1 Chronicles 1

Chronicles. As you begin reading you may catch yourself saying at different times, “didn’t we already read this”? The answer is, yes and no. You see, Chronicles is unique. It covers historical territory that has already been covered in the last 4 books we studied… 1^st Samuel – 2^nd Kings. The period, the events… we have already studied them. What changes is the FOCUS. Here in Chronicles we get a bit of a different perspective… an insight here and there, a new fact in this area, and undisclosed detail in that area… As a whole the book is much more focused on the TEMPLE, the priesthood, and the SPIRITUAL STATE of the people of God than the more political nature of the previous books.

In it we will find the nation and its relationship to the Lord, illustrated for us by the state of the TEMPLE and the PRIESTHOOD to be central to the content of the book. The purpose behind this is simple. The writer of the book was addressing people who had just returned after the CAPTIVITY. His goal was to remind them of their history, and demonstrate the importance of keeping GOD at the center. As we read and study this book, I hope and pray that our experience will be similar to those returning from captivity; that we would find in them great encouragement, and a strong exhortation to the importance of really keeping the Lord at the center.

In these opening chapters we have a rehearsal of familiar genealogies. You may think, “why this again?” The reason is simple. We need to remember where we came from, and what our roots are. As we hit these Genealogy chapters, we will focus in on people included in them who are of particular importance to us. God bless your study of this 2 part book of Chronicles!