The Life of Christ
The Genealogy of Christ (Part 4 of 6)
by
Rev. Mark Perkins, Pastor
Denver Bible Church
326 E. Colorado Ave.
Denver, Colorado 80210
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The Geneaology, Continued
Up to this point, we have studied some of the covenants of God
with Israel.
The Noahic Covenant, where God promised never again to destroy the world by flood, and where God established man's responsibility to capital punishment.
The Abrahamic Covenant, where God established a new racial species.
The Mosaic Covenant, which was the national policy covenant for the nation of Israel.
Next God established the Davidic, or Messianic, Covenant. This
was the leadership covenant for the nation of Israel.
The leadership covenant for Israel described a man who would
be their great leader, and who would combine the three offices
of prophet, priest, and king.
Christ fulfilled all three covenants.
As prophet, He spoke of His kingdom, and offered it to the Jews,
but they rejected Him.
As priest, he died for the sins of the world, but the Jews would
not receive Him.
Because the Jews rejected Christ as prophet and priest, He could
not be their king, which was their only desire. Because of the
Jew's rejection of Christ, His earthly kingdom was delayed, and
the church age was inserted into history.
The Jews were not unlike many other people in history. They desired
an outside solution to their problems, a panacea that would remove
their troubles quickly and permanently.
They did not see that their humility was required, and the circumcision
of their hearts needed to precede the rescue of their nation.
They were too proud to back down from their arrogant legalism,
and love of the cosmic system.
From their pride they desired a king that would solve their problems,
so that they could go on with their arrogance.
From their pride they rejected the man who was also a prophet
and a priest.
There are many passages in the Old Testament which refer to the
Messiah, the king after the pattern of David.
Gen 3:15, "I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel."
This is the first prediction of the Messiah. It communicates
to Satan that the future Messiah will come from the seed of the
woman.
Because of the process of meiosis, each month the woman produces
an ovum which is without the genetic pollution of the old sin
nature. This made it possible for Mary to conceive by the Holy
Spirit, and bring forth a child that did not have the old sin
nature, and thus would not receive the condemnation of Adam's
original sin.
The last part of the prophecy concerns the ultimate victory of
Christ. Christ will wound the head of Satan. This is a metaphor,
and can refer to many things. It is probably a reference to the
death, resurrection, ascension, and session of Christ.
Satan will wound the heel of Christ. Although this is often interpreted
as referring to the cross, the meaning of `Aqibh does not lend
itself well to this. More likely it refers to the followers of
Jesus Christ, who are subject to persecution throughout the ages.
This is likely especially in light of its position opposite of
rO'sh, head.
Gen 12:3, "I will bless those who bless you, and him who
curses you I will curse;and by you all the families of the earth
shall bless themselves."
Of course, this is the Abrahamic covenant. Through the seed of
Abraham came Christ, and through the death of Christ all nations
and all people were blessed.
Gen 22:18, "and by your descendants shall all the nations
of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice."
This is a reaffirmation of the Abrahamic covenant.
The reflexive pronoun 'themselves' denotes the function of volition
related to salvation and post salvation spiritual growth.
Christ the Messiah is the source of these blessings.
Gen. 49:8,10, "Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your
hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons
shall bow down before you. The scepter shall not depart from
Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he
comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of
the peoples.
These verse confirm that the Messianic line runs through Judah.
It also emphasizes the royalty of the Messiah - that he would
be a king.
Deut 18:18, "I will raise up for them a prophet like you
from among their brethren; and I will put my words in his mouth,
and he shall speak to them all that I command him."
This is a preview of the prophetic office and function of Christ.
Christ will speak only what God commands.
It is worthwhile to note that the Jews had this verse available
to them, and yet they still rejected Christ.
2 Sam 7:11-16, "from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house.
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men;
but I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.
And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.'"
This is a prediction of the coming of king David. Furthermore,
it predicts that the house of David will last forever. It also
describes the relationship of God to the Messiah: Father to Son.
It hints at the death of the Messiah - that He will take the
stripes (the whipping) of men.
2 Sam 23:5, "Yea, does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?"
Here is communicated the everlasting nature of the Davidic covenant.
It exists in the Divine decree. It is secure, regardless of what
Israel will do, and they will do a lot. Also it is the communcation
of the prosperity which comes from the Messiah.
Psalm 2, "Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and his anointed, saying,
"Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us."
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD has them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,
"I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill."
I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my son, today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."
Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, with trembling
kiss his feet, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way; for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him."
This is the first reference to the Messiah as the anointed one.
The word 'Christ' means 'anointed one'.
Anointing with oil was a metaphor for the ministry of the Spirit.
People in ancient times used oil for light. The Spirit sheds
His light on the Word, so that we might understand it.
People in ancient times used oil for a medicinal ointment. The
ministry of the Spirit with the Word heals our souls.
People in ancient times used oil as a cosmetic. The ministry
of the Spirit leads to true beauty - the beauty of the soul full
of Truth.
People in ancient times used oil to anoint the bodies of the
dead. The Spirit is the member of the Godhead who resurrects
the dead.
People in ancient times used oil to cook and flavor their food.
The ministry of the Spirit in the Word flavors our lives, making
them not only palatable, but enjoyable.
Christ was the Messiah, the anointed one. He is the keystone
of our faith, and without Him and all that He has done our faith
has no meaning. The Spirit ministered to our Lord from his birth.
In Jesus Christ was manifest the fullness of the Holy Spirit
- all of the things that anointing represents.
Psalm 16, "Preserve me, O God, for in thee I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, "Thou art my Lord; I have no good apart from thee." As for the saints in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight. Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their libations of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips.
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; thou holdest my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also dwells secure.
For thou dost not give me up to Sheol, or let thy godly one see the Pit.
Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fulness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore."
The key phrase in this passage is "in thy right hand".
Jesus Christ would sit down at the right hand of God after the
ascension. This is called His Session.
The session of Christ represents the finished state of all His
work, and the accomplishment of the strategic victory of the
angelic conflict.
Read Psalm 22.
This is a long passage that records with perfect accuracy the
first person narrative of Christ on the cross.
The gospels have very little information on what Christ thought
while He was dying for our sins - just a few short verbal expressions.
However, the thoughts were recorded one thousand years before
the event - in this Psalm.
The physical details given in this Psalm hit the experience of
crucifixion right on the head. In fact, there is no other explanation.
Read Psalm 110
In this passage there is a repetition of the session of Christ.
Furthermore, it emphasizes the royalty of the Messiah, and his
priesthood.
Melchizedek was a priest and a king during the age of the patriarchs.
He once had a brief association with Abraham. Melchizedek was
the king of Salem, which was the city of Jerusalem at that time.
Christ will be the king of Jerusalem in the millennium and in
the eternal state.
Finally, there is mention of His sovereignty, which He will reveal
to the entire world for the first time at the second advent.
Read Isaiah 2.
Isaiah chapter two concentrates on the millennial rule of Christ.
Christ will rule over a magnificent kingdom, in which peace and
prosperity are the rule.
All the arrogance of man and the fallen angels is brought down,
because of the greatness of the day of the Lord. An end will
come to all idolatry. An utter and final end.
You should note that this passage hints at the idea of idolatry
as being the source of the earth's many ills, including poverty
and war.
Isaiah 7:14 records two details concerning the Messiah. That
His mother will conceive Him while a virgin, and she will call
His name Immanuel.
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