Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25; Genesis 3:15
Review: Part 2 - Genesis 3:15 is the first announcement of God's plan to send a virgin-born King to restore the earth as a place where His rule is fully honored and obeyed. The elements of God's original announcement show up in the account Matthew gives of the exchange between Joseph and an angel of the Lord regarding the birth of a son to Mary. A second example of this revolves around the character of the representatives of the two sides I wrote about yesterday. The side of the serpent is characterized by rebellion, sin, pain, struggle, the break-up of relationships, death, and various other aspects of the curse. The side of the woman, on the other hand, is characterized by faith and life (more on this in a later post). In Matthew's account of the announcement, we see the same characterizations associated with the two sides. Joseph is called a "just" man, a description that indicates his righteousness because of his faith. His decision not to divorce Mary results in "life" for both her and her son. Divorce in those days was devastating to women. It was tantamount to a "death" sentence for someone as poor as Mary. At the very least, it would have been a pain-filled struggle for her to survive. So, the same contrast between the two sides that we find in Genesis 3:15 is also found in Matthew 1:18-25, indicating once again the close connection between God's first announcement of His plan to deliver the world through a virgin-born King and the plan's fulfillment through the birth of our Lord.
Reflection Questions: In what practical sense has your relationship with the Lord through faith rescued you from rebellion, sin, pain, struggle, and death and given you "life"?
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