1 Chronicles 2

Genealogy is a very abbreviated and intriguing way to tell a story. The Chronicler has started us with Adam and then very quickly taken us to the chosen family, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In the beginning of the second chapter he moves ahead 1000 years further to David. Many people lived and died in that period, but the Chronicler is not merely a recorder who wants to keep an accurate accounting of family lines, births, and deaths. He is a teacher. When he returns to something closer to a narrative style in chapter 10, he will quickly write of the death of Saul “... for his breach of faith” and the coming of the great David. His conclusion concerning the struggle between these two men is characteristically abrupt. “The Lord put him (Saul) to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.” (10:14)

The importance of David to the Chronicler's account was already evident from the second chapter of the book. Assuming that the reader was aware of the books of Genesis and Ruth, he moves speedily from Judah, one of the sons of Jacob, to the youngest son of Jesse, the man who would be king. Why skip over so many generations and important individuals in order to arrive at a boy that his own father could not imagine to be of any importance? David received a great promise from God that was being fulfilled. God provided a line of kings from this young man's descendants. In the days of the Chronicler the Lord was sending His people back into the land after a time of exile. It was the writer's great hope that the royal line of David would be reestablished in Jerusalem and that the long-expected Son of David would come.

In telling the story of Judah with particular emphasis on the line of David, the Chronicler is frank about the moral failures that led to the Lord's judgment against His people. Er, Judah oldest son, “... was evil in the sight of the Lord, and He put him to death.” The returning exiles be aware of the outlines of their history and of the consequences that came from sin. Achan was “... the troubler of Israel, who broke faith in the matter of the devoted thing.” The people of God should not follow in his way. Idolatry brought death.

Though there are many names here that we do not recognize, we note some in David's extended family that were significant in the king's army. We also read of Bezalel, who was a significant figure in the building of the tabernacle that would later be replaced by Solomon's temple.

The point of some of the extensive information presented here may be lost to us today. What we can see very clearly in this material is that the tribe of Judah has priority, and within that tribe, our primary interest needs to be in the line of life that leads to David.

We now live many centuries after the glory days of David. Old Testament places of worship and the civil order of Israel are not of first importance to us. Something has happened that changed everything for the people of God. The hope of the Chronicler has made Himself known. The Son of David has taken His rightful place as the King of the nations. He will reign in righteousness forever and ever. The day for evil and idolatry is long gone. The fullness of the kingdom is quickly coming.