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Do you know the names found in Christ's genealogy in Matthew chapter one? While Matthew shows us the people God chose to carry out the lineage of His Son, he only goes back to Abraham. If you dig deeper, you'll find that Christ's lineage goes back to the days of Noah.
The most notable story of Shem is in Genesis 9:18-26. When Noah was drunk and naked in his tent, his son Ham told his brothers of Noah's condition. As a result, Shem and his brother Japheth walked backward and covered Noah with a blanket. Their actions communicated their respect for Noah as their father, turning their backs so they would not see his nakedness. Because of their respect, Noah blessed them.
In his blessing, Noah called the Lord "the God of Shem" (Genesis 9:26, ESV), indicating the importance of Shem's descendants. After the flood, Noah's sons obeyed God's instructions to repopulate the earth. Don't miss the genealogy of Shem in Genesis 10:21-30 and 11:10-26. He fathered five sons, most of whom would become Arabian tribes and Kingdoms, including the Hebrews.
Noah's blessing over Shem would come to fruition through his descendant, Abram, and ultimately the Messiah.
Read 1 Chronicles 1:1-26. What is similar to Genesis 10:21-30? What is different?
Prayer: God, you have had a plan even from the beginning. Thank you for the people you have used to bring about our Savior.
About this Plan
We often trace our history to unlock knowledge about ourselves and gain wisdom to move forward. The divine nature of Jesus certainly adds a one-of-a-kind dynamic to understanding His genealogy. Still, there is wisdom, depth, and importance to be gained in learning about the men and women God ordained as part of the family of Jesus.
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