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Matthew 1:8b
King Jehoshaphat became allies with Ahaziah the king of Israel (2 Chronicles 20:35) but this was not favorable in the eyes of the LORD (2 Chronicles 20:37). From here it tends to get very confusing as the names of the sons of the two kings are the same being Joram/Jehoram, and they reigned as king of Israel and king of Judah at the same time. Also, King Ahaziah (the king of Israel) has the same name as the son of Joash the king of Judah. We might ask, “Why is this important?” The answer is that for some reason Matthew’s Gospel does not mention the kings of Judah from Joram (the son of Jehoshaphat, to Uzziah) as it is documented in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Matthew simply goes from Joram to Uzziah.
In gaining some information about each of these kings in the genealogy of Jesus we find that this was a very tumultuous time as the allied union between King Jehoshaphat and King Ahaziah launched a power struggle that was no only deadly in the eyes of the kings, but was unfavorable in the eyes of God. This union grew deeper as “Jehoram” as is stated in 2 Kings 8:16 being the son of Jehoshaphat married the daughter of Ahaziah the king of Israel. Jehoram/Joram as is stated in Matthew 1:8b followed the ways of Ahaziah the king of Israel which were not favorable in the eyes of God. After his death we are informed that his son Ahaziah became king of Judah (2 Kings 8:25) which also details the confusion of the names of the kings of both Israel and Judah. This is all confirmed in 2 Chronicles 21.
Because of the evilness of King Jehoram, God struck him with a disease which would kill him as his family (except for his youngest son) was all taken captive by the Philistines and the Arabians (2 Chronicles 21:16-17). This youngest son, Jehoahaz/Ahaziah (2 Chronicles 22:1-2) then became king of Judah.
Ahaziah joined forces with Jehoram/Joram the King of Israel (2 Chronicles 22:5), whose name is used in either form freely, and both were killed in battle by Jehu, whom the LORD had appointed to cut off the house of Ahab (2 Chronicles 22:7). Jehu also destroyed all the sons of Ahaziah (2 Chronicles22:8), however, we learn in 2 Chronicles 22:11 that Joash, one of the King’s sons, was hidden while all the King’s sons were being murdered. Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, killed all the royal heirs so as to leave herself alone to rule (2 Chronicles 22:10-12). This is also documented in 2 Kings 9-11. 2 Chronicles 24:2 states, “Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.” It is important to note that Jehoiada, the priest, along with his wife, Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram (2 Chronicles 22:11-12) raised Joash while he was hidden with them in the house of God for six years. After Jehoiada died, Joash turned from following the LORD. After being warned by the prophets, and not returning to the ways of the LORD, Joash killed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada as he informed Joash that as he had forsaken the LORD, the LORD had also forsaken him (2 Chronicles 24:15-25).
After the death of Joash, his son Amaziah became king of Judah (2 Chronicles 24:27). 2 Chronicles 25:2 (NKJV) states, “And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart.” Amaziah set up the gods of the people of Seir and worshiped them (2 Chronicles 25:14-15) and the LORD became angry with him. He refused to listen to the prophets, and God destroyed him for his hardness of heart (2 Chronicles 25:16).
After the death of Amaziah, his son, Uzziah became king of Judah (2 Chronicles 26:1). 2 Chronicles 26:4-5 states, “And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.” We know from 2 Chronicles 25:2 that Amaziah did not have his heart right with God, and his son, following in the ways of his father, was not sincere to God in his heart as he became proud of himself in the accomplishments that God had given him and he did not give proper credit to God. For this, God struck him with leprosy (a skin disease that during the time of the Old Testament was considered “unclean” and those who had it were outcasts). He continued this way until his death, when his son Jotham became king of Judah (2 Chronicles 26).
This is the genealogy of Jesus from Jehoshaphat to Uzziah.
We do not know why Matthew did not include these “lost” generations of kings in the genealogy of Jesus. Some scholars believe that it was to make the generations in numbers of 14 in each segment of the genealogy as 14 appears to be a number of significance to the Israelites. Other possibilities are that possible generation gaps were lost in the records that Matthew had access to in his research. Nevertheless, these are the events of those who are in the direct line of ancestry to Jesus. As outrageous as it may appear to us, I believe that God wanted to show us today of the depths of the human disobedience that has always been present in the life of man. Psalm 14, a Psalm believed to have been written by King David, states in Psalm 14:2-3 (NKJV),
“The LORD looks down from heaven
upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand,
who seek God.
They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.”
God gave us the example of the Israelites in the Old Testament to show us that we cannot be good people in the eyes of God on our own. God gave His chosen people Israel the prophets to instruct them in being the people that He would have them to be – to show the rest of the world how blessed they would be for following Him. But the sinfulness of man would not allow them to do so – a greater way was needed. This is why God came into this world in the form of His Son Jesus – to save us in His purity, without sin, to save us from sin that we might believe in Him and be saved. The Apostle Paul teaches us in Romans 10:9-10 (NIV), “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Dear LORD,
We have studied much confusion today in the genealogy of our Savior Jesus. Please help us in the midst of the confusion to press forward toward the goal of righteousness in our Savior Jesus that we would bring glory to You through our lives; that as we are sinful in nature, that we would look to Jesus for the forgiveness that only He can provide in being the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). In Jesus name I pray, amen.