- Titles
- Earliest Hebrew title for the books of Chronicles translates as "The Things Left Behind"
- A later title that appears in most copies is "The Account of the Days" or "Daily Matters"
- Our title "Chronicles" comes from this latter title
- Number of Books
- Like Samuel and Kings, Chronicles is only one book in the Hebrew bible. The translation into Greek (The Septuagint) was to make copying easier for the scribes.
- Also, the Septuagint title could be translated "Things omitted"
- So, the material contains things omitted from the original inspired histories
- It also contains a lot of similar material as well
- Who is the writer?
- Earliest Jewish tradition recorded in the Talmud ascribes the book to Ezra
- Obviously there are critics who disagree (based on linguistic studies)
- If not, it was a contemporary of Ezra (approx. 450-40 BC)
- Timelines
- Map (at the time of writing, but probably inclusive of time period)
- Scope and Purpose
- Half of the material is probably covered in Genesis, Samuel, and Kings
- The writer appears to desire to give a different perspective
- Similar to the distinction in the gospels, there is a purpose in the history
- The tone has a sermon-like quality (like the Gospel of John)
- The purpose of these two volumes [1 and 2 Chronicles] is to review the history of Israel from the dawn of the human race to the Babylonian captivity and Cyrus’ edict of restoration. This review is composed with a very definite purpose in mind, to give to the Jews of the Second Commonwealth the true spiritual foundations of their theocracy as the covenant people of Jehovah. This historian’s purpose is to show that the true glory of the Hebrew nation was found in its covenant relationship to God, … (Archer, p 404; also Merrill, p.158, 185)
- The writer also saw principles from history
- Example: Kings shows how sin leads to defeats
- 2 Kings 17:15–18 (ESV) — 15 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
- Chronicles shows how after two returns from exile, faith is the victory
- 2 Chronicles 20:20–22 (ESV) — 20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” 21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,
- There are a lot of genealogies
- The genealogies teach us this lesson. The way to achieve permanence and success in individual life, and the way to achieve stability and success in national life, is to recognize God in life. Throughout history people and nations have succeeded or failed as they recognized God. This is a major point the writer was demonstrating in the genealogies. God has been selecting, changing, interrupting, and moving through history inexorably toward His ultimate goal. (Constable)
- The writer presents David as the model king. He uses four pictures
- The first of these was his crowning that shows God’s choice of him
- The second was his capture of Jerusalem that was the victory that led to the temple
- The third picture was his mighty men. It shows his influence on personal character and his true power
- The fourth was the gathering of multitudes behind his leadership that shows his influence on the masses
- The temple is a key part of the story -- the temple symbolizes "Israel's nation recognition of God"
- How does this book apply to us?
- The recognition of God is still important. God governs all nations
- Deuteronomy 32:8 (ESV) —
- Deuteronomy 32:37–43 (ESV) —
- It is important that we recognize God because of His selective activity that the genealogies highlight. (Constable)
- Throughout all of history God has been choosing, selecting, lifting up, and casting down. He selects new people in every generation. If they fail, He selects others and keeps moving ahead. If the person we would normally expect God to use is not ready or is unqualified, God will choose another (cf. Saul and David).
- If the person with privilege does not respond to his opportunity, God will pass him by, find some other perhaps obscure person, and move on.
- How foolish it is for nations and individuals not to recognize Him in view of God’s sovereign progress.
- “. . . it should be noted that a further theme of Chr., that of the Lord’s willingness to start afresh with his errant people, is also tucked away almost unnoticed in the genealogies.”(McConville)
- It is also important that we recognize God because of the effect recognizing Him has on life. Take God out of the life of nations and individuals and what happens? There is no moral standard. An English politician once said, “If there is no Bible, where is your textbook of morals? There is the supreme difficulty. We must teach morals, and there is no textbook or standard in the world if we take the Bible away.”(G. Campbell Morgan)
- When we lose our moral standard we lose individual character. When we lose individual character we lose the basis for civilized society. These things build on each other. Awareness of the throne of God and the government of God is foundational for any social order.
- It is extremely important for every nation to build the temple of God, to recognize God in its life. This creates an opportunity for people to deal with God. Movements that advocate removing recognition of God from national life are pernicious. The person who points people to God is the true patriot. David wrote, “Zeal for your house has eaten me up.” What is God’s temple today? It is the church (Matt. 16:18). As the church we must point people to God. This was the “point” of church steeples in the past, to point people to God.
- Outline
- Israel’s historical roots chs. 1–9
- The lineage of David chs. 1–3
- The house of Israel chs. 4–7
- The family of Judah 4:1–23
- The family of Simeon 4:24–43
- The families of Transjordan ch. 5
- The family of Levi ch. 6
- The remaining families of Israel ch. 7
- The reign of David chs. 10–29
- The death of Saul ch. 10
- David’s coronation and capital 11:1–9
- David’s mighty men 11:10–12:40
- David and the ark chs. 13–16
- The removal of the ark from Kiriath-jearim ch. 13
- Restoring fellowship with Yahweh ch. 14
- The importance of the priests and Levites 15:1–15
- The joy produced by God’s presence 15:16–16:6
- David’s concern for the universal worship of Yahweh 16:7–43
- God’s covenant promises to David chs. 17–29
- The first account of God’s promises to David chs. 17–21
- The second account of God’s promises to David chs. 22–27
- The third account of God’s promises to David chs. 28–29
Or
use Timeline
- OT
John 20:30–31 (ESV) — 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of
the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV) — 14 if my people who are called by my name humble
themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I
will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
“Give thanks to the
Lord,
for his steadfast love endures forever.”
22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord
set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come
against Judah, so that they were routed.
Constable,
T. (2003). Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (2 Ki 25:8). Galaxie
Software.
8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,
when he divided mankind,
he fixed the borders of the peoples
according to the number of the sons of God.
37 Then he will say, ‘Where are their gods,
the rock in which they took refuge,
38 who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink offering?
Let them rise up and help you;
let them be your protection!
39 “ ‘See now that I, even I, am he,
and there is no god beside me;
I kill and I make alive;
I wound and I heal;
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
40 For I lift up my hand to heaven
and swear, As I live forever,
41 if I sharpen my flashing sword
and my hand takes hold on judgment,
I will take vengeance on my adversaries
and will repay those who hate me.
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and my sword shall devour flesh—
with the blood of the slain and the captives,
from the long-haired heads of the enemy.’
43 “Rejoice with him, O heavens;
bow down to him, all gods,
for he avenges the blood of his children
and takes vengeance on his adversaries.
He repays those who hate him
and cleanses his people’s land.”
C. The lineage of Saul chs. 8–9
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