1. Matthew 1:1–25 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

How does the decline of the royal house of David leading up to the Babylonian captivity point to Israel’s need for the Messiah?

Matthew 1:7–10 (ESV)

7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,

In short

The spiritual decline of David’s line already started with Solomon, who went from loving the Lord (1 Kings 3:3) to loving many foreign women and also worshipping their gods (1 Kings 11:1–3). As a result, the kingdom was split in two under his son Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1–33), which was a political decline.

The decline already begins with Solomon. First we read of him that he loved the LORD (1 Kings 3:3), but later that he loved many foreign women which caused him to fall away from the Lord and commit idolatry (1 Kings 11:1–13). The decline was not only spiritual but also political: After Solomon’s reign, the kingdom was split in two 1 Kings 12:1–33).1