Hello
In reading God’s Word, have you ever been drawn to the little details that pack a big punch? Today’s Holy Nougat is a bit more than a mouthful to digest.
“Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).” Matthew 1:11 NLT
Having seen Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba (the widow of Uriah) all bracketed in The Who’s Who of Jesus’s genealogy; a bracketed male definitely grabs the attention. [It didn’t before, go look it up and see]. The women were noteworthy in their own rights. Female, foreign and (in)famous; they all have a special narrative.
But what about Jehoiachin? Why bracket his details? He was first born, and son of a legitimate and godly king of David’s lineage, right? And if he was born at the time of the exile, no big deal.
But, the Exile was a big deal for the Jewish Community in Ancient Rome. It was both a mark of shame and a season of pain in their spiritual history. The Exile symbolized the beginning of the end of the era of the earthly kingdom of Israel, although the Davidic lineage continued to be traced. The Exile was also a clear reminder that the people failed to worship only YHWH, God Almighty.
But, a quick second glance at Jehoiachin’s bio invites one to wonder; was the bracket truly about the Exile, his lineage or his messed-up life? For the stories suggest that he gave Saul of Tarsus a run for his money as ‘worst of all sinners’. The big difference is that there’s no proof that Jehoiachin ever repented.
Yet there he is, in Jesus’s lineage. No avoiding him or his brackets!
Hmmn
And here we are, heirs to the divine lineage of Jesus Christ. With OUR OWN brackets!
Umhm
I don’t know about you, But I do believe that if our Jesus could – and DID – claim Jehoiachin in His lineage; He will claim you and me – bracketed and then some! Oh, I remember.
He already did.
Two questions remain; will we claim Jesus with those misfits and unholy people in His lineage; and can we live with those other misfits who are clinging to Him for dear life today?
Hmmmm
Lord; forgive us!
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
