For some cultures, ancestry is crucial. In some it’s
important. There are probably some who don’t care, honestly, but I don’t know
of any. For the Jews, knowing which tribe you came from was important. Knowing
your Levitical lineage was important. It became more and more difficult over
time, but even in Jesus’ day, it was a major part of their lives.
Which makes Jesus’ genealogies in Matthew and Luke very
interesting. As was said before, purpose drove who was on it and where they
started. Matthew and Luke both include the same
names from Abraham to David, but it is interesting who Matthew notes in
addition.
This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah (by Tamar), Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz (by Rahab), Boaz the father of Obed (by Ruth), Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
Matthew 1:1-6 NET
This translation notes the additions in parentheses.
Obviously Matthew doesn’t call out all the various mothers, only the
ones where there’s an interesting story in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Tamar was having trouble with the “levirate marriage” rule
and finally deceived the father of her former husbands into having a child with
her. Rahab was the Canaanite “prostitute” who betrayed Jericho into the hands
of Yahweh’s people. Ruth was the Moabitess who should never have been accepted
by the people of God, not for ten generations.
Tamar’s story is found in Genesis stuck in between two parts
of the story of Jospeh. It kind of…makes everyone look bad, so let’s jump to
Rahab.
Rahab has “the prostitute” as her last name throughout
English translations of Scripture. There’s a lack of clarity about her “role”
as the labels are…not precise, a common problem when the topic is indelicate,
inappropriate, or embarrassing.
First, let’s look at what she did. When the spies are sent
out by Joshua (Joshua 2:1), they enter Jericho and stay with Rahab. When the
king is informed that he has spies in the city, he immediately goes to Rahab.
Rahab tells the king that, yes, the men came, but they left immediately and he
can still catch them before they cross the Jordan. She has hidden them on her
roof.
But why? Why lie to her king? Why betray her city?
Why help the enemy of her people? But even more important, why be faithless to
her gods? Well, let’s look at what she says.
Now before the spies went to sleep, Rahab went up to the roof. She said to the men, “I know the LORD is handing this land over to you. We are absolutely terrified of you, and all who live in the land are cringing before you. For we heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan. When we heard the news we lost our courage and no one could even breathe for fear of you. For the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below! Joshua 2:8-11 NET
The adventures of the Israelites made it into the local
papers in Jericho. Even more, Yahweh made it into the local papers all over
Canaan. From the crossing of the Red Sea forty years ago, to the defeat
of the local kings across the Jordan just recently, word was getting out.
Look carefully at what Rahab says about Yahweh. Yahweh is
Elohim. That is the confession of faith of the Hebrew Scriptures. That
confession is an expensive confession of faith. It rejects Rahab’s culture, her
people, her city, everything she has known to this point.
She has looked at what is happening in the world around her,
just like everyone around her, and made the decision to leap into what Yahweh
is doing. The rest of her people resist what they see Yahweh doing to threaten
their culture. She repents; they do not. And that makes all the difference.
Prostitute, innkeeper, or whatever, embarrassing,
inappropriate, or shameful, it doesn’t matter. Yahweh accepts this confession
of faith from this Canaanite woman and uses her to fulfill the promises He made
to Abraham. She becomes part of His salvation of all humanity, warts and all.
Now seriously, what is holding you back? This world,
our cultures, successes, failures, families, or friends; what can hold you back
from your confession of faith in the Creator of the universe? Are you really
that successful? Have you truly made that many mistakes or are they that significant?
Why not influence your friends rather than the other way around? Why not become
the catalyst for your whole family coming to faith?
Make the leap. Take the step. Drop the luggage and jump into
His arms.
