Week 48, November 23–29: 1 Chronicles 17–29; 1 Timothy 1–6; Psalms 130–136
- Sun Nov 23 1 Chron. 17–18 Ps. 130
- Mon Nov 24 1 Chron. 19–21 Ps. 131
- Tue Nov 25 1 Chron. 22–24 Ps. 132
- Wed Nov 26 1 Chron. 25–27 Ps. 133
- Thu Nov 27 1 Chron. 28–29 Ps. 134
- Fri Nov 28 1 Tim. 1–3 Ps. 135
- Sat Nov 29 1 Tim. 4–6 Ps. 136
Chapter 17 in 1 Chronicles is a pivotal chapter. Remember, 1–2 Chronicles narrates much of the same history as 1–2 Samuel and 1–2 Kings. 1 Chronicles 17 parallels 2 Samuel 7, one of the most significant passages in all Scripture. Here we read of God’s covenant promise to David that the Lord himself would build a dynasty from David’s line. An offspring, or seed, from his lineage would reign on an eternal throne (1 Chron 17:11–14). This promise to David further narrows the hopeful prophetic focus that began in Gen. 3:15: from the seed of the woman to an offspring from Abraham (Gen. 15:4), to a king from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10), to a descendant of David to rule of God’s house forever (2 Sam. 7:12–13; 1 Chron. 17:11–12).
The sequence of Chronicles coming after Samuel and Kings is significant, especially if we consider the placement of Chronicles at the end of the OT Canon (Tanak). We already know where the story is headed. Under David and Solomon’s reign, Israel and Judah were basically united as one nation. But this would not last. They would split into the Northern and Southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and eventually they would both be exiled to Assyria and Babylon, respectively. When we get to Chronicles in the Tanak order, we have also already read all the Prophets and their theological assessment of the situation that led to exile. We know that this promise to David would not be fulfilled in any kind of ultimate sense in any of the sequence of kings that followed after David and sat on the throne in Jerusalem. 1 Chronicles 17 reminds us as readers that God still has a plan and a purpose, he is still faithful, and his promise to David remains. A seed from his line will come and reign forever.
One of the main differences between Samuel-Kings and Chronicles is that Chronicles focuses on the kings of the southern kingdom of Judah, whereas Kings went back and forth telling of the kings of both Israel and Judah. Chronicles is more concerned with the succession of kings in David’s line and the movement towards fulfillment of God’s promise to David here in chapter 17.
This emphasis on David’s line paints a more positive picture of David and the Davidic kings. As you read along, look for ways in which the characters are portrayed a little differently than they were in Samuel and Kings. Maybe something is left out, or a piece might be added, or things are stated a bit differently. For example, 1 Chronicles 20 tells the story of Joab and the Israelite’s springtime battle at Rabbah. In 2 Samuel 11, this is when David sinned grievously against Bathsheba and Uriah, and ultimately against the Lord. But nothing is said of this sin in Chronicles. Similar differences occur elsewhere throughout 1–2 Chronicles. I do not think the author omits some of the negative aspects of David and the Judahite kings out of dishonesty or for some other nefarious reason. Rather, he assumes we already know the story. Instead of highlighting the sin in Israel, Judah, and their kings (including David) to explain why the exile happened—which is a significant part of the message of Samuel-Kings, the strategy of 1–2 Chronicles is to restore hope in God’s promise to David about a seed that was still to come.
Another distinctive trait of Chronicles that you may be noticing is the weight given to the various elements and individuals involved in the religious activity surrounding the tabernacle and the temple. The officials David set over different aspects of Israel’s formal worship are listed, and we are told many details about how they are organized, from musicians, to priests and Levites, to those who guard the gates. This highlights the care David took to honor God in the administration of worship in Israel, and it contrasts with the carelessness coupled with idolatry we will see as the story continues and the succession of kings after David brings with it a decline in the nation’s devotion to the Lord.
It is also fitting that we are reading from the grouping of psalms called ascent psalms (Psalms 120–134). Throughout the Bible, OT and NT, Jerusalem and the temple that is there are always depicted as elevated, on a mountain. When one goes to Jerusalem he always goes up. The ascent psalms are all meant to be read from this perspective.
As we read along in Chronicles and Psalms, my prayer is that it will stir our hearts to worship the Lord as we look forward to the permanent and eschatological house he is building, with the Messianic king who has already come and is coming again. This is not just ancient history we are reading, not just facts to be read for the sake of information. The goal is to know God and to see him more clearly for who he is. As we do, we will see his faithfulness to his covenant promises to David.
The LORD swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
I will set on your throne.
If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne." (1 Chronicles 132:11–12)
We will also take a hiatus from the OT reading and 1 Timothy in between 1 and 2 Chronicles. 1 and 2 Timothy, along with Titus, are referred to as the Pastoral Epistles. Paul wrote these three books to two young men he mentored and worked alongside in his gospel ministry in the early Church. Timothy pastored the church in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3) and the two letters of 1 and 2 Timothy are Paul’s instructions and encouragement to Timothy and the others in the church there. While the letters are addressed to an individual, the benedictions at the end of each letter are addressed to a plural “you all” (1 Tim. 6:21; 2 Tim. 4:22; Titus 3:15). This suggests they were meant to be read corporately in the church, and they remain instructive to us and our church today.