The Book of 1st Chronicles - God's Presence in History

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” – 1 Chronicles 16:34

The book of First Chronicles can be a difficult book to appreciate.  The first nine chapters of the book are genealogies, tracking the history of the people of Israel. The book was written for the community that had returned from exile and so these genealogies present a history from the time of Adam until this returning community.

 Additionally, the book includes a long description of King David and the accomplishments of his reign as the second King of Israel.  In this way, the book is seeking to inspire the newly returned Israelites with a reminder of their history as well as a picture of what an ideal king should look like.  In particular, the book presents David’s reign as establishing proper worship practices.
 
While first Chronicles might not work well for a Bible study group, the book does carry a message for each of us about the importance of our history.  God has been faithful to God’s people for generation after generation.  God’s presence and commitment to God’s people has spanned thousands of years and so we can expect it to expand beyond our current struggles in exile or during similar trying times.