OVERVIEW OF 1 AND 2 CHRONICLES
OVERVIEW OF 1 AND 2 CHRONICLES
2 Kings leaves us with feelings of sadness and despondent. We cry as Jeremiah did in Lamentations 1:1. We openly weep as Ezekiel did in Ezekiel 3:15. We have seen Jerusalem sacked, the temple burned down and the people deported. However, before we can survey the return of the remnant in Ezra and Zerubbabel, the 2 books of Chronicles are given us giving us the main genealogies of the Israelite nation (from Adam to Nehemiah), and the main events of the Davidic kingdom down to the time of the Babylonian exile.
But haven’t we learned all of this before? Repetition? Yes. Vain repetition? No. While Chronicles covers much of the same ground we have considered and studied, it does so from a different perspective, with new emphasis on new aspects and with significant additions and omissions.
The Chronicles were written after the return from Babylonian Captivity. Note 1 Chronicles 3:17ff (genealogy of Zerubbabel) and 2 Chronicles 36:22-23. The complier of all of this was most likely Ezra.
Many bible books are either overlooked or ignored. Perhaps it is due to their difficulty (Ezekiel and Revelation) or their undeserved reputation (Song of Solomon). The Chronicles are such overlooked inspired books of obscurity. We often study them together with the books of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings (which is useful). Often, we ignore these books to our peril and do not give them the time they require for us to mine the beauty of the text more. The Chronicles are alive on every page with useful information for God’s children today.
UNIFYING SUBJECT OF CHRONICLES
THE TEMPLE IS THE CENTER OF THE CHRONICLES STORY. David had been given a scepter (the emphasis of Kings), while Solomon had given Judah a sanctuary (emphasis of Chronicles). The temple was conceived in the mind of David, constructed under Solomon, and contaminated and defiled by many of the kings, cleansed by others, and finally consumed by Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian fire. The temple is the center of the Chronicles story. IT IS THE THRONE in KINGS and the TEMPLE in CHRONICLES.
Most of 1st Chronicles is occupied with the reign of David. There is an absence of sanctuary (his adventures in Hebron, his grief over Saul and Jonathan and his sin with Bathsheba or the events of Absalom’s revolt.
Instead, we are given more information about David in other things. We see about his abundant preparation of materials in advance of for the temple (22:5). We see more about his preparatory numbering and distributing of the Levites and priests (23-24) and his appointing singers and servants- all in anticipation for the Temple.
Then in 2 Chronicles- the same persists. 6 of the 9 chapters given to Solomon’s reign refer to his work with the temple. Following the disruption of the nation, the northern kingdom is altogether ignored. It is solely with Judah and Jerusalem that Chronicles is concerned. WHY? Because it is that city and kingdom which held the temple. Just a note of interest. Many do not believe any emphasis is made by God about the importance of His one true Church. (Eph. 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2:3-5; 2 Cor. 6:16; Heb. 8,9,10; Heb,6:3). Chronicles stresses the importance of the temple in the OT and the necessity of it continuing until the time of Christ to fulfill prophecy. The physical temple will give way to the Lord’s church (His NT church- only one of them).
In Chronicles the reigns of Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Hezekiah and Josiah are given prominence because of the religious reforms and temple restorations associated with them. Hezekiah’s reforms are given only 3 verses in Kings and 3 CHAPTERS in Chronicles.
Everywhere in Chronicles the TEMPLE is emphasized as the vital center of the nation’s life. Even the 9 chapters of genealogies in 1st Chronicles are given a necessary basis for the temple service. How does Chronicles close? With the decree of Cyrus, king of Persia, granting permission for the remnant to return. What for? TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE (26:22-23).
Chronicles is NOT vain repetition. It is the history of God’s people from a new standpoint.
WHY THE EMPHASIS ON THE TEMPLE? The Davidic throne was null. The line of David still existed (as proved in Chronicles), and would exist until the Messiah would come (as God promised) but the throne of rule as a physical nation was nullified. The leaders came from a different group. Judah longed for a king- THE KING- MESSIAH- to come. Never again would God’s people be an independent nation with her own physical ruling king. The throne would be gone, but the temple would be rebuilt and it would be the temple that would be the surviving link between the nation’s past and her prophesied future.
Read Ezra 1:1-4 and note that before Nehemiah was sent to rebuild the city, Ezra and Zerubbabel are sent with the Remnant to rebuild the TEMPLE. Why? Because in any national reconstruction we must begin with the TEMPLE (dwelling place of God- see Isaiah 45:1. 13.22-25). The temple was above all else: the symbol of the unity of the nation- the reminder of the nation’s high calling—the sign that Jehovah was still with His chosen people and-the focus of national life.
It was in the light of that temple that all the past was to be read, the present reconstructed and the future anticipated.
So, the purpose of Chronicles is: TO CONVINCE The people as to their first duty and to CHALLENGE them to renewed dedication- and it all centered around the temple.
Chronicles is not just a collection of odds and ends copied from former writers, but it is Israel’s story told afresh with different intentions It gives the lessons from Israel’s past and the promise of her future.
NINE CHAPTERS OF GENEALOGIES!!!!- SOME MAY SAY HOW BORING AND WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND SPACE, BUT REMEMBER THIS IS God’s word. Let no one minimize one word of it. In fact, NO PART OF CHRONICLES IS MORE IMPORTANT. These lines of descent were of sacred importance to all the Jews for from one line would come the Messiah. During and after the Babylonian captivity families had been uprooted by the thousands. Connections had been broken, records had been destroyed or lost. Such makes the compiling of these lists more valuable. Anyone who has tried to trace a family tree knows how frustrating to lose the trail due to records being misplaced or gone. Not so, in Chronicles. Starting with Adam it covers roughly 3500 years until the time of Zerubbabel. In Matthew’s account Zerubbabel is mentioned in 1:12 and the list continues until the birth of Jesus (who is called Christ (1:16).
LESSONS FROM CHRONICLES:
GOD MAY OVERRULE OUR INTENTIONS. David is the central character of 1st Chronicles. Note his wish and Nathan’s advice (17:1-4; 11-12). First you have the intention of a good man. 2nd it seems like a good intention 3rd it comes from a noble purpose 4th there is blessing of the prophet. Yet, though David ruled- God overruled! It was not time for the temple and David was not the one to build it. Note Isa. 55:3-9.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PREPARATION- Although David was not the builder of God’s house, he did play a significant role in its ultimate construction (1 Chron. 22:5,14). David left for Solomon the plans and patterns for the temple as well as arranging the proper functioning of men who would become temple officials. Such was the character and generosity of David. He knew the value of pleasing God through adequate preparation (Lesson for us- Do we prepared as we should for the worship of God? We worship on the first day of the week and study at others times to feed our souls on God’s word. How much preparation do we give to these periods? Do we anticipate them all week and prepare and long for the next one???
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER. A basic need of all generations is communication between man and God. Prayer is man’s opportunity to speak with his Creator and Father. See Solomon’s prayers at two critical times of his life (2 Chron. 1:7-10; 6:12-42). See the Divine response in 7:1-3.
THE IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP. One of the living messages of Chronicles is the need for strong leadership. Israel was never stronger than its king. Then the king reformed, the people reformed-when he rebelled the people rebelled. Such will always be the case. No army is ever better than its generals. No company is ever better than its top management and NO CHURCH IS EVER BETTER THAN ITS’ ELDERS.
“In vain do they worship Me teaching for doctrines the commands of men”- Stated this way by Jesus many centuries later, it was true then as it is now. Judah was observing the form of worship and neglected the devotion of the heart the fact of our worship. It must come from the heart. They worshipped the right one in the right place and did the right things often, but her heart was not into it.
The Chronicles message is one of apostacy, contamination, consequence and captivity because they lacked true devotion to God. Form without love- going through the motions. It never worked then and it won’t satisfy God today.
EVIL FELLOWSHIPS- Read the account of AMAZIAH IN 2 Chron. 25:5-9. God would not bless Judah is she was in fellowship with those out of fellowship with Him. ---See 2 John 9-11.
PREACHER OF TRUTH WILL BE PERSECUTED- 2 Chron. 16:7-10; 24:20-21.
CHRONICLES: RELATIONSHIP TO ENSUING BOOKS: Preceding books and Chronicles
SAMUEL AND KINGS ___________________ CHRONICLES
Biographical Statistical
Personal Official
Standpoint of a Prophet Standpoint of a priest
History of both kingdoms History of Judah
THRONE TEMPLE
ENSUING BOOKS: Chronicles- RETROSPECTION
EZRA- RESTORATION
NEHEMIAH- RECONSTRUCTION
ESTHER- PRESERVATION
THE TEMPLE VERSUS THE THRONE
Response to God the Determining factor:
Israel’s genealogy- 1-9 1 Chronicles
David’s Reign- 10-29 1 Chronicles
Solomon’s Reign- 1-9 2 Chronicles
Judah’s History to the Exile- 10-36 2 Chronicles
First Chronicles 1-9- certain people of God. Chapter 1- begins with Adam and goes thru Jacob in chapter 2- the redemptive line continues all the way to David. Chapter 3 resumes the Davidic line until the last of Judah’s kings, ZEDEKIAH. These chapters give the People OF Jehovah.
In chapters 10-12- we read of the reign of Israel’s greatest Monarch- David. Thus, the ANOINTED OF GOD.
In chapters 13-16- The first outstanding act of David- the bringing of the ark back to Jerusalem. David understood the secret of a nation blessings was in having God in their midst. It is his plan to put the ark at the center of the people’s lives- so THE ARK OF GOD
In chapter 17-21- Presents the plan of God in choosing one nation-one tribe- Judah- One family- David- HERE IS THE COVENANT OF GOD.
Chapter 22-29- Tells of the temple preparation. David though not allowed to build it, prepared and provided for it amply- THE TEMPLE OF GOD.
2 Chronicles- We all know the story. GLORIOUS BEGINNING- SAD ENDING
Solomon’s reign (Chapter 1-9) Mainly concerns his temple work. In the concluding chapters we see the THRONE AND THE TEMPLE were meant to complement and glorify one another. However, the THRONE became the worst enemy of the TEMPLE until such a time as one of the two must go. THE THRONE WENT- THE TEMPLE STAYED (yes it was burnt down but God would still be with His people even in captivity (DANIEL) The temple would be rebuilt and restored. THE THRONE WOULD NOT> Never again would Israel be a free nation with a physical king and throne.
CONCLUSION:
Here is the moral and spiritual truth of these two books. A nation’s response to God is the deterring factor in its history and in its destiny. See 2 Chron. 26:5; 27:6. When the king and people honored God- they were blessed- When they behaved unfaithfully- there was adversity.
Moral and spiritual convictions are the first important thing in a nation’s progress. Politics and economics but they cannot be a nation’s first priority. The place we give to GOD in our hearts personally, in the CHURCH in our HOMES- in SOCIETY and in our NATION, will determine our history and destiny.