The Genealogy of Christ (Luke)

So, I took over the college class at our church this week on a permanent basis, and we’re going through the book of Matthew, starting with chapter one, which includes the genealogy of Christ and the record of the virgin birth.  I’ve covered both these topics in these pages in the past: Why a Virgin Birth? And  The Genealogy of Christ (Matthew).  

You’ll recall that in the genealogy post, I showed that if you look at the meanings of the names in the genealogy, they spell out an amazing message about Jesus.  For example, Adam’s name means “man”; his son’s name means “appointed”, and his son’s name means “mortal”, and his son’s name means “sorrow”.  So you have the message: “man appointed mortal sorrow” in the first four names of the genealogy.

Well, for class this week, I took the time to look up the names listed in Luke as well since Luke looks at Mary’s line back to David via his son Nathan rather than Solomon.  For today’s post, I present the meanings of the names in the genealogy from Luke and the message they share about Christ:

Man is appointed mortal sorrow, but the Blessed of God will come down teaching that his death shall bring the despairing rest and comfort.

He will be a renowned healer, possessing a mission that joins division. God’s shepherd will twine the branches, through the exhalation of His spirit. The father of a great multitude laughs; he prevails with God through the praise of the Lord breaching divisions.

Rise up; my people are liberated by a helper that rewards a servant with strength, a gift well beloved, a gift of God. His gift is a reward supplying the resurrection of God from a dove.  The increase of the praise of the Lord that is heard is associated with His gifts.  He that exalts the Lord in the court of my God has the salvation of God. 

The watchman’s garment adorns my king, my light lent of God dispersing confusion by His will.  By grace praises increase in hearing and obeying the gift of the Lord. One who fears light is separated from the comforter, the weighty gift of the Lord.  With the increase of affliction for the king, and those associated with him, the gift ascends increasing salvation.

God is pretty amazing I think!  Below I've included a list of the genealogy with the names and their meanings:

Genealogy from Adam to Jesus W/Meanings

Adam = Man

Seth = Appointed

Enos = Mortal

Cainan = Sorrow

Maleleel = The Blessed of God

Jared = To Come Down

Enoch = Teaching

Methuselah = His Death Shall Bring

Lamech = Despair

Noah = Rest and Comfort

Shem = Renown

Arphaxad = Healer

Cainan = To Possess

Sala = A mission

Heber = joins

Phalec = division

Reu = his shepherd

Serug = twining branch

Nahor = exhale

Terah = dove or spirit

Abram = (changed to Abraham) father of a great multitude

Isaac = Laughter

Jacob = (changed to Israel) one who prevails with God

Judah = the praise of the Lord

Phares = to breach

Esrom = divisions

Aram = Rise up

Aminadab = my people is liberated

Naasson = a helper

Salmon = he that rewards

Boaz = a servant

Obed = in strength

David = well-beloved

Nathan – Gift of God

Mattatha – his gift

Menna – rewarded

Melea – supplying

Eliakim – resurrection of God

Jonam – a dove

Joseph – increase

Judah – praise of the Lord

Simeon – hears and obeys

Levi – associated with him

Matthat – gifts

Jorim – he that exalts the Lord

Eliezer – court of my God

Joshua – salvation of God

Er – watchman

Elmadam – the God of measure or of the garment

Cosam – divining

Addi -  adorned

Melki – my king

Neri – my light

Shealtiel – asked/lent of God

Zerubbabel – dispersion confusion

Rhesa – will

Joanan – grace

Joda – praised

Josech – increase

Semein – hearing/obeying

Mattathias – the gift of the Lord

Maath – fearing

Naggai – light

Esli – he who separates

Nahum – comforter

Amos – weighty

Mattathias – the gift of the Lord

Joseph – increase

Jannai – afflicted

Melki – my king

Levi – associated with him

Matthat – gifts

Heli – ascending

Joseph – increasing

Jesus – Salvation

Christian Elephants

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. (Romans 19:12)

I think vengeance is an aspect of God's character that we don't think of very much, and when we do, it is often in the wrong context: namely that we think he should avenge someone who has wronged us.

And yet, God is in the business of revenge. There's a story from this year that backs up this truth, in which a herd of wild elephants have been rampaging in cities in India attacking those that have persecuted Christians. You can read more here:

http://www.archdioceseofcolombo.com/news.php?id=851

I was skeptical, so I looked at Indian papers to see if anything was printed about the attacks, and sure enough there were quite a few stories about the elephant attacks. Apparently yesterday, a pack of jackals attacked as well. However, there was no mention of the segregation of only the persecutors of Christians except on Christian sites.

However, there was one really interesting store that seems to collaborate the elephants mission. There was a report of an elderly Christian woman, Sapari Pradhan, who stepped in front of the elephants to stop them from attacking her persecutors. One elephant lifted her from the way, kept her at a distance and the other elephants continued with their mission, which was reported from an eyewitness and is not in the all of the Christian accounts. However, it is reported in an Indian paper, though they do not mention that the woman was a Christian: (http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/10/stories/2009011056340300.htm)

Crazy! I'm sold.

Praise the God who avenges and protects!