1 Chronicles 1-29

Introduction

Who: Tradition says Ezra because the style the books of Chronicles are written in so closely resemble Ezra (and Nehemiah); Bible doesn’t say though so I’m going with “The Writer” or “The Chronicler”

When: The Chronicles, along with Ezra-Nehemiah, are probably the latest books of the Old Testament in respect to the date of composition. The time of writing for the Chronicles is usually assigned to the postexilic period of Hebrew history. Dates range anywhere from the reforms of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (ca. 515 BC) to well into the Greek period (sometime between 300 and 160 BC). - NIV App Comm

Why: The original title in the Hebrew Bible read “The annals (i.e., events or happenings) of the days.” -MacArthur

It’s thought of as historical and it is but it’s more. To see it though, have to review a bit of the story

Northern Kingdom of Israel taken captive by the Assyrians between 734-720 BC

They become thought of as “the lost tribe of Israel” because “the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom never gets an official foreign order granting them permission to return to their homeland"

Southern Kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians between 605-586 BC

Unlike Israel, Judah gets permission to return after the Persian king Cyrus conquers Babylon in 539 BC

Isaiah 45:1–3 “1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; 2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: 3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.”

And in 538 BC Ezra 1:1–2 “1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.”

Fulfilling then, Isaiah 44:28 “28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.”

Ezra’s first followed by Nehemiah

That’s 0ver 200 years of a people having no home or even language of their own or place to worship Yahweh the way He had commanded them

One of the major themes of 2 Samuel is restoration—the restoration of national unity, the restoration of David after he sinned, and the restoration of the throne after Absalom’s rebellion -Wiersbe

The Books of Chronicles are to offer an interpretation of the Bible as the author knew it, specifically

demonstrating that God's promises in the Davidic covenant remained trustworthy and effective even centuries after the original events, for readers living in a much diminished political situation compared to Israel's former glory.

reminding the Jews of God’s promises about: (1) the land; (2) the nation; (3) the Davidic king; (4) the Levitical priests; (5) the temple; and (6) true worship

It reminds them (AND US) of their spiritual heritage during the difficult times they faced, and to encourage them to be faithful to God.

Historically:

1 Chronicles 1-9: Genealogy from Adam to Saul

1 Chronicles 10: Deaths of Saul and his sons and ends with 1 Chronicles 10:14 “14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.”

1 Chr. 10–12: David becomes king over all Israel

1 Chr. 13–16: David brings the ark to Jerusalem

1 Chr. 17–21: God’s promise to David and the final occupation of the land

1 Chr. 22–29: David prepares for the temple

Ending with 1 Chronicles 29:26–30 “26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead. 29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer, 30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.”

The Return of the Ark of the Covenant

1 Chronicles 13:1–3 “1 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. 2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us: 3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.”

1 Chronicles 13:6–8 “6 And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it. 7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart. 8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

They used a cart

1 Chronicles 13:9–10 “9 And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.”

Didn’t matter that he was trying to keep it from turning over.. touching the ark was in direct violation of God’s law and was to result in death (see Num. 4:15)

1 Chronicles 13:11 “11 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perezuzza to this day.”

1 Chronicles 13:12–14 “12 And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? 13 So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obededom, and all that he had.”

But I imagine he was terrified the wrath of God would fall on him if he got it wrong again, so he left it there 3 months

David knew the Ark belonged in the temple, but also that the Lord blesses serving and honoring Him. He saw how the Lord had blessed the house of Obed-Edom and wanted that same blessing for his house.

1 Chronicles 15:1–2 “1 And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. 2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.”

He gets it right this time; no cart, just the Levites!

1 Chronicles 15:12–13 “12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it. 13 For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.”

1 Chronicles 15:25–27 “25 So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obededom with joy. 26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams. 27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.”

2 Samuel 6:13 “13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.”

The point is David learned and does everything over and above what the Lord required to move the Ark

1 Chronicles 16

1 Chronicles 16:1–6 KJV

1 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. 3 And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. 4 And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel: 5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals; 6 Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

They celebrate the return of the Ark and worship Yahweh

1 Chronicles 16:7 “7 Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.”

David writes his song of thanksgiving 1 Chronicles 16:8-36

1 Chronicles 16:8–11 “8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.”

105:1–15 repeats 1 Chronicles 16:8–22

Psalm 105:1–5 “1 O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. 2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. 3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. 5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;”

Psalm 105:6–15 “6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. 7 He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth. 8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. 9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; 10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: 11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: 12 When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. 13 When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; 14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; 15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

1 Chronicles 16:34–36 “34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. 36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.”

Psalm 106:1 “1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Conclusion

Key verse in the quarterly is:

1 Chronicles 22:19 “19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.”

1 Chronicles reminds us to seek the Lord as his children

Acts 17:27 “27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:”

But also He draws the lost that draw near to Him!

James 4:8 “8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

Praise the Lord for his Grace and Mercy that endures forever!