A Christmas ponder

What it must have been like for Isaiah to be in the Spirit gazing into the future mysteries of God we can only speculate. But he obviously saw things, and we have in his book some wonderful glimpses of the glory he saw. Isaiah 53 stands out particularly in this regard, but he presents a mystery in the passage when he notes that the suffering servant whom we know to be Jesus, does not have children. "And who will declare his generation, for he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of My people."

He had no natural children, put to death before that ever might have happened.

Yet in chapter 9 verse 6 we read another well known verse listing His names, the Wonderful Counsellor, Prince of Peace, and Everlasting Father!

Even in the chapter 53 passage at verse 10 it says He will see his seed, He will prolong His days, expressions from that day for having children.

Which brings me to the point of this Christmas ponder. While Luke's gospel presents the more human side of the events surrounding Jesus birth, Matthew handles the generational and legal aspects that qualify Jesus as the promised Messiah. And in doing so Matthew presents a genealogy with some interesting points.

He begins with Abraham, a man God has found in the heart of the ancient world known for sin and bondage, Babylon. The genealogy proceeds to David on the thrown, from bondage to the pinnacle of the kingdom in 14 generations. Then it all declines, from Solomon to the carrying away to Babylon in another 14 generations. So we go from bondage to the throne, and back into bondage. Then we go from that bondage back to Jesus the king in the final fourteen generations- but there is a little problem.

Matthew sums up that scene I just noted, but he says there are fourteen generations in that last section. But if you count, Jesus is only the 13th generation. The same Jesus who "will see His seed, will prolong His days" not with a single natural generation, but with one who spans the ages, one who is in His likeness, thousands and hopefully millions who comprise a body for His eternal life, and who with Him as their head and father have become "The anointed one," the complete Christ. It seems as the genealogy is only complete when the generation of Jesus is included, one "generation" beyond the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth in the line.

So is this the real 42nd generation? The full, final, and complete Son of God seated on the throne?

Joining Mary, pondering things in my heart! Merry Christmas!

Thank you for this reflection. It reminds us that when we set our eyes on Christ - we see an astronomical heritage to which we belong. It points us back to past generations, forward to future generations - and even eternity. It points us to a kingdom that spans the globe, that reaches as high as the heavens, and as low as the lowest point.

In the Christ child we see how wide and deep and high and long is the love of God. It touches even the deepest, most hidden point of our own being.

What an exhilarating thought to ponder - this Christ Jesus which Mary laid in a manger!!

Diane

I have always loved the contrasts so that I am so often left in awe of His ways. That which is valued by man provides a great distinction between the nature of God and humanity so that even a true believer is humbled by His Ways. So the plush stool fit for a king at his throne so his feet do not touch the ground where common men stand is no where to be seen as Christ walks the filthy streets of the towns prior to public sewage systems. No bejeweled diadem to show the opulence fitting the ways of a worldly king excepting the crown of mockery which was fit for his earthly incarnation. No throne adorned with precious metals and fine fabrics. Given He had no place to lay His head, surely there was deficiency regarding a fitting place to sit. So He sat among us, upon the dusty ground from which the clay was formed and breathed into.........and we love Him for it, our King and our God.