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; 35:912).
On his dying bed, Jacob blessed his twelve sons, but it was to Judah he gave the Messianic promise: The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from beneath his feet, until Shiloh come (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