John Carter – March 17, 2013 – 1 Chronicles 1:1-4:23 – 1&2 Chronicles The Messiah-king
Looking at the Past to Look at the Future (And the Records are Ancient)
Why was Chronicles written? It doesn’t add a whole lot more of facts that we already find in the books of Genesis, 1&2 Samuel, and 1&2 Kings. Actually, the author omits quite a bit of historical details. So why even write this book? In the word s of Pascal, “Words differently arranged have a different meaning, and meanings differently arranged have different effects”.[1]
Chronicles is a recasting of the history of the History of Israel specifically with 2 Samuel 7 in mind.[2] Chronicles was not written for the facts of history, it was written for the theological implications of a chosen people who are waiting for their coming king who will rule over his people and the land. “In the NT we learn that this King’s name is Jesus.”[3]
The frame work of Chronicles is built around four great men: David & Solomon who are representative of Israel’s highest moment, and Adam & Cyrus who are “the beginning and the culmination of all the families of the earth for whom God’s redemption and blessing was intended”.[4] When painting a room the process usually involves reapplying paint to the same wall 3-4 times. This is how Chronicles develops in the first 10 chapters. The first coat of information is given and then the same ground is gone over again. Each time the point of the book becomes more distinct.
As we watch the genealogies develop we will see how each layer of the theological paint better shows us where to look. Specifically the promised King and messiah. Each of the Following layers will point us to 8 different men who appeared to at one time be the Kingly Messiah but as we will also see they all failed to establish an eternal kingdom.
- Adam – The 1st King
Creation (Gen 1-2), Fall (Gen 3), Promise (Gen 3:15)
He ruled in a garden over everything. He failed to prevent the rebellion of all humanity. It would be the seed of woman who would crush the serpent thereby crushing the rebellion.
- Noah – The Savior
Judgment (Gen 6:11-12, 17-18), Recreation, (Gen 9:1-3), Covenant (Gen 9:8-11),
Noah saved a remnant of humanity from a watery destruction. The rebellion remained.
- Abram/Abraham – The Father of Israel (God’s Chosen People)
Recreation (12:1-3), Faith (15:6), Covenant (17:1-8)
His seed would bless all the nations of the earth. The rebellion remained.
- Isaac – The Father of Two Nations (Israel & Edom)
Judgment (Gen 22), Covenant (Gen 26:4-5, 24)
- Israel(Jacob) – The Father of Israel
Covenant (35:10-12)
Although Abraham was the father of Israel it is Israel whose children became the 12 tribes. The rebellion remained. In fact Upon Israel’s death he was not ruling but serving Pharaoh. He was not in the promised land but Egypt.
- Judah – The Tribe of the King
Promise/Blessing (Gen 50:8-12)
It will be through the line of Judah that the King will come. But the rebellion remained.
With these first 6 men we see a glimmer of the promised Messiah-King who would end the rebellion but the rebellion remained. Now our attention turns to David and his son Solomon. The majority of 1&2 Chronicles dwells on these two men. Why? Because they best represent the coming Messiah-King. It would be best to look at these men in light of 2 Samuel 7:8-17.
- David – The Victorious King
(2 Samuel 7:8-17)
David not only fought against the enemies of Gods people but he was continually victories. To the point that David put Israel’s enemies on the run. There was no greater victor than David.
- Solomon – The Wise King
(2 Samuel 7:8-17)
Solomon is best known for his wisdom. So much so that the Queen of Sheba came with great riches to visit Solomon because of the fame of Solomon’s wisdom.
But, the rebellion remained. Even the greatest kings of Israel were still power less in defeating the rebellion against God.
The promised Messiah-King was still MIA when the writer of Chronicles finished his work. But, only a few hundred years later in the town of Bethlehem, from the tribe of Judah, born of a virgin the Messiah-King finally arrived. He came with wisdom and power. He came to restore all things. He came to call everyone to repent , and to announce the that the Kingdom of God is near. But when he died, everyone though was only another failed messiah. Just like the first 8. However, he didn’t stay dead. He rose again.
“Salvation is not a natural right that belongs to one from birth”.[5] It is a gift through the reliance on the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, God in the Flesh, the seed of woman, who came to die on the cross to crush the serpents head. Jesus isn’t only the 2nd Adam, he is the final Adam. He will end the rebellion.
Confession – Lamentation 3:22-33
[1] Pascal, Penees, 1.23
[2] John H. Sailhamer, The Books of the Bible, p.30
[3] John H Sailhamer, First & Second Chronicles, p.11
[4] John H Sailhamer, First & Second Chronicles, p.14
[5] John H Sailhamer, First & Second Chronicles, p.24
Musica Theologica 