The Jesus Bible Reading PlanSample

EXILE AND RESTORATION

The inclusion of the story of Manasseh’s sin, exile in Babylon, repentance and return to the land fits perfectly with Chronicles’ purpose. Unlike 1 and 2 Kings which justified the exile, the books of Chronicles were intended to highlight the reality of the Lord’s faithfulness to his covenant with David so as to strengthen the people’s hope that a descendant of David would reign and the promises would be fulfilled. Manasseh’s story is a great example of God’s mercy and faithfulness to those who had returned from exile. If the worst king in David’s line could be restored to the throne before the exile, then surely the Lord would be gracious and restore the Davidic line after the exile.

Manasseh’s story strengthened the hope of the post-exilic Jews that God would one day establish David’s dynasty, defeat their enemies and finally save them. In fact, Manasseh’s story was a picture in miniature of God’s dealings with his people. Manasseh had sinned, been taken in exile to Babylon, repented while in Babylon, and then returned to the land. Just as God restored the king when he repented in exile, so God also restored the nation itself after its exile to Babylon. God was faithful to his promise to David and to the nation, despite all that had happened.

The inadequacy of David’s sons as described in Chronicles anticipated David’s great Son who would come — Jesus Christ. None of the sons had lived up to the ideal, and yet despite their failings, God remained faithful to his promise that one day a son of David would establish an eternal kingdom. Long after the restoration from exile, Jesus sits on the throne forever with all of his enemies under his feet. He fulfills all of the good qualities of David, Solomon and the others with none of their bad qualities. Chronicles began with a genealogy, and it ended with exile and an invitation to return. Chronicles was the last book of the Hebrew canon, and the very next words in the Bible after the end of Chronicles are these: “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David” (Mt 1:1).

Jesus, thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for showing up, right on time, to save the world. Amen.