Of the family of Jerahmeel there is little but the names. The Ram here (1 Chron 2:25) is nephew to the Ram, son of Hezron, and brother to Jerahmeel (2:9). But there is in this branch of Hezron's descendants one man most prominent on account of what he was and what he became through the favor of God, and in so sovereign a manner that, while Israel is under law, a Gentile is honored and prominent in Israel. Sheshan had no sons but daughters. Would not his name and family soon be lost among the thousands of Judah? Nay; for his daughter, though given to his Egyptian servant, stands at the head of thirteen generations (35-41).
When Israel came out of Egypt, a mixed multitude was with them, who became the means of temptation and led them to murmur (Numbers 11:44And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? (Numbers 11:4)). But one of the Egyptians that followed Israel had learned to bow to Jehovah, and had found it for his honor to be a servant in the house of Sheshan. He is raised afterward to be a son in the house of his bondage. Thus a Gentile slave is brought into the commonwealth of Israel, and has inheritance among them, and is in touch not very remote with the family of David.
Is this a specimen of that grace which will come upon the Gentile, even upon Egypt, when the Son of David reigns over the whole earth? For here it is not, as of old, Egypt oppressing Israel, but Israel admitting Egypt to partake of his blessing. The day is coming when the Egyptian and the Assyrian shall serve, and Israel be a blessing in the midst of the land (Isa. 19:2424In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: (Isaiah 19:24)). The Gentile shall serve Israel, and Israel shall bless the Gentile.
How sovereign the grace which will not overlook the outcast Gentile! The Gentile element is found in the direct lire of David's ancestry, for Boaz is the son of Rahab and the husband of Ruth. But the collateral line has its Jatha. And how irrespective of persons, the low and vile, and the high and noble I Gentiles are interwoven with the two tribes, the most prominent as being leaders in the house of Israel: Joseph, through Ephraim, ruling in virtue of the birthright, and Judah, of whom is the true David; Egypt's noble daughter, Asenath, with Joseph; the ignoble Thamar, with Judah; lower down the line, Rahab, of the doomed city; and Ruth, a Moabitess. Here too in a collateral line to that of Ram, an Egyptian slave is found. God would not be limited to Israel when it was a question of showing grace; He was as to law, but even under the old covenant, which was special to Israel, He chooses from among the Gentiles whom He will bless. Now that the work of the cross is done, how much more is the illimitable character of grace—God's grace—proclaimed. From Ephesians we know how it brings poor outcasts now into—not the commonwealth of Israel, but more—the enjoyment and possession of highest privilege, far beyond that of the favored Israelite. Once we were aliens to the commonwealth, but now we are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and—what Israel was never called, and never was as a nation—we are of the household of God.
In chapter 3 we return to 2:15 and David's sons and successors are given down to Josiah in regular succession from father to son. It was God's order, and was maintained even when the father was slain by conspirators. So that the interruption of this orderly succession would be strong evidence that God had cast off the nation. And as a fact that order was broken in upon after the death of Josiah, and the wrath began to be poured out as it had not been before. And God no sooner ceases to appoint to the throne than Satan steps in, and by his emissaries, the kings of Egypt and of Babylon, sets up men on the throne whom God rejected and gave up to judgment. Jehoahaz succeeded Josiah in the established order; but, not being confirmed on the throne by God, his reign only lasted for three months. The king of Egypt puts him down and carries him to Egypt, and sets Eliakim (Jehoiakim) on the throne. These were the immediate consequences of Josiah's rashness and folly in going to fight against Pharaoh-Necho, king of Egypt. God had given victory to Israel over larger armies than that which defeated Josiah. But this was predetermined, and the Judge was at the door. See how God makes all to bow to His will. If Judah bows to the king of Egypt, then must both Egypt and Judah bow to the king of Babylon, for that is the place where their period of captivity is to be endured, and we can see now, the only suited place, for God was going to give rule and dominion to Nebuchadnezzar, and the people who had rebelled against God, as their king, would have to feel as captives the power of the world. For eleven years Jehoiakim—Egypt's nominee—reigns. The king of Babylon appears and takes Jehoiakim to Babylon, and places a child of eight years on the throne. And after three years and ten days he also is carried to Babylon, being still a child. Zedekiah the third son of Josiah and uncle to the child-king taken to Babylon is made king. How like making a football of that throne which Jehovah claims as His own. We know Zedekiah's rebellion and end; with him the semblance of the kingdom of Judah ceased, and Jerusalem was destroyed. Yet wonderfully is the royal line of David preserved. Satan was allowed by his instruments—yea the instruments of God's wrath—the king of Egypt and the king of Babylon, to set aside God's order.
Here (1 Chronicles 3) we appear to have all the sons of Josiah; 2 Kings 23 and 2 Chronicles 36 give the names of those that were made kings. But Matthew gives the right line from Josiah, omitting collaterals, down to Joseph the husband of Mary. “And the sons of Josiah were the first born Johan-an, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum” (Ver. 15). Not the first-born who died in Egypt (2 Kings 23:3434And Pharaoh-nechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there. (2 Kings 23:34)) but the second carries on the line, and he is carried to Babylon, and his son Jeconiah who was born previous to the carrying away. This grandson of Josiah is the one that the Spirit of God singles out of all Josiah's sons and grandsons to maintain the true genealogy from David to Messiah. All the rest are, we may say, lumped together by Matthew. “And Josias begat Jechonias [Jeconiah] and his brethren about the time they were carried away to Babylon.” (Matthew 1).
Then after that, while in Babylon, Salathiel is born. Whatever changes in name may be as regards the others, there is nothing surprising in it, for the king of Babylon might as a matter of policy change their Hebrew names to Babylonish, even as he did in the case of Daniel and his three companions. He would, not unnaturally, seek to efface from their minds all remembrance of what they were, and all thought of their country, and of God's temple; and if so, equally an attempt on Satan's part to swamp God's line of kings in the common mass of Gentile names. God, who holds all in His hand, may have led the writer of the Chronicles and Matthew to give, the one their own names as Jews, the other the names as they were known among the heathen. Yet in that confusion when driven as captives to Babylon, the Spirit of God connects the last real king of Judah—Josiah—with his descendant born in Babylon. So Matthew has Josias, Jechonias, Salathiel, (the dark time of Josiah's sons is abridged): compare 1 Chron. 3:15-1715And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. 16And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. 17And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son, (1 Chronicles 3:15‑17) with Matt. 1:11, 1211And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; (Matthew 1:11‑12). It is enough for the true believer to know that both Chronicles and the Gospel are inspired. Scripture is inspired by God, the foolish criticisms of learned infidels notwithstanding. The genealogy in Chronicles terminates of course with the return from Babylon. In Matthew the promised Seed appears, the last of the line. He will have no successor, for He lives forever. And though the outward link between Jehovah and the throne of Judah—of Israel—is broken, and man appears to control the destinies of that land, the due time is coming when the Son of David will assert His rights to the throne and kingdom. The kings of the earth will resist His claim, as they have: Jehovah has them in derision.
But what a principle of exceeding grace it is that made all Israel's blessing to hang upon the king Most were bad, and chastisement fell on the nation. Some were good, none perfect, anti prosperity followed. When He comes of Whom the prophet says, “Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins” (Isa. 11:5; 32:15And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. (Isaiah 11:5)
1Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. (Isaiah 32:1)), who can compute the blessedness of all Israel, when the Perfect MAN sits on His Throne? yea, who can tell the joy of the Whole earth when God says of Him that He reigns in righteousness? When Matthew wrote his Gospel, the throne was occupied by an enemy. The might and prowess of a David was a thing of the long past, the splendor of Solomon too was all gone, and the true Heir of their power and glory (yea, of much more) was in appearance a poor carpenter, the reputed son of a carpenter. But the crown is His; the royal title is, through Joseph, legally vested in Jesus the Son of Mary, and in Him it remains: and soon He will take the kingdom which is His both humanly and divinely. “For thine,” O Lord, “is the kingdom and the power and the glory, Amen.”
R. B.