God — Who Redeems Broken Lives Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: God — Who Redeems Broken Lives----------------------------------- Date: 12/4/2001 Keywords: "genealogy" "redemption" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Matthew 1:1-6* 1. The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2. To Abraham was born Isaac; and to Isaac, Jacob; and to Jacob, Judah and his brothers; 3. And to Judah were born Perez and Zerah by TAMAR; and to Perez was born Hezron; and to Hezron, Ram; 4. And to Ram was born Amminab; and to Amminidab, Nahshon; and to Nahshon, Salmon; 5. And to Salmon was born Boaz by RAHAB; and to Boaz was born Obed by RUTH; and to Obed, Jesse; 6. And to Jesse was born David the King. And to David was born Solomon by HER WHO HAD BEEN THE WIFE OF URIAH; Questions 1. What do you notice about the individuals in Jesus’ genealogy whose names are capitalized?   2. What do you think the author (Matthew) was seeking to get across by including these four women?   Practical help Most Jewish genealogies include men. Only men. When a woman appears in a genealogy in Scripture, the author is saying, "Sit up and take notice. Pay attention!" Each one of the four women referenced in Jesus’ genealogy (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and the wife of Uriah — Bathsheba) were either notoriously sinful or had been greatly wronged. Tamar was impregnated by her father-in-law. Rahab’s profession was the world’s oldest. Ruth was a hated Moabite. Bathsheba was violated by King David. Yet, each of these women finds her way into the lineage of Jesus. Despite having tarnished reputations, behaviors and past lives, God was able to weave them into the larger story He was creating — namely, the birth of His Son. Don’t think for a minute that because you have been, up to this point, trapped in the snare of Internet porn God can’t use you. He can and He will. He specializes in cleaning up messes and then turning them into trophies of grace! eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2001 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."