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1 Chronicles 27 - 29 and Psalm 132

5/3/2012

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         Among David’s plans for the construction of the temple, we find a declaration of praise that captures one of the reasons for its importance.
         “Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever” (1 Chronicles 29:10).  They will build the temple because Yahweh is worthy of praise and worship. The phrase: “
Blessed are you, O LORD” does not mean that we can add something to Yahweh, that we can do Him a favor or give Him something He needs.  It is a declaration in a loud voice, a clear announcement to all listeners that Yahweh is exalted and worthy of their attention.  “Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father” is a title that not only recognizes the historical fact of Yahweh’s covenant with the forefathers Abraham and Jacob but also underlines Yahweh’s faithfulness up to David’s generation, too.  “Forever and ever” means that it looks toward the future and even to eternity past and present with the certainty that Yahweh’s faithfulness is never exhausted.
         “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty” (1 Chronicles 29:11).  For several chapters the chronicler has
described the greatness of King David by telling us of his battles, his administration and organization, his wealth and the great number of people under his dominion.  But Yahweh surpasses him in all of these characteristics and achievements.  Yahweh Himself defines greatness because He is more than sufficient for Israel and for all creation.  He not only declares what righteousness and justice are but also has the power to impose them and make all creation submit to them.  The glory speaks of Yahweh’s beauty, the attraction mixed with fear that draws a believer to approach Him cautiously in the desire to know Him better.  The victory expresses the decisive way in which He makes His enemies submit to His just decrees.  His majesty describes that aspect of His glory which leaves believers open-mouthed in
wonder, almost without words to describe in awe His exceptional attributes.  David’s reign described up to this point in 1 Chronicles has its greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty, but it is simply a reflection of Yahweh’s reign, the One who has all of these attributes in their most excellent form.
         “For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours” (1 Chronicles 29:11).  David’s dominion extended over all of Judah and later, over all Israel for a total of 40 years; Yahweh’s dominion extends over all creation for all time.  “Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all” (1 Chronicles 29:11).  Here David touches the theme of the whole Bible, Yahweh’s just dominion,
and he notes that Yahweh exercises that dominion with incomparable excellence.  He gives an example of His just dominion when he says, “Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all.  In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all” (1 Chronicles 29:12).
         He describes our appropriate response to His glory when he says, “And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name” (1 Chronicles 29:13).  And
while we praise His incomparable glory, we feel the shame of our own insignificance before Him: “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly?  For all things have come from you, and of your own we have given you” (1 Chronicles 29:14).  It is impossible for us to add to Yahweh’s glory; we only can reflect it or return what He in His benevolence has shared with us.  “For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were.  Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding.  O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your
hand and is all your own” (1 Chronicles 29:15-16).
         Through these praises, David shows that even the preparation for the construction of the temple was an opportunity to worship the incomparable God whose eternal dominion and majesty he would try to reflect.
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1 Chronicles 23 - 26 and Psalm 150

5/2/2012

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         Today we continue our reading of David’s preparations for Solomon’s reign and the construction of the temple.  Regarding the preparation of materials we read, “David provided materials in great quantity before his death” (1 Chronicles 22:5).  Now we read about the organization of the Levites for the temple services.
         The organization of the Levites from Numbers 3 – 4 has to change because: “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.  And so the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service” (1 Chronicles 23:25-26).  But the same
organization by generation will continue for the responsibilities in their new setting.
         For example, the priestly ministry will continue in Aaron’s family: “Aaron was set apart to dedicate the most holy things, that he and his sons forever should make offerings before the LORD and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name forever” (1 Chronicles 23:13).  They are identified by the families of Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons, and divided into 24 groups that serve in turns (1 Chronicles 24:3-19).  They will be organized under the high priest that comes from Zadok’s family for reasons that we saw in 1 Samuel 2:27-36; 3:11-14; 1 Kings 1:25-26, 38-39; 2:26-27.
         The other Levites serve under the authority of Aaron’s family, just as we read in the book of Numbers:“So the LORD said to Aaron… ‘With you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony.  They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die’” (Numbers 18:1, 2-3).  The temple will function the same way: “For their duty was to assist the sons of
Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, having the care of the courts and the chambers, the cleansing of all that is holy, and any work for the service of the house of God.  Their duty was also to assist with the showbread, the flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and all measures of quantity or size.  And they were to stand every morning, thanking and praising the LORD, and likewise at evening” (1 Chronicles 23:28-30).  All that we studied in the book of Numbers about the Levites’ service as insulation between Yahweh’s holiness and the people’s sin pertains to the new temple as well.
         But the Levitical responsibilities are not limited to the offerings; they serve other functions, too.  For example, in another instance of protection against Yahweh’s devastating holiness: “They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of
meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you”
(Numbers 18:4).  Therefore they assign gatekeepers, so no one will enter to perform some task that doesn’t correspond to them and cause Yahweh’s wrath to break forth against the nation.  We find their assignments in 1 Chronicles 26:1-19.
         For the first time in the historical narratives we examine praise of Yahweh through music, both in the temple and in the army, by both instrument and voice: “David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals” (1 Chronicles 25:1).  They also serve in 24 groups by turn.  This chapter
extends our vision of the tabernacle services, and following that, those of the
temple.
         Then there is another group of Levites that oversee the treasuries and dedicated gifts (1 Chronicles 26:20).  Their responsibilities include the administration of resources for temple maintenance (1 Chronicles 26:26-27).  The groups mentioned last are those Levites who judge in Israel itself and in the territory of the two and a half tribes on the other side of the Jordan (1 Chronicles 26:29-32).
         This brief review of Levitical ministry covers a lot.  They fulfilled responsibilities with the sacrifices and offerings, in protecting the temple from contamination, in praising Yahweh by instruments and by voice, in the administration of the treasuries and oversight of villages.  In their attention to
ministry explained in 1 Chronicles 23 – 26, the Levites tell us that Yahweh is holy and glorious, worthy of worship not only among the people but from generation to generation.
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1 Chronicles 21 - 22

5/1/2012

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         Why was it wrong to take a census of Israel?
         Remember what we read in Exodus 30: “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the LORD when you number them, that there be no plague among them when
you number them” (Exodus 30:12).  “The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD’s offering to make atonement for your lives” (Exodus 30:15).
         In that reading we observed, “Apparently the taking of a census among the Israelites left them guilty after being counted.  It may be that as they were counted, as they proudly declared where they were from or their family of origin, as they showed off their large families, as others eagerly calculated the number of possible soldiers to form a large army and proudly shared the final results, everyone was tempted to the sin of pride…leaving little or no glory for Yahweh, the One who gave them life, their families and military victory.  Pharaoh was defeated because of pride; it’s better that the Israelites do not fall into the same sin…  Nobody can boast; everyone has to pay the same amount in recognition that Yahweh gave them the life that allows them to be counted.  That way their lives are rescued from the just punishment that pride deserves.”
         Now in 1 Chronicles 21, David orders a census of the people: “Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number” (1 Chronicles 21:2).  Even Joab can tell that this is a sin!
         First, notice that many more people die for this sin probably than for David’s sin with Bathsheba and Uriah and the divine judgment that it generated.  Maybe the chronicler is right in describing only the sin of the census, highlighting it in all of David’s reign!
         Second, notice that this event pinpoints the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, the place where the just wrath of God would be calmed by His mercy. David is right to say, “Here shall be the house of the LORD God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel” (1 Chronicles 22:1).  The temple would be built at this very place, a memorial to Yahweh’s grace in propitiating His just wrath against David’s pride, and at the same time a place where Israel could look for future manifestations of His grace that they will need daily.
         Third, the recognition of Yahweh’s grace in His stopping of the
destruction of Jerusalem encourages David to prepare the materials for the temple and instruct Solomon in its building.  Just as the prophets Haggai and Zechariah will do in the generation that returns from the exile, David here says, “Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God.  Arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the LORD” (1 Chronicles 22:19).  Though grace is not by works (Romans 11:6 and Ephesians 2:8-9, for
example), it motivates great works to announce it to many others and make it accessible to all listeners.  Therefore King David, and also the chronicler, want their generations to fix their gaze on the place where Yahweh’s just wrath crosses with His mercy.
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1 Chronicles 18 - 20 and Psalm 60

4/30/2012

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         In today’s reading we read about David’s military victories over his neighbors.  We can summarize the reading with the sentence: “The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went” (1 Chronicles 18:13).
         We also see a difference between the historical narrative of the chronicler and that of the author in 1 Samuel – 2 Kings.  Notice that here the chronicler passes over almost all of David’s life in 2 Samuel 11 – 21.  For example, it seems like we are going to enter into the topic of his sin with Bathsheba when he says, “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle; Joab led out the army and ravaged the country of the Ammonites and came and besieged Rabbah.  But David remained at Jerusalem… (1 Chronicles 20:1)  It echoes 2 Samuel 11:1 when the sin with Bathsheba was introduced.
         But instead of retelling his sin, the chronicler skips it completely and runs right to the conclusion of the war against the Ammonites: “And David took the crown of their king from his head.  He found that it weighed a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone. And it was placed on David’s head” (1 Chronicles 20:2), just as in 2 Samuel 12:30.  The chronicler skips almost two whole chapters of 2 Samuel and never mentions the sin with Bathsheba, the one against Uriah, the divine reproof through Nathan nor David’s repentance.  Neither does he mention Amnon and Tamar nor the difficulties with Absalom that led to his rebellion.  Why
doesn’t the chronicler these conflicts and the discipline against David’s house for his sins?  Can it be that he is giving us a false representation of Israel’s history?
         No.  Again we must remember that when the Bible narrates history, it does not have an encyclopedic purpose.  The chronicler does not try to tell us everything he can about David’s life but only what corresponds with the purpose of his narrative.  In fact, what the chronicler does here is no different than what we do
today when we tell others about something that happened.  Normally we don’t give others an encyclopedic description of an event but only those details that are important to the conclusion that we are trying to communicate.
         For example, the day before yesterday my sons played soccer in two different games, and my wife could not attend either one.  When we came home, I told her
the most important parts of the game that were of interest to her: one son scored a goal, and the other scored two goals, all of them on penalty kicks.  When she heard this information, she asked what happened that caused the referee to call the penalties, then she was satisfied with the information.  I never told her about the best plays of the other players, my evaluation of the referee’s calls or the condition of the field / pitch.  She had all the information she needed.  On the other hand, during one of the games I spoke with a friend who is the father of one of the opposing players.  We talked about the strategies of the two coaches, the changes in strategies since the last time they played and the development and improvement of some of the players on both teams since the last time they played each other. 
We mentioned almost nothing of the participation of our sons in the game.  Our conversation had a different purpose.
         Now, if we were to put my descriptions of the game in writing, wait several years and give them to another person to read, the reader might be dissatisfied.  Are these really descriptions of the same game?  The most important points in narrative A (what I told my wife) are not even mentioned in narrative B.  The narratives have very different perspectives.  Isn’t narrative A a false or at least inadequate representation of what really happened?
         No; in reality, both narratives were given by the same person on the same day of the same event.  But there were two different narrative purposes, and that’s why they are so different.  Something similar is happening here between 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles and on other occasions when the Bible describes the same event from two, three, four or even more perspectives.  Without trying to narrate an event like an encyclopedia, the authors of the Bible sometimes tell the same event for different readers in different generations and for different purposes, with everything inspired by the Holy Spirit and telling us about Yahweh.  These varied perspectives enrich our perception of His glory.
         That’s what it’s like in 1 Chronicles 18 – 20.  The chronicler is explaining to the generations returning from the exile the characteristics that they should imitate of the founder of David’s royal house.  “David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people” (1 Chronicles 18:14).  Without denying that he sinned (we’ll see another example of his sin tomorrow), the chronicler highlights his devotion to Yahweh and tells us of his military victories and the righteousness and peace that he enjoyed because of His grace. That is how the chronicler portrays the future blessings that God’s people can enjoy if they walk in Yahweh’s paths with all their heart.
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1 Chronicles 13 - 17

4/28/2012

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         If we can evaluate the importance of a biblical theme by the space that the Bible dedicates to explain it, then according to the chronicler, the transport of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem was one of the most important events of David’s reign.
         This event that took one chapter in 2 Samuel (chapter 6) here in 1 Chronicles deserves the attention of three chapters.  Once again we see the chronicler’s desire to present a vision of all Israel united in submission to David’s royal house, the royal house that promotes a wholehearted devotion to Yahweh.
         Who is the object of your devotion today?
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1 Chronicles 9 - 12

4/28/2012

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         Remember that in our reading of 2 Kings 24 – 25, we learned that there were four important events that marked the end of the kingdom of Judah. The last and most devastating occurred in the year 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the temple and sent almost all of the survivors to Babylon in a massive deportation.
         Now we continue the story.  In the year 539 BC, the Persians took control of Babylon and began to allow the peoples whom the Babylonians exiled to return to their homelands.  The following year, the Jews received permission to return to the Promised Land, and some accepted the opportunity, returned and began to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.  The books of Ezra and Nehemiah will tell us more about these events and the difficulties they faced; for now, we simply want to note that the genealogies in 1 Chronicles 9 are from the first group of exiles to return to the Promised Land.
         “Now the first to dwell again in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the temple servants.  And some of the people of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem” (1 Chronicles 9:2-3).  There is still a lot more to be done before the vision of the return of all the tribes to the
Promised Land would be fulfilled.
         Most importantly, the chronicler concentrates on the genealogies of the priests and the division of temple responsibilities among the Levites. He wants his
readers to remember that the main purpose in returning to the Promised Land is to worship Yahweh in holiness and to put into practice the temple rituals in agreement with their historical antecedents.
         He also retells the history of Israel, but in a way different from what we read in 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings.  For example, notice that the entire history of Saul that filled 1 Samuel 9 – 31 is summarized here in only 14 verses in 1 Chronicles 10.  He focuses only on Saul’s death: “So Saul died for his breach of faith.  He broke faith with the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the
LORD, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance.  He did not seek guidance from the LORD.  Therefore the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse” (1 Chronicles 10:13-14).  He doesn’t see the need to repeat the entire history of Saul; he only underlines one main lesson so that his readers can understand the consequences of unfaithfulness to Yahweh.
         He also passes over David’s early history to go directly to the request that he become king over all Israel (what we read in 2 Samuel 5). He does not mention the civil war between Saul’s and David’s houses, Abner’s support of David before the former’s assassination, nor the murder of Ish-bosheth nor any of those conflicts; he only wants to point out the unity that existed among all of the tribes in declaring David king.  He makes that unity among all Israel stand out even more when in 1 Chronicles 11 – 12 he indicates the impressive variety of places of origin and of tribes of David’s mighty men and his original followers even before Saul’s death.  All of this historical narrative reaches its high point when he writes, “All of these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with full intent to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king” (1 Chronicles 12:38).  According to the chronicler, peace in Israel would be attained only when all the tribes submit in unity to the support of David’s house.
         In a similar way, we Christians long to see the unity of all nations under the authority of the most excellent descendant of the house of David, under the authority of Jesus Christ: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).  The kingdom of Jesus Christ enjoys an incomparable peace when people of different nations, tribes and languages submit themselves in unity under his authority.
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1 Chronicles 5 - 8 and Psalm 107

4/27/2012

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         The Israelite genealogies from 1 Chronicles continue with Reuben’s in 1 Chronicles 5.  The first verses explain why we have seen the priority of Judah and the tribes of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) from the book of Genesis on: “The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he
defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son; though Judah became strong among his brothers and a chief came from among him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph)… (1 Chronicles 5:1-2).
         We read about Reuben’s sin in Genesis 35:22 and how Jacob / Israel declared that he had lost primogeniture in Genesis 49:3-4.  We also read how Jacob / Israel gave Joseph the double portion, the inheritance of the eldest son, when he received Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own (Genesis 48:5-20).  What the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 5 confirms is that even though their ancestor sinned in this way and was punished, the descendants of Reuben still are an integral part of
Israel.  Besides, they are worthy of honor because they are from the physical eldest son of Israel (Richard L. Pratt, 1 and 2 Chronicles: A Mentor Commentary; 2006, Christian Focus Publications, pg. 105).
         In the rest of 1 Chronicles 5 the chronicler details the genealogies of the two and a half tribes that settled the lands east of the Jordan River, outside the Promised Land.  We read about their settlement of this land in Numbers 32; Deuteronomy 3:8-20; Joshua 1:12-18; 12:1-6; 13:8-33 and all of Joshua 22.  Now in 1 Chronicles 5 we learn about battles that they had against their neighbors that were not mentioned in any other part of the Bible: “They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.  And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him” (1 Chronicles 5:19-20).  And although they lost their land because of their idolatry and were sent into exile by Assyria, the chronicler wants them to be included also in his vision for the restoration of Israel (Pratt, 111).
         In 1 Chronicles 6 the chronicler concentrates on the genealogy of the Levites.  In particular he wants to indicate clearly the lineage of the high priest from Aaron to Zadok and his descendants until the exile.  He also shows that descendants from all of Levi’s principal lineages participated in the temple music. 
He also encourages his readers to provide for the Levites who would rebuild Jerusalem and the rest of Israel by reminding them of the lands they had held before the exile.
         First Chronicles 7 – 8 identifies the genealogies of the other tribes (except for Dan and Zebulon).  It underlines Benjamin, probably because of the closeness and
faithfulness of part of its tribe to Judah, Levi and the temple in Jerusalem in the centuries running up to the exile (Pratt, 128-29).  In these genealogies, the interest in men of war is notable; the chronicler probably wants to underline that the new Israel will have to consider organizing an army for self-protection and to fight Yahweh’s battles (Pratt, 118).
         To summarize, through the first 8 chapters of 1 Chronicles, we can see some of the chronicler’s priorities.  He wants to present a vision for the resettlement of Israel by the descendants of the exiles in agreement with the best moments in Israelite history, the times when Israel showed its greatest faithfulness to its God and enjoyed a living relationship with Him.  Therefore, in the genealogies and his retelling of Israel’s history, the chronicler inspired by Yahweh’s Spirit notes the
following:
         Faithfulness to the house of David,
         Devotion to Yahweh directed by the high priest and the Levites in the temple,
         The support of the Levites in agreement with the Mosaic Law,
         Crying out to Yahweh in prayer in the midst of weakness and need.
As a result of putting these into practice, Yahweh’s people who return to the Promised Land from exile to rebuild Jerusalem can hope for the following:
         Yahweh’s response to their need,
         The recovery of the geographic extent of the Promised Land,
         The reintegration of more descendants of the exile into the Promised Land,
         The multiplication of descendants as a blessing of Yahweh,
         Military success against their enemies.
Therefore, through these genealogies, the chronicler has a message to communicate to Yahweh’s people, a message based on His eternal faithfulness.
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1 Chronicles 1 - 4 and Psalm 105

4/25/2012

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         As we read the genealogies in these chapters, we must keep some observations in mind.  First of all, notice that a genealogy in the Bible has a different purpose than the genealogies we compile today.  When I investigate my family’s genealogy, I want to identify all the members of my family without missing a single one, and I want to extend it as far as possible in each generation.  I have an encyclopedic interest.  But the Bible does not share the same interest: its genealogies only identify people who stand out, and it has no problem excluding brothers or sons or even skipping entire generations without mentioning anyone.  If we remember that the Bible does not attempt to be encyclopedic in its genealogies, some of our frustrations or difficulties in reading them will be resolved.
         Second, if we understand that biblical genealogies are not motivated by the desire to identify everyone without missing a single person, then we can approach them with the correct question to understand them better: Why is the narrator interested in these names?  What is motivating him to identify them?  Our reading of genealogies can be more fruitful if we keep these questions in mind.
         Third, even knowing these things, it is difficult to read these chapters!  I confess that it is difficult for me to read them attentively.  But just like reading the genealogy of a family I don’t know personally today, if I have a good “tour guide” who can explain the genealogy and interpret its importance, then it is much easier to pay attention and read. That’s why I’m grateful for the book by Richard Pratt,
1 and 2 Chronicles: A Mentor Commentary, 2006, Christian Focus Publications, because it has been a dependable guide through these difficult chapters.  My observations depend greatly on his.
          Notice that 1 Chronicles 1:1 – 2:2 begins with Adam and identifies some of the ancestors of Israel’s historical neighbors: Mizraim (the ancestor of the Egyptians) and Canaan, for example.  Next it notes the sons of Shem (from whose name we get the term “Semites” or “Semitic”), and passes through Heber until it gets to Abraham.  In this manner it communicates to its Israelite readers that their
lineage is the culmination of God’s plan through the generations (Pratt, 85).
         Next the narrator gives a broad view of Abraham’s descendants.  He names
the most important first (Isaac), and then names the sons of Abraham who do not
have a part in the covenant: Ismael and his descendants, the children of his
concubine Keturah and their descendants, until he reaches his main point in Isaac (1 Chronicles 1:34).  He does the same thing in the next generation: he goes through Esau’s descendants as a preliminary to getting to his most important point, the generations of Israel (1 Chronicles 2:1-2).  This whole presentation fulfills the narrator’s desire for his readers to understand the importance and privilege of being God´s chosen people (Pratt, 85).
         Now focusing on Israelite genealogy, the chronicler identifies the line of Judah.  Even though he is not the firstborn, his line is described first because it contains the royal genealogy.  Therefore it concentrates on his son Perez, on his grandson Hezron and his great-grandson Ram (even though he is not the firstborn of Hezron’s family, 1 Chronicles 2:25) because the line of the house of David goes through them (Pratt, 95).
         First Chronicles 2 also underlines the descendants of Hezron’s other two sons: Caleb and Jerahmeel.  Caleb (first called “Chelubai” in 1 Chronicles 2:9) is not the famous Caleb son of Jephunneh who remained faithful to Yahweh’s promise when the spies first entered the Promised Land in Numbers 13 and 14; this Caleb is an ancestor of Bezalel, one of the artisans filled with Yahweh’s Spirit to construct the
tabernacle (Exodus 35:30 and 1 Chronicles 2:20).  From this early time in Israelite
history there already was a strong tie between worship in the tabernacle and those who would form the royal house, one of the major themes of 1 and 2 Chronicles (Pratt, 95).  We don’t know with certainty why the chronicler highlights Jerahmeel too, but it probably has to do with his descendant Elishama (1 Chronicles 2:41) who probably would be recognized by readers of that time (Pratt, 96).
         The chronicler returns to Caleb’s descendants to finish 1 Chronicles 2 and then goes back to the line of Ram when he begins 1 Chronicles 3 and picks up David’s descendants.  Notice his interest in identifying the descendants of the royal house during and after the exile (1 Chronicles 3:17-24).  The anointed one promised to David would come through one of them.  Through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, we know that this key descendant of David is Zerubbabel.
         In 1 Chronicles 4 he concentrates on the descendants of Judah who were artisans and notes in one instance: “These were the potters who were inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah.  They lived there in the king’s service” (1 Chronicles 4:23). 
Once again, the connection with the royal family is important, and these men serve as examples to the ones returning from exile on the duty to support the royal house (Pratt, 100, 101).
         Today’s reading from 1 Chronicles ends with the genealogy of the tribe of Simeon.  Though they did not have as much influence as the tribe of Judah, they
give the returning exiles the geographic limits to which they should extend their territory (Pratt, 102-103).
         And along with these genealogies it is appropriate to read Psalm 105 to remind ourselves of Yahweh’s faithfulness across so many generations: “Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!” (Psalm 105:5-6)
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1 Chronicles 1 - 2 Chronicles 36: The ninth unit of the Bible

4/25/2012

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         We’ve just read a lot about the history of Israel.  Why must we go back and
read the same information again in the ninth unit of the Bible, the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles?
         Probably for the same reason that God gave us four gospels about the life of Jesus: each narrative describes the same life, but each organizes and describes that life from a unique perspective, and together they give us a fuller picture of our Lord.  Just as in the four gospels of the New Testament, we will read through the history of Israel four times in the Old Testament: the first time in all of our reading through 2 Kings (what we have just finished), the second time in 1 and 2 Chronicles, the third time in the books of the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel) and the fourth time in the minor prophets (Hosea through Malachi).  From these four readings through Israel’s history, when we finish the Old Testament on September 9th, we should have a well-rounded knowledge of Yahweh’s grace manifested to His people.
         We will cover this new unit in approximately two and a half weeks, in the readings from April 26th through May 14th this year.  As you read, keep in mind the following observations:
         1)  The main events of the unit: Israel’s history from the perspective of the Levites.
         2)  Yahweh’s attributes that stand out: His glory and His eternal dominion
         3)  Yahweh’s main work: He blesses His people when they respond to His
glory.
         4)  The main participants: The kings of the united kingdom (David and Solomon) and of the divided kingdom
         5)  The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: “When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, and I will establish his kingdom…  I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. 
I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever” (1 Chronicles 17:11, 13-14; see also Hebrews 1:5).
         6)  Key observations: First and Second Kings is the history of Israel from the viewpoint of the prophets; 1 and 2 Chronicles covers the same time but from the perspective of the Levites.  The importance of the prophets in these books is greatly reduced.  For example, Elijah the prophet so important to 1 and 2 Kings, receives only one mention, and only through a letter (2 Chronicles 21:12-15).  The name of Elisha doesn’t even appear.  On the other hand, there will be an abundance of references to the devotion of the kings and the temple services.
         In these readings we’ll notice a preference for the kings of Judah; some of the kings of Israel receive no mention.  This is to highlight the importance of the Davidic line and Yahweh’s covenant with David in Israel’s past and future.
         The emphasis on David’s royal lineage, on the Levites and on the temple reflect one of the goals of the narrator of 1 and 2 Chronicles: directing the resettlement of Jerusalem and Judah by the descendants of the exiles, specifically in their continued submission to David’s royal line and in organized temple worship (Richard Pratt,
1 and 2 Chronicles: A Mentor Commentary, 2006, Christian Focus Publications, pgs. 14-15, 25-26).  Like Moses in Deuteronomy, the narrator of 1 and 2 Chronicles wants to portray Israel’s past so that his readers have a vision for Yahweh’s future blessings, all to solidify their commitment to obey Yahweh in the present.
         Our guide to the kings will be useful once again when we get to 2 Chronicles.  Meanwhile, enjoy this review of Israelite history, this time through 1 and 2 Chronicles.
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Timeline 1 Kings and 2 Kings

4/19/2012

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         Click here to find a timeline for 1 and 2 Kings.  The first document is one page and covers the whole book of 1 Kings.  The second covers 2 Kings and is three pages long.  They include:
         the name of each king,
         the year that he came to the throne,
         the number of years he reigned,
         a memorable detail about the reign of each one,
         references to his reign in 1 and 2 Kings and Chronicles and
         the names of the prophets who wrote and preached during his reign.
I hope you find this tool to be useful as you read through the maze of names in these four books!
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    Ken Kytle serves as pastor of Iglesia bautista La fe en Cristo near Atlanta, Georgia.

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