ANOTHER LOOK AT DAVID: WHY STUDY I CHRONICLES

Now all theses things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come — I Corinthians 10:11 (NKJV)

He is one of the most famous and significant figures in the Bible. The covenant God made with him changed history and paved the way for the coming of the Messiah. He set an example of leadership, worship, and service of God. He was not perfect but so dedicated was he to the Lord that he was called the ‘man after God’s own heart’ (Acts 13:22).

The person in question is David, king of Israel. The book of I Chronicles is primarily about him. Out of love for God he wants to build a temple, but God forbade him because he had shed too much blood. So though his son and successor Solomon will be the temple builder, David will do all the planning and preparation necessary to make the temple possible.

Chronicles was written after the Israelites returned to Judah from the Babylonian exile in the 5th Century BC. It serves as a reminder that God is faithful to those who keep His covenant and put all their trust in him.

HEBREW NAME

Dibere Hayyamim meaning ‘The words or accounts of the days.’ We get the word ‘Chronicles’ from the Latin Vulgate Chronicorum Liber which speak about sacred history of the time of the Judean kings.

AUTHOR

Author is anonymous but Ezra is nominated by the Talmud and makes a good candidate. In any case, the author wrote the book at after the Babylonian exile.

PORTRAIT OF CHRIST

Seed of David who will sit on his throne forever. Christ is simultaneously Son of God and Son of David, thanks to the Davidic Covenant (I Chronicles Chapter 17).

THEME OF I CHRONICLERS

I Chronicles is the official priestly-prophetic account of David’s genealogy and reign.

KEY VERSES

I Chronicles 17:11-14:

And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. ¹²He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. ¹³I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: ¹⁴But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.

I Chronicles 29:11:

Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

SUMMARY

I and II Chronicles is a single volume in the Hebrew Bible. It speaks of people and events found in II Samuel and I & II Kings.

Here in I Chronicles there is a focus on the royal lineage of David (chapters 1-9), followed by his reign as king of Israel (chapters 10-29). Unlike the other books of Samuel and Kings, there is no mention of Saul’s persecution of David, David’s first 7 years as king in Hebron, the rebellion of Absalom, the wives of David or his adultery with Bathsheba. While Solomon gets credit for building and dedicating the temple, it is David who made it possible with his meticulous preparation.

DISTINCTIVE OF I CHRONICLES

Samuel-Kings                                                                      Chronicles

From Samuel to Cyrus                                                        From Adam to Cyrus

David             at his best and worst                                                David the good king

Kings of Israel & Judah                                                       Kings of Judah alone

Emphasis on all kings: good & evil                                  Emphasis on good Judean kings

Solomon builds the temple                                                            David plans the temple

Response of kings to God’s covenant                               Focuses on faith institutions

OUTLINE OF I CHRONICLES

I.  Royal Lineage of David (1:1-9:44)

A.  Genealogy from Adam to Abraham (1:1-27)

Adam to Noah, Noah to Abraham via the 3 sons of Noah: Ham, Shem, and Japheth

B.  Genealogy from Abraham to Jacob (1:28-54)

The Patriarchs, Esau’s descendants, kings and chiefs of Edom

C.  Genealogy from Jacob to David (2:1-55)

D.  Genealogy from David to the Babylonian Captivity (3:1-24)

E.  Genealogies of the 12 tribes of Israel (4:1-8:40)

12 tribes listed except Dan. Great emphasis on Levites, the lineage of the                   priests, and Aaron.

F.  Genealogy of the returning exiles (9:1-34)

Lists those Israelites who returned to Judah from Babylonian captivity

G.  Genealogy of Saul (9:35-44)

II.  David’s Righteous Reign (10:1-29:30)

A.  David Becomes King (10:1-12:40)

Saul’s death, anointing of David, Jerusalem captured, David’s mighty men.

B.  The Ark of Covenant (13:1-17:27)

                       

After a bad start, David brings the Ark to Jerusalem. God makes a covenant with David.

C.  The Military Victories of David (18:1-20:8)

Victories over the Philistines, Zobah, Ammon, Moab, and Syria.

D.  David’s Preparation for Temple (21:1-27:34)

Disastrous Census and material preparation of the temple.

E.  Final Days of David (28:1-29:30)

Briefs Solomon, prepares for the temple, prayer of thanksgiving, Solomon coronated, and David’s death.