people the ability to say “yes.” Father, give us the ability to do what we can’t do by ourselves. I pray that the Word of God becomes the ruling addiction in our lives.
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