- We are Making History
1st Chronicles 1
I have always wondered about my ancestors. I know that I have some different European races but to follow it to a specific time and group is a little difficult. There are websites that are made to help people with knowing their family history. Now, I am a little bit of a nerd as I like reading about history and about how people lived.
In this chapter as well as up to chapter 9 we will read about the genealogies of Israel. Chapter 1 is about the genealogy of Adam all the way to Jacob.
Purpose:
Before you get frustrated with boredom you need to understand why the writer of Chronicles felt the need to give the reader all this information. 1st and 2nd Chronicles is found at the end of the Old Testament in the Hebrew Bibles. The author wrote Chronicles to give the post exilic (those who came back to Israel after Babylon took everyone as exiles) history as well as theology. If you want to do some studying of your own, look at Genesis 5 with this chapter. The author focuses not necessarily who came in order but who has more significance and that would be those in the line of Judah.
The group of people are in a land that was destroyed by the Babylonians, their temple was destroyed, their way of life was altered. The author needed to teach them history so they would be able to appreciate God even more as he did not blot out Israel forever and that he would provide for them and allow them to come back to their land.
History for Us:
We may feel disconnected as we read the next few chapters and before we start feeling like we are in a classroom we need to realize God is the author of history. He has allowed all the events that took place to happen for a reason. He is active in life and we see that he has a plan. The plan for Israel was to know that he will keep his promise and the line of David will see the Messiah. We know that Jesus did come and died and rose again for the salvation of mankind. We read the past but need to look forward to what is ahead and that is the return of Christ. Just as the angels told the disciples in Acts 1, that Jesus will return the same way he left. Every second that goes bye is history and we need to make the most of it. We are making history everyday. It may not be recorded for the world to know but what is done in the past is history. Lord, please help us to be bold for you. Help us to share Jesus Christ with the people around us and to the world.
- There is Still Hope
2nd Kings 25
My wife and I ran into some familiar faces the other day at the Cheesecake Factory. It was a family that is faced with a serious problem, one of the members of the family was in an accident and is in the hospital. It was a very serious accident as he in comma right now. I told them we have been praying for his recovery and for the family and one of the guys told me that they have so much hope in God in this situation. I just listened and was blown away at his faith in God. He knew God was allowing this for a reason as thousands of people in the United States have been praying for his cousin, Mark and this has been a testimony to others to know who Jesus Christ is. I would like to encourage you to pray for Mark Lamberth as well and to know that there is hope in dark times. To see more go to: Pray for the Lamberths.
We come to the last chapter of 2nd Kings. With our reading of chapter 24 to now we just see a gloomy cloud over Judah. We know what is going to happen, we see the end of this land and everything that David established and what Solomon built. It almost seems like a sad movie, which leaves you depressed. The truth is that we need to not stop with this but God has a future and a plan (Jeremiah 29:11) for Israel. He does not let them just become exiled into Babylon forever. There is hope and we will see it unfold in front of us as we continue to read through the Bible.
It is all Over
After a few years of surrounding Jerusalem we see that the Babylonians made a breach in the wall. Once this happened the king and his men fled and they were captured. King Zedekiah watched as his sons were killed in front of him and then his eyes were plucked out so that would be the last thing he saw. Man, that is grouse.
The Babylonians was a group of people who were from Babylon, which is now modern day Iraq. They were the world’s superpower at that time. Nebuchadnezzar was probably the greatest leader of Babylon as well as the last great ruler as we will see in the future readings of the Bible, especially in Daniel. He not only was a great military leader who would conquer the nations around Babylon but would also build and develop Babylon into a historical nation. Babylon is known for its hanging gardens, which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Herodotus, the Greek historian who visited the city in 460 B.C. said, “It surpasses in splendor any city of the known world (From: Holman Bible Dictionary pg. 143).
Now this great nation has made siege against Jerusalem. The king has been taken captive as well as many of the leaders of Judah (this would include, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah). King Neb. would keep the poor of Judah to keep in the land and take care of it. Everyone else would be taken to Babylon where they would be forced to eat, sleep, and walk in a new culture, a new city, a place foreign with foreign gods.
Hope for the line of David-
In the last 4 verses of chapter 25 we see that there is something changing for Judah. Jehoiachin was released from prison. Remember Jehoiachin was 18 when he became king, he did evil in the sight of the Lord and the Babylonians came against the city and Jehoiachin surrendered himself and his family to king Nebuchadnezzar. We see that there is a new king, Evil-merodach and he has favor on Jehoiachin and now Jehoiachin will live the rest of his life free from prison and able to sit at the king’s table.
At first I was a little mad because here was a guy who did evil in the sight of the Lord when he was king over Judah. He was taken captive and then freed and that is it. I wanted to know why he got off easy when he lead the people in sin, but then I was reminded that God had something greater and God is gracious as he has been so gracious on me, a wretched sinner. God was going to keep the lineage of David still going. All hope was not lost, the Jews would not be eliminated in the Babylonian culture. There were strong leaders such as Daniel who would stand up for God and proclaim him to a foreign nation. We see that God will let his people go back through the leading of Ezra and Nehemiah. There is hope that is even bigger than having Israel be re-established as a nation, and that is Jesus Christ would come to save the world of their sin. Jesus was prophesied to come from the line of David and it could not be cut off. God was showing grace to the whole world as he had a bigger plan at this moment with Jehoiachin. Thank you God for you never ending love.
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