Importance of Biblical Genealogies
“This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” Genesis 5:1-2
The verses above are the start of the genealogies of all humanity. Interestingly, the phrase “and called their name Adam,” could be confusing if you don’t know what the name Adam means. Adam means man and represents mankind – humans. So, they (Adam and Eve) were referred to as Adam – mankind, because God made his living creations in accordance with their original created kind – hence, man-kind.
The biblical genealogies found in Genesis, Chronicles, Matthew and Luke are there for several important purposes. They are a chore to read through and you may be tempted to skip over them when you read the Bible, especially if you have read them in the past, but God put them there because they are important. The primary reasons that I feel they are important are listed below, but this is not an all-inclusive list and God may have additional reasons that only He is privy too.
First, the genealogies confirm the historicity of the Bible. These are real people, many of which are mentioned in extra-biblical sources. Archeology has uncovered many artifacts that clearly verify the people named in the Bible.
Second, the genealogies prove the prophecies of the Bible are true and accurate. Jesus was prophesied to be a Jew from the tribe of Judah and a descendent of both Abraham and David as scripture predicted.
Third, the genealogies teach that a wide variety of people can be used by God to fulfill His purpose. God uses good people, bad people, Israelites, people of other nations, men, women, kings and harlots – literally anyone, to accomplish His will and purpose. Kings, like David are mentioned in Jesus’ lineage as well as a harlot named Rahab and a Moabite woman named Ruth. God used anyone that suited His purpose to bring Jesus to us, and now Jesus calls whosoever will to join Him in the kingdom of God. God has a purpose for the genealogies and a purpose for whosoever will choose Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Lastly, the genealogies can be used to determine the chronological age of the earth that God created. And yes, I choose to believe the eyewitness testimony of God, versus the speculation and theories of sinful errant men and women. According to Hasel, who was a professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology at Andrews University, who used the Masoretic Text, calculated that Abraham was born in about 2,170 BC. Thus, the global flood occurred at 2,522 BC and creation at 4,178 BC. Other calculations of the creation of the earth using biblical genealogies were performed by James Ussher at 4,004 BC, Johannes Kepler at 3,992 BC, and the renowned scientist Sir. Isaac Newton at about 4,000 BC. So, if you believe as I do, that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant and infallible Word of the Almighty God, then we can conclude that the earth and the universe was created a little over 6,000 years ago.
The importance of the genealogies is obvious, so when you’re reading your Bible through, from cover to cover, please don’t skip over the genealogies. God put them there for His purpose and your edification.