04.1.9. Conclusion
Chapter 9 - CONCLUSION
Some attention should be given to the supposed discrepancies in the second section of Christ’s genealogy recorded in the first chapter of Matthew. There is little agreement among scholars concerning the generations, how they should be divided, and how to harmonize the discrepancies. Some have suggested that the genealogical records were destroyed in 70 A.D.; but if that were true, it would have no effect on the fact that the enemies of Jesus Christ never challenged that He was the rightful heir to David’s throne. Their nonquestioning of Jesus Christ’s descent from David during His earthly life is a great comfort to the people of God in a day when critics are trying to cut the Bible to pieces. The generations have been divided by men in the following ways:
FIRST: The first division goes from Abraham to David (14 generations), the second from David (heading the second division) to the captivity (Josiah) (14 generations), and the third from the captivity represented by Jechoniah to Christ (14 generations).
SECOND: The first division goes from Abraham to David (14 generations), the second from Solomon to Jechoniah (14 generations), and the third from Jechoniah to Jesus Christ (14 generations). Jechoniah’s childlessness, predicted in Jeremiah 22:30, meant no more than that none of his offspring would occupy David’s earthly throne. Furthermore, his change before and after the deportation justifies his being counted twice. (See 2 Kings 25:27-30; Jeremiah 52:31-34.) Being freed from prison, Jechoniah was treated kindly by Evil-merodach, King of Babylon; and he received a seat above the kings that were with him in Babylon. This may be illustrated with an analogy to Mr. Cleveland, an American President, who must be counted twice since he served as president for two nonconsecutive terms—1885-1889; 1893-1897.
THIRD: There are not literally 42 generations from Abraham to Christ. The three fourteens are used to show the completion of the Divine purpose. At the death of Josiah, Jehoahaz reigned three months. He was followed by Jehoiakim, the father of Jechoniah. Jechoniah was never a king. The kings in order were Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim—the puppet, Jehoiachin—son of Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah (Mattaniah)—son of Josiah. This division can be confirmed by explaining 2 Chronicles 36:1-2; 2 Kings 23:30-36; 2 Kings 24:1; 2 Kings 24:6; 2 Kings 24:15; 2 Kings 24:17; and Jeremiah 22:28-30.
Since no one has come up with a valid argument on the divisions of the generations from Abraham to Christ, this writer rests his case by saying the infallible Spirit of God had His unexplained reason for stating it as He did in Matthew 1:17. It must be observed that there were omissions of the kings from this genealogy, and some say the answer to that is found in Exodus 20:4-5. The genealogy by Matthew speaks of deterioration. Corruption and hopelessness are clearly evident in it. It begins with Abraham; and as generation after generation passes, the shameful history of national Israel unfolds. However, such a history apart from God’s unconditional covenant of grace would be only unexplained desires and unfulfilled hopes. Therefore, we see the unfolding of the dawn of the day which Abraham rejoiced to see (John 8:56), and we hear Simeon say:
...mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. —Luke 2:30-32
Although God placed a curse on the descendants of Jechoniah, Jesus Christ escaped the curse by being virgin born and yet becoming the legal heir to David’s throne. The third division of the generations from Abraham to Joseph reveals the spiritual darkness that preceded the first advent of Jesus Christ. Nothing can be written about the time of spiritual darkness, because Scripture is silent about the 400 years when there was no prophet in Israel or Judah. In the study of the three divisions, we have seen regression from promises to decline; now we observe darkness. Light, diminishing light, and darkness constitute an order that is manifested throughout Scripture. The age of the New Testament assembly is not different from other ages. Apostasy was predicted before the death of the apostles. The greatest period of spiritual darkness the world has ever seen will precede the second advent of Jesus Christ. This concludes Volume I in which we have considered the King’s genealogy. Volume II will continue with the next aspect in our study of Christ’s future Kingdom.