The Word of God - A Discussion: Kings/Chronicles
4/24/22 Sunday Evening Study

So this is another situation like before where we have 2 weeks worth of reading to discuss, but I think it will run a little easier this time, as we have run into a fair bit of repetition. However, like with the Gospels in the NT, we get a lot of value out of seeing the story presented in multiple ways - not just because we see it through the eyes of different people, but we see it presented with a different purpose at hand. Samuel and Kings focused strongly on the personal nature and decisions of the rulers, and that impact on the Israelites based upon the leadership following God. Chronicles is much more black and white - it talks about conquests and battles and people and says very little about the character or even the commitment to Christ.

We begin with the conclusion of 2 Kings, which actually details the end of the narrative covered. Picking up from last time, we get a good king in Judah. Hezekiah is a good person - does everything right, and during his reign we see Israel get conquered in Samaria and carried away into exile. When the king of Assyria comes against him in 2 Kings 18, he buys time (literally) with silver and then he and his people stood against the Assyria on faith as they taunted them. Isaiah encourages Hezekiah in chapter 19 even as the king of Assyria defies God. So Hezekiah prays that God would deliver them for the sake of all people coming to know Christ.

Isaiah prophesies destruction on the King of Assyria, and the angel of the Lord struck down 185000 Assyrian soldiers, and the king is murdered by his own sons. Yet shortly after, Hezekiah becomes ill to the point of death - in his prime. Chapter 20 talks of his prayer, God remembering his righteousness, and granting him 15 more years of life. Hezekiah makes the mistake of showing off to Babylon all of his wealth, which of course Isaiah tells him that Babylon will take from him, but it doesn’t bother Hezekiah, because apparently it’ll happen to his kids and not to him.

We get a couple of evil kings - Manasseh and his son Amon leading to Josiah on the throne at the age of 8 in chapter 22. Josiah repairs the ransacked temple, and in it they find the book of the law of Moses that traveled with the ark. When they find the book and read it, there is no telling how long it has been since that book has been read, and only then do they realize just how far they have strayed from God’s plan for them. Josiah changes the direction of Judah, restores the Passover, and brings them back to obedience with God. But, Josiah is the last good king - when he dies, he is followed by Jehoaz and Jehoiakim, both doing evil in the sight of the Lord, then finally Jehoiachin - who gets conquered and exiled by Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, appoints Zedekiah as king of Judah, and he rebels against God and against Babylon. Seems he did not quite understand the predicament he was in. Once the majority of Judah is taken, Babylon leaves Gedaliah as governor over the tiny remnant left behind - basically children and elderly and only a few able-bodied. Gedaliah encourages them to obey the Chaldeans and Babylonians, but Ishmael assassinates him and they all run away and hide. 

Here we move into 1 Chronicles, and this book is a whole lot of genealogy. Now, like many, sometimes I am tempted to skim over these or skip them entirely, especially when we are digging into the 12 tribes and it goes on for like 15 chapters - however, there is value to these, as they can bring up some interesting questions and observations.Hee is what rattled around in my head these last couple weeks.

We know that at the time of Abraham, there were lots of people. Abraham’s family was large, but there was a whole world of other people not related to Abraham, or at least not counted among his family. Think of how many thousands were wiped out in Sodom and Gomorrah - those just being 2 cities nearby. There are many thousands, likely millions of people on the planet totally unassociated with Abraham. 

But look at the genealogy in 1 Chronicles chapter 1 from Abraham to Jacob. We see the following names which should ring a bell for anyone reading the OT - Midian, Sheba, Timna, Amalek. Before that, the descendents of Noah - Cush, Canaan, Casluhim (father of the Philistines), Sidon, Amorites, Jebusites, Aram. 

Here is my point - almost every enemy of Israel outlined in the historical narrative came from the same family line. Of all the people in the world, it is as if the Israelites made trouble out of themselves - they needed no help from anyone. And when they finally face real opposition - folks from outside of the “family” they are exiled, conquered, subdued - there is literally no contest. What questions or comments do you have about the genealogies?

It isn’t until chapter 10 that we pick up the narrative again, and it goes back to stories of 2nd Samuel, beginning with the death of Saul. It is a very stripped story, with a very clear point - Saul died because of his breach of faith, so he was killed and his kingdom given to another. That seems like a story you would want to remember if you ever become king in Israel or Judah - but the lesson is quickly forgotten.

Here on out we get a very clinical view of David’s operations - what he did, where he went, who was there, etc. There is very little talk about meanings or purposes of strategies, just a basic telling of what went down. We get a pretty awesome account of David's mighty men - these guys are like superheroes - though I find it very interesting that one of them is Uriah the Hittite. Think about that - the man that David had killed so he could take his wife was no ordinary man, but he was one of the knights of the round table so to speak. I imagine there were very few in the kingdom who did not know exactly what had happened between david and Bathsheba - that’s bad news. Yet Chronicles doesn’t even mention that little torrid affair, instead reporting on what is presented as being the greater sin - the census, in chapter 21. Yet before that act, we see a lot of successful king stuff from David.

He defeats the Philistines all over the place, builds the house for himself and his wives he collects daily, and brings the ark to Jerusalem and places it in the tabernacle. He makes the covenant with God which allows Solomon to build the temple and ensures that someone of David’s line will continue to rule. In chapter 8 he does to the Moabites what he did to the Philistines, then again to the Ammonites and Syrians after a pretty big insult. 

Then David sins with the census and 70K men die of pestilence in 3 days, and David builds an altar to the Lord. David then appears to commit his life to obtaining the materials and plans and every resource that Solomon will need to build the temple during his reign. David assigns the temple caretakers from the Levites in chapter 23 and then the priests themselves in chapter 24, followed by the musicians in 25. I will pause here to point out a famous name in the musicians - Asaph, as a chief among musicians. Where have you heard or seen that name a bunch? It makes me wonder if the psalms were in fact a labor between David and Asaph, or if they were simply discovered later and lumped together, but it is a mighty coincidence. He organizes other folks in service in 26, moving to the military and tribal structures in chapter 27.

David encourages the people and Solomon directly, then finally he dies in chapter 29. There is no mention of the turmoil within his family or in the succession.

As we move into Chronicles, it is the retelling of the story of Solomon and his faithfulness which results in his great wisdom. He prepares and builds the temple in chapters 2 and 3, makes all of the furnishings and utensils in 4, and then brings in the ark in chapter 5. We finish out this section with the dedication of the temple and Solomon’s prayer which concludes with:

“Let your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
and let your saints rejoice in your goodness.”