Together,
1st
and 2nd
Chronicles begin retelling Israel’s history but this time adding a
spiritual perspective. It follows the line of David and the nation
of Judah. Essentially, the Chronicler tells the same stories, but
from his perspective; with the understanding that God is in control.
It was probably written as the nation prepared to return to rebuild
Jerusalem after the time of captivity in Babylon. These books
provide a foundation to build on for the transplanted Hebrews. As it
is today, we don’t always see the significance of events while we
are going through them. Chapter 1 is a genealogy, a list of names and
all of their “begots”. In our modern minds we tend to skip
through these lists because we see no relevance. In 1977, ABC
television aired a TV mini-series called “Roots”. It was the
fictionalized history of Alex Haley’s family, traced back to
Africa. Its incredible success shows that all of us want to know
more about our family history. To the Hebrew people, these are their
roots. To followers of Christ, we see God patiently working His plan
in spite of rebellion, pride and lack of faith (Kind of like our
life!).
1
Chronicles chapter 1 lists Adam, and blows through the first 22
chapters of Genesis without pause. The chapter begins with no
introduction, “Adam,
Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech,
Noah. The sons of Noah: Shem, Ham and Japheth“.
Remember how in the first few days of elementary school there was
always a review of last year’s material? I think that was designed
to knock the rust off of our minds. Here the Chronicler writes to
the Jews that had been in captivity. These names were familiar to
these Hebrew students. I’m sure they also recognized the names NOT
MENTIONED as well. The omission of Cain and Able indicates we will
not swerve off the main road. As the names flow, we read the famous
and the infamous. We see names that become the founders of races,
religions and regions. “The
sons of Noah…The sons of Japheth… The sons of Gomer… The sons
of Javan… Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came)… Canaan
was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites,
Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,
Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites. The Semites… Joktan was the
father of… Abram (that is, Abraham)”.
In our mobile society, we lose sight of the significance of “clans”.
In many regions, it is not who you know, but what your name is that
determines your status. Americans snicker at the mention of the feud
between the Hatfields and the McCoys, but these ancient family
bloodlines were deadly serious.
“The
sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael… Abraham was the father of
Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel“.
The chapter lists the sons of Ishmael and the sons of Esau and all
their descendents. God promised Abraham that he would be the father
of many nations, but the promise of the Messiah would only be passed
on through one line. God’s covenant with Abraham extends to you
and I today, “and
all peoples on earth will be blessed through you”
(Genesis 12:3). On the Cross, all the bloodlines of all the peoples
of the world were replaced by the blood of the new covenant. Hebrews
9:22 confirms, “Without
the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness“.
This new covenant is received by faith. “Christ
was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will
appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to
those who are waiting for him“.
No one is excluded from this list!