Steadfast
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
God's promises are sure - from the first made to Eve in the garden, down to Abraham and David and the present day. The lives of men and women pass on, but God's purposes are always accomplished. This is one of the realities that the reader is reminded of by the genealogy in Matthew 1. Christ's heritage contains both the devout and the faithless, generation upon generation colored by sin that vanish like the morning dew, but all of it framed against a God who is faithful, and after all things, sent his own son "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Rom. 8:3) to condemn sin in the flesh. J.C. Ryle comments on this passage that it is a warning to those who reject God, that without repentance they will surely perish - for God will fulfil his word; conversely, "True Christians should take comfort. Their Father in heaven will be true to all his engagements. He has said that he will save all believers in Christ. If he has said it, he will certainly do it" (13 Jan, Morning).
Praise God that he is true to his word, even when we are timid, arrogant, and faithless. So come to Him – casting every doubt and weight of sin at His feet: he answers those who call upon his name. Rest in him, for no matter what storms may batter this weak flesh across the voyage of life, He is steadfast both now and in eternity.
References
Ryle, J C, and Robert Sheehan. Daily Readings From All Four Gospels For Morning and Evening. EP Books, 2020.