04.1.2. Patriarchs Names Recorded In Kings Genealogy

SECTION I - THE UNCONDITIONAL ASPECT OF GOD’S COVENANTS OF PROMISE WAS EMPHASIZED FROM ABRAHAM TO DAVID Chapter 2 - PATRIARCH’S NAMES RECORDED IN THE KING’S GENEALOGY

There are some marvelous examples of God’s grace and the working out of His eternal purpose in the first division of the generations from Abraham to David. The division of promise concluded with David, but it began with Abraham. Now we know why Matthew 1:1 gave prominence to these two patriarchs. Paul was speaking of the Abrahamic covenant when he said:

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. —Galatians 3:16

Jesus Christ, therefore, is the seed of Abraham and of David. In a far higher sense than Isaac, Jesus Christ is the seed of Abraham as the chosen Head of the elect of God. Paul was showing that the promised salvation by grace is concentrated in one Person, namely, Jesus Christ. This comment by Paul has given rise to much discussion, but there is no real basis for such controversy. The prominent feature of the Abrahamic covenant is grace; therefore, it is unconditional. It clearly looks forward to Jesus Christ. In the Davidic covenant, the promised seed was Solomon in the immediate sense and Jesus Christ in the ultimate sense. The names of some of the persons included in the first division of the genealogy are recorded for several reasons:
(1) The proud Jews who gloried in their ancestry should be cut to the very heart by learning that lineage is not a guarantee of salvation.
(2) All Christians must be reminded that not one believer is without sin.
(3) Christians should not only consider the condescension of Jesus Christ but also understand that the Lord Jesus was born of impure parentage without being contaminated. How wonderful that the eternal Son entered the human race through such a sinful channel without being contaminated with depravity.

Abraham

Abraham occupies a special place in Scripture due to his effectual call (the fruit of electing grace) and as the founder of a nation that would bless all nations. He was the beginning of the nation of Israel because he fathered Isaac, and Isaac fathered Jacob who became Israel:

...Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed. —Genesis 32:28 (NASB)

Although Jacob received a new name at Peniel (the name means “turn thou, God”), it was at Bethel (the name means “house of God”) that God revealed His name. Thus, the covenant God made with Abraham was confirmed with both Isaac and Jacob: And God said to him, Your name is Jacob; you shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name. Thus He called him Israel. God also said to him, I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come forth from you, And kings shall come forth from you. And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you. —Genesis 35:10-12 (NASB) The covenant God made with Abraham was rooted in the electing grace of God. Its three main features were the seed, the land, and the nations (Genesis 15:5; Genesis 15:7; Genesis 18:18). The seed is stated to be his son, Isaac, and his descendants are described by the figure of the stars. As to the land, Abraham asked, “O Lord God, how may I know that I shall possess it?” (Genesis 15:8 NASB). God condescended to a covenant sacrifice, and Abraham’s faith was tested as it would again be tested in the case of Isaac. When Abraham’s faith was tested, he was assured that God would sustain the covenant relationship. The patriarch’s question is answered in the record of the centurion who came beseeching the Lord for his servant who was ill (Matthew 8:5-13). The Lord Jesus marveled at the centurion’s admission of his unworthiness when He told him he would heal his servant. He told the multitude that had followed Him from the mountain (Matthew 8:1) that He had not found such faith in Israel. He said to them:

...I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 8:11 The mercy extended to the centurion had direct reference to the purpose of Jesus Christ according to Christ’s foreknowledge of His rejection by the Jews and His introduction of Himself to the Gentiles. The record of the healing of the centurion, a Gentile, proves that both elect Jews and Gentiles shall inherit the kingdom. How shall we sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom if these patriarchs do not personally inherit it (Matthew 8:11)? Christ predicted His rejection by the Jews and the subsequent call of the Gentiles in Matthew 8:12-13. The believing Gentile, who had become a “Jew inwardly” (Romans 2:29) and had received a place in the kingdom, was contrasted with the unbelieving sons of the kingdom by natural descent who were not the children of God and were cut off from the covenanted kingdom (Romans 9:8).

Isaac As the purpose of God the Father is seen in Abraham, in Isaac is seen a great type of Jesus Christ, who is the heir of His Father’s wealth. Abraham’s servant acknowledged that Isaac was the heir of all that Abraham had:

Now Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master in her old age; and he has given him all that he has. —Genesis 24:36 (NASB) The writer of Hebrews declared that Jesus Christ is the heir of all things:

GOD, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things.... —Hebrews 1:1-2 (NASB) Isaac, like Christ, came into his possession after passing through the figure of death (Hebrews 11:19).

One of the most beautiful chapters in the Bible is Genesis 24:1-67. It is as though the books of Ruth and The Song of Solomon were rolled into one great love story of redemption and of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His own. The following are five great features of the chapter:

1. The Father’s purpose is typified in Abraham. As the Father’s purpose centered in His Son, Jesus Christ, Abraham’s purpose centered in his son, Isaac. As the thought of the bride of Christ originated with God the Father, the thought of the bride for Isaac originated with Abraham.

2. The Bridegroom of the bride of Jesus Christ is symbolized in Isaac. Isaac became the heir of all that Abraham possessed, and a bride was to be effectually called for him.

3. Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, is typical of God’s messengers operating under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. He was obedient, zealous to fulfill his commission, and discerning. He revealed the things of Isaac rather than the things of himself. He was a faithful guide in his preparation of the bride he had betrothed to one husband, Isaac. Thus, the servant who is in subjection to proper authority has the right message for the right person at the right time. There is a ministry of the gospel that is indiscriminate from the minister’s point of view, but there is also a ministry that discriminates from the Spirit’s point of view. The first is general, and the second is particular. Abraham desired (purposed) the bride; Isaac wanted her; and the servant by the leadership of the Spirit was committed to Abraham and Isaac.

4. Rebekah typifies the assembly Christ is continuing to build. As Rebekah was presented to Isaac, the assembly, upon her completion, will be presented to the Bridegroom. Isaac’s bride was thought of before she knew anything about it (Genesis 24:4; Genesis 24:14). The servant did not go and find someone unsuitable and make her suitable, but he found someone already prepared by grace who received his message. She was suitable to the servant, because in figure she was of Divine origin. The secret to all response to God’s gospel is grace. Although Rebekah’s mind and heart were on Isaac, there was room in her heart for the servant who had betrothed her to Isaac and was preparing her for the wedding. The servant knew her, and she knew the servant. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.)

5. The wedding of Isaac and Rebekah is a figure of the future blessing and hope of Christ’s assembly. As all the trials and hardships of Rebekah’s pilgrimage were forgotten with one glimpse of Isaac, all our wounds and scars will be forgotten when we see Jesus Christ.

Jacob The son of Isaac and Rebekah was named Jacob, which means supplanter (Genesis 27:36). He represents the elect of God; therefore, his heart was set on the blessings. He had a great mixture of human infirmity, expedience, and unbelief; but he had true faith that caused his desire to be in the line of the birthright and blessing. God was pledged to Jacob from the beginning. We must not become so occupied with Jacob’s faults that we fail to observe his qualities that manifest Divine election and God’s confirmation of the Abrahamic covenant in him. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. His sons and the meaning of their names are separated into the following divisions:
(1) Representing what Israel was in Egypt were Reuben—you see, Simeon—hearing, and Levi—joined (Genesis 49:3-7).
(2) Portraying the wilderness influence that led to departure from the blessing were Zebulun—dwelling, Issachar—reward, and Dan—judging (Genesis 49:13-18). (3) Symbolizing the power and effect of deliverance from indwelling sin subsequent to the passover were Gad—a company, Asher—happy, and Naphtali—wrestling (Genesis 49:19-21).
(4) Typifying Jesus Christ in different ways were Judah—praised, Joseph—addition, and Benjamin—son of the right hand (Genesis 49:8; Genesis 49:22; Genesis 49:27). The order in which we have mentioned the names in this last division is very important. In Judah, the Lordship of Jesus Christ must be acknowledged; in Joseph, the answer to the believer’s living out of Christian character is found in Jesus Christ; and in Benjamin, the hope of the Christian’s present suffering is portrayed in Jesus Christ.

Judah

Judah learned the hard way that the infection of sin led to defection from truth, and defection from truth resulted in the infliction of punishment (Genesis 38:1-30). First, he took a wife from Canaan without his father’s consent. His wife Shuah gave him three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord took his life. Since levirate marriages were customary, Judah told Onan to take his deceased brother’s wife, Tamar, and raise up offspring for his brother. (See Deuteronomy 25:5-10.) Knowing the offspring would not be his, Onan refused. His crime was not so much self-pollution as his refusal to raise up offspring for his brother. What he did was displeasing to the Lord; so the Lord took his life as He had taken the life of Er. Following the death of Onan, Judah told Tamar to remain a widow until Shelah became a man.

After much time had lapsed, Judah’s wife died. Having lost two sons and his wife, Judah was on his way to Timnath (Timnah) when he saw a woman he thought was a harlot. Tamar had been told that Judah would be passing through on his way to Timnath. Furthermore, she knew that Shelah was a man now, and she had not been given to him to bear offspring for his deceased brother, Er. Therefore, she disguised herself as a whore and waited for Judah. Judah was wrong for lusting, and Tamar was wrong for disguising herself as a harlot. Judah promised Tamar a kid from his flock for her services, but she would not submit until she had received an earnest. She asked for his seal, cord, and staff which he gave to her, and she conceived by him.

After some time, Judah sent the kid he had promised Tamar; but she was not to be found. Three months later word came to Judah that Tamar, his daughter-in-law, had played the harlot and was with child by harlotry. He wanted her brought forth and burned; but when he learned that she was bearing his child, he said, “She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah” (Genesis 38:26 NASB). Of all the children of Jacob, Judah was singled out to continue the Messianic line. God, in His sovereignty, passed by Reuben, the firstborn, and chose Judah, the fourth child. Judah’s sin with Tamar did not prevent the sovereign God from choosing him to manifest His purpose and grace:

Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh [the bringer of peace and prosperity] comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. —Genesis 49:8-10 (NASB) Pharez And Zarah The twins brought forth by Tamar are both mentioned in Christ’s lineage (Genesis 38:27-30; Matthew 1:3). Pharez (also spelled Phares and Perez) precedes Zarah (also spelled Zerah and Zara), but Zarah was the eldest. In Jewish tradition, the eldest son is mentioned in the books of lineage, but this instance is unique because it carries a prophetical lesson in this first division of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. While Tamar was giving birth, Zarah put out a hand; and the midwife tied a scarlet thread on his hand saying, “This one came out first” (Genesis 38:28 NASB). As Zarah drew back his hand, his brother Pharez came out. The midwife said, “What a breach [a breaking in upon or an overthrow] you have made for yourself!” (Genesis 38:29 NASB). Hence, he was named Pharez (the name means “a breach”). In like manner, the Jews first put forth their hand, but they fell through unfaithfulness. However, subsequent to the gathering in of the Gentiles, the Jews shall rise again. This is prophesied by the fact that after Pharez was born, Zarah (the name means “an arising”) came forth, showing that Zarah shall rise again. The prophetical message of Judah’s twin sons by his daughter-in-law, Tamar, is reinforced in prophecies given by Isaiah in the Old Testament and Simeon in the New Testament:

1. In the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah had a vision of God, of himself, and of a remnant from among the Jews that would constitute Jehovah’s tithe
(Isaiah 6:9-13). Isaiah was commissioned as follows:

Go, and tell this people: Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand. Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Lest they see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And repent and be healed. —Isaiah 6:9-10 (NASB) The prophet’s question that followed, “Lord, how long?” (Isaiah 61:11), was not a cry of despair. It was an expression of hope by one who knew that somewhere down the long passageway of time there would be a kingdom on earth. In Isaiah 6:13, the answer to his question is given:

Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, And it will again be subject to burning, Like a terebinth or an oak Whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump. —Isaiah 6:13 (NASB)

Therefore, as a living seed does not perish when buried in the ground, Israel shall never perish from among the nations of the world. (See Psalms 89:1-52; Romans 11:1-36; Revelation 7:1-17.)

2. Simeon, a just and devout man, was in Jerusalem for the consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25-35). The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Simeon’s name signifies “one who hears”. He lived at the close of the four hundred years when there was no prophet of God. Nevertheless, he heard God by the Holy Spirit, and he went into the temple. His vocation was awaiting (expecting) the consolation of Israel. His character is described as being just toward men and devout toward God. His companionship was the Holy Spirit “upon (epi, the accusative of relationship) him” (Luke 2:25). The Holy Spirit’s being “upon him” is Old Testament terminology. This Old Testament believer went to the temple and greeted Jesus Christ in His incarnation.

Simeon’s inward grace did not allow him to neglect the outward visible signs appointed by God. He was faithful in attendance in the temple. Month after month and year after year when no message was given by the prophets, this just and devout man went to the temple. There is no substitute for God’s people being in God’s appointed place at God’s appointed time. The temple was to Simeon what the sanctuary was to Asaph. Asaph’s questions concerning the deprivations of the people of God and the abundance of the wicked were answered when he went into the sanctuary of God (Psalms 73:1-17). As the temple was a sanctuary scene for Simeon, the assembly of Jesus Christ is the sanctuary for us. As Simeon went into the temple awaiting (expecting) Jesus Christ before His first advent, how much more should Christians, acting in the knowledge of His first advent, wait expectantly for Christ’s glorious second advent.

There is only a short biography of Simeon recorded. Short biographies, like this one, denote true character. Devout men want the Lord and not themselves to be exalted. The context of Luke 2:25-35 proves that Simeon was an old man when he saw Jesus Christ the infant. Regardless of circumstances, a Christian’s last days should be his best. Simeon was not occupied with events but with the Person of Jesus Christ. Although Jesus Christ had not occupied David’s throne, Simeon’s affection for His incarnation made his last days his best. Simeon’s faithfulness was rewarded by his holding the infant Jesus Christ and by God’s using him to give us a prophecy:

Lord [despota, vocative masculine of despotes, which means Lord or Master] now lettest thou thy servant depart [apolueis, present active indicative of apoluo, which means release or dismiss] in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to [eis, accusative of purpose] lighten [apokaluphin, accusative singular of apokaluphis, which means a revelation] the Gentiles [ethnon, genitive plural of ethnos, which means nations, nonjews, or Gentiles], and the glory of thy people Israel.... Behold, this child [one] is set [keitai, present middle indicative of keimai, which means appointed or destined] for [eis, accusative of purpose] the fall and rising again [anastasin, accusative singular of anastasis, which means a raising or rising up] of many in Israel; and for [eis, accusative of purpose] a sign which shall be spoken against [antilegomenon, present passive participle of antilego, which means to object or oppose]. —Luke 2:29-32

Simeon’s prediction has two important purpose phrases introduced in each instance by the accusative case of the preposition eis. In the first instance, Jesus Christ would be a light for a revelation of the Gentiles (nonjews) (Luke 2:32). Since Israel is associated with the Shekinah in the Old Testament, no more fitting description can be given of her than Simeon’s reference to the “glory” of Israel (Luke 2:32). Christ spoke of having sheep other than those of the fold of Judaism (John 10:16). (See Acts 9:15; Acts 11:1-18; Acts 13:42-48; Acts 18:6; Acts 28:28.) In the second instance, the Lord Jesus would be the cause of both Israel’s fall and her rising, in that order (Luke 2:34).