2ND OCTOBER

ROOT AND OFFSPRING OF DAVID

“…I am the Root and Offspring of David.”
(Revelation 22:16)

The root is the part of a plant, which attaches it to the ground or to a support,
typically underground. It absorbs water and nutrients and conveys them to the
rest of the plant through numerous branches and fibres. It is used figuratively
as the basis, origin, or source of something.
The offspring is the child or young of a particular parent, animal or plant; or the
product or result of something. So, in a sense, we can say the root may be a
source or parent and the offspring, the child or branch.

Jesus calls Himself the Root and Offspring of David. How can a person be both
parent and child to the same person – root and branch? Sounds impossible!
“But with God all things all possible” (Matthew 19:26).

In Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus, His lineage begins with Abraham through
David and ends with Jesus; whereas Luke begins with Jesus but goes
backwards through David to Abraham and up to Adam at the beginning,
created by God. So, we see Jesus as the Son of man, offspring of David and
up to Adam, son of God. Adam was created by God. God is the Root. Jesus
as part of the triune God created Adam, so He is the Root: “For by him (Jesus)
were all things created” (Colossians 1:16).

Luke resolves this paradox by showing us Jesus at the beginning of his
genealogy, as Son of man, the Offspring, and at the end, as God, the Creator – the Root

As the Root, we attach to Jesus for the water of life and nutrients for our daily
living. As the Offspring, Jesus is the firstborn among us, His brethren. He
empathises with our weaknesses and because He was tempted as we are
without sinning, we are motivated and encouraged to live in righteousness.

ACTION: Attach yourself firmly to the Root and daily seek your sustenance from Him.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, you are my Root. Help to remain firmly attached to you to receive my nourishment for abundant life of righteousness.