1 Chronicles 10
by Pastor Mark Hudson

Why study I Chronicles?
I would like to provide a summary of a teaching by Philip Kayser from Dominion Covenant Church in Omaha NE I heard on sermon audio.  Why should I read or study this book?  After all there are 8 chapters of genealogies that begin this book.  That is no way to grab an audience!

1. Chronicles is much different than Samuel and Kings.  This is not the same material presented in the same way.  Yes, there is overlap but clear differences.
2. Chronicles begins much earlier than Kings by beginning with Adam.  The span of time covered is longer than any O.T. book (unless Genesis begins with the creation of the universe) – approximately 466 years excluding the genealogies.
3. Notice that Chronicles is not always narrating in chronological order.  Saul dies in I Chr. 10: 4, Saul is discussed in 12:19.  Chronicles almost excludes discussion of the northern kingdom where Kings goes back and forth between the two making it difficult to follow.  This makes for easier reading compared to Kings who goes back and forth between Israel (Northern Kingdom) and Judah (Southern Kingdom).
4. Chronicles emphasizes the ark of the covenant and the temple far more than Kings.  Thus Chronicles emphasizes redemption.  Kings stresses morals and judgments that come from God. Chronicles points to the temple and redemption.  This might be the clearest Christological focus is found: in the temple.  There is more attention to the temple in Chronicles than Samuel and Kings combined.  In fact almost 40% of the Chronicles is given over to the temple.  See I Chr. 13-29 and II Chr 1-9.

But actually II Chr 10-36 teaches the northern kingdoms aren’t included because they rejected the temple.   The southern kings that get attention are the ones restoring temple worship.  So the percentage goes even higher.

5. Kings emphasizes the sins that led to the exile and applies Deuteronomy to those sins. Chronicles overlooks many of the sins in the lives of the heroes. For the post exilic people this shows grace overcoming sin.  This books was written sometime between 500-200 B.C.
6. While the heart of Kings is prophetic judgment, the heart of Chronicles is priestly redemption.  The author wants to encourage people to return to Jerusalem.
7. Kings tends toward the negative; Chronicle is more positive.
8. Kings focuses on the political while Chronicles focuses on the ecclesiastical.
9. Kings focuses on man’s failings, while Chronicles focuses on God’s faithfulness dealing with man’s failings.
10. Kings is a part of the former prophets in the Hebrew cannon while Chronicles is the last book of the Hebrew Bible.
11. Kings emphasizes the human aspect of history while Chronicles emphasizes the divine leading of human history. Throne of David – only Chronicles mentions that this throne is also called Jehovah’s throne.
12. Some people like Samuel and Kings to the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) and Chronicles to John.  Possibly the ‘feel’ of the books have some similarities to the gospels.

You will see Christ in Chronicles, especially I Chr. 17:11-14 when God promised David an heir that will last forever.  Who, but Christ, could fulfill that promise.  Christ is hinted at in the genealogy of I Chr 4 when the tribe of Judah is mentioned ( I Chr. 5:2).
I hope that as you read this book you will follow the author and try to see where he is leading you.  We do not know who wrote this though some offer Ezra as a plausible suggestion.  If the above suggestions are true, what hope can you gather from these events.  Remember, the author wants to encourage these Jews to return to Jerusalem and rally around the temple.
A few observations about chapter 10, David’s importance cannot be overemphasized so this brief section on Saul will demonstrate David deserved to be King for “his breach of faith.  He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance.  He did not seek guidance from the Lord.  Therefor the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.”
This chapter briefly tells the story of Saul who is rather quickly dispatched.  The author sets the stage for King David, giving clear reasons why Saul is set aside and why David is King.
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this section of Scripture that narrates the story of already covered earlier in the Bible with a different purpose or different angle in writing.  We are committed to learning from all the parts of the Bible.  Thank you that You have a million purposes for events that we could never understand.  By Your Spirit, help us to be mindful that You are constantly working and using people and events in our life that if You explained Your purpose for one day in our life, we would be astounded.  Thank you for the eternal Kingship of Jesus who fulfills all of the purpose of our Triune God.  In Christ’s most glorious and beautiful name.