Matthew 1-2 ~ My people Israel

Pomegranate in Mishmarot, (Hebrew: משמרות‎) Israel. Exodus 28:33–34 directed that images of pomegranates be woven onto the borders of Hebrew priestly robes. 1 Kings 7:13–22 describes pomegranates depicted in the temple King Solomon built in Jerusalem. Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate is a symbol for righteousness. The pomegranate is one of the few images which appear on ancient coins of Judea as a holy symbol, and today many Torah scrolls are stored while not in use with a pair of decorative hollow silver "pomegranates" (rimmonim) slid down over the two upper scroll handles.

For the same reason, pomegranates are a motif found in Christian religious decoration. They are often woven into the fabric on vestments and liturgical hangings or wrought in metalwork.



Matthew 1
1 A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
4 Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse,
6 and Jesse the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,
7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asa,
8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,
Jehoram the father of Uzziah,
9 Uzziah the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah,
11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah
and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
12 After the exile to Babylon:
Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
13 Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,
Abiud the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
14 Azor the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Akim,
Akim the father of Eliud,
15 Eliud the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

 

Pomegranites are also a symbol of being fruitful. In Jesus Christ, we hope our lives are fruitful for Him. So much of progression in the Lord  - is mercy. Looking at the tree of Jesus' forebearers, we see a noted lack of perfection. God, not including His Son, is noted for working around the imperfect, using people who obvoiously need Him to be accounted as righteous.

We live in interesting times, I'm currently in Washington D.C. I used to visit this city quite a bit in my teens. And most recently in 2006. The walk way up to the Lincoln Memorial needs some significant yard work. The concrete, war type barricades, of 2006 are gone. The Smithsonian underwent vast improvements in 2006, unfortunately the Museums, in our Nation's capital,  aren't wired for audio or interact with the internet. Finding wireless in Washington D.C. seems difficult. And yet to see the buildings laid out by Thomas Jefferson and see the Capital at night is still amazing. Walking into the crowded Lincoln Memorial and reading Lincoln, the largest appellate lawyer in Illinois, even today, writing his own speeches about freedom and overcoming war brought us to tears. He noted both sides called upon the same God, but one side fought for equality and both sides would continue until freedom was won. Fight the good fight. Seeing the 3D photos of the civil war, as clear as any nightly news broadcast, the proud beginnings of Fort Sumpter launching the new flag - to the devestation station of Charleston - were sobering. Freedom is not free. In this nation and for Christians calling upon the promises of GOD.

Let us continue to pray daily to be fruitful for HIM, both individually and for a nation so proudly proclaiming their devotion to Him engraved upon their marble, hallowed walls. In Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

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