1 Chronicles 8:29-40: a reflection

29The father of Gibeon, whose wife’s name was Maacah, lived in Gibeon 30with his firstborn son Abdon, Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, 31Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, 32and Mikloth, who became the father of Shimeah. They also lived with their families in Jerusalem, near their relatives. 33Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal. 34The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal. Merib-baal became the father of Micah. 35The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. 36Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah. Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza. 37Moza became the father of Binea. Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son. 38Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. 39The sons of Eshek his brother: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third. 40The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons, and grandsons, one hundred fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.

This passage records the genealogy of Saul's family, the line of the fallen king, including his son Jonathan and his descendants. Saul had failed grievously, turning from God and coming to a tragic end; and yet his line continued, and is recorded here, generation after generation. The failure of the king did not erase his descendants; the line continued, and among it were faithful ones like Jonathan. The failure of one did not define all who came after.

Notice that the line continued beyond the failure of Saul. Saul had failed and fallen; but his descendants were not erased or defined by his failure. The line went on, generation after generation, and included Jonathan, who was faithful and good, unlike his father in his final years. The failure of the forebear did not doom or define those who came after; each generation, each person, had their own standing, not simply inherited from the one before.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can feel defined or doomed by the failures of those before us, in our families or our lines. We may come from a family marked by failure, sin, or brokenness, and feel that this defines us, that we are doomed to repeat it. But the line of Saul continued beyond his failure, and included faithful ones; the failure of the forebear did not define all who came after. You are not defined or doomed by the failures of those before you, in your family or your line; each person has their own standing before God, not simply inherited from the one before. Jonathan was faithful though his father failed; you too can walk faithfully, whatever the failures of those before you. Do not let the failures of your family or forebears define you or doom you to repeat them; you have your own standing before God, and can walk faithfully, as Jonathan did, whatever those before you did. The failure of the one before does not define the one who comes after; be faithful yourself, whatever the failures of your line.

Lord, this passage records the genealogy of Saul's family, the line of the fallen king, including his son Jonathan and his descendants. Saul had failed grievously, coming to a tragic end; and yet his line continued, and included faithful ones like Jonathan. The failure of the king did not erase or define all who came after. Show me that the line continued beyond Saul's failure. His descendants were not doomed or defined by his failure; the line went on, and included Jonathan, who was faithful and good. The failure of the forebear did not define those who came after; each person had their own standing. Take that to my heart, for I can feel defined or doomed by the failures of those before me, in my family or my line. I may come from a family marked by failure, sin, or brokenness, and feel that this defines me, that I am doomed to repeat it. But the line of Saul continued beyond his failure, and included faithful ones. Help me know that I am not defined or doomed by the failures of those before me; each person has their own standing before you, not simply inherited from the one before. Jonathan was faithful though his father failed; help me too walk faithfully, whatever the failures of those before me. Keep the failures of my family or forebears from defining me or dooming me to repeat them, Lord; help me be faithful myself, as Jonathan was, whatever those before me did.