Genealogy was important in ancient Israel. It was how the Israelites kept track of the heads of the tribes and who was eligible for service in the Temple.

It also debunks the idea that the tribes of the northern kingdom were “lost” after the Assyrian invasion of 722 BC.

This week, we study the records of six of the tribes, the family of Saul, and the genealogy of the returned exiles. Then we move to Psalm 102, titled, “A Prayer of One Afflicted, When he is Faint and Pours Out His Complaint Before the Lord.”

That seems appropriate this week, as we learned that our good friend and mentor, Dr. Michael Heiser, is in the late stage of an aggressive pancreatic cancer. He is home, in hospice care, and at peace. You can read Mike’s open letter about his condition at Mike’s Facebook page.