“And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16).

The lineage of Jesus Christ was remarkably prophesied, stage by stage, from the beginning of history. When sin first entered the world through Adam, the Lord promised a coming Savior, the “seed of the woman” (Genesis 3:15). Adam and Eve had “sons and daughters” (Genesis 5:4); but it was only the line leading from Seth to Noah that would lead to Christ, for it was prophesied concerning Noah that he would “comfort us . . . because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed” (Genesis 5:29).

Of the three sons of Noah, God prophesied: “Blessed be the LORD God of Shem” (Genesis 9:26). In the line from Shem, God chose Abram, to whom He promised: “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Abraham had eight sons, but it was to Isaac that God renewed the promise, and then He also renewed it to Jacob, instead of Esau (Genesis 26:4; 28:4; 35:9–12).

On his death bed, Jacob blessed his twelve sons, but it was to Judah he gave the Messianic promise: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10). Then, out of the great tribe of Judah, God prophesied concerning David: “I will set up thy seed after thee . . . and I will establish His kingdom” (II Samuel 7:12). Much later, He predicted concerning the descendants of David in Bethlehem: “Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

At the proper time, the one who was prophesied from of old did come forth to be our Savior, fulfilling these and hosts of other marvelous prophecies. HMM