Within 3 generations there can be a story that is hard to hide because everyone knows what happened.
We don’t need to remind ourselves of the quality that this next 3 generational family as they are mentioned elsewhere in the Bible and the Jewish Talmud. Matthew records them,
“Nahshon, the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,” (Matthew 1 v 4-5)
Nahshon was the divisional leader of the tribe of Judah and would always go first when the Israelites broke camp (Numbers 10:14). The Talmud says he was the first to plunge into the Red Sea as Moses lifted his staff to part it; Salmon marries Rahab (more of that next); Boaz is well-known as the kinsman-redeemer of Ruth (more of that next).
Those are the positive aspects of their lives. However, this family became known for these 2 stories and the reason why Matthew included the names of Rahab and Ruth.
Rahab makes the hall of faith in Hebrews 11 but nonetheless, she was a prostitute and a Canaanite (Joshua 2). It is hard to fully describe the hate that God’s people had for the Canaanites whose culture was pure evil involving child sacrifice to the god Molech. They were evil and proud of it and to bring one into the family line was shocking. But that’s what happened, the daughter-in-law of the important tribal leader was a Canaanite prostitute. They had a son and not only was one family story shocking enough they would eventually have two! Ruth seduced Boaz and he became her husband (Ruth 3) but Ruth was also a Gentile, more than that, she was from Moab. It is hard for us to understand how the Israelites viewed the enemies such as the Moabites. They detested them. Matthew makes sure that everyone knows that this 3 generational family had 2 stories of mixed marriages from an impure and evil culture.
So you may look into your past or even your present and think your family are far from perfect. They may have made decisions that look foolish. They may have chosen partners that you would never have chosen for them.
Nothing changes. Not even the ability of God to weave the broken stories into a divine family line where He makes all things good! If that is your family then this will encourage you and/or make you extremely thankful!
Missions Paul 