Journey Through 1 Chronicles
The Book of 1 Chronicles chronicles for us perhaps the longest span of any book of the Bible. For example, the first word of Chronicles is Adam. It goes all the way back to the very beginning, and it covers 3600 years. There are 1500 names in the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles. Sometimes people get bogged down in them, and they think, “Why all these names and why all these genealogies?”
In the New Testament, we are warned not to give heed to fables and endless genealogies (1 Timothy 1:4). But the genealogies Paul warned of in the New Testament are people’s family lines, thinking that there is something special because of who their family was. But the genealogy found in 1 Chronicles is not just any genealogy; it is the family line of Jesus Christ.
Interestingly enough, in the Jewish Bible, the Hebrew Old Testament, Chronicles is the last book. Now, that is significant because when you begin our New Testament, what do you begin with? The chronology — the genealogy — of Christ. Ultimately, Chronicles is about Christ. It is about God’s faithfulness amidst man’s unfaithfulness.
Listen: Journeying through 1 Chronicles
Overview of 1 Chronicles
The Chronicles are really a commentary on 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. While containing many similarities, the Chronicles are different because they are arranged in chronological order. That is what a chronicle is — it is a historical record, chronologically arranged. The books of Chronicles are significant because they are confined mainly to the southern kingdom of Judah. Israel, the northern kingdom, is only mentioned in its relationship to Judah.
Additionally, there are some key differences. Samuel and Kings show us the royal perspective. Chronicles shows us more of the religious perspective. We see the king’s labors in Samuel and Kings, but we see more of the priestly work in Chronicles. The throne is in view in the early historical books, but the temple is in view in the Chronicles. Samuel and Kings deal with political matters, but Chronicles deals with ecclesiastical matters.
You might say it this way: in Samuel and the Kings we get a human viewpoint, but Chronicles gives us the divine standpoint. It is not mere man ruling in history, but Almighty God ruling and overruling. This book details many of the same events, but from a different perspective. Comparing Scripture with Scripture sheds great light on this period in Israel’s history. Yet it also sheds light on our own lives.
A Message of Hope
Ezra the scribe drew from many sources, but we believe he is the one who penned the inspired words in the Chronicles. Let us set the context for just a moment. The people have gone into Babylonian captivity. At the end of 2 Kings, the city is destroyed, the temple is burned, and the throne of David is gone. Now they have lived through the Babylonian captivity, and they are returning to the city ruins. They are coming back to ashes. What hope is there?
In view of that, Ezra penned the Chronicles. They were written to give hope. When you read the record of the Kings, there is tremendous despair and sorrow. But the message of Chronicles is a message we need today. It is a message of hope. What is the message? The throne is gone, but the promise is not.
You may not be able to see the temple or see the throne right now, but God is still ruling, and God’s promises are still true. There was no king, but the King of Kings was still in control, and they needed to be reminded of the covenant that God made with David. That is the reason for all these genealogies. It is the reason why there is such a recap of historical events. The remnant needed a reminder. A reminder serves as divine encouragement that God has not forsaken you, that God has never failed you, and He will not fail you now.
Who is in Charge?
In a way, there is nearly a return to theocracy. There is a return to the fact that God is in control. It is not man ruling, it is not heathen people ruling, and it is not chaos ruling. God Himself is ruling. God still rules and reigns. He is on the throne.
The great message of Chronicles to us is remembering God and His promises. As a matter of fact, the first word of the book was Adam, but the book ends with 1 Chronicles 29:29-30: “Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the Seer, With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.”
The book ends with a reminder of David’s rule and reign. And why? It is not for David’s sake. It is a reminder of God’s covenant with David, God’s promise to David. As a matter of fact, the entire book really centers around that. It leads us to the one to whom God said, “I am going to give you an eternal throne. I am going to give you an eternal kingdom. I am going to give you an eternal seed, an eternal promise.” This should lead us to be thankful for the promises of God and for a God who keeps His promises.
Chronicles is about Christ
Remember, Chronicles is about Christ. It is not just about David. It is about the Son of David who is to come. (Discover 55 Prophecies Jesus Fulfilled). And it is beautiful to see that God has not forsaken His people, and friend, I want to say to you, Jesus Christ stands through the annals of history and cries out, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”
In a dark day, Chronicles stood as a book of hope and light. Notice the Structure of 1 Chronicles:
- Chapters 1-9 provide the genealogy of the chosen line.
- Chapters 10-12 declare the greatness of the chosen King.
- Chapters 13-16 detail the glory of the chosen place. The Ark, being brought to Jerusalem by David, and a reminder of the presence of God and the blessings that accompany that presence, are recalled. This section lists the many reasons for us to thank the Lord. It is this section where the first use of the word psalms is found.
- Chapters 17-21 testifies of God’s grace on the chosen people; God deals with Judah. But then, even more specifically, with the house of David.
- Chapters 22-29 conclude with the grandeur of the chosen work. It deals with the work of the Levites in the temple. The grandest work is always God’s work. The grandest work is the priestly work.
Oh friend, what is our work today? We have been made a kingdom of priests unto our God. We have access to the throne of the King. God has made a way into the holiest of all to talk to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Remember God’s Promises
No matter what your story today, no matter what your stress or your struggle or your strain, no matter what your sin, I want to give you some hope today. God is still on the throne. The Lord is at work at this moment, and if you will return to the Lord, the One who never left. You left him. He never left you. If you return to the Lord, who is always the same, you will find that His promises are true. You might feel like the throne has disappeared, but friend, his promise has not.
In 1 Chronicles, we remember God and meditate on His promises. May that remembering cause us to return, because only in that do we return to the blessing. And then, my friend, you will enjoy the journey.
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