Let's be honest, few people enjoy reading Chronicles! I mean when was the last time your pastor crafted a sermon series around this book? Or has anyone in your small group ever suggested studying (or discussing) the book of Chronicles? It's not exactly a great conversation piece. After all, it begins with a nine chapter list of names (with a few 'Prayer of Jabez-esce' details). On top of this, the books of Samuel and Kings already cover much of the same ground as the book of Chronicles. So why then is this book so vital to the message of the Bible? Let's take a look...
CHRONICLES IS THE LAST BOOK OF THE HEBREW BIBLE
Whereas the book of Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament in the English Bible, Chronicles is the last book in the Tanakh (The Hebrew Bible). Why is this? Well, the book of Chronicles essentially summarizes the entire storyline of the Old Testament. The book begins with Adam and ends with Israel's return from exile. And so based on this, its placement in the Hebrew canon makes perfect sense!
CHRONICLES REVISITS THE THEMES OF THE PROPHETS
But that's not all! Chronicles also reinforces the main themes from the major Prophetic books. ISAIAH focuses on salvation to the NATIONS and the coming of the SERVANT-MESSIAH and this is why the genealogy at the beginning of Chronicles highlights ADAM and the LINE OF JUDAH through which the MESSIAH was expected to come. EZEKIEL brings attention to God's PRESENCE among Israel and this is why the author of Chronicles upholds and endorses the kings who take great care to honor God's PRESENCE by maintaining the purity of the TEMPLE-LAW (David and Solomon being the standard against which all other kings are measured because they played instrumental roles in bringing the ark to Jerusalem and building the Temple). JEREMIAH emphasizes the importance and power of God's WORD-DECREES and so it is no wonder that after his account of King Solomon's life, the author of Chronicles highlights the fulfillment of God's decrees of CURSE and BLESSING among the kings of Judah based on their level of obedience to God's TEMPLE-LAW.
CHRONICLES HAS A DIFFERENT FOCUS THAN SAMUEL-KINGS
If we put all of this information together, we quickly see that Chronicles has a different purpose and focus than Samuel-Kings. Samuel-Kings explains the coming of the exile whereas Chronicles explains concerns after the exile. By the time Chronicles was finished, the Jewish people had been given a second chance by God to demonstrate obedience to Him. And so the author of Chronicles is revisiting the mistakes of the past (especially as they related to God's TEMPLE-LAW) with the hope of avoiding a repeat of this same type of defiance in the future. The author wants Israel to experience God's BLESSINGS (not His CURSES)!
THE THREE-PRONGED STRUCTURE OF CHRONICLES
This prophetic-type message is evident through the three-stage structure of Chronicles. The first nine chapters of Chronicles connect the later history of Israel with the Torah (especially the book of Genesis). This is made evident by the use of the teledot formula ("these are the generations of" - 1 Chronicles 1:29) which is used to structure the book of Genesis. And so we learn from the beginning of Chronicles that the Tanakh is telling a unified story (that begins in the book of Genesis) with a specific end goal in mind. What is the goal of this story? Bringing God's BLESSING back to a CURSED world.
1 Chronicles 10 through 2 Chronicles 9 then sets out to present David and Solomon as exemplary kings who form the standard against which all other kings will be measured. How do we know this? Think back for a moment. Did the author of Chronicles mention anything about David's affair with Bathsheba or give any details about Solomon's arsenal of wives and concubines? NO. Why is this? Let me suggest that the author was trying to paint these two kings in a positive light because they went to great lengths to honor God's temple PRESENCE. And just like David and Solomon, the author of Chronicles knows that God's PRESENCE is vital to bringing BLESSING back to this CURSED world.
And so we see in 2 Chronicles 10-36 that all the other kings' performances were graded in comparison to David and Solomon (11:17; 17:3). The kings who honored God's temple PRESENCE like David and Solomon experienced BLESSING while those who expressed dishonor and rebellion experienced God's CURSE. Does this pattern sound familiar? It should. The author of Chronicles is essentially reiterating the message of the book of Deuteronomy. If you want to experience God's BLESSINGS, you need to obey God's Law. But if you defy God, you will experience His covenant CURSES.
THE BOTTOM LINE
So how does this intersect with our lives? First, Chronicles makes it clear that our lives fit into a bigger story of God bringing BLESSING back to a CURSED world. You can JOIN this story, IGNORE this story, or REBEL against this story. The choice is yours!
Second, God's CURSE resided with those kings who refused to TRUST God. And so when we rebel against God and decide to live life for ourselves and by our own design we should expect God's CURSE. But once again, God leaves the decision up to us.
Third, God's PRESENCE is manifest in communities that make His MISSION a high priority. David and Solomon were intent on completing God's MISSION and so they experienced God's supernatural PRESENCE. Many people today wonder why they don't see God at work in America in the same supernatural way he is at work in other countries. Might it be that GOING TO CHURCH has become a higher priority in America than BEING THE CHURCH? Does a person need God's supernatural PRESENCE to make it to church on a Sunday? For most of us the answer is 'NO'. But we need God's supernatural PRESENCE to complete the MISSION He has given His Church. So let me ask you, does your walk with God focus primarily on Sunday mornings or are you passionate about making God's MISSION an EVERYDAY priority?
My prayer is that God's MISSION floods every aspect of your life for the glory of God!
CHRONICLES IS THE LAST BOOK OF THE HEBREW BIBLE
Whereas the book of Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament in the English Bible, Chronicles is the last book in the Tanakh (The Hebrew Bible). Why is this? Well, the book of Chronicles essentially summarizes the entire storyline of the Old Testament. The book begins with Adam and ends with Israel's return from exile. And so based on this, its placement in the Hebrew canon makes perfect sense!
CHRONICLES REVISITS THE THEMES OF THE PROPHETS
But that's not all! Chronicles also reinforces the main themes from the major Prophetic books. ISAIAH focuses on salvation to the NATIONS and the coming of the SERVANT-MESSIAH and this is why the genealogy at the beginning of Chronicles highlights ADAM and the LINE OF JUDAH through which the MESSIAH was expected to come. EZEKIEL brings attention to God's PRESENCE among Israel and this is why the author of Chronicles upholds and endorses the kings who take great care to honor God's PRESENCE by maintaining the purity of the TEMPLE-LAW (David and Solomon being the standard against which all other kings are measured because they played instrumental roles in bringing the ark to Jerusalem and building the Temple). JEREMIAH emphasizes the importance and power of God's WORD-DECREES and so it is no wonder that after his account of King Solomon's life, the author of Chronicles highlights the fulfillment of God's decrees of CURSE and BLESSING among the kings of Judah based on their level of obedience to God's TEMPLE-LAW.
CHRONICLES HAS A DIFFERENT FOCUS THAN SAMUEL-KINGS
If we put all of this information together, we quickly see that Chronicles has a different purpose and focus than Samuel-Kings. Samuel-Kings explains the coming of the exile whereas Chronicles explains concerns after the exile. By the time Chronicles was finished, the Jewish people had been given a second chance by God to demonstrate obedience to Him. And so the author of Chronicles is revisiting the mistakes of the past (especially as they related to God's TEMPLE-LAW) with the hope of avoiding a repeat of this same type of defiance in the future. The author wants Israel to experience God's BLESSINGS (not His CURSES)!
THE THREE-PRONGED STRUCTURE OF CHRONICLES
This prophetic-type message is evident through the three-stage structure of Chronicles. The first nine chapters of Chronicles connect the later history of Israel with the Torah (especially the book of Genesis). This is made evident by the use of the teledot formula ("these are the generations of" - 1 Chronicles 1:29) which is used to structure the book of Genesis. And so we learn from the beginning of Chronicles that the Tanakh is telling a unified story (that begins in the book of Genesis) with a specific end goal in mind. What is the goal of this story? Bringing God's BLESSING back to a CURSED world.
1 Chronicles 10 through 2 Chronicles 9 then sets out to present David and Solomon as exemplary kings who form the standard against which all other kings will be measured. How do we know this? Think back for a moment. Did the author of Chronicles mention anything about David's affair with Bathsheba or give any details about Solomon's arsenal of wives and concubines? NO. Why is this? Let me suggest that the author was trying to paint these two kings in a positive light because they went to great lengths to honor God's temple PRESENCE. And just like David and Solomon, the author of Chronicles knows that God's PRESENCE is vital to bringing BLESSING back to this CURSED world.
And so we see in 2 Chronicles 10-36 that all the other kings' performances were graded in comparison to David and Solomon (11:17; 17:3). The kings who honored God's temple PRESENCE like David and Solomon experienced BLESSING while those who expressed dishonor and rebellion experienced God's CURSE. Does this pattern sound familiar? It should. The author of Chronicles is essentially reiterating the message of the book of Deuteronomy. If you want to experience God's BLESSINGS, you need to obey God's Law. But if you defy God, you will experience His covenant CURSES.
THE BOTTOM LINE
So how does this intersect with our lives? First, Chronicles makes it clear that our lives fit into a bigger story of God bringing BLESSING back to a CURSED world. You can JOIN this story, IGNORE this story, or REBEL against this story. The choice is yours!
Second, God's CURSE resided with those kings who refused to TRUST God. And so when we rebel against God and decide to live life for ourselves and by our own design we should expect God's CURSE. But once again, God leaves the decision up to us.
Third, God's PRESENCE is manifest in communities that make His MISSION a high priority. David and Solomon were intent on completing God's MISSION and so they experienced God's supernatural PRESENCE. Many people today wonder why they don't see God at work in America in the same supernatural way he is at work in other countries. Might it be that GOING TO CHURCH has become a higher priority in America than BEING THE CHURCH? Does a person need God's supernatural PRESENCE to make it to church on a Sunday? For most of us the answer is 'NO'. But we need God's supernatural PRESENCE to complete the MISSION He has given His Church. So let me ask you, does your walk with God focus primarily on Sunday mornings or are you passionate about making God's MISSION an EVERYDAY priority?
My prayer is that God's MISSION floods every aspect of your life for the glory of God!
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