Does my family tree really matter?

Years ago we had friends whose interests were not like ours. To build a relationship, I began searching family history and trying to discovery our genealogical roots, a hobby of theirs. At first, it was interesting but I soon became bored. No one in our family wanted this information except one cousin who was trying to find a living relative, not any who had died.

Since then, I’ve met folks who do this research for other reasons including health. Our friends are still looking into their roots, speculating what might have happened to this uncle or that great aunt. Aside from historical interest, I’ve wondered if there is any spiritual  value to this, realizing that at least one religious group are heavily involved in genealogies.

Even though I’ve read this passage many times, I never noticed what it said about this topic until this morning. Paul writes to the pastor of the church in Ephesus with these instructions . . .

As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane . . . . (1 Timothy 1:3–9, emphasis mine)

False doctrine was a problem in that early church. So also was being side-tracked by non-issues, even myths. A myth is a “traditional story that usually concerns the early history of a people or explains a natural or social phenomenon typically involving supernatural beings or events.” It can also be a widely held but false belief or idea.

Interesting that myth and genealogies are tied together in this Bible passage. A genealogy is a line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor. My experience is that even finding ancient birth and death records, newspaper clippings, and other visible evidence, most of the study of ancestors winds up with more myth to it than provable facts. This study, as Paul says, side-tracked them and me from more deeply knowing Christ and growing in faith.

From this passage, I can see a link that is not strong yet makes me wonder. The largest group involved in genealogy have a reason for doing this. They trace family trees to find ancestors who died without learning about their version of the gospel, wanting all relatives baptized by proxy into their faith. For them, genealogy is a way to save more souls and family history is a requirement for getting to heaven. They believe they will meet all their ancestors and be part of one giant, eternally bound family. Since everyone is related to everyone, their research is incredibly vast.

This belief system goes beyond what was happening in Ephesus yet something like it was side-tracking those early Christians. This indicates that genealogy is just another one of the liar’s devices to keep people from realizing and living out the truth that is in Jesus. As Paul says, they wander away into vain discussion with their rules and laws, not understanding the reason God gave the Law, nor the grace that brings us into a productive relationship with Jesus Christ.

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Lord Jesus, You showed me again that my curiosity can be both a good thing and not. I can easily be drawn into endless pursuits that are a total waste of time, genealogy being one of them. As I said to my friend (who is also losing interest), I want to think more about where I am going than where I have been. Family history can be fascinating but knowing the family of God and the joy we will share together in eternity is far more exciting. One day heaven will be filled with the sons and daughters of those who have put their faith in You. Our family tree is not the issue because what we do with Your offer of forgiveness and eternal life will determine our destiny.

Today’s thankful list . . .

Heaven’s population will be people related by faith in Christ, not by blood or DNA.

I enjoy being with God’s eternal family right now.

A day to work on a charity quilt.

Hubby has Fridays off to golf, catch up on household stuff, and just relax.

Thinking today how God supplies all my needs.

An important genealogy

For many, tracing a family tree has become an important but often difficult task. In my case, I did what I could because others were interested, but I could only go so far. On my father’s side, I discovered too many people with the same names. Without birth/death dates, I could go no farther than my great-grandparents. My mother’s side gave me the same problem with her Swedish ancestors and fire had destroyed the records of those who were from Ireland.

The New Testament did not have either problem. Matthew was able to trace the human genealogy of Jesus Christ back to Abraham. This was convincing proof to his Jewish readers of Jesus’ qualifications as the Messiah, the anointed One, and King of the Jews.

This genealogy is found in the first chapter. It covers a span of time containing many familiar names of men, two women, and several generations:

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:17)

This was important because God had promised His people a Savior, a Messiah, who would be descended from David. His lineage showed His qualifications.

While the term “messiah” had been used for others appointed by God to deliver them from various problems, this would be different, a Deliverer from the penalty and power of sin. However, this designation was not as plain to the ancient Jews as it is to God’s people now. The promise included continuation for the line of David and David’s eternal throne. This covenant idea was developed in the Psalms.

For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one. The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.” (Psalm 132:10–11)

Matthew’s use of the genealogy establishes Jesus as in the line of David. He also refers to Jesus’ quote from the OT to show that this is the One who was promised:

The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” (Matthew 22:44 from Psalm 110:1)

Tracing a family tree can be fun. Someone married into my family discovered she is a relative of actor John Wayne. A neighbor found out she is descended from Mary Queen of Scots. If I discovered someone in my family tree who was royalty, could I claim a throne? I don’t think so. Yet in the case of Jesus, the throne was promised to a person in the family tree of David. Obviously, this was the place to begin the story of Jesus the Christ, Matthew and the Holy Spirit wanted a way that would alert if not convince the Jewish people that their King had arrived.

Matthew gave other evidences of Jesus’ qualifications as Messiah and King of the Jews yet perhaps this was the strongest. He was born into the family tree of David, the beloved king of Israel.

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Jesus, I tend to think of You as my Shepherd Friend who loves me and protects me, guiding me as one of Your sheep. However, You are also my King, the Ruler of my heart and life. I bow before You, acknowledging that You are not only the King of the Jews, but King of kings and Lord of lords, the only One who reigns in my life.

Genealogies, Widows, and a Shepherd who is also a Lamb

1 Chronicles 8:1–40, 1 Timothy 5:10–17, Psalm 78:53–72

Today’s Old Testament passage reminds me why doing family tree research is both exciting and frustrating. Yesterday, I found some interesting tidbits in the history of Israel. Today I found this... and much more just like it:

“Benjamin fathered Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. And Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram. These are the sons of Ehud (they were heads of fathers’ houses of the inhabitants of Geba, and they were carried into exile to Manahath): Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, that is, Heglam, who fathered Uzza and Ahihud. And Shaharaim fathered sons in the country of Moab after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives. He fathered sons by Hodesh his wife: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers’ houses. He also fathered sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal. The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod with its towns....” (1 Chronicles 8:1–12)

This information is included in the Word of God for a reason, but today that reason is beyond my grasp!

The NT reading is more practical but still a puzzle. There is not much explanation for these verses regarding the church’s care for widows, but a few principles can be seen...

“Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander. For some have already strayed after Satan. If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.” (1 Timothy 5:9–16)

Obviously the church had a list of widows that they supported. Apparently they expected those under sixty to take care of themselves or be cared for by their family. Yet being on the list also included the lifestyle of the widow. Had she shown herself to be a godly person? Was she doing good things?

The younger widows seem to be forbidden to remarry yet verse 15 says otherwise. Certainly the phrase about their passions drawing them away from Christ was something far more serious. In that culture wives usually took the religion of their husband so Paul might have been referring to some who were marrying outside their faith.

He also seemed concerned about widows remarrying for financial support that would free them to idly spend their time in gossip and other folly. Some had “already strayed after Satan” so Paul obviously was writing about a particular issue in that church.

It made me think of the issues concerning widows today. Financial care now comes from government social programs, not the church. Yet widows are lonely, often taken advantage of by unscrupulous people, even their own family members. They have practical and medical needs. Those who have lived for Jesus may not struggle with sins like gossip and meddling, but they will need to be encouraged in their spiritual lives and respected for their age and wisdom. Most congregations could do better in caring for widows.

The reading from the psalms surprised me with a short bit about widows as well. In this passage, God was angry with His people for straying into idolatry and other sin. “He gave his people over to the sword and vented his wrath on his heritage. Fire devoured their young men, and their young women had no marriage song. Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.” However, in mercy He did not stay angry... “Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a strong man shouting because of wine. And he put his adversaries to rout; he put them to everlasting shame.” (Psalm 78:62–66)

The widows in that day also suffered under the hand of God, yet they did not cry out to Him with a lament normally to express sorrow for sin. Their lives were in great peril, yet sadly without repentance. This is horrifying, yet God continues with His promise to send a shepherd (David) to lead them, hinting at His eventual plan to send another Shepherd, also known as the Lamb of God who would deliver all His people from their sin.