WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:05.679 Matthew 7, I'll read for us verses 6 through 11. 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:22.160 Jesse was the father of David, the king, and David was the father of Solomon, by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehaboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abiah, and Abiziah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:47.280 Jehoshaphat was the father of Joram and Joram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, or Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:57.679 This is the second part of Matthew's genealogy, and I'll pray the Lord would bless the reading of his word and seal it to your hearts, even when it is just a list of names. 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:03.359 Do you ever wish that you were king for a day? 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:06.319 No, some of you are saying no. 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:07.200 Really? 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:08.640 King for a day. 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:10.719 What would you do if you were king for a day? 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:18.959 I asked my daughters that question and was informed that if they were king or queen for the day, they would order breakfast right away. 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:20.879 That's good thinking. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:22.560 Good thinking right there. 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:24.640 Would you want to be king for a day? 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:27.519 And most people would say yes because they can command people. 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:33.359 After all, when you're a king or uh a queen, you have subjects, and subjects have to obey your bidding. 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:35.040 They have to do what you want them to do. 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:37.359 And you don't have to justify yourself at all. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:39.920 There's no asking why to the king. 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:43.200 It's a lot like being a parent, I think, sometimes. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:45.840 No, that's just silly. 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:46.560 Not at all. 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:52.799 A king has power, and so if you were king for a day, there's only a limited amount of things you could do. 00:01:52.959 --> 00:02:00.159 I'm sure you could issue some pardons or whatever, but you couldn't, you know, chart domestic policy for the foreseeable future if you were king only for a day. 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:04.000 But a week or a month or a generation, and now you're talking. 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:06.159 Now you can get some stuff done. 00:02:06.319 --> 00:02:10.240 It would be exciting to be king for a day or for a lifetime. 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:12.159 Let me flip that around. 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:14.479 Would you want to be under a king? 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:18.639 And Americans, we almost have to answer no to that question. 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:20.639 Uh that was asked of us before. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:28.400 King George III, he was relatively young when he became king, and I think he went insane after that, and the United States rebelled. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:34.960 And if you lose the 1700s Americans, if they can defeat you in a war, then you're doing something really bad as a king. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:36.879 And that's what happened to him. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:37.680 He was overthrown. 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:42.639 And for that reason, our worldview, it's baked into our worldview that we reject the idea of a king. 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:48.400 Kings are, generally speaking, antithetical to democracy, antithetical to freedom. 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:51.120 You can't be free if you have a king. 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:56.000 In fact, the political definition of freedom is contrary to the very idea of a king. 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:59.120 You can't be a free people if you have a king with authority. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:08.879 The world is filled with kings who oppress religious freedom and who oppress their people's freedom and human rights, even. 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:13.120 The basic step of freedom is overthrowing a king. 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:16.159 Our own culture bears that out. 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:24.639 Nevertheless, the Bible describes God as a king, and there are promises in the Bible about his kingdom being established on earth. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:33.919 And in fact, in Matthew's genealogy, when it describes the coming of Jesus Christ, it begins connecting him as the descendant of Abraham. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:38.400 We looked at that last week, and then right away goes into proving that he is the son of David. 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:42.560 He is, in verse 6, descended from David, the king. 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:45.840 David is identified uniquely here in this genealogy. 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:48.639 He is the one person who is called the king. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:50.960 There is no king but David in this list. 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:56.240 And the descendants after him, of course, when you're familiar with the Old Testament, they all reigned as kings. 00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:58.479 But David was the king. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:06.800 If you go back up to chapter 1, verse 1, this is the genealogy of Jesus Christ, who is, it begins with the son of David, the son of Abraham. 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:20.079 Yes, Jesus is Jewish, but more importantly than that, according to Matthew, more primary than his Jewish identity, even, is the fact that Jesus descends from David, that he is king. 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:31.199 And the problem is we don't want to be under a king any more than the early Americans did, any more than the Jews really did when Jesus came to them. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:37.439 They end up rejecting Jesus as their king because he was a king that refused to work for them. 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:50.959 Jesus exerted authority, he had integrity in his teaching, he elevated himself above the religious leaders of the day, and so they rejected him as king because he acted like one. 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:56.240 Nevertheless, Matthew here, verse 6, describes David as the king. 00:04:56.480 --> 00:05:00.560 Why is David among all the kings in this list? 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:03.839 Why is he the one that's identified as king? 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:07.439 And that's because it's a reference to the Davidic covenant. 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:11.360 And so I want you to keep your finger there in Matthew 1 or not, I don't know. 00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:14.959 Matthew's easy enough to find, but flip back to 2 Samuel 7. 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:28.480 2 Samuel chapter 7, earlier in your Bible, 2 Samuel 7, and this is where you encounter David, who will be identified as the true king of Israel. 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:34.079 This 2 Samuel 7 takes place in a time period when David is new in Jerusalem. 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:46.399 David had already been king for seven years, where he was reigning in Hebron, and in this year of his life, he goes to Jerusalem, conquers Jerusalem, and makes it the capital of the Israelites. 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:49.199 All twelve tribes are under unified authority. 00:05:49.360 --> 00:06:01.040 All twelve tribes recognize David as king, and now Israel's capital is in Jerusalem, the city up in the mountains there, isolated, so to speak, from the rest of the nation, and yet very central to it. 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:09.839 For the first time in world history, the capital of the Jewish people is set up in Jerusalem. 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:12.959 David then purposes to build a house for God. 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:15.360 And you are perhaps familiar with the story. 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:18.319 He has built his own house, and now he wants to build a temple for God. 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:23.199 And Nathan the prophet comes and stops him and says, No, you're a man of blood. 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:25.759 You may not build a house for God. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:31.040 In fact, the Lord doesn't dwell in a tabernacle made by man, it says. 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:34.240 But one of David's descendants, he will get to build the house. 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:35.360 And this is the promise here. 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:37.279 You can pick it up in the middle of verse 11. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:42.560 Moreover, Yahweh declares to you that Yahweh will make you a house. 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:44.319 I'd love that turn of expression there. 00:06:44.480 --> 00:06:46.000 David says, I want to make you a house, God. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:48.959 And God says, Hey, let me make you a house. 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:50.879 Who's making a house for whom here? 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:53.199 I'll build you a house, God says. 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:54.800 When will he do it? 00:06:54.879 --> 00:07:00.240 Well, verse 12 answers, When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers. 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:02.000 That's a euphemism for when you're dead. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:09.120 David, when you're dead and buried, then I will raise up your offspring after you. 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:12.639 He will come from your body and I will establish his kingdom. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:13.920 There's a lot in that verse right there. 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:15.680 I'll raise up your offspring. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:18.160 That word offspring there is the word for seed. 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:19.839 We looked at this word last week. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:22.079 It's the offspring of Abraham. 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:26.959 So if you go back early in the Bible, Genesis 3, sin enters the world. 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:33.680 God tells mankind that a savior will come, the savior will be born to a descendant of Adam. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:37.439 The Savior will be a human being. 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:41.040 And then in Genesis 12, it narrows the scope. 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:45.360 The Savior will be the seed, the descendant singular, the descendant of Abraham. 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:48.959 So the Savior will not come from the Amalekites or the Americans. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:53.040 The Savior will come from the Israelites, the seed of Abraham. 00:07:53.759 --> 00:08:03.360 Now Israel has 12 tribes and they're in the land, and God narrows it even more and says, in fact, the Savior will come from the offspring, the line of David. 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:10.319 So just like there was a line from Adam and then a line from Abraham, now it says there will be a line from David. 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:13.920 The Savior will not arrive immediately. 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:16.000 The Savior will, there will be generations. 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:19.279 Who knows how long it doesn't say, but it will be a long time later. 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:26.720 Just like the Savior has been a long time since Abraham, a long time since Adam, it will be a long time from David as well. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:30.480 David will be dead when the Savior comes. 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:35.039 The Savior will take the throne of David long after David is buried. 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:37.519 How will the Savior get on David's throne? 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:40.960 Well, I will raise him up, verse 12 says. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:42.399 God will do this. 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:47.759 In fact, the end of verse 12, he will come from your body, so he'll be biologically related to David. 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:49.759 Yet I will establish his kingdom. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:55.519 David, you'll be dead, but he will be from you, and I will be the one who builds his kingdom. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:00.799 He, verse 13, says, will build a house for my name. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:03.200 He's the one that gets to build my house. 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:06.320 And I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:12.399 Now to understand that verse, remember that David has two structures he's working on. 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:18.559 He has his own house where the king will live, and then he has a second house for the for God. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:19.440 That will be his temple. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:22.159 And that's what God tells him, you cannot build. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:33.840 Here, God says, I will build myself a house for worship, in addition to your throne, your kingdom. 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:37.039 This is fulfilled in Acts 15 through the church. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:47.039 Acts 15, this is the verse that the disciples in Acts 15 point to when they are describing the tent of David that had fallen over, and now the church has built it back up. 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:49.519 So the church in that sense becomes a house for worship. 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:52.320 We are Jews and Gentiles together in one body. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:54.639 We are a house of worship built by the Savior. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:56.159 So we understand that part. 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:00.159 But the second house, the throne, that's what I want to focus on this morning. 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:05.679 I will establish, verse 13 says, the throne of his kingdom forever. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:10.799 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:22.320 Now, in a generic sense, God is the father of all living, and in a generic sense, every believer is a son or daughter of Abraham and a son or daughter of God, in the generic sense. 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:25.919 But this is not talking about anything generically speaking here. 00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:34.159 In a unique way, God will be the father of the Savior, and in a unique way, the Savior will be a son to the Father. 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:49.200 I don't know if David or Nathan understood everything in this prophecy, but as the rest of Scripture unfolds, Solomon is going to describe the Savior as the eternal Son of God, the very image of God, eternally begotten by the Father. 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:52.639 The Savior is the unique Son of God, the image of God. 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:54.799 The Father has an image of himself. 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:56.320 That image is the Son. 00:10:56.480 --> 00:11:03.360 That image will put on human flesh, add a human nature, and be born on this world as the Savior. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:06.080 Entirely God and entirely man. 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:08.000 Fully God, fully man. 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:09.360 Two natures together. 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:11.600 And you see that alluded to right here. 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:15.759 He will be the Father, our Heavenly Father will be his Father uniquely. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:19.759 And the Savior will be a son to him uniquely. 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:26.720 Verse 14, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the Son of Man. 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:29.360 The Savior will have sin given to him. 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:32.639 And when he sins, he will be disciplined by the Father. 00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:35.120 Now we know when we meet Jesus Christ, he is sinless. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:36.799 He never actually sins. 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:40.559 And yet our sin is imputed to him, our sin is given to him. 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:47.279 And so it's not contrary to the Davidic covenant for God to punish the Savior for our sin. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:54.799 In fact, it's part of the covenant he makes with the offspring of David here that he will be disciplined for sin. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:12:06.080 Nevertheless, verse 15 says, My steadfast love, my covenant keeping, his said is the Hebrew word, my covenant keeping, eternal steadfast love, will never depart from him. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:08.559 What a contrast with Saul. 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:12.000 Saul lost God's love, it was torn away from him. 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:16.799 Remember, Saul in the was supposed to wait for Samuel to come, Saul didn't. 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:21.200 The prophet comes, Samuel comes and confronts Saul and rips the kingdom from him. 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:24.000 And God says, I will never rip it from David. 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:26.159 It will be his forever. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:34.799 Verse 16: your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:37.600 A throne shall be established forever. 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:39.200 Do you notice the key word here? 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:41.919 Forever, forever, forever. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:46.000 God will do this, and it will last forever. 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:50.480 Remember, this is not something that happens in David's lifetime. 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:51.679 David has his throne. 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:54.159 He is reigning over Israel in Jerusalem. 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:57.600 But it's pointing forward to a future time. 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:02.159 A future king will come, and he will reign on David's throne. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:07.440 And when that king takes David's throne, his kingdom will last forever. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:13.200 You can flip back now to Matthew chapter 1. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:17.120 Understand that this is an important moment in redemptive history. 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:21.600 God, for the first time in redemptive history, has taken the sides with kingdoms. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:25.519 Before this covenant, he had never taken sides before. 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:32.960 Even for Israel in the exile, when Israel was wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, God was, you couldn't say God was on Israel's side. 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:38.639 God gave them their freedom from Egypt, but then God proceeded to kill every single one of them except two people. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:41.919 That's hardly saying God is on their side. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:46.399 When they entered the promised land, the book of Judges, was God on the side of Israel? 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:47.200 Well, sort of. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:51.360 He kept them there and protected them, but he also raised up all their adversaries for them. 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:53.519 That's the repeated phrase in the book of Judges. 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:57.279 God kept sending them enemies to punish them for their sins. 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:01.039 Was God on Saul's side when Saul was Israel's first king? 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:01.840 Well, no. 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:05.039 God opposed him and ripped the kingdom from him. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:16.480 But now for the first time you have God saying, There will be a throne, David's descendant will be on it, and I will be on his side forever and ever and ever. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:24.080 So, who is the descendant of David that reigns forever from his throne? 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:26.159 And that's where this genealogy is going. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:28.639 Obviously, the genealogy is arguing that it's Jesus. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:32.000 I'm not going to make like some kind of fake suspense here, like, whoa, who could it be? 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:33.759 Let's find out. 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:40.559 Now we know that it's Jesus, but I want you to read this from the perspective of the Jews that don't know it's Jesus. 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:45.279 And they're going to be forced to go through the list of David's descendants. 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:50.960 Remember, all of the Pharisees in Jesus' life are expecting the Savior to come. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:56.320 They're expecting the Messianic king to come and claim David's throne, and he'll reign just like David. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:15:04.320 And so to get there, Matthew is going to drag them through the history of their kings, because the Savior will come from their line. 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:09.120 And so let's look at this list of kings that we find here as we go through this. 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:10.639 You first meet David. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.519 David was a godly man, a man after God's own heart. 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:15.519 He's the one that received the covenant. 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:21.039 He also had committed adultery with Bathsheba, and that's even mentioned there at the end of verse 6 by the wife of Uriah. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:23.840 It's not even it's using the language from 2 Samuel. 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:29.759 That's what 2 Samuel 7 calls her, or 2 Samuel 12 calls her before David repents. 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:33.279 Is the wife of Uriah, and that's the phrase that gets used here. 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:37.600 But it's just reminding you that David was godly, but he was a sinner as well. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:39.840 David had Solomon. 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:41.759 Was Solomon godly? 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:43.200 Yeah. 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.600 I mean, he wrote books of the Bible, he's got that going for him. 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:56.720 He's also a horrible compromiser, invited idols and pagan worship into his life and by his life into God's house and into the Israelite world. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:59.039 He was enough of a mixed bag. 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:07.519 I think Solomon was intentionally a mixed bag by God and God's providence to make it clear to us that Solomon is not the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:15.919 I think that should have been obvious from 2 Samuel 7 anyway, because in 2 Samuel 7 it says the king will be raised up after David's already dead. 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:20.240 David wasn't dead when Solomon was born, and so that doesn't, I don't think, work. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:22.480 Nevertheless, Solomon had so many issues. 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:26.080 He's not the savior, his throne did not last forever. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:30.240 After Solomon comes Rehoboam, who is horribly foolish. 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:34.080 If you had to describe Rehoboam in one word, that one word would be foolish. 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:36.399 He took over Solomon's advisors. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:38.399 Solomon had very wise advisors. 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:40.960 Solomon was the wisest person who'd ever lived. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:42.960 He had wise advisors around him. 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:46.559 They became Rehoboam's advisors, and Rehoboam fired them all. 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:48.159 Cleaned house. 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:52.480 Replaced them with his, you know, his young homies that were foolish. 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:53.840 And he said, You know what? 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:56.320 My father was, my father disciplined you. 00:16:56.399 --> 00:16:58.159 I'm going to hit you with scorpions. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:00.399 What kind of person says that? 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:01.840 What kind of king says that? 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:05.359 You know, I'm going to make you guys respect me by attacking you with scorpions. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:07.359 Not a very good politician. 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:10.400 At least politicians would know to lie about that kind of thing. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:13.279 Rehoboam provoked civil war. 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:19.279 Because of his foolishness, Israel revolted, ten of the tribes split off from the other two. 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:23.920 Never again until the book of Revelation will the twelve tribes be united. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:29.519 Because of Rehab's foolishness, there's now a difference between Israel and Judah. 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:34.000 The line of David is in Jerusalem with Judah not in Israel. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:39.039 So from this point on, because of Rehoboam's wickedness, Israel becomes outcast. 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:42.480 Israel becomes, in a sense, rejected by God. 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:45.680 They'll be exiled hundreds of years, even before Judah is. 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:52.480 But the line of David leaves Israel and goes through Judah and Jerusalem, followed by Rehab, followed by Abijah. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:59.359 Abijah, 1 Kings 15, 2, brings in idols and starts Israel worshiping these idols. 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:01.279 His dad Rehabam had built cows. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:04.319 Abijah has them worship with them and adds to them. 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:07.920 He's followed by Asa, and by the way, this genealogy is not exhaustive. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:09.440 It's not every king Israel had. 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:11.119 You know that from the book of 1 Kings. 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:12.160 Several are missing. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:13.920 Several kings are missing from this. 00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:23.039 Matthew is selected, just like he did before David, he selected 14 names from Abraham to David, 14 names of kings, 14 names in the exile. 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:26.640 He's building up three groups of fourteen to help you memorize them. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:28.720 How's that going, by the way? 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:34.559 Asa, we jump to him, is a godly king. 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:36.480 He was godly because he prayed. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:38.160 The Lord heard his prayer. 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:39.680 He's followed by Jehoshaphat. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.519 Jehoshaphat also prayed a wonderful prayer. 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:44.720 Jehosaphat prayed, Lord, may our eyes always be on you. 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:47.359 I just love that expression from King Jehosaphat. 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:48.480 It's a great way to pray. 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:49.519 You could pray that in your own life. 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:52.160 Lord, help my eyes always be on you. 00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:54.319 He was followed by Joram. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:56.319 Joram went back to Baal worship. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:57.359 Joram was awful. 00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:59.279 Joram married Ahab's daughter. 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:01.039 Ahab was the king of Israel. 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:02.559 Remember, Israel bad. 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:09.440 Joram married Ahab's daughter, which doesn't, I mean, how bad could it be to marry the princess of Israel? 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:11.599 Well, her mother was Jezebel. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:13.279 Jezebel was horrible. 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:17.519 Jezebel was the worst queen Israel ever had, which made Ahab the worst king they ever had. 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:22.240 And Joram marries her daughter, importing Baal worship into Israel. 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:24.799 Eventually we get to Uzziah. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:27.759 Uzziah was a good king, very good king. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:32.240 But at the end of his life, he went into the temple as if he were a priest. 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:34.960 And God struck him with leprosy. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:37.039 And I find that remarkable. 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:42.240 That you have a godly king who acts like a king and a priest, and God strikes him with leprosy. 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:45.359 What a contrast with Jesus, who is both a king and priest. 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:49.920 It lets you know that even the godly king in the line of David is no savior. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:51.839 He can have no priestly duties. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:55.279 Followed by Jotham, all we know about Jotham is that he was a builder. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:58.559 He built these incredible facilities. 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:02.480 He renovated the temple, followed by Ahaz, who is a wicked sinner. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:04.160 Very interesting verse about Ahaz. 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:09.759 The more God put difficulty in Ahaz's life, the more he turned to sin. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:14.559 Oftentimes, a godly person is hit with difficulty and trials and turns to the Lord. 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:17.759 Ahaz was hit with trials and turned towards sin. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:26.000 Hezekiah was an incredible king, strategic with military and how he defended Israel from the Assyrians. 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:30.319 It was remarkable victories that God gave King Hezekiah, miraculous victories. 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:36.079 The angel of the Lord slaughtered all kinds of Assyrians to protect Jerusalem under King Hezekiah's leadership. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:41.119 2 Kings 18:7 says, Yahweh was with Hezekiah in whatever he did. 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:43.519 What a great epitaph to have right there. 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:46.319 God was with him in everything he did. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:51.599 But he wasn't the savior, and his son Manasseh was the worst king they ever had. 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:56.720 If Hezekiah was the best king they ever had, he was followed by Manasseh, the worst one they ever had. 00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:59.599 I mean, he packed out the temple with idols. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:01.440 You couldn't fit more idols in there. 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:04.640 It looked like some kind of Buddhist shrine in there. 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:07.119 The temple did, because of Manasseh. 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:12.880 And Manasseh was so wicked that he was taken captive by the Assyrians who then threw him back. 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:16.160 They led him into captivity and then they didn't want him anymore. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:17.519 And sent him back. 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:21.759 You know, imagine somebody saying, I want to punish Israel. 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:23.839 So I'm going to give them their king back. 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:26.319 That's what happened with Manasseh. 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:37.440 And the strange thing about Manasseh, at the very end of his life, described in 2 Chronicles, not in 1 Kings or 2 Kings, but in 2 Chronicles, 2 Kings 21 is Manasseh's story. 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:40.480 But 2 Chronicles describes Manasseh's conversion. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:50.960 At the end of his life, he comes back into Israel, he goes into the temple, he sees all the idols, and he's cut to the quick, and he starts throwing the idols over the temple wall. 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:53.440 I just would love to be a spectator to that. 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:55.680 If I could go back in time, that would be a crazy scene to watch. 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:57.119 The king walks into the temple. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.759 Next thing you know, you see idols coming flying over the wall. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:01.440 That's Manasseh. 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:05.839 God lets Manasseh convert at the end of his life to just give a little lesson to Israel. 00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:10.799 The worst king you've ever had can still get converted. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:13.759 I mean, that is just a gospel picture right there. 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:16.160 He's followed by Amon, his son. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:20.559 Amon reigned for two years, who forsook Yahweh, the scripture says. 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:22.720 Only a king for two years. 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:24.880 And then he was killed. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:28.559 Some versions there say Amos, but I think it's better rendered Amon. 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:30.400 He was killed by his associates. 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:34.079 People that put up with Manasseh's leadership killed Amon. 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:36.799 Followed by Josiah. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:39.279 Josiah was a super godly king. 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:42.559 Josiah is the one who found the book of the covenant in the temple. 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:44.079 All the idols were thrown out. 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:47.759 Josiah walks in there and finds the covenant. 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:54.480 Actually, his priest found the covenant and brings it, and Josiah reads it, makes the whole nation listen to him read God's law. 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:58.880 An incredible story of revival, followed by Jechaniah. 00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:00.960 Josiah's revival, too little, too late. 00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:06.480 Jeconiah, his son, becomes king, and Jeconiah is again a horrible king. 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:09.200 Jeconiah has a brother who's king first. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:14.960 That's the one who cuts out scripture from the book of Jeremiah and, you know, throws away the book of Jeremiah. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:20.240 And so God rewrites history, writes his brother out of the line of the throne. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:22.319 When he dies, Jechaniah becomes king. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:24.000 His brother is even left out of the genealogy. 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:25.440 Goes straight to Jeconiah. 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:27.519 Jeconiah is cursed by Jeremiah too. 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:30.720 Jeremiah tells Jeconiah, You're not, you're cursed are you. 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:32.640 You're not going to have any descendants on the throne. 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:34.000 None of your children will be king. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:35.839 You're not going to have any sons even. 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:38.960 So how does the genealogy keep going after him? 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:40.799 That's for next week. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:44.480 What's the point of that list of kings? 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:46.559 None of them are the Savior. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:49.920 What a mess this line of kings are. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:51.279 None of them are the Savior. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:55.599 Some good, most bad, none of them Christ. 00:23:56.880 --> 00:24:08.559 The point is, 1 Kings 15, verse 4, nevertheless, for David's sake, Yahweh has given him a lamp in Jerusalem to set up his son after him, who will establish Jerusalem forever. 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:10.960 That's 2 Kings 15, verse 4. 00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:20.480 Despite all these wicked kings, there will be a light in Jerusalem, and that light will sit on David's throne and shine forever. 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:24.559 So how does this relate to us this morning in the Gospel of Matthew? 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:28.480 The Gospel of Matthew is often called the Gospel of the Kingdom. 00:24:28.559 --> 00:24:31.200 You know, the different Gospels have different focuses on different things. 00:24:31.359 --> 00:24:35.359 You know, example, uh, John would often call the I am gospel. 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:36.640 It's all the I am statements. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:44.160 It begins with Jesus being the word of God and the creator, and he is, you know, light and life and love and bread of life. 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.279 That's the Gospel of John. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:46.880 Mark is the amazing Jesus. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:48.960 That's the repeated phrase in the Gospel of Mark. 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:51.680 One after another, Jesus is just amazing. 00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:53.039 Everybody was stunned by him. 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:54.079 That's Mark's gospel. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:57.119 Well, Matthew's gospel is the gospel of the kingdom. 00:24:57.359 --> 00:25:01.440 Fifty-two times in Matthew's gospel, there is teaching on the kingdom. 00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:03.839 It is the most common theme in this gospel. 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:08.640 Over and over and over again, you're driven to the nature of the kingdom of God. 00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:11.200 Let me rattle off some of the ways. 00:25:11.279 --> 00:25:13.920 I won't give you all 52, but I'll come pretty close. 00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:16.319 That Matthew teaches us about the kingdom. 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:23.759 You'll know these verses, but I don't know if it's hit you how they're all packaged here in Matthew to introduce you to the kingdom of Israel. 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:28.880 Matthew 8, verse 11 says, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be in the kingdom of God. 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:36.400 Matthew 6, verse 10, you pray in the Lord's Prayer for God's kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. 00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:40.559 The kingdom is at hand, Jesus says in Matthew 10, verse 7, wherever he's preaching. 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:46.480 Matthew 5, verse 3, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs will be the kingdom. 00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:49.599 Whoever pursues wisdom is a citizen of the kingdom. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:53.599 Matthew 5, 19 says, if you pursue wisdom, you can be a citizen of the kingdom. 00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:59.200 And that's bad news for the Pharisees, because Matthew 5, verse 20 says the Pharisees won't be allowed in the kingdom. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:05.599 Matthew 8, verse 12, many will try to enter the kingdom, and they will fail. 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:08.640 In fact, they'll be cast outer darkness. 00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:13.599 But the kingdom itself, Matthew 12, verse 25, is not divided. 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:16.160 A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. 00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:17.920 God's kingdom is not divided. 00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:20.559 And God's kingdom does advance in this world by force. 00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:21.920 Matthew 11, verse 12. 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:27.440 The kingdom of God advances through violent men, and the violent take it by force. 00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:34.480 Nevertheless, Matthew 13, verse 11 says the kingdom is shrouded in mystery. 00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:39.279 And then it follows a series of parables where Jesus says, How can I explain the kingdom to you? 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:40.640 Let me give you some examples. 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:47.839 1324, the kingdom could be compared to a man who scatters seed, and the seed will grow and produce a harvest. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:52.720 Or Matthew 13, 31, the kingdom could be described as a grain of mustard seed. 00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:56.160 It's small, but it will produce trees for the nations. 00:26:56.640 --> 00:27:01.359 1344, the kingdom of God can be compared to treasure hidden in the fields. 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:07.279 Or like a merchant searching for fine pearls, or like a fisherman who casts his net and brings in a massive catch. 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:10.160