Lecture on 1st and 2nd Chronicles

Overview of Chronicles

• Originally one book, split into two due to scroll length.
• Chronicles follows the books of Samuel and Kings in English Bibles, summarizing much of their content.
• In Jewish tradition, Chronicles is the last book, summarizing Jewish scriptures.

Authorship and Historical Context

• Unknown author, likely lived a couple of hundred years post-Babylonian exile.
• Jerusalem and the temple are rebuilt, but not thriving as hoped.
• Chronicles provides a message of hope focused on two themes:
  • The coming Messianic King.
  • The hope for a new temple.

Structure and Themes

Genealogies

• Chronicles begins with nine chapters of genealogies.
• Summarizes the Old Testament storyline.
• Emphasizes two key lineages:
  • Line of the promised messianic king (Judah to David).
  • Line of the priesthood (descendants of Aaron).

Stories of David

• Familiar stories from Samuel, but with differences:
  • Negative stories of David omitted (e.g., Bathsheba incident).
  • Additional positive material about David.
  • Portrays David as an ideal king, a type of future Messiah.
  • Highlights David's preparations for the temple.
  • Compares David to Moses with divine plans for the temple.

God's Covenant with David

• Chronicles 17 retells God's promise to David, similar to 2 Samuel 7.
• Emphasizes that the Messianic king has yet to come.
• Positions David as a precursor to the future Messiah.

Transition to 2 Chronicles

• Focuses on kings in Jerusalem.
• Omits Northern Israel kings.
• Highlights obedient kings and their successes.
• Includes new stories of disobedient kings and their consequences.
• Use of character studies to educate Israel's descendants.

Conclusion of Chronicles

• Ends with an incomplete sentence by King Cyrus of Persia.
• Invitation to Israelites to return from exile and rebuild.
• Reflects unfulfilled prophetic hopes.
• Chronicles ends as a story looking forward, with hope rooted in past events.

Significance

• Chronicles is a story in search of an ending.
• Calls for reflection on the past to cultivate hope for the future.
• Ends the Old Testament by pointing towards the anticipated fulfillment of prophetic promises.