Year of the Bible: Part Six of Twelve Sampel

Overview of Chronicles

It is tempting to skip the book of Chronicles because, on the surface, it seems to be a repeat of the book of Kings. However, Chronicles was written much later than the book of Kings.

Kings was written prophetically, telling of all the wicked deeds done by Israel's rulers and the people that eventually led to captivity in Babylon. The author of Chronicles (or "the Chronicler") looked back after the exile and summarized the deeds of the kings of Israel. The writer of Chronicles did not list all the mistakes these kings made but rather talked about all the good they did. As the last book in the Jewish Scriptures, Chronicles summarizes all that had happened and ends with a paragraph about the people returning from exile.

The Chronicler opened the book by recounting the descendants of Adam through the biblical narratives for nine whole chapters! This long passage shows the lineage leading up to King David.

Most modern readers misunderstand the genealogy that opens the book of Chronicles. We see it as a list of who begat whom, but the Chronicler was meticulously reminding the people that God had promised David's line would remain, and the Messiah would come through him. The Israelites had been in exile and then returned home to their destroyed nation, and some—if not all—of them might have lost hope that God would keep that promise.

The Chronicler took time to remind the people that God was faithful. He had not forgotten or forsaken His promise to preserve David's line: eventually, Jesus came from David. Our circumstances can seem boring, humdrum, or simply impossible, but God does not forget His word. His plan is still in place to restore us to Himself. No matter what is discouraging in your life today, if God said it, He will do it! Will you choose Him today?

Question: What are things you feel sure God has forgotten to do in your life?

Prayer: Take some time today to remember that God keeps His promises. Even if something takes hundreds of years to be fulfilled, He is always faithful. Our timing is not usually what God has planned: that can feel frustrating, but we can trust Him. Express your weariness in waiting, and then ask God for encouragement to keep believing.