First & Second Chronicles: Repeat Kings, with Subtractions and Additions Up until now (with the exception of Deuteronomy in which Moses states again what he had covered in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers) we have had one continuous storyline from the beginning of Genesis to the end of 2 Kings. The story will pick back up again after Chronicles with Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther, but before that we have a retelling of the books of 2 Samuel and 1st & 2nd Kings with certain subtractions and additions from those accounts. My purpose here is to fill in the holes of the two books of the Kings. It’s like God says, “O yes, there are some things I didn’t mention before but I thought you needed to know, so I’m writing the two books of Chronicles to fill you in.” So the question begs itself: Why? What is in Chronicles that wasn’t in 2 Samuel or the books of the Kings? Both 2 Samuel and 1Chronicles are all about David. First Chronicles is no mere repetition of the same historic material found in 2nd Samuel and the Kings; the perspective is different. The Septuagint translation entitles the books of Chronicles: “Of Things Omitted.” Chronicles give a divine editorial on what we have in 2 Samuel and the two books of the Kings; the former being a political history from a prophetic and moral viewpoint, while Chronicles is a religious history with a priestly and spiritual perspective, concerned exclusively with the royal line of David and the Davidic Covenant. Kings tells us what happened; Chronicles tells us why it happened. 1 Chronicles is not concerned with the Northern Kingdom of Israel but with the Southern Kingdom and David’s dynasty, because all the promises of the coming Messiah are fulfilled as a descendent of David. A lot of print is given to David and Solomon because in them the kingdom reached its height and hopefully this would encourage the returning remnant and remind them to remain true to the covenant God had made with Israel and David. In Chronicles they (and we) find their spiritual heritage and identity. It is believed that Ezra wrote the two books of Chronicles in about 440 B.C. and read it to the returned remnant in Jerusalem; during this time Nehemiah was their political leader and Malachi the moral leader. First we’ll take an overview look at the books to see what’s in each of them, then we will linger over the uniqueness of Chronicles. I. The STORY A. First Chronicles 1. The Royal Line of David, chapters 1-9 These are the most comprehensive genealogies in the Bible with an emphasis on Judah because it is from Judah that David’s dynasty came and the Messiah also. They show God at work selecting and preserving a people for Himself from the beginning of human history to after the Babylonian exile. 2. The Reign of David, 10-29 The omissions from 2nd Samuel are glaring: there is no mention in Chronicles of David’s struggles with King Saul, his 7 year reign in Hebron, his various wives, or Absalom’s rebellion and his sin with Bathsheba. This is written more from a positive perspective, emphasizing God’s grace and forgiveness to encourage the Jews who had returned from exile. Bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the Tabernacle of David in Zion of Jerusalem is given much ink (13-17). David’s military victories are given in 18-20. His sinful census is discussed to show that sin has devastating consequences (21). Not found in 2nd Samuel are David’s extensive preparations for building the Temple and its worship services (22-27). B. Second Chronicles 1. The Reign of Solomon, 1-9 Everything in Chronicles is related to the Temple. This book begins by giving great details of the construction of it and the inaugural services (1-7) and ends with King Cyrus decreeing the rebuilding of it (36:22-23). Everything between the first and last chapter has to do with the Temple. (It was written and compiled by a Levite remember.) David had already brought the Ark of the Covenant into Zion, so to complete the preparation for the Temple, Solomon went to get the rest of the Tabernacle of Meeting (furniture) which was on Mount Gibeon (1:3-6). While there God made His first visit to Solomon and the king asked for wisdom; and because of that wise request God promised him wisdom, wealth and honor as no other king had known (1:7-17). Chapters 2-7 give “First Mention” status to the House of God; everything we need to know about God’s house is taught in these chapters, and fulfilled in Acts. The rest of this section (8-9) tells of the glory of Solomon as God fulfills what He had promised to the young king. Israel is at its total height in military might, geographical extension, wealth and spiritual achievements during his reign. 2. The Reign of Judah’s Kings, 2 Chron.10-36 Unfortunately, Israel’s glory is short-lived. After Solomon’s death civil war divides the nation and both Israel and Judah begin a downward spiral into exile and captivity. The northern kingdom is not dealt with in this book because the Temple is not there. About 70% of these chapters deals with Judah’s 8 reformation kings, who, despite their efforts to return the kingdom to God, are unable to halt the decline into demise. The other 30% tell of the 12 evil kings. Each king is seen with respect to his relationship to the Temple. When the nation backslides the house of God is neglected and abused. When revival comes the house is repaired and worship to Jehovah there comes back into the forefront, and the nation is blessed economically and politically. In the end Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed and the Jews are led away into captivity. II. CHRIST in the Story The lineage of David continues from Adam to Christ. He is the last Adam and the second Man (1Cor.15:45-47). Since the Chronicles are the last books in the Hebrew Bible, the genealogies in 2Chron.1-9 run right into the genealogy of Christ in the first book of the New Testament. The Temple prefigures the house of God that Christ came to build (Mt.16:18; Eph.2:19-22; 1Cor.3:9-17; Acts 2:42-47). Christ likens His body to the Temple in John 2:19. His body is His building, which are both metaphors for the church, the house of God. III. The SIGNIFICANCE of the Story A. The Sovereignty of God is pictured for us in the census David took in 1 Chron.21:1 and 2 Sam.24:1. Who was it that moved David to number Israel: Satan or God? In Samuel we have God doing it and in 1 Chronicles we have Satan doing it. So which is it? Both! The Bible always maintains the sovereignty of God in everything and at all times. Satan is not some loose cannon, running around blowing people’s heads off at will. There are not two Gods, only one. The devil is on a chain, and God has that chain in His almighty hands. People wonder why God doesn’t just eliminate the devil and that would be the end of all his dastardly deeds. The answer is, God fully intends to cast him in hell one day; but meanwhile God uses him to do His will of disciplining His saints and judging the sinners. He is the instrument of God’s wrath, which is to say God’s judgment. This brings great peace to those whose lives are torn up by tragedy. Their heavenly Father is in charge. We may not understand what He is doing or why He is doing it, but faith rests in His loving care and wisdom. The One behind the wrath and the mercy is the same God. God is just and God is love. B. The House of God is the preeminent teaching in Chronicles, and the Bible. Without the Temple (the Church) Christ has no unifying force embodying His living presence in the earth. In all the earth no house is greater than this house; there are immeasurable treasures there (5:1); the Son of David builds it (6:9); it is the assembly of the saints (5:2-4); it is a house of covenant (5:2-10), feasting (5:3), sacrifice (5:6; 7:4-7), music & singing (5:12-13), manifest glory (5:12-14; 7:1-3), preaching (6:1-11), and prayer (6:12-42). The New Testament reality of this is the church, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit (Eph.2:19-22). If the Bible places such importance on the house of God, what is your relationship to it? Are you in it or just a visitor once in a while? Your eternity hangs on the true answer to that question. C. Prayer plays a prominent role in the life of the church, the house of God (6:12-7:22; 1Tim.2:1). Solomon’s prayer is given so much space. Jesus’ house is the house of prayer (Mk.11:17) and Solomon proves it. The Place of prayer is before the altar (6:12); the Position is kneeling (humility) and spreading out of the hands (worship); Praise is the ingredient in 6:14-18; Pleas are prominent (6:19-21, 39); the main Petition is for forgiveness (6:21,25,27,30,39) and in the most important verse 7:14, which gives us the Pattern for prayer in any age. D. The Salvation of God is powerfully displayed here. Manasseh is the most evil king of all, with the longest reign (33:1-10). “He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.” This is the man who pushed Judah over the edge into the wrath of God. BUT, through the affliction the Lord brought upon him, he humbled himself, prayed, listened to the prophets, and the Lord heard his prayer (33:11-13). Manasseh repented and showed the fruits of it for the rest of his life (v.14-19). If there was mercy shown to this wicked depraved man, who can say they have sinned too much for the Lord to forgive and save, and even use him to bring God glory? Great is His mercy toward those who come to Him as a little child, repenting and putting their faith in the sacrifice of Christ for their sins.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 11:40:43 +0000
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