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Whatever is recorded in the Old Testament is related to Christ. The whole Old Testament is a record of Christ, either directly or indirectly. If we want to understand the genealogy of Christ, we must go back to the Old Testament and read it carefully. If we do this, we shall realize that the Old Testament is a record of Christ. This proves that the entire Bible is a revelation of Christ.
We have seen from the genealogy of Christ that His generation includes all kinds of people: low, high, good, bad, fathers, kings, civilians, captives, recovered ones, and even women with a poor reputation. Nevertheless, we must realize that there are some governing principles here. From the lives of all these persons, we can discover certain principles which govern our association with Christ. The generation of Christ includes all kinds of persons, but not in a loose way. No matter what we are or where we came from, we can be included in the generation of Christ if we fulfill the principles. Although we have seen this already, we have not seen it adequately, for there are many more persons to cover.
The first one we shall consider is Tamar. Tamar conceived through committing incest with her father-in-law (Gen. 38:6-27). Morally speaking, this was deplorable and ethically speaking, it was awful. Nobody would justify this. Although I have been studying Genesis for many years, my heart still aches whenever I read chapter thirty-eight. In a sense, what Tamar did was not good at all. Nevertheless, she was righteous. The fault was not on her side, but on the side of her father-in-law, Judah, who admitted that she was more righteous than he (Gen. 38:26). You may say that there was no excuse for Tamar’s deed and that incest always involves both sides. Although Tamar may be held responsible to a certain extent, she was righteous, and she had a heart for the birthright.
Because we come from a different background and have little understanding of the birthright and of its meaning to the people in those days, I need to say a word about it. In Tamar’s time, the birthright meant a great deal (Gen. 38:6-8). As I pointed out in the last message, the birthright included a double portion of the land, the priesthood, and the kingship. The double portion of the land refers to the double enjoyment of Christ. The land is Christ, and the double portion of the land is not the ordinary, common enjoyment of Christ, but something special, something extraordinary in the enjoyment of Christ. Both the priesthood and the kingship are also related to Christ. For the generation after Abraham, the birthright was altogether a matter of inheriting Christ. In Ephesians 2:12, we are told that when we were unbelievers, we were without Christ. But by believing in the Lord Jesus, we have been brought into the birthright. We have been put into Christ, Christ has become our portion, and He will even be our double portion. Through Him, in Him, and with Him we have the priesthood and the kingship. Christ Himself is our good land, our priesthood, and our kingship.
Now we can understand why Tamar was anxious to have the birthright. She knew that if she were cut off, she would be through with God’s promise. And God’s promise was simply the promise of Himself to be the portion of His chosen people in Christ. Tamar was not willing to miss this blessing.
Tamar was the wife of the first son of Judah. This son should have inherited the birthright. But Tamar’s husband was wicked in the eyes of the Lord, and the Lord took his life (Gen. 38:7). The Lord also slew Judah’s second son (Gen. 38:8-10). According to the ancient regulations, Judah should have arranged for his next son to marry Tamar in order that a son might be brought forth to inherit the birthright. Judah, however, did not fulfill his responsibility. In a sense, Judah cheated Tamar (Gen. 38:11-14). But Tamar did not give up; rather, she even used an unseemly means to obtain the birthright. Whether the means was unseemly or not, Tamar did her best to get that birthright.
To have the birthright is simply to gain Christ. In order to gain Christ, we must be ready to take a way that does not seem to be the best way. Let me tell you a story that illustrates this, but try to understand me; do not misunderstand me. In the past, some young people in China were inspired by my preaching, believed in the Lord Jesus, and desired to be baptized. However, their parents, who were Buddhists, were very much opposed to this. When they learned that their children were planning to be baptized, they gave them no opportunity to leave home. The young people prayed about this. Eventually, they told their parents that they had to be in school for a certain half-day period. That was surely a lie, for they did not go to school; they went to the church to be baptized. Although they told a lie, it was a pure lie. Their intention in telling that lie was very pleasing to God. If you want to gain Christ, you should not care for the way. Do not be religious; do not keep the rules and regulations. Gain Christ! You need to gain Christ. By any means, get the birthright.
It was through an unseemly means that Tamar acquired the birthright. But in the divine record in the Bible, the name of Tamar is not a bad name. Ruth 4:12 indicates that this name is sacred. In this verse the elders said, “And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah.” The name of Tamar is sacred because she did not care for anything sinful; she cared only for the birthright. The significance of this for us today is that if we care for Christ and are seeking Him, any way we can truly gain Him is the right way.
From Tamar we go on to her son, Pharez (v. 3). Tamar conceived twins (Gen. 38:27-30). At the time of delivery, one boy, Zarah, tried to come out first, but he did not succeed. He put out his hand, and the midwife marked it with a scarlet thread, indicating that he would be the firstborn. However, Pharez preceded him to be the firstborn. Thus, the first became the last, and the last became the first. The midwife was surprised. This is a good illustration of how to gain the birthright. Pharez inherited the birthright. Man did not choose him, but God sent him. This proves that it is not up to man’s endeavoring; it is up to God’s choice. The mother’s story tells us one side: that we should be anxious for the birthright, trying our best to obtain it; the son’s story tells us the other side: that although we may strive to obtain the birthright, it is actually a matter of God’s choice, not our efforts (see Rom. 9:11).
I remember a story concerning D. L. Moody. One day a student at his Bible institute said to him, “Mr. Moody, by reading the New Testament I have learned that all the saved ones are the chosen ones, predestinated by God before the foundation of the world. Now I have a problem. If I preach the gospel and convince people to believe, I may do something wrong and persuade someone whom God has not chosen. What shall I do?” Moody replied, “My son, just go ahead to do your best. As people enter the door, they will see written on the outside, ‘Whosoever will may come.’ But once they have entered the door, they will look back and see written on the inside, ‘Chosen before the foundation of the world.’” Tamar’s story means, “Whosoever will may come.” Tamar willed and Tamar came. But her son’s story means, “Chosen before the foundation of the world.” Perhaps you are today’s Tamar, striving and laboring to obtain the birthright. But once you gain it, you will look back and see that you were chosen before the foundation of the world. The birthright does not depend on us; it depends on His choice.
We proceed to Rahab (v. 5). Rahab was a harlot in Jericho (Josh. 2:1), a place cursed by God for eternity. Although she was a harlot in such a place, she became a grandmother of Christ. How could a harlot become a grandmother of Christ? In order to answer this question, we need to find the principles. The entire population of Jericho was destroyed except Rahab, her family, and her possessions. She was saved because she turned to God and God’s people (Josh. 6:22-23, 25; Heb. 11:31). After she turned to God and His people, she married Salmon, a leader in the army of the leading tribe of Judah and one of the men sent by Joshua to spy out Jericho. At that time, Salmon became acquainted with Rahab and, in a sense, saved her. Eventually, Rahab married him, and they brought forth a godly man named Boaz.
Now we must pay our full attention to the principles governing our association with Christ. The first principle is that, no matter what our background is, we must turn to God and to God’s people. Second, we must marry the proper person, not in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense. After we have turned to God and to God’s people, we must be joined, built up, and involved with the proper person. Third, we must bring forth the proper fruit. Then we will be fully in the portion of the birthright of Christ.
It seems that many Christians today have lost their birthright. They do not have Salmon and Boaz. If you would have a Salmon and a Boaz, you must become involved with the proper believers, with the proper leading ones in the leading tribes. Then you need to bring forth the proper fruit, Boaz, who will be a forefather of David. We must turn to the Lord, and we must turn to the Lord’s people; we must also take care of how we become involved with others. If we become involved with the proper persons, surely we shall bring forth the proper fruit. This will keep us in the full enjoyment of the birthright of Christ.
If we are to know the story of Boaz, we must read the book of Ruth. It is a good story. Boaz is a type of Christ, and Ruth is a type of the church. The book of Ruth tells us that Boaz redeemed Ruth; he also redeemed the birthright for her. This means that Christ, as our real Boaz, has redeemed both us and the birthright.
Boaz redeemed his kinsman’s inheritance and married the man’s widow (Ruth 4:1-17); hence, he became a notable forefather of Christ, a great associate of Christ. As a brother and a Boaz, you should take care of others’ birthright of Christ, not only your own birthright. In other words, you should not only take care of your own enjoyment of Christ, but also others’ enjoyment of Christ.
Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi. As we read this story, we see that Ruth and Naomi had lost the enjoyment, the birthright, but according to God’s regulation there was a way to restore the birthright, to redeem it. But it had to be redeemed by someone else. The principle is the same in the church life today. If I lose the birthright, the brothers have a way to redeem it for me. Quite often, some dear ones lose their enjoyment of Christ. In a sense, they become Naomi or Ruth. If so, you need to be a Boaz, able to redeem the lost birthright and marry the redeemed one.
Suppose I am a real Ruth who has lost her husband. To lose the husband means to lose the enjoyment of the birthright. I have the birthright, but I have lost the enjoyment of the birthright. Thus, I need you, as my brother, to redeem my birthright. But you need to be somewhat richer in Christ. You need to have some riches with which to redeem my birthright. Then you pay the price to regain my birthright, and you also marry me. This means that you become involved with me. This kind of spiritual involvement will produce Obed, the grandfather of David. Boaz became one of the great forefathers of Christ. In a spiritual sense, he was the one who enjoyed the largest and richest portion of Christ. If a brother becomes a Boaz to me, he will be the one with the greatest enjoyment of Christ. Because he redeemed my birthright and became so involved with me, our involvement in the Lord will eventually bring forth the full enjoyment of Christ.
In the church life today we need to have a number of Boazes. The book of Ruth tells us that there was another kinsman who was even closer to Ruth than Boaz was. But that man was selfish; he only took care of his own birthright. He was afraid that taking care of another’s might mar his own. This is exactly today’s situation. Some brothers should take care of me, the poor Ruth, but they are selfish in the spiritual enjoyment of Christ. Even in the spiritual enjoyment of Christ it is quite possible to be selfish. However, a Boaz will be generous and pay the price to redeem my birthright. All this indicates that we should take care of not only our own birthright, but also others’ birthright. Day by day we should take care of others’ enjoyment of Christ. The more we do this, the better.
We come now to Ruth (1:5). We may say that Ruth was certainly a good woman, but she had a great shortage. Although she herself was not involved in incest, her origin was a matter of incest. Ruth belonged to the tribe of Moab (Ruth 1:4). Moab was the son of Lot, the fruit of Lot’s incestuous union with his daughter (Gen. 19:30-38). According to Deuteronomy 23:3, the Moabites were forbidden to enter the congregation of the Lord, even to the tenth generation. Thus, Ruth was an excluded one. However, not only was she accepted by the Lord, but she became a wonderful person who partook of the enjoyment of Christ.
Although, as a Moabitess, Ruth was not allowed to enter the congregation of the Lord, she was seeking God and God’s people (Ruth 1:15-17; 2:11-12). This reveals a most prevailing principle: no matter who we are or what our background is, as long as we have a heart which seeks after God and God’s people, we are in a position to be accepted into the birthright of Christ. Ruth married Boaz, a godly man among God’s people, and brought forth Obed, the grandfather of David the king.
Boaz’s mother was Rahab, a Canaanitess, and his wife Ruth was a Moabitess. Both were Gentiles. Nevertheless, they were associated with Christ. This is a strong proof that Christ is joined not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles, even the Gentiles of a low and mean class.
You may have been born of a poor origin and have a pitiful background, but do not be bothered or frustrated by that. Forget it! Nothing can be worse than a person born of Moab. But as long as you have a heart to seek after God and God’s people and as long as you become involved with the proper person, such as Boaz, you will enter into the double portion of the enjoyment of Christ.
We continue with Jesse (vv. 5-6). Although the Bible does not have much to say about Jesse, what it does say about him is important. Isaiah chapter eleven speaks twice regarding Jesse. Isaiah 11:1 says that Christ will be the shoot (“rod” should be “shoot,” Heb.) out of the stem of Jesse and a branch out of the root of Jesse. Christ came out of him. Isaiah 11:10 says that Christ is the root of Jesse, indicating that Jesse came out of Christ. Jesse is a man altogether out of Christ; he is also a person who brings forth Christ. Christ comes out of him, and he comes out of Christ. Christ was his branch, and Christ was also his root. We need light from the Lord to understand these things.
What is a Jesse? A Jesse is a person who brings forth Christ, who branches out Christ by being rooted in Christ. When you branch out Christ, do not forget that Christ is not only your branch, but also your root. Christ branches out of you, and you come out of Christ. Christ is our source, and Christ is also our issue. This means that we are one with Christ and very closely associated with Him. We are in Him, and He is in us. He issues out of us, and we are rooted in Him. This is the kind of person who enjoys the birthright of Christ.
We all must be a Boaz, a Ruth, a Jesse, and a Tamar. We need to be this person and then that person. Eventually we shall say, “Praise the Lord for everybody! Everybody’s condition is the same as mine. Tamar’s condition is also my condition. The good conditions and the bad conditions are all the same as mine. I am Tamar, I am Pharez, I am Rahab, I am Boaz, I am Ruth, and I am Jesse. Hallelujah!” After Jesse, eventually we are David.
David was the eighth son of his father, the youngest one. This is meaningful. In the Bible the number eight signifies resurrection, a new start. The eighth day is the first day of the second week; hence, it signifies something new, something of resurrection. When Samuel came to anoint the king of God’s people, Jesse presented his seven sons to him. Samuel looked at them and said, “The Lord hath not chosen these.” When Samuel learned that there was an eighth one, David, he sent for him and anointed him (1 Sam. 16:10-13). This means that we who are chosen and saved are not people of the first week; we are those of the first day of the second week. We are the eighth child.
David was the last of the generations of the fathers, which were fourteen generations. David was the conclusion of the fathers’ section in the genealogy of Christ.
David was also the first of the generations of the kings. In this genealogy, only of David does it say “the king,” because it was through him that the kingdom with the kingship was brought in. He was the conclusion of one section and the beginning of the next section. He was the landmark of two ages. He was the ending of one and the beginning of the other because he was very much in the enjoyment of Christ. If we would have the rich enjoyment of Christ, we shall often need to be the end of one situation and the beginning of another situation. However, many of the dear ones can neither be the ending nor the beginning. Eventually, they are just nothing. In the church life, we need some Davids, some stronger ones to conclude certain situations and open up other situations. We need someone to close the fathers’ generation and to open up the kings’ generation. We must be strong; we must be the eighth son; we must be David.
David was a man after the heart of God (1 Sam. 13:14). God Himself told Saul that He would replace him, for He had found a man after His heart. In his whole life, David did nothing wrong, except one great thing: he murdered a man and took his wife. In one act David committed two great sins, murder and adultery. God Himself condemned this. The Bible says that David did right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of his life, except for this one thing (1 Kings 15:5).
David murdered Uriah and took his wife, Bathsheba. She was the wife of a Hittite, a heathen (2 Sam. 11:3). She was remarried as a result of adultery (2 Sam. 11:26-27).
After David committed murder and adultery, he was rebuked by the prophet Nathan, whom God sent purposely to condemn him (2 Sam. 12:1-12). After he was condemned, David repented. Psalm 51 is David’s psalm of repentance. David repented and God forgave (2 Sam. 12:13). There was repentance and there was forgiveness. Altogether we have three items here: transgression, repentance, and forgiveness. If we put all three together, the result is Solomon. First there were transgression and repentance plus forgiveness. After that, there was Solomon (2 Sam. 12:24), the one who built God’s temple. Solomon is the result not only of transgression and repentance, but of transgression, repentance, and God’s forgiveness. Here we see two marriages. The first was a marriage between David and Bathsheba. The second was a spiritual marriage, the marriage of David’s transgression and repentance with God’s forgiveness. God’s forgiveness married David’s transgression and repentance. This marriage brought forth the man named Solomon who built the temple of God. The church is always built up by this kind of person, Solomon, the issue of man’s transgression and repentance plus God’s forgiveness.
After David received God’s forgiveness and the joy of his salvation was restored, he prayed for Zion, for the building of the walls of Jerusalem, for the strengthening of his kingdom (Psa. 51:18). Eventually, as the result of God’s forgiveness of his sin, God gave him a son to build the temple of God for God’s presence as the center of the city of Jerusalem.
I hope the Lord will show you what human words cannot say. If you have been and still are a typically good person who has never murdered others, who has never transgressed, and who has never needed to repent, then God does not need to forgive you. If this is the case, then there will never be a Solomon, and the temple of God will never be built up. As we have seen, the building up of God’s temple comes from man’s transgression and repentance plus God’s forgiveness.
One day I said to the Lord, “Lord, my transgression and repentance need Your forgiveness. But, Lord, You know better than I that Your forgiveness also needs my transgression. My transgression needs Your forgiveness, and Your forgiveness needs my transgression. If I have no transgressions, then You don’t have a place to spend Your forgiveness.” When I said this to the Lord, it seemed that He said, “Yes. Because of your transgression and repentance, I do have an opportunity to spend My forgiveness. I am happy about this.” But you should never say, “Let us do evil that good may come.” You must do your best. But no matter how hard you may try to do everything right in the eyes of the Lord, sooner or later something will happen. Suddenly, you will murder, take over others, transgress. However, after you transgress, there will be a way for you to repent. If you repent, God will be ready to forgive you. Then you will beget a son and name him Solomon. The name Solomon means “peaceful” (2 Sam. 12:24; 1 Chron. 22:9). But Solomon also has another name, “Jedidiah” (2 Sam. 12:25), which means “beloved of the Lord.” To you, Solomon means “peaceful,” but to the Lord, he means “beloved of the Lord.” This son will be the one who will build up the house of God, today’s church.
You need to be right in the eyes of God all the time. But be assured that your being right is not good for building up the church. However, you should not say, “Let me do wrong!” I tell you, even if you try to be wrong, you will discover that you are not able to do wrong. I do not know what kind of sovereignty this is. But one day you will do something awful. All the brothers will shake their heads, unable to believe that you could have done such a thing. Nevertheless, you have done it! Then you need to read Psalm 51, make it your psalm, and go to the Lord, saying, “Lord, I repent. Against Thee and only Thee have I done this evil thing. Forgive me.” After this repentance, you will have another marriage, the marriage of your transgression and repentance with God’s forgiveness. This will bring forth a Solomon, one who is peaceful to you and beloved of the Lord. This person will build up the church, God’s temple. At that time you will be very useful in the building up of the church.
You may say, “What about today? What shall we do — wait for that kind of person to come?” No, do not wait. Your waiting does not avail. We should just walk in the presence of the Lord and let the Lord do it. As Charles Wesley said in one of his hymns, “’Tis mercy all!” Yes, it is altogether a matter of God’s mercy. Forget about your background, your situation, or what may happen in the future. You simply need to trust in the Lord’s sovereign mercy. If you have a heart for Him and for His people, He will work everything out. He will give you the full enjoyment of the birthright of Christ.
These verses in the genealogy of Christ are very difficult. They are not milk or meat; they are bones. If we spend an hour or two praying over these verses and over the points covered in this message, we shall see something more. We shall see that we need to be a person with a real seeking heart, a heart seeking God and God’s people. Then we shall be today’s Boaz, Ruth, Obed, Jesse, David, and eventually today’s Solomon, building up the house of God.
