1 Chronicles

IN THE WIDE shade of the ageless oak, a

mother watches her toddler discover acorns,

leaves, and dandelions. Nearby, her mother,

aunt, and uncle spread the checkerboard

cloth over park tables and cover it with bowls

and platters of fried chicken, potato salad,

baked beans, and assorted family recipes. The

clanging of Grandpa’s and Dad’s horseshoes

against stakes regularly pierces the air and

mixes with the cheers, laughs, and shouts of teenagers playing a game of touch football. A family reunion—a sunny afternoon filled with four generations of miscellaneous kids, parents, and second cousins once removed.

Reunions are important. They are times for touching and connecting with others from branches of the family tree, tracing one’s personal history back through time and culture, seeing physical reminders (her eyes, his nose), recalling warm traditions. Knowing one’s genetic and relational path gives a sense of identity, heritage, and destiny.

With this same high purpose, the writer of Chronicles begins his unifying work with an extensive genealogy. He traces the roots of the nation in a literary family reunion from Adam onward, recounting its royal line and the loving plan of a personal God. We read 1 Chronicles and gaina glimpse of God at work through his people for generations. If you are a believer, these people are your ancestors, too. As you approach this part of God’s Word, read their names with awe and respect, and gain new security and identity in your relationship with God.

The previous book, 2 Kings, ends with both Israel and Judah in captivity, surely a dark age for God’s people. Then follows Chronicles (1 and 2 Chronicles were originally one book). Written after the Captivity, it summarizes Israel’s history, emphasizing the Jewish people’s spiritual heritage in an attempt to unify the nation. The chronicler is selective in his history telling. Instead of writing an exhaustive work, he carefully weaves the narrative, highlighting spiritual lessons and teaching moral truths. In Chronicles the northern kingdom is virtually ignored, David’s triumphs— not his sins—are recalled, and the Temple is given great prominence as the vital center of national life.

First Chronicles begins with Adam, and for nine chapters, the writer gives us a “Who's Who” of Israel’s history with special emphasis on David's royal line. The rest of the book tells the story of David—the great man of God, Israel's king—who served God and laid out the plans for the construction of and worship in the Temple.

First Chronicles is an invaluable supplement to 2 Samuel and a strong reminder of the necessity for tracing our roots and thus rediscovering our spiritual foundation. As you read 1 Chronictes, trace your own godly heritage, thank God for your spiritual forefathers, and recommit yourself to passing on God’s truth to the next generation.

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The long list af names that follows presents a history of God's work in the world from Adam through Zerubbabel. Some of these names remind us of stories of great faith, and others, of tragic failure. About most of the people named, however, we know nothing. But those who died unknown to us are known by God. God will also remember us when we die.

David loved the LORD and wanted to build a Temple to replace the Tabernacle, but God denied his request. David’s greatest contribution to the Temple would not be the construction but the preparation. We may be unable to see the results of our labors for God in our lifetime, but David’s example helps us understand that we serve God sa fe will see his results, not so we will see ours.

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