The Prophet Jeremiah speaks of a royal branch
16th December “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous branch from the line of David. He will reign as king and rule wisely and ensure justice and righteousness in the land.” (Jeremiah 23:5) Jeremiah was the s
The Prophet Isaiah speaks of a royal child
15th December “The virgin will be with child, and she will give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) Having learned more about Christ’s ancestors, we now turn to the Old Testament prophets who spoke of his comi
Zerubbabel, the chosen servant
14th December “On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel, my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the Lord, and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:23) A new chapter of C
King Josiah, the religious reformer
13th December “A son will be born to the house of David by the name of Josiah.” (1 Kings 13:2) Josiah may not be that widely known, but along with Hezekiah, he was one of Judah’s most saintly kings. Like Christ, his birth was prophesied hundred
King Hezekiah, the messenger of mercy
12th December “I tell you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (Luke 10:24) King Hezekiah was another of Christ’s royal ancestors. He ruled Judah during the tim
King Solomon, the peacemaker
11th December “Solomon, the son of David, strengthened his hold on the kingdom, for the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly powerful.” (2 Chronicles 1:1) When King David died, his son Solomon succeeded him as ruler of Israel. When
Queen Bathsheba, the queen mother
10th December “David then proceeded to console his wife Bathsheba. He went to her and slept with her. As a result, she bore a son, whom they named Solomon.” (2 Samuel 12:24) Bathsheba is another of the four women mentioned in St Matthew’s versi
King David, the shepherd king
9th December “Remember the gospel that I preach: Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, was raised from the dead.” (2 Timothy 2:8) King David was the shepherd boy and musician who became one of Israel’s greatest kings. After defeating Goliath on
Jesse, the root of the family tree
8th December “A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch will grow from his roots. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him.” (Isaiah 11:1) Jesse was the father of King David and another direct ancestor of Christ. In the Fir
Ruth, the faithful foreigner
7th December “Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord granted that she conceive, and she bore a son.” (Ruth 4:13) In St Matthew’s version of Christ’s family tree, he includes four women, one of whom w