People say they don’t like reading the genealogies of Scripture. Reading page after page of “Asa begat Josaphat” doesn’t seem to do wonders for the soul. Yet the genealogies have become some of my favorite sections of Scripture. They illustrate one of the most beautiful truths in the Bible: “Your faithfulness endures to all generations.” (Psalm 119:90).

The reason why the genealogies of Scripture are so long is because God’s faithfulness extends to “a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9). In fact, Psalm 36:5 describes it this way: “Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” Generation after generation, spanning all the way back to the days of Abraham, God has been faithful to keep His promise. This is why the Gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy – to show that the coming of Jesus was an expression of God’s faithfulness!

What kind of world will my children grow up in? What kinds of challenges will they face? My heart is calmed by the truth of Scripture. God will be faithful in my children’s generation just as He has been in my generation. His faithfulness truly extends to the clouds. “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:23)

May our hearts rest in this beautiful truth – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). “For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5).