THE LADIES IN THE LINEAGE – RUTH
December 22, 2024THE LADIES IN THE LINEAGE – MARY
December 24, 2024The fourth lady listed in the genealogy of our LORD is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Matthew does not name her directly, but makes a curious entry, by mentioning her as the lady who was Uriah’s wife.
– “6 and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.” – Matthew 1:6
D. A. Carson, an excellent biblical scholar, comments thus on this curious entry.
– “Bathsheba (who is mentioned by implication in Matthew 1:6) was an adulteress, infamous for her sin with David (2 Samuel 11). “Matthew’s peculiar way of referring to her, ‘Uriah’s wife,’ may be an attempt to focus on the fact that Uriah was not an Israelite but a Hittite.”
Bathsheba was an Israeli woman, married to a Hittite, a non-Israelite. Uriah, who was not a Jew, was found to be more righteous, and honourable, in his dealings, than was David, the king. The LORD God of all creation, has no favourites, nor shows any favour to his own, neither discriminates against any. For YAHWEH, all are same and equal – He stand with right, and calls a wrong a wrong. There are no two ways about the LORD’s stand. A point to be noted for the Jews and the Christians alike.
What David the king did was immoral, unethical and unlawful. The violation of Bathsheba, and the murder of Uriah her husband, is a sin of the worst kind, in utter disregard of all the righteous standards of the LORD, and decency that is to be expected from a man of David’s stature, and as the king of God’s chosen people.
F. B. Meyer makes this observation about the genealogy of Jesus, and the inclusion of some of the worst kind of sinful people. It speaks about the human heart – our hearts – my heart. It speaks, with much more clarity about, the heart of God. It speaks about the approach of our Creator, towards the fallen human race, and the approach towards His work of redemption.
– “Men and women, notorious for their evil character, lie in the direct line of his descent. This was permitted, that He might fully represent our fallen race.”
God Almighty, through this genealogy is telling us that, but for His grace and mercy, none of the ancestors listed in Matthew 1, were worthy to be in the line of the Saviour. Yet, God allowed it to be so, so that we would realise our sinfulness, and God’s gracious and merciful dealing with us.
We, just like the LORD, who showed unmerited mercy and grace towards us, are expected to do the same, towards our fellow human beings. This is what it means to be a Christian. This is being a follower of Jesus. This is being a disciple of our Master, the LORD Jesus Christ. What kind of attitude, intentions and motives are we demonstrating in our lives?
