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QUESTION 18
Why there are two  genealogies of Christ?

ANSWER:
This question may have been asked; why are there any of those long genealogies all through the Old Testament? They start in Genesis 5: and end in Matthew and Luke at the birth of Christ.

God promised Eve a Seed that would destroy the serpent, that is, the devil. He gave us the inspired word to trace this seed to Jesus Christ. It starts in Genesis 5:1 with Adam, the first man, and ends with Christ the second, or last Adam (1 Corinthians15:44-45). The purpose of these genealogies terminates at the birth of Christ. This shows us clearly why they are there.

When Jesus was born, we read in Matthew 2:2, “...Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” Matthew traces the genealogy from Abraham through David to Christ. Matthew 1:1, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” This establishes Him as being of the royal line of kings especially of David.. It also establishes Him as being the son of Abraham who is the father of Israel.

Luke records the birth of Christ, as the son of David, the Saviour of men. Luke 2:11, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” You will note in Luke’s genealogy he traces Christ right back to Adam. This is because he writes of Him as “the Son of man who came to seek and to save that which was lost.”(Luke 19:10). If you follow his genealogy it does not go back through Solomon, because he is not tracing His royal , but human line, so it goes back to Adam and Eve.

Now there is a generation since the birth of Christ. Isaiah declares, “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (Isaiah 53:8). The physical generations stopped with the birth of Christ, and the spiritual started. We read again in Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed,...” Psalm 22:30. A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

Every born again child of God is His spiritual seed and generation. I am happy that I am part of His generation. Humanly, I was born a Smith, but spiritually, I was born a Christian. It is the only way to be saved. Have you been born again? Have you repented of your sins and trusted Christ completely to save you? He said, I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. John 8:24. The issue is heaven or hell. Which for you?

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen