I just finished reading First Chronicles and want to type my thoughts before I forget. I was going to include Second Chronicles in this post when I completed that reading, but life got really busy and I have missed my Bible time.
First Chronicles starts with many names and family lines, which matched perfectly with the immigration/family tree project I was helping my seventh grader with. It is another book of the Bible appropriately named for what it contains. Reflecting on my reading, I was drawn to great musical theater stories. A musical often has a big song with a memorable tune and important plot-moving information. Later in the show is a reprise, or if you are Rodgers and Hammerstein, more than one reprise can be heard. To me, First Chronicles is a reprise. The information is summed up with key plot items highlighted for the readers. I felt myself thinking: I’ve already read this but, wait…..
One passage that caught my eye is 1 Chronicles 17:11-13: “When your days are fulfilled to go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.” This passage is what God told Nathan to tell David.
From previous readings, we know David is the greatest King to rule on earth, and there is much about David in this book, too. However, it is Solomon who God seems to be prophesizing about. Solomon is one of David’s many sons, and the following is appointed king. He is holy and does what is right in the sight of the Lord. My brain sees those connections in black and white on the page before me, but I feel a tug from my spirit awakening as I read the passage about it. I know from listening to sermons and trying to learn more that Jesus is a direct descendent of David’s line. What if God was prophesizing about Jesus? What if the kingdom is the world? What if the house is heaven, and the throne sits beside God? Could the story of Jesus be woven even before he came to earth to save our sins? That God knew? As I’ve said, I am no theologian; I am just a Christian in progress trying to understand the Greatest Book ever written a little better.
Am I off base, or has God had the super long vision and plan ready to go all along? Is it just humans and their free will and egos and tempers that get in the way?
This is a big reason why I go to church and read the Bible. If you skip out on one part, it’s like seeing a movie in a language you don’t know, but there are no subtitles. You can appreciate the beauty and even be moved by the acting – but you don’t get the whole picture without all of the information!
by Amanda Renz