One of the things we may not appreciate about Biblical Genealogies is the end view of the author. We read through those portions of scripture and sometimes get stumped by all the names. Our conclusion is that these don’t really effect the story. But doing this puts limits on the intention of the author. Essentially, we may think that the authors did not have the end in sight when writing. I challenge that argument, especially as it concerns genealogies. The ‘end game’ is the primary motive for Biblical genealogies.

One thing to remember is that the author is writing in hind-sight. The historical events have already take place. For this reason, the genealogies are always focused on a specific person or family. The author can trace specifically whom he wants to. He starts, not years back using trial and error to get to his characters, but with specific persons he traces backward. Any genealogist will realize the crucial nature of this approach. This means that there are no ‘dead ends’ to the genealogies. The author concludes each branch with the person(s) he wants to. It also means that the persons at the end of the genealogies do not exceed the timeframe of the source. In the case of the genealogy in Chronicles, the end persons or families were likely contemporary with the source/author or had specific ties contemporary families.

What does this teach us? It reenforces that the genealogies are designed by choice for the purpose of the document at hand. Each genealogy fits the purpose of the document. Because of this, we should have more appreciation for the path the author chose to use. It means he can use or not use whomever he wishes as it serves its literary purpose. But we don’t have to stop the application here. What about our spiritual sonship? How can we learn about or spiritual genealogy as it leads back to God? We learn that in our genealogy we have been chosen with the end in sight.

We cannot presume that we, personally, are the end and crux of God’s salvation. Rather, we function as members within a genealogy. Through the gospel, we are made into the likeness of our forefathers as they were made into the likeness of Christ. If we recognize this pattern we should behave in certain ways. First, we should recognize that our sonship depends on conformity with Christ. If we lay aside our likeness to Him, we lay aside our inheritance. Second, we must model our behavior after those whom God approves. God has given the apostles and prophets, as well has His divine commentary of the early church, to inform us what His children look like. If we choose not to conform to the approved Gospel which God gave, then we cannot call ourselves His children, nor have our names in His book of life. Third, we should live with the end in sight. God, who is not limited to a single timeframe, is the master genealogist. John says through his Revelation that there is a book of life with our names enlisted. The Bible doesn’t just have lists of random people. It records genealogies or enrollments specifically designed to support the function of the whole book. If this book of life is anything similar, we are part of a greater spiritual genealogy which, by itself, is not the goal, but supports the goal: the glory of Christ. If we live with the end in sight, we must realize that we ought to play a role in the spread of the gospel. The author of genealogies, when he has the end in sight, does not record names that are useless to his objective. Some names do not have stated ties, but every name means something to the author and to the one whom the book is designed for.

Your value to God is represented by your place in His book of life. But what are you doing about it? Do you act as though you are the end result, or are a vessel for service? If you have a view of the end, then you will realize that there are souls to save, there are those to be born into Christ whom you can father. You should be “fruitful and multiply” in the kingdom of God. Those who are not fruitful for the service of God are cut off from the tree or removed from the genealogy. Neither I nor any other man is in a position to judge your fruitfulness in the end game of the Gospel. Your function is not rated by number of baptisms. God sees how useful you are. But you cannot be fruitful for the kingdom if you do not try. Live with the end in sight. You are not the end, but serve to bring glory to Christ by being fruitful in deed.