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Written by Maryann Edmonson
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What's your name? Where do you come from? What do you like to do? These are just a few questions we ask when making new friends.
I felt the need to know Jesus better, so I began a study with them in mind and made a fascinating discovery - his earthly heritage is mixed and includes some unsavory characters just like many of ours.
His bloodline through Mary, takes us back to Rahab and Ruth, both women of Moab. Ezra 9:1 calls Moabites abominations, and 1 Kings 11:7 identifies them as idolators. Mary's line also takes us to King David, a man after God's own heart, but also a murderer and adulterer. It also includes Judah who went in to his daughter-in-law thinking she was a harlot, and Rahab (mentioned above) who actually was a harlot.
With all the curses and abominations of his ancestors it's easy to see why the Pharisees didn't accept him. They forgot one of their own laws, inheritance passes through the father, not the mother. But he carried the blood of nations. How appropriate that God would use this blood to cleanse all nations.
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