The Genealogy of King Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17)

Matthew’s Jewish Audience and the Genealogy of the Messiah

Okay, so we're starting Matthew chapter one tonight looks like we'll get through at least the plan is to get through verse 17 so as you know Matthew is the first of four Gospels and Matthew seems to be Directed more at a Jewish audience.

The genie all. And I say that because the genealogy that it begins with Is traced back to Abraham and obviously Abraham is you know the father of of the Jews or the father of the Israelite people. So we see in verse 1.

Verse 1 says the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of Abraham and you see two titles there Showing that Jesus is Israel's long-awaited King. And the two titles are what? They are Christ and Son of David.

So both of those speak to Jesus and the fact that he is Israel's King. So that's the focus of the gospel of Matthew the kingship of Christ. So let's listen along. We're gonna play the video and listen to Matthew 1 verses 1 to 17.

The gospel according to Matthew the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of Abraham Abraham begot Isaac. Isaac begot Jacob and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamir.

Perez begot Hezron and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Aminadab. Aminadab begot Nashon and Nashon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab. Boaz begot Obed by Ruth. Obed begot Jesse and Jesse begot David the king.

David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam. Rehoboam begot Abijah and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat begot Joram and Joram begot Uzziah.

Uzziah begot Jotham. Jotham begot Ahaz and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh. Manasseh begot Ammon and Ammon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon and After they were brought to Babylon.

Jeconiah begot Sheatael and Sheatael begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiyud. Abiyud begot Eliakim and Eliakim begot Azar. Azar begot Zadok, Zadok begot Akim and Akim begot Eliad. Eliad begot Eliazur.

Eliazur begot Mathan and Mathan begot Jacob and Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus. Who is called Christ? So all the generations from Abraham to David are 14 generations. From David until the captivity in Babylon are 14 generations and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are 14 generations.

So when Jesus is born Remember the Magi come what's the question they ask and the question Herod is Concerned about they hear about the birth of what a king. Right, and you heard the names of a lot of Kings Mentioned in that section.

So a lot of Kings in the genealogy of Jesus and this is Matthew's whole point that Jesus is Also a king he is the long-awaited King Israel's Messiah. So the two terms Christ, what does Christ mean? It means The anointed of God, right?

So Christ is the Greek term and The Hebrew term is Messiah both meaning God's anointed and then the second title. Given to Jesus is the son of David. David was obviously Israel's greatest king and son of David is a Messianic title so the Jews cared a lot about Genealogies most of us today.

How many of you have ever done a family tree? Yeah, maybe a couple of you and maybe you can get back. Most people only know back to their great Grandparents if they know that much. But the Jews cared a lot about Genealogies it was part of their culture part of their Nation part of their religion because they needed to know that the Messiah was Needed to be able to trace him back to not just Abraham, but you needed to trace him back primarily.

To David we'll look at why that is in a moment. So the Messiah had to be a couple things he had to be Jewish obviously. So he had to be a descendant of Abraham. That's why He's traced back to Abraham, but he also had to be a descendant of David because he's the son of David.

There's also one other person going back further than David. He had to be the Messiah had to be the son of who and what what lineage you think of what? Okay, yeah. Abraham gave birth to Isaac. Isaac gave birth to Jacob and Jacob had 12 sons.

The Messiah had to be from one of those 12 sons, which son? Judah right because the king all of the Kings. Starting from David were to be descendants. Or the we're gonna look at this. Let's turn to Genesis 49.

From David on the Kings had to be descended. They had to be from the tribe of Judah. So we see this in verse 2. Abraham begot Isaac. Isaac begot Jacob and Jacob because Judah and his brother so Jesus is from that line of Judah.

Another title for the Messiah is what the lion from the tribe of Judah who knows where that Statement is found. You get a gold star if you know that one. In Revelation chapter 5 verse 5, but these are all things that Jewish audience would know.

Just like we were brought up being taught about maybe George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Well, they were brought up taught about Abraham and and David and in these characters. So when John Matthew when John writes his gospel, he's writing to a broad audience maybe to the whole world.

It's believed that when Mark wrote his gospel. He's directing it more at a Roman audience. Luke is directing it at a Greek audience. But Matthew, this is a more of a Jewish audience, so the Jewish people they knew and understood these things and Matthew is trying to link Jesus to Abraham Judah and David.

The Lion of Judah and the Davidic Covenant

Okay, so you're in Genesis 49. Okay, so where did this idea come from that the Messiah or the Kings would come from Judah. Well, we see this right here. This is when Jacob Blesses his sons before his death.

Here's what he says to Judah in Genesis 49 8 through 10. He says Judah. You are he whom your brothers shall praise. Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies. Your father's children shall bow down before you.

Judah is a lion's Whelp, I don't know when lions were designated the king of the jungle. But I mean that concept is is very old. So there's that connection between the king and lions all the way back here.

Judah is a lion's whelp from the prey my son you have gone up. He bows down. He lies down as a lion and as a lion who shall rouse him. Verse 10 the scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh comes.

Now that last statement is debatable about what it what that means until Shiloh comes. We don't have time to get into that but you see certain phrases. Okay, the mention of the lion. The scepter what did Kings have they would hold a a scepter?

It's a symbol of authority and then it mentions a lawgiver. Well, isn't that what a king does? He is a lawgiver. It says that they will bow down his brothers will bow down. So all of this speaks of a king that shall descend from Judah.

Okay now let's turn to 2nd Samuel 7 12 through 16. And all of this is Matthew's point to show that Jesus is the king of the Jews. You remember when Jesus was crucified? What was the accusation that they put above the cross?

Right, this is Jesus king of the Jews and the Jews got upset and The Pharisees or the chief priests they wanted Pilate to change The plaque and says right that he says he's the king of the Jews because they obviously did not accept him, right?

But Jesus today, we don't necessarily think of him as the king of the Jews we think of him as the king of Kings and Yet still the world has not accepted him. But we still are preaching the the kingship of Christ because he still is King and it's just a matter of time before he's reigning as king.

So Matthew portrays Jesus as King. Do you remember what Luke or Mark portrays him as? There's four designations that each gospel portrays Jesus as a different thing. So Matthew as King. Mark as the Servant.

Luke portrays Jesus and his humanity and John portrays Jesus and his you know this one is Divinity right his deity so but Matthew is focusing on him as a king. All right, second Samuel 7 12 through 16.

This is the Davidic Covenant. If you remember David who was the king wanted to build God a house he felt bad that the Ark of the Covenant was dwelling in tents and here David was enjoying this Mansion made out of cedar.

So David wants to build God a house. But in exchange God says no, I'm gonna build you a house and the house that God built David really was a dynasty so that David's sons would sit on the throne. So this is the Lord speaking to David through Nathan the prophet.

He says in 2nd Samuel 7 12 through 16 when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers I will set up your seat after you who will come 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 Forever and I will be his father and he shall be to me a son.

So who do you think? He's talking about here. Okay Jesus. Okay, I agree. But notice this next statement if he commits iniquity I will chase in him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men now.

That really wouldn't fit Jesus would it because Jesus never committed any iniquity so this passage is. It's a it's a prophecy. So it's talking about two different things prophecy will often do that we'll have a fulfillment that would happen in their lifetime when the prophecy was given and Then a future fulfillment so it is talking about Jesus, but it's also talking about David's son Solomon.

It's all of it did commit iniquity, didn't he and what was his punishment? Solomon brought in idols into the temple of God and the punishment for Solomon is that the kingdom would be divided when his son Rehoboam took the throne the kingdom was divided so it refers to both verse 15.

But my mercy shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul whom I removed from before you in your house. In your kingdom shall be established forever. Before you your throne shall be established. How long?

Forever. Okay. So the Lord is telling David that he is going to establish his throne Forever. How would that how is that even possible? Well Jesus is going to rule over a kingdom that has what? No end.

So this is a pretty common thing with prophecy. Like I said that this is as sort of a dual fulfillment partly it's referring to Solomon who did take the throne after David, but it's also speaking of David's greater son the Christ.

So David would always have a descendant on the throne and that's contrasted with King Saul. King Saul is a man who had God's favor at a certain point, but he lost it and Instead of Saul's son taking the throne what happened?

Yeah. The Lord took the kingdom from Saul and Saul and his sons all died in one day not so with David. Because David had a zeal for God. He had the Lord's favor continually, so one of David's descendants would always Sit on the throne.

This is what Gabriel told Mary and Luke chapter 1. I think we'll probably read some of this on Sunday that the Virgin Would give birth to a son. He will be called great. He'll be called the son of the highest and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob and of his kingdom there will be No end and this is yet another reason why we believe There will be a future for the the nation of Israel because God promised it Jesus is still the king of the Jews.

This is the throne of David. It's true. Jesus is king of kings, but What's the house that he's going to reign over forever? So it's that it's the house of Jacob, so if you take the Bible literally You have to have a future.

For Israel and of that kingdom there will be no end. So this is going to happen when Jesus comes at the second advent. It's gonna last a thousand years during the millennium and then it'll just go on throughout all eternity.

So when it says a kingdom with no end, it really means a kingdom with no end. Okay, let's go back to Matthew chapter 1. So that's the background information that Matthew is trying to establish with this genealogy.

Like why why do we need to know all of these different people that Jesus descended from because they were kings and he's the king. So that's that's Matthew's whole argument. That Jesus is Israel's long-awaited King the Messiah.

I realize most of you probably know this but this this term Matthew 1 1 the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. You do know that Jesus Christ is not his name, right? What do I mean by that what am I getting at Jesus Christ is not his name.

Right, yeah Christ is the title so when you say Jesus Christ you're saying Jesus the Messiah. You're saying Jesus the Son of God. So his name was what who is going to give his name? How would he have been known to?

People growing up. People that didn't necessarily believe in him as Israel's King. Yeah Jesus. Okay. Yeah, Jesus son of Joseph that might have been what he was called. I was thinking Jesus of Nazareth.

This is the this is the term the Bible uses usually like Mary of Bethany, right? There's Mary Magdalene that Mary of Magdala. So his name would have been Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus Christ to say Jesus Christ.

You that's like saying yeah, I believe he is the Christ. That's a statement of faith to call him Jesus Christ because it's a title. Maybe you've noticed this that people who don't believe in Jesus. They don't call him Jesus Christ.

I mean if you know someone who's Jewish and they say something about Jesus. They're not calling him Jesus Christ. Have you ever noticed this? Or even liberal ministers who don't believe that Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy or they don't believe he was divine they prefer to call him Jesus of Nazareth because again, Jesus Christ is a Statement of faith that you believe he is the the son of the highest.

Yeah, right, no, that's that's a good point. Yeah, they they call him Jesus Christ when they use his name in vain. At which you know, it's it's almost a witness you think that they wouldn't be interested.

But it's almost a witnessing opportunity when somebody uses his name in vain. Well since you brought him up, do you realize what you're saying? Christ is actually not his name. I Mean, that's a that's a delicate approach.

You couldn't say other things. That's a gracious approach. Just something to throw out there. But yeah, Jesus Christ this implies Deity, and there's many other titles for him. This is Christmas time. What are some other titles that are given to Jesus that there's those?

Yeah, king of Kings Lord of Lords. What what's one of those verses that you often hear? Quoted around the holidays. I think of Isaiah 9 verse 6 where he is called the mighty God the Everlasting Father in the Prince of Peace.

These are also titles of deity, okay, let's Emmanuel, right? Yeah. Which translated means what? God with us All right. Look at Matthew 1 1 again the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of Abraham as far as I know son of Abraham is not a messianic title, but son of David and Jesus Christ certainly are.

Says Abraham begot Isaac. Isaac begot Jacob and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers Judah begot Perez and Zarah by who? Tamar do you remember Tamar's relation to Judah? Yeah, it was his daughter-in-law.

So normally genealogies. Certainly back then they typically didn't include the names of women. They were not gender-sensitive. This is the way it was but it's interesting here. There's several women named right Tamar and verse 3 Rahab and Ruth in verse 5 and then Bathsheba is referenced in verse 6.

She's not mentioned by name, but she is referenced. So are you starting to see a theme with some of these names? All right Tamar Rahab in Bathsheba, they all have something in common. So Tamar she had a child with her Father-in-law because she posed as as a prostitute.

She sort of tricked him into it. Rahab Of course was a prostitute in Jericho in Bathsheba committed adultery with David so G and then of course when Mary became pregnant people assumed that of Mary because she's engaged to Joseph and They had not been married yet.

And here she is pregnant. So That's true for those women and then it was assumed of Mary. What does this tell you? Well, I think it serves as an object lesson to the grace of God. Later when Jesus chose his disciples.

Did he choose just the most righteous godly men with the most perfect clean background imaginable? No, he chose some guys with questionable backgrounds. Matthew was a tax collector. Who've been synonymous with being a cheat being an extortion or being a traitor to the Jewish people.

Simon the zealot was a political extremist who knows what kind of activities he was involved in the Apostle Paul was a Persecutor of the church and then of course these women and their past Ruth was probably an idolater.

Right. So what does that tell you? I think the takeaway is don't ever think that God can't use a person. For his glory doesn't whatever their background is whatever they've done in the past God can and he has used all sorts of different people.

So these are the women mentioned Tamar Rahab Bathsheba, which That with Matthew I'm reminded of the verse when Jesus told the Pharisees. Remember when he said that tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before you.

Why because the Pharisees thought that they were good. They thought that they were they were Great people. What did I what do I need to be forgiven of you know? That's the common attitude people have today that I don't need to believe in Jesus.

I don't need to do any of these things because I'm I'm a good guy. I'm a good person. That's the attitude of the Pharisees. You know most of the people today who are called Pharisees are people who go to church every week and carry their Bible around and they believe the Bible and they want to tell people about Jesus and Salvation.

Those are the people that get slapped with the label of Pharisee, but that is not what the Pharisees Were like the Pharisees were self-righteous. They thought that they the self Were good the righteous.

So the the true Pharisees are the people who think that they're great and they don't really need to do anything and that. Of course, I'm gonna go to heaven because I do all of these good deeds, but I digress so.

Any questions or comments so far. Yes, Janet.

Yeah. We back then we did not read the Bible or anything but I remember talking to Natalie's mother one time about intermarriages between Gentiles and Jews. Yeah, and she told me then that in order to be Jewish because there were a lot of kids in my class that were Intermarried and she said in order for the children to be considered Jewish.

Right, I've heard this before. I'm I'm I don't I guess I don't know 100 that it's accurate but yeah. Yeah Yeah. Yeah today that in order to be considered Jewish the mother has to be Jewish. The way I heard that explained is that The father May be Jewish or not.

That doesn't really matter because he might not actually be the father and you wouldn't know that up until recently with DNA. The mother she's the one who produced the child. So if she's Jewish the child is definitely Jewish now.

That's what I've heard as the explanation why it's kind of pat the Jewishness depends on the mother. Again, I guess I don't know that for a fact, but that's what I've heard. But yeah. That several women are mentioned in the genealogy is is significant.

It's something you hear again and again today that Christians and just traditional Bible believers are often Considered or the church is considered to be Sexist or misogynistic and those are the terms you hear today.

Without question if you look historically. No, no organization no institution nothing has done more for women throughout the centuries than the Christian Church, but. You know that that's just the way it goes.

Matthew Henry writes this about Matthew 1 1 through 17. Concerning this genealogy of our Savior. Observe the chief intention. It is not a needless Genealogy, isn't that the way we treat genealogy? Sometimes we kind of skim over them and we don't really.

Well, if you study it and take the time, there's actually a lot of important things. Despite all the hard names to pronounce. But he says this is not a needless Genealogy it is not a vain glorious one as those of great men often are it proves that our Lord Jesus is of the nation and family out of which the Messiah was to arise.

The promise of the blessing was made to Abraham and his seed of the dominion to David and his seed. It was promised to Abraham that Christ should descend from Him and when did the Lord tell Abraham that.

Yeah, Genesis 12 3 when he told Abraham in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. It's not an explicit statement about hey, the Messiah will be born from your lineage. But that's how the Apostle Paul interprets it in Galatians 3 8.

He says that was the Lord preaching the gospel to Abraham. Matthew Henry continues. He says it was promised to David that the Christ should descend from him. That's really when the idea of the Messiah took root in Jewish culture after the time of David.

And we already looked at 2nd Samuel 7. Therefore he says unless Jesus is a son of David and a son of Abraham. He is not the Messiah. Some people speculate about the Antichrist will the Antichrist be Jewish or a Gentile.

Well, the Antichrist is a false Christ. I mean he could in theory be either one, but. The true Messiah had to be Jewish had to be from the line of David. He says now this here proved from well-known records.

When the Son of God was pleased to take our nature He came near to us in our fallen wretched condition. And he was perfectly free from sin and while we read the names in his genealogy. We should not forget how low the Lord of Glory stooped to save the human race and maybe that's something to take away from.

The genealogy that some of the people in that list were yeah. They were sinners and from them came the Lord of Glory. So Jesus he condescends. He is high and lifted up and he took on flesh and became like one of us just Without sin and that statement free from sin, of course, this is the whole Point of why Jesus needs to be born of a virgin, right?

What's the virgin birth all about? It's not just well, that's a kind of a cool thing that they decided to add to the story. No, the virgin birth was necessary because in order for Jesus to be without sin Joseph can't be his father because Joseph is a sinner and his mother despite what Rome says she needed God's grace to.

So Jesus in order to be free from sin God had to be his father. All right, let's turn to Luke chapter 3. This passage in Matthew, it's a genealogy whose genealogy is this? Well, yeah, it's the genealogy of genealogy of Jesus.

But through who? Joseph you're saying. Is that's what it says, right. As you're turning there Matthew 1 16 Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. Okay, so Matthew this is the genealogy of Joseph.

Do we all agree with that? Okay, good. But if you look at Luke's genealogy in Luke 3, it's different. So this isn't the same genealogy. So what does that tell you? Well, it can't be. Can't be Joseph's then because we already read Joseph's.

Well, so you'd assume yeah, obviously this has to be the genealogy of Mary and yet look at Luke 323 Says now Jesus himself began his ministry at about 30 years of age being as Was supposed the son of Joseph the son of Heli.

So on the surface, it almost seems like hey, this is a genealogy of Joseph, too. Because Mary's not even mentioned right but Joseph is so on the surface. This appears to be a potential problem and of course if you're a skeptic and you don't believe in the Authority and inerrancy of the Bible you you just assume.

Oh, this is just one of the many contradictions. Well We don't believe that. So what's the explanation? Does anyone know can anyone explain it? Right now off the top of your head. You know, this is something that is good to know in case anyone ever points this out I'm just gonna read to you what dr. John MacArthur writes about this.

He says Luke's genealogy moves backwards from Jesus to Adam. Matthew's moves forward from Abraham to Joseph. Luke's entire section from Joseph to David differs starkly from that given by Matthew and that's true if you compare the two they are Definitely different says the two genealogies are easily Reconciled if Luke's is seen as Mary's genealogy.

He said what wait a minute, but it says Joseph that doesn't say Mary he said and Matthew's version represents Joseph. Okay, here's the key. Luke unlike Matthew includes no Women you notice that if you read through it not a single woman is mentioned not even Mary herself.

So Joseph was the son of Heli by marriage. He lie having no sons of his own and thus is named here in verse 23 Joseph is as the representative of Mary's generation. Okay, so he lie is who know that Zach Zacharias.

I Know this can be a little confusing. So Joseph was the son of Heli by Mary marriage. So that means that he lie is who? That's Mary's father. Right, but because there are no women mentioned in the genealogy not even married Joseph Takes her place.

Now I've looked at a lot and this is the best explanation. Because other than this you would have to assume that yeah. The Bible is wrong and it's a contradiction because it's had giving two different genealogies of Joseph.

Here's the thing. Don't you think Matthew and Luke like we're aware of each other? Yeah, of course they were so I. Yeah, I get it's a little confusing but yeah, this is Mary's Genealogy they did things differently back then matter of fact.

If you look and compare it to the Old Testament even Matthew chapter 1. This is not a complete genealogy. There's actually some people left out. So the way you think it should be done or the way we would do it today is not necessarily how they did it.

So, all right, let's go back to Matthew chapter 1. Matthew 1. Another thing that you might pick up on it go and this is common with genealogies that you know. This person begot this person begot this person begot this person, right?

That's how this reads. Notice what it says though when it comes to verse 16 and Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus who is called the Christ notice. It doesn't say Joseph begot Jesus, right?

There's no mention of Jesus being begotten because why He was begotten, but he was the only begotten of God the Father, right? All right, so Jesus was the Son of God not the Son of Joseph, but Joseph was his legal father.

Which is why he's included in that section in Luke. All right any questions on that? Yeah, I know it's confusing but. That's I think the best explanation. All right. So the Babylonian captivity is mentioned in verse 11.

This is one of the most significant events in Jewish history the sign at that time of the captivity. Solomon's temple was destroyed. Remember the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem. The first temple was destroyed.

Those events heavily influenced the ministry of the Old Testament prophets. If you read through the prophets they were either looking ahead towards the exile into Babylon or There are prophets in exile and Babylon or they maybe were looking back at the exile in Babylon so this is kind of a Turning point in Israel's history.

So I don't know if I find this interesting. I don't know if you do but if you take notes you could write this down. Zechariah Haggai and Malachi were written post-exile. So those three men were written after.

The Jews were taken into captivity and then they returned and those three prophets wrote after the exile. Zechariah Haggai and Malachi who were the two prophets that wrote during the exile. Okay, good Ezekiel and Daniel.

All the rest wrote before the exile. So if you just write that down, that's an easy way to remember it. Zechariah Haggai Malachi were post-exile. Daniel Ezekiel were written during the exile and All the others were before the exile.

You think of Jeremiah. What did he preach about? He's preaching that God's judgment is coming to the nation and everybody hated him because they didn't believe that. Instead they listened to the false prophets who said oh, don't worry.

God would never do that. God loves you. So he would never do that and people listen to the false prophets more than the true prophets, which I would argue is happening today the true. The true preachers are saying hey God is not going to turn a blind eye to everything that's going on and his wrath is coming and The world doesn't like preachers like that do they they prefer to listen to the To the positive only ones, but that's another topic.

Okay, so the prophets the point is the prophets can be categorized in relation to the Babylon Babylonian captivity and Matthew seems to see the captivity as sort of the hinge point. For this genealogy that people were either before so many generations before or after look at verse 11.

Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to where? Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon Jeconiah begot Shittael and Shittael begot Zerubbabel and of course Zerubbabel is one of the main figures of the return from Babylon where they rebuild the city the wall and The second temple look at verse 17.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are how many? 14 from David until the captivity in Babylon are 14 and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are 14 generations, so the Babylonian captivity Matthew seems to think that this is a kind of a big deal, right?

And it was it was a big deal. So this is how he lays it out. David was the great king. So 14 generations from Abraham to David David was kind of the original God's anointed. He's that picture of Christ and He was literally anointed with oil by Samuel if you remember so 14 generations from Abraham to David then from David to the captivity was 14 generations and all that time.

One of David's descendants was on the throne, right? But when Babylon came in and destroyed Jerusalem in the temple then what did Did David have a king on the throne there really wasn't a nation they were in exile so that kind of messes Messes things up a little bit for a lack of a better term.

Daniel’s Seventy Weeks and the Timing of the Messiah

Let's turn to Daniel chapter 9 this is going a little longer than I thought but Hey, we're already committed. So so From the captivity to Christ is 14 Generations, so while they were in captivity things if I can put it this way things were kind of put on hold and Speaking of being put on hold Daniel 9.

This is the prophecy of 70 weeks Daniel is writing from where? Yeah, because Daniel is one of those two prophets that wrote while in Babylon and what Daniel does he actually gives a prophecy. He's given a prophecy that gives you a timeline of exactly when the Messiah would come.

So the Jews in Jesus day Theoretically, they could have known exactly When Jesus would show up and present himself now, did they know? No, they're most of them were totally blind to it and just like today There's plenty of things the scripture tells us that most people are oblivious to but if you study the scripture There's more answers in here than most people think.

All right. Yeah, well all the answers God has given are in there. Yes. So Matthew is recording the genealogy and then the birth of Jesus they could have known they could have known when? All right. So if you thought the thing with Luke 3 was Confusing this might be even more confusing.

So I hopefully you won't go home with a headache. But if you've heard this before if you hear it several times you kind of get it after a while. So if you've heard this before you should be okay. Daniel 9 verse 24 70 weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city to finish the Transgression to make an end of sins because Judah the children of Israel.

I mean they have gotten into Massive amounts of wickedness and God judged them for it to make a reconciliation for iniquity to bring in Everlasting righteousness and to seal up vision and prophecy into anoint who?

The most holy. Okay. So this is this is a reference to Christ. Nearly every commentator that I know agrees that these 70 weeks are what? There are 70 weeks of Years. So 70 times 7 if these are years, it's 490 years.

Until everlasting righteousness is brought in. Say well, wasn't this longer than 490 years ago and everlasting righteousness has not been brought in. So what gives? Okay, you following me so far. Okay, look at verse 25.

Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there shall be seven weeks and 62 weeks and the street shall be built again and the wall.

Even in troublesome times. So what's the book of the Bible that talks about the rebuilding of the wall? This is Nehemiah, right? Okay, so Daniel is in Babylon given this prophecy 490 years from. The time the decree goes out to rebuild Everlasting righteousness will be ushered in.

Okay, so this is where we have to put our thinking cap on. In order to figure this out. You have to figure out the date the decree went out. There's. This is a bigger issue. We don't have time to get into it.