the family Name

The Word for today:
Numbers 3, 4

mark this:
These are the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.
These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests. (Numbers 3:1-3)

 

Biblical genealogies:

You’ve seen ‘em,
you’ve skipped ‘em,
but did you know you’re in ‘em?

The genealogy of Jesus Christ opens the New Testament and everything depends on it. We might skim those names, but you can be sure that the enemies of Jesus scrutinized every detail, hoping to expose a mistake.

We have coarse words for people who don’t know who their Dad is. But we’ll use illegitimate, a synonym which is slightly less stigmatized.

In the Old Testament, the priest had to be able to prove his heritage. He had to be able to prove that he was Levitical in order to be legitimate.

If he weren't from the tribe of Levi and the the clan of Aaron, he could not serve as priest. Here’s an instance, from the book of Nehemiah, of de-legitimacy due to a deficient genealogy:
The sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. (Nehemiah 7:63-64)

Can you declare your pedigree as a Christian? If you’re not sure, then let me point to your scriptural genealogy:

Now are we the children of God. (1 John 3:2)

You are the children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)

To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (Romans 8:14-16)

***

A Christian must and ought to know he’s a child of God:

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13)

Any experienced child of God will tell you that there will come a dark wilderness night when the enemies of your soul will question your pedigree. When they do, you're in good company--because they already tried it with Jesus:

And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." (Matthew 4:3)

They will say that you don’t resemble God at all. They will say that you don’t act like God all the time. (The attack usually comes when we are most vulnerable to these charges.)

That’s when you will need to turn to these verses, in order to set the record straight. So write them in the back of your Bible somewhere, read through them every now and then, and don’t skim!

Don’t try to defend yourself with your own words. Just show the enemy these words of God, which comprise your genealogy. Don’t try to joust intellectually with those who would question your eternal paternity. In the kingdom of heaven, as on earth, it’s not primarily what you know, but who you know:

I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him. (2 Timothy 1:12)

Just mention the Name of Jesus Christ, and indicate that you’re related to the Father through him. Then watch the enemy retreat. He cannot withstand the Name:

"Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation."  (Psalm 91:14-16)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~