David begat Solomon by the wife of Uriah ...

Baltimore can be a provincial town; an important point of reference is often where someone went to high school, what neighborhood they grew up in, or their family name. Lineage provides standing in Baltimore. No where was that more true than amongst the Jews when Christ came.

Paul testified to his excellent lineage in Philippians by saying "If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee." For the Jewish people, lineage provided not only a pecking order in a caste system but also their salvation.  As a member of a chosen people you were set apart and sanctified by your roots and the cultural traditions of atonement.  Which is why the description of the lineage of Christ in Mathew is perplexing to say the least, especially when observed through the lens of the world.

The first 17 lines of the New Testament trace out Christ's lineage to prove that He is indeed the Promised One, the Messiah foretold in Jewish Scripture. He is the Root of Jesse, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. If you asked me for my background, lineage or resume I would be honest but definitely highlight the good over the bad. I would note the change and renewal and what God is doing in my life today. This scripture doesn't do that.  The Word goes out of its way to highlight a corrupted pedigree.  Look at Verse 6, "David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah."

Matthew focuses on one of the great sins of the Bible, have a look at 2 Samuel 11.  David desires the wife of his faithful military leader Uriah.  He follows his flesh, lays with her and she is with child.  He makes stumbling, desperate efforts to cover his tracks but in the end he has Uriah killed.  A total disaster by our standards: sin run a muck, adultery, bastard children, murder, broken families doomed to a legacy of weakness and failure.  Any of that sound familiar in today's world?  But something remarkable happens - genuine repentance followed by divine forgiveness and ultimate victory over evil.  It reminds be of what Joseph said to his brothers in Genesis, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive."

This is not to say that God loves sin or that there is no consequence for sin.  Even with David's genuine, sorrowful repentance - the baby still dies.  Our sins have consequence in our own lives and in others'.  However, God knows the weakness of our flesh and can use it to prove His great strength.  He could have used mighty Egypt but he choose lowly Israel.  Maybe this is a self rationalization, but I believe that God can use the worst of what you have done to make the best of His Kingdom.

A fabricated story about a man-made god would not have revealed this lineage.  Have a look at the men, and especially the women, mentioned in the Matthew ancestry. The Scriptures are rife with their sin, weakness, failure and distrust of Him.  If inclusion of Uriah in the Scripture is intentional, what does it say to you?  I believe the inference to be: remain confident that He has a plan for you, a plan to prosper you and not to harm you, a plan to give you hope and a future.  A friend told me 'He doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.'  Stand up, because we serve a real, relational God who can overcome what you cannot.