Of The House And Lineage Of David

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.
So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
[Luke 2:1-6 NKJV]

The Bible pays great attention to lineage and heritage. We have already seen that, bearing the name of the father — passing that name and nature from one generation to the next is paramount. Why? It is is the everlasting, the continuing of an unbroken line through eternity; not merely in the natural realm, but that the Spirit of the Living God is forever alive in a people through all generations.

We see that most readily to modern understanding in Matthew chapter 1, where Jesus lineage is set out as proof of His royal heritage.

It begins: The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: [Matthew 1:1 NKJV] and concludes with 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 fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. [Matthew 1:16-17 NKJV].

Why is this deemed so important that it be set at the beginning of The New Testament? This is establishing from the outset that Jesus has the credentials, the family tree which establishes Him clearly in the line of Abraham and David. Matthew was writing to the Jews predominantly and he was giving the proof that Jesus was who He said He was.

More than that; if, as John says, If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. [1 John 4:12-13]. If I am one with Christ (and He lives in me), then I am of the same generation as Jesus.

Or put another way; For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]--
[So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favour and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. [Ephesians 1:5-6 AMPC]

We are adopted in His family — our natural circumstances do not apply — we too are of the house and lineage of David.

---

---

Have you ever noticed what Jesus said would choke the word He puts in? The devil? No, the cares of this world. It is the little worries always. I will not trust where I cannot see, that is where infidelity begins. The only cure for infidelity is obedience to the Spirit.

---