Hello, friends! How have you been doing in your Scripture reading? A word about the books of I and II Chronicles before we get started. And that it "recap". Why is there so much recap? According to the intro in my Bible, these two books were written after the Israelites returned from captivity, to remind them that they were still God's chosen people.
When Ethan (5) is continually disobedient in an area, there is nothing I can do to avoid disciplining him. It's my job. He has to learn, right? While he has a tendency to push the boundaries where obedience is concerned, he is also more sensitive than my other children to the temporary "break" in relationship that it causes. Punishment makes him almost desperate to be held and hugged and reassured that he's mine, and that I still love him.
When you think about it, these next two books are like God reached down, took His people in His arms, and held them in His reassuring grasp. We could all use a reminder of who God is, and how He regards His people--especially after a "break" in the feel-goods.
v1-54 It's tempting to skip over some of these long genealogies. But as you read them, notice that some of the names have become familiar to you. We recognize their legacies and how their descendants interacted with God's people. It's also OK to marvel at how God has brought you through the time lines of all these people, just through obediently reading His Word.
v3-4 a refresher on the history of Judah and how he got 5 sons instead of just 3. Gen 38:2-10
v7 How would you like your footnote to read: "the troubler of Israel"? Josh 7:1
v15 David--the seventh-born in his family. Who would have thought that the history of the world could begin with a 7th-born? Not in a tradition where the inheritance was always passed through the first son. What would even be left for a 7th? Do you ever feel like that? Maybe you were dealt a bad hand from the beginning. But look what God did with this unlikely candidate! What could he have in store for you?
v4 In seven years, David had six sons by six different women.
v10-14 I like how the rhythm of this list changes here. Abijah his son...Asa his son....These are the kings we've just finished reading about.
OK, so we're at the end of the study for today, and we honestly don't have a ton of notes here. Don't worry. We're going to take the pace a little quicker so we don't get bogged down in the review. Three-four chapters each time sounds about right, doesn't it? Good. See you here next time with I Chronicles 4-6.
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