Before I pray let me mention several things about this most important genealogy. To do so allow me to quote the late Dr. Henry Morris’ comments on this section of Luke’s gospel. He writes:
“Joseph was clearly the son of Jacob (Matt. 1:16), so this verse (he is referring to verse 23) should be understood to mean “son in law of Heli.” Thus, the genealogy of Christ in Luke is actually the genealogy of Mary, while Matthew gives that of Joseph. Actually, the word “son” is not in the original, so it would be legitimate to supply either “son” or “son-in-law” in this context . . . the two genealogies show that both parents were descendants of David—Joseph through Solomon (Matt. 1:7-15), thus inheriting the legal right to the throne of David, and Mary through Nathan (3:23-31), her line thus carrying the seed of David . . .”
Both genealogies are essential documents authenticating Jesus as the rightful heir to the throne of David. Furthermore, both are necessary to confirm Jesus as the promised seed of Abraham through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. Furthermore, Luke’s genealogy is unique in that it traces our Lord’s family tree all the way back to the first man Adam.
So, this genealogy has two bookends if you please. In verse 23 Jesus born of Mary the daughter of Heli is the last Adam. In verse 38 we have the first Adam created directly by God from the dust of the ground.
In the interest of time, I am not going to read aloud the entire genealogy. However, we are going to glean some more important truths from this family tree before we are done today.
Look again at verse 23 which says, “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.” Please note the careful language from Luke who points out that Jesus was not the actual son of Joseph. Rather, “was supposed” by those around the family to be the son of Joseph. Of course, Joseph was the legal, guardian father of Jesus and unless those around them were aware of the unique circumstances surrounding the birth of Christ, they simply would have assumed Jesus to be the son of Joseph.
However, Luke has already documented the miracle conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary by the mighty work of the Holy Spirit in her body. And in that miracle, it pleased the Father to cloth the eternal Word with human nature. Thus, from the moment of his conception in the womb of Mary Jesus was (and remains today) the God-man. Our Lord is truly God and truly man in one person.
Next, I want you to observe the natural flow of this family tree. We have a backward procession from the father of Mary (Heli) all the way back to King David. Look at verse 31: “Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David.”
Of course, David is a well-known person of history. Now let’s continue. As we proceed backward from David we move eventually to our next well-known person in history, namely Abraham. Look at verses 33 and 34: “Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor.”
Now as we continue moving backward from Abraham we end up in verse 38 which says: “Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.”
As you can clearly see, Luke’s genealogy presents Adam alongside numerous other historical individuals (Abraham, David, etc.) in order to link him as a real person to Jesus, so Adam cannot be interpreted symbolically. Luke clearly understood Adam as a real, historical person who was foundational to understanding the history of Israel and the coming Savior of the world (cf. Luke 24:47).
I want to say without apology to all of you: if you come across a Bible teacher who refuses to accept Adam as a real historical figure please understand he is confused and his thinking is no doubt contaminated by the rudiments of this world. I am teaching you today to never compromise the Biblical truth that Adam is the literal head of the human race. We are all descendants of the first man Adam. In his gospel account, Luke, a trustworthy historian (who claimed perfect knowledge from above - Luke 1:1–4), traces Jesus’ genealogy all the way back to the first man and father of all mankind, Adam.
Our text today also compels us to embrace another important truth. From this text we can arrive at an approximate date for the age of the earth and universe. Remember, we have the family tree of Jesus recorded here that goes all the way back to the first man. We know this is the year 2024. We are approximately 2000 years from the time of Christ. Furthermore, we know from Jesus back to Abraham covers about 2000 years. And finally, we know from Abraham back to the first man Adam there is another 2000 years. Can anyone here add 2000+2000+2000? What does that add up to? 6000 years is correct.
Thus, we are compelled to conclude Biblical history accounts for only 6000 years. Since Genesis chapter one details the creative activity of the only true and living God, and since Adam appears on the earth just six days from the beginning, the age of the earth is approximately 6000 years. That’s a long time by the way!
So where does the pagan concept of millions of years come from? It does not come from the Bible. Furthermore, it does not come from what we know to be true from observational science. So where does it come from? It comes from those who reject the Word of God and who reject the documented creative activities of our Lord in the authoritative history book of the universe—the Bible.
Now I want to close by returning to a statement I made at the beginning of this message. This text has two bookends if you please: the first Adam and the last Adam. Listen now as I read to you from 1 Corinthians 15 where the Scripture says:
“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
My friends, all those who believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ, all those saved by personal faith in the Lord Jesus, are destined to be like him. We shall bear the image of the heavenly. All the saved, all the ransomed of the Lord, are destined for glorification! The apostle Paul said, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Christ, the last Adam, is coming and he “shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” I ask you today, do you believe he is coming? Do you understand we shall be changed? Do you understand we will meet our saved loved ones again? Do you understand the last Adam came to rescue us from the bondage of death produced by the disobedience of the first Adam? Do you understand the last Adam, our Lord from heaven, through his death on the cross has destroyed him that held the power of death, that is, the devil? Do you understand our resurrected Lord has conquered death and we are now marching toward the glorious day when death will once for all be banished and cast into the lake of fire?
Somebody ought to be happy! Somebody ought to be ready to shout! Somebody ought to be ready to join the apostle Paul saying “thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” I will take an “amen” right there!
“Joseph was clearly the son of Jacob (Matt. 1:16), so this verse (he is referring to verse 23) should be understood to mean “son in law of Heli.” Thus, the genealogy of Christ in Luke is actually the genealogy of Mary, while Matthew gives that of Joseph. Actually, the word “son” is not in the original, so it would be legitimate to supply either “son” or “son-in-law” in this context . . . the two genealogies show that both parents were descendants of David—Joseph through Solomon (Matt. 1:7-15), thus inheriting the legal right to the throne of David, and Mary through Nathan (3:23-31), her line thus carrying the seed of David . . .”
Both genealogies are essential documents authenticating Jesus as the rightful heir to the throne of David. Furthermore, both are necessary to confirm Jesus as the promised seed of Abraham through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. Furthermore, Luke’s genealogy is unique in that it traces our Lord’s family tree all the way back to the first man Adam.
So, this genealogy has two bookends if you please. In verse 23 Jesus born of Mary the daughter of Heli is the last Adam. In verse 38 we have the first Adam created directly by God from the dust of the ground.
In the interest of time, I am not going to read aloud the entire genealogy. However, we are going to glean some more important truths from this family tree before we are done today.
Look again at verse 23 which says, “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.” Please note the careful language from Luke who points out that Jesus was not the actual son of Joseph. Rather, “was supposed” by those around the family to be the son of Joseph. Of course, Joseph was the legal, guardian father of Jesus and unless those around them were aware of the unique circumstances surrounding the birth of Christ, they simply would have assumed Jesus to be the son of Joseph.
However, Luke has already documented the miracle conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary by the mighty work of the Holy Spirit in her body. And in that miracle, it pleased the Father to cloth the eternal Word with human nature. Thus, from the moment of his conception in the womb of Mary Jesus was (and remains today) the God-man. Our Lord is truly God and truly man in one person.
Next, I want you to observe the natural flow of this family tree. We have a backward procession from the father of Mary (Heli) all the way back to King David. Look at verse 31: “Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David.”
Of course, David is a well-known person of history. Now let’s continue. As we proceed backward from David we move eventually to our next well-known person in history, namely Abraham. Look at verses 33 and 34: “Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor.”
Now as we continue moving backward from Abraham we end up in verse 38 which says: “Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.”
As you can clearly see, Luke’s genealogy presents Adam alongside numerous other historical individuals (Abraham, David, etc.) in order to link him as a real person to Jesus, so Adam cannot be interpreted symbolically. Luke clearly understood Adam as a real, historical person who was foundational to understanding the history of Israel and the coming Savior of the world (cf. Luke 24:47).
I want to say without apology to all of you: if you come across a Bible teacher who refuses to accept Adam as a real historical figure please understand he is confused and his thinking is no doubt contaminated by the rudiments of this world. I am teaching you today to never compromise the Biblical truth that Adam is the literal head of the human race. We are all descendants of the first man Adam. In his gospel account, Luke, a trustworthy historian (who claimed perfect knowledge from above - Luke 1:1–4), traces Jesus’ genealogy all the way back to the first man and father of all mankind, Adam.
Our text today also compels us to embrace another important truth. From this text we can arrive at an approximate date for the age of the earth and universe. Remember, we have the family tree of Jesus recorded here that goes all the way back to the first man. We know this is the year 2024. We are approximately 2000 years from the time of Christ. Furthermore, we know from Jesus back to Abraham covers about 2000 years. And finally, we know from Abraham back to the first man Adam there is another 2000 years. Can anyone here add 2000+2000+2000? What does that add up to? 6000 years is correct.
Thus, we are compelled to conclude Biblical history accounts for only 6000 years. Since Genesis chapter one details the creative activity of the only true and living God, and since Adam appears on the earth just six days from the beginning, the age of the earth is approximately 6000 years. That’s a long time by the way!
So where does the pagan concept of millions of years come from? It does not come from the Bible. Furthermore, it does not come from what we know to be true from observational science. So where does it come from? It comes from those who reject the Word of God and who reject the documented creative activities of our Lord in the authoritative history book of the universe—the Bible.
Now I want to close by returning to a statement I made at the beginning of this message. This text has two bookends if you please: the first Adam and the last Adam. Listen now as I read to you from 1 Corinthians 15 where the Scripture says:
“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
My friends, all those who believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ, all those saved by personal faith in the Lord Jesus, are destined to be like him. We shall bear the image of the heavenly. All the saved, all the ransomed of the Lord, are destined for glorification! The apostle Paul said, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Christ, the last Adam, is coming and he “shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” I ask you today, do you believe he is coming? Do you understand we shall be changed? Do you understand we will meet our saved loved ones again? Do you understand the last Adam came to rescue us from the bondage of death produced by the disobedience of the first Adam? Do you understand the last Adam, our Lord from heaven, through his death on the cross has destroyed him that held the power of death, that is, the devil? Do you understand our resurrected Lord has conquered death and we are now marching toward the glorious day when death will once for all be banished and cast into the lake of fire?
Somebody ought to be happy! Somebody ought to be ready to shout! Somebody ought to be ready to join the apostle Paul saying “thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” I will take an “amen” right there!
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