1 & 2 Chronicles Part Two Dive

THE GOLDEN THREAD OF JESUS THROUGH CHRONICLES

Reading 1 and 2 Chronicles as someone this side of the New Testament, I cannot help but see a beautiful thread of the promise of God to David and Solomon, and His faithfulness to His people. This beautiful golden thread that the author is portraying shows how God was faithful even when the people and kings of Judah were not. Time and time again when the new king of Judah is introduced, just like in the story of the Book of Kings, you hold your breath in the hope that this one will do right in the eyes of the LORD. And we know that this beautiful golden thread is not stopped by the formula of what constitutes a right king and what constitutes an evil one because even when the kings do the wrong thing, God is still faithful to His promise and His remnant still prevail. 

THE GIFT OF HINDSIGHT

Hindsight gives us boldness as we read the stories in Chronicles, it is an incredible gift because we know the end of the story. Even though they did evil at times, even though their heart turned against God, even though they were taken into exile, God’s beautiful thread of promise to David through Judah did not fail. Even though the author stops his story at Ezra, God continued the story into the NewTestament, fulfilling the hope of which he writes. 

As we read this book, we have to remember the original readers of this text were unsure how this would turn out. The statements in this book would have encouraged them that God would be faithful to His promise, even to the point of stowing away a baby to ensure the remnant of Judah remained, like in 2 Chronicles Chapter 23. The failings in this book would have been a warning to remain faithful to God in the future. 

As you read Chronicles, you’ll realise it has to do with the people’s heart towards God. Did they rid the land of the Asherah poles (the idols that they set up to worship instead of God)? Did they humble themselves as kings and seek the LORD’s guidance through His prophets? The funniest story is when King Jehoshaphat of Judah joins with King Ahaziah of Israel, who gathers around himself prophets that would speak what he wanted to hear. And Micaiah (yes, the same Micah we have in our minor prophet section) gets brought out of prison to prophesy. And even though he said, “Don’t go”, they went anyway. Their hearts were so hardened to the voice of God!

Imagine the roller coaster for them, not knowing the outcome! Would the promise prevail beyond their generation? We have to remember that when this book was written, they didn’t know the ending–would this turn out and would the people keep following God? Would the promise be fulfilled? Would God continue to take care of His people despite their hearts turning against Him? Even knowing the ending as I do, reading the Chronicles of the line of Judah is heart-stopping, and from these people comes Jesus Himself. So if they had totally destroyed, so would be the hope we have in Christ! We are left feeling a little bit seasick throughout the story with the back and forth journey. The author does a great job at showing the (almost biased) view of the remnant of Judah that keeps going, despite the other tribes of Israel sinning. It is like he is screaming, “Israel was corrupt but let me show you the fight of Judah to remain faithful to Yahweh!”.

A BREAKDOWN OF THE KINGS’ HEARTS

As you journey in 2 Chronicles, notice the different statements that help with this roller coaster ride of obedience and disobedience in each king’s heart. Remember, as we mentioned in the snapshot, the heart is important. Highlight it as you go. Here’s some examples to get you started:

It begins with the prayer of David for his son Solomon in 1 Chronicles…

1 C 29:19 And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes, and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I provided.

Then we read of each king’s heart in 2 Chronicles, beginning with King Rehoboam…

2 C 12:12 Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the LORD’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah.

King Abijah…

2 C 13:10-12 As for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him… We are observing the requirements of the LORD our God. But you have forsaken him. God is with us; he is our leader. 

King Asa…

2 C 15:2, 15 If you seek him, you will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you…. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

King Jehoshaphat...

2 C 17:3-4, 6 He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel…. His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.

Even Joash, who starts out so well, turns…

2 C 24:24 Because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash.

King Uzziah let his power turn his heart from God…

2 C 26:16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

Even the amazing Hezekiah–that God saved Judah from the Assyrian attack in 2 Chronicles 32–turned against God!

2 C 32:25-26 But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown to him; therefore the LORD’S wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the LORD’S wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.

But even when the kings that do evil in the eyes of the LORD, God is still faithful. It is so amazing, He is not faithful because they are faithful. He is faithful because He is faithful to what He promised! Check it out in Chapter 21.

2 C 21:7 Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever.

How amazing is this! Remember what the author of Chronicles is showing us: the faithfulness of God to His promise. He is focusing in on the lineage of David and the Kingdom of Judah to show the incredible remnant of God’s faithfulness throughout history. This is the remnant that God fulfilled His promise to David through. Even in the midst of the wickedness and mistakes of the kings of Judah, the author calls forth the promise of God to David and shows that God remained faithful! And he didn’t even know the true ending! The author didn’t know that God was so committed to this promise that He was about to send His Son to fulfil it (not just here on earth but in the heavenly realms also) and that the promise stated in Isaiah was fulfilled:

I 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Like a beautiful golden thread throughout the whole text, joining Adam right back in the beginning, with David and the kings of Judah in the middle, all the way to Jesus Himself in the New Testament. 

Have a great time walking this golden journey in Chronicles!

recommended

An Introduction to the Old Testament

Chronicles part One

Chronicles part Two