November 30, 2021 - Genesis 5:1-31; Matthew 1:1-17

Our past is important to our future as was seen yesterday with the genealogy of Christ. As we review the ancestry of Christ, we see the ways that God informs the readers of the perfect work of His plans. A careful search of scripture will reveal that the phrase "book of the genealogy" is only used twice. It is used in Genesis 5.1 and again here in Matthew 1:1. The first is the lineage of Adam and the second is of Jesus Christ.

The first lineage in Genesis is the genealogy of Adam and it has an important phrase in that ancestry account that is not included in the Matthew account. That expression is "and he died" (vv. 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, & 31). That phrase in and of itself speaks to the distinction of those only born into Adam's family. Paul's words in Romans 5:12-14 state it best, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned - (for until the law sin is not imputed when there is now law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses...". The ultimate reality of being born into Adam's family is death.

How different is it for the one that is born again into the family of Christ? The ancestry of Jesus does not speak to the condemnation and the penalty of sin but declares death is not the final act. The implication of life extending beyond death is suggested in Matthew's writing. In Hebrews 11, we learn of the faithful ones that looked toward the inheritance that God promised them. By faith they trusted in God's provision of eternal life.

Romans 5 is appropriate to quote again as we see Paul's thoughts regarding these two lineages of Adam and Jesus. "For if by the one (Adam) man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (5:17).

There is an old saying, "if you are born once you will die twice, but if you are born twice, you will die only once." Make sure that you are both in the lineage of Adam and Jesus Christ. Unless you trust Christ as your Savior, you are not member of the Divine ancestry of Christ. Thank Him for including you in His Family Tree!