Bible Genealogies

George Burnside

www.CreationismOnline.com

In the days of Jesus, every Israelite could trace his genealogy back to Abraham.

1 Chronicles 9:1 "So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies.” Ezra 2:1, 2 Even in captivity the genealogies were preserved.

Leviticus 25:23, 24 An Israelite's only title to his farm and home was his genealogy. Land could not be permanently sold.

Josephus, gives his lineage for several generations, then says "Thus have I set down the genealogy of my family, as I find it described in the public records." The Life of Flavius Josephus, page 1.

John 8:33, 39 "We be Abraham's seed." "Abraham is our father."

The only way they could prove this, was by their genealogies. These genealogies existed in the days of Jesus and could be referred to, to settle any question. Jewish genealogies have now utterly perished. They were all destroyed at the destruction of Jerusalem. No Jew today can ever tell to which tribe he belongs.

No Jew could today claim to be the Messiah - the Christ. No one can now prove he is a son of David. It is worthy to note that no Jewish priest or ruler found fault with Jesus' claim to be of the line of David. They had the genealogies before them. If they could have found a flaw they would have been justified in condemning Christ to Calvary. The genealogies are of vital importance.

Shallow students of the Word ask why are we given these long catalogues of names, and because of difficulties they even at times have been known to maintain that they are all mixed up.

Hence the genealogies, like many other wonders of the Bible, are sadly neglected. If there could have been the slightest doubt in these genealogies the Pharisees, would have quickly used them against Christ.

CHRONOLOGY

One of the many wonders of our wonderful Bible is not only that like a golden thread the line of Christ runs from Adam, Abraham and David to our Lord, but that line is chronologically given. That is it is given by the count of years.

Embedded in the Bible record is a continuous line of dated episodes which begin with Adam and reach across the forty centuries of time, "unto the Messiah, the Prince."

Human histories, even of the greatest nations have no beginning. They merely immerge gradually from the fog of fables, myths and legends. What a striking contrast we find in the Scriptures. The first 3000 years and more are given clearly and with accuracy.

Genesis chapter 5. For instance this chapter is pure chronology. It is definite and complete from beginning to end. It is simple arithmetic.

If Genesis 5 was not in the Bible, and was found on an Egyptian or Babylonian tablet, it would be hailed as the most wonderful and valuable tablet ever discovered.

Genesis chapter 11. Here again we have a similar chronological table to the birth of Abraham.

A fact of great importance should be noted. The count of years is bound closely with one definite subject - the line of descent along which the promised Redeemer was to come. Think for a moment of the millions of lines that could have been taken, from the ever widening circle of the sons of Adam.

One line and one line only stands out and that line leads to "Messiah the Prince." The chronological tables of Genesis 5 goes no further than the Flood. Genesis 11 stops at Abraham. The line of Matthew 1 and Luke 3 shows the purpose, as they lead to, and stop with the Messiah.

ONLY ONE LINE IS CHRONOLOGICALLY GIVEN.

Genesis 4:16-24 The line of Cain is given, but note there is no age given.

Genesis 5:3-32 In the line of Seth, the years are given. They are given with such regularity and with such precautions that they show chronology was a vitally important matter in the mind of the Author.

Exodus 6:16-23 Even when it comes to such important persons as Aaron or Moses there is no chronology given.

One line and one line only exists in the divine record, in which the line gives the father's age when that particular son was born, through whom the Messiah's line was to continue. Yet the same father's age is never given at the birth of any other son. It is not the oldest son that is given in many cases. For instance Seth was not the oldest son of Adam, nor Shem of Noah, nor Abraham of Terah, nor Isaac of Abraham, nor Jacob of Isaac, nor Judah of Jacob, nor David of Jesse. This is remarkable, particularly in view of the importance given by the Israelites to the first born.

The Bible stands out as a book of chronology, but it is chronology of a very special and exceptional kind. For chronology in general, it shows little, if no regard. One particular line is revealed. Around that line the whole Bible clusters. With care and great regard the Bible begins with creation and the first eleven chapters cover a great stretch of time, almost equal to the time covered by the rest of Scripture. This divine record is composed largely of two elements namely genealogy and chronology.

"UNTO MESSIAH THE PRINCE"

Here end genealogies. They end at Jesus and go no further. God writes up the chronicle from creation to the Redeemer, from the beginning of time to:

Galatians 4:4 "The fullness of time". "Unto Messiah the Prince".

This reveals the goal to which genealogies and the chronological line of Scripture point.

CHRONLOGY OF NEW TESTAMENT HISTORY

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