1. The Book of Chronicles or the Book of Notes – Scripture Study 1
Just for your thoughts.
1. The Book of Chronicles or the Book of Notes – Scripture Study 1
Introduction to the Books of Chronicles:
Even before the birth of Jesus Christ, when the Old Testament books were translated into Greek, these books were given titles in English that meant “Things left over” or “Things left out” or “Omissions”. However, in Hebrew, the title of these books is understood in English as “Journals”.
In the Hebrew Bible, these books appear as the last books.
They were written during the period when the Jewish kingdom was conquered by the Babylonians, and the Jews
were living as exiles in Babylon.
In the Book of 1 Chronicles, apart from the genealogies listed in chapters 1 to 9, all other events recorded in these two books (1 and 2 Chronicles) are also mentioned in the Books of Kings and 1 and 2 Samuel.
Most of the events recorded in 1 and 2 Samuel are also found in 1 Chronicles, and similarly, the events in 1 and 2 Kings are also found in 2 Chronicles.
The major difference, however, is that the Books of Kings and 1 and 2 Samuel primarily focus on political and historical matters.
In contrast, the Books of Chronicles emphasize the religious and spiritual aspects of the Jewish people. Specifically, they focus heavily on the building of God’s temple in Jerusalem, the work of the Levites, and other religious duties.
These books contain only a few notes about the kingdom of Israel. They mainly highlight the construction of the temple in Jerusalem and the lineage of David. They give significant attention to the Jewish kingdom and also mention, in detail, the tragic ends of figures such as Ammon, Absalom, and Adonijah, as well as the succession after King Solomon.
Chronicles narrates a longer historical period than any other Old Testament book. The genealogical information in the first nine chapters begins with Adam, similar to the account in the Gospel of Luke. These two Books of Chronicles emphasize the building of the temple in Jerusalem, the return of the Ark to Jerusalem, worship songs, returning exiles, and the desire to reestablish worship according to the Law of Moses.
They also highlight the special role of David’s lineage.
In summary, Dr. Constable states correctly that Chronicles is one of the books of the Bible that contains abundant spiritual wealth. The Bible comprises 66 books, each with a specific purpose intended by God. Based on that divine purpose, the authors wrote each book. Any believer who meditates on Scripture and understands this purpose correctly will be able to understand God’s revelation in that book accurately.
For example, we must understand that the four Gospels were written for different purposes. Therefore, when reading the historical books, if we comprehend the underlying purpose for which each book was written, we can become excellent biblical scholars.
The Bible is not a secret spell for believers. If one uses the correct key to unlock a book, one can discover the treasures hidden within that book.
Ezekiel Shanmugavel