1 Chronicles 1:1–4 (ESV) Adam, Seth, Enosh; 2 Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared; 3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech; 4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
I was tempted to skip over the long and seemingly ambiguous genealogical records of the first several chapters of 1 Chronicles. But I remember "all scripture is God-breathed and profitable." So here we are and in four verses I get an idea of what is happening in 1 Chronicles from the start.
Israel will produce the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles during their return from Exile in Babylon. The narrative of 1 & 2 Kings ends with the nation cast into exile and we aren't given the contextual details of 1 Chronicles on the first page because Israel had greater issues to deal with as they made their way back to the Promised Land after 70 years.
How do you live again where you once died?
To answer that question, Chronicles takes Isreal's exiles on a journey to where they come from. We must note the book does not open with Abraham but rather Adam. Why Adam? Because he's the first man from whom God made every nation of men (see Acts 17:26). So we have Israel making their way back to the promised land and they are reminded of the 10 initial generations ending with Noah and then the mention of Noah's three sons. In a bit of generational numerology, we see the next 10 generations lead to Abraham in verse 28. Abraham's immediate family is then listed with detail as Noah's was.
1 Chronicles 1:28–29 (ESV) The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. 29 These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
What are we seeing? God is reminding His people that He is the one who intervenes in human history to save (Noah) and establish (Abraham) for Himself a people set apart for His purposes. First He intervened in Noah's generation after the Earth has devolved into utter moral ruin and men acted wickedly in every sense. Then, after the nations were scattered from the tower of Babel, God selected Abraham as His chosen instrument through which he would establish a blessed and chosen people to save the nations.
Why would this be so important to God's exiled people returning from Babylon? Because they had lived for 70 years under Nebuchadnezzar and other Near Eastern monarchs. These kings had prided themselves on being able to conquer, decimate and indoctrinate peoples from other nations and absorb them forever into Babylonian culture.
But Israel had a record! They had a record of who they were and where they came from by God's grace. This genealogy was no boring recitation of ancient names, this genealogy was the record of God's favor and election bestowed upon them, reminding them that no matter what foreign nations tried to do to them, they were defined by what God had done for them.
So what are we to do with this in our life? Keep better records of our ancestors? Some try that. Have you noticed the world is currently obsessed with understanding their roots and finding their lineages? Could that be that the spiritual Nebuchadnezzar of this world has so indoctrinated them into the cult of demonic ideals they are desperately seeking an alternative identity? I believe so.
Here's what we do. We remember that we have been GRAFTED into the ancient and historical lineage of Abraham through Jesus Christ (see Romans 11). If you have placed your faith in Christ Jesus, you have been adopted into the family of God that has real people with real faith in your past. You live with a sense of appointment and humble gratitude that God has saved you so that you can be a blessing to the world.
Galatians 3:26–29 (ESV) for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
That will establish you for whatever the devil may try to do to you.
I'm starting to like Chronicles already.
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