Good Morning! Today we begin the book of Chronicles with Chronicles 1-2
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Rabbit Trails
Info about this book:
- The author of 1 & 2 Chronicles is unknown but some believe it could have been Ezra, however there is no solid proof of this. It often appears to be told from a priestly perspective so there is some evidence to suggest it was a Levite, which Ezra was. The author is usually referred to simply as “the Chronicler”.
- Chronicles 1-24 begin with Adam and end with Abraham – the period of time covered in these 24 verses is around 2000 years!
- Notice anything missing? Most Biblical genealogies only include sons. There are some exceptions to this, though.
- Are the books themselves missing? Hebrew Bibles are in a different order from protestant Bibles so you may find that these books are not located directly after 2 Kings if you’re reading from one of those. (If you’re using a CJB, turn to page 1301)
- The Hebrew name of 1 & 2 Chronicles is Divrei-HaYamin Alef and Divrei-HaYamin Bet, respectively. This essentially means “Matters of the Days” and the Alef and Bet represent this being part one and two.
- The first few chapters may seem a little daunting but there is a lot of important, somewhat hidden, information being shared here. First and foremost, these genealogies can serve to preserve the purity and legitimacy of the chosen people and the priesthood – and they also show the lineage of our Messiah, just as the Father declared it would be.
What’s in a name?
A fascinating rabbit trail is to research the meanings of each name given. These names are often puzzle pieces, clues if you will, that tell us far more about a story than what we sometimes see at face value.
- In the Bible names can tell us:
•The state of society at the time of the birth of the child
•The parents reaction to the child’s birth
•Details surrounding the child’s birth
•Messages from YHWH regarding the person’s future or the future of the generation he is born into
•Personality traits of the person
•The destiny or past (failures and/or promise) of that person
•Physical characteristics of that person
•That person’s or their parents affiliation with YHWH
Keep in mind that some names have more than one meaning, so in those cases we would need to look at the context of their birth, life, and culture.
It is also worth noting that some characters were given new names – or had their names slightly altered – by YHWH Himself or by translators to explain more of their story or to fit significant events or courses in their lives.
Examples of YHWH changing names are:
Abram -> Abraham
and
Jacob -> Israel.
The meanings of those names tell their story!
A name that was not changed: It is a common misconception that Paul’s name was changed, but it was not. Paul was a Jew, but also a Roman citizen and therefore had both a Hebrew and a Roman name: Saul/Paul.
After his conversion there are many cases in the Bible where he is still referred to as Saul. Both names applied throughout his life. See Acts 13:9.
Wrapping it up:
Someday, you may find yourself back here in these first few chapters, looking for a particular name and putting the pieces together of a puzzle you had never even noticed so don’t be so quick to cast any of these chapters aside.
Remember, 2 Timothy 3:16 says “All Scripture is inspired by YHWH and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness”.
Interesting sidenote: When this statement was made, the “new” testament didn’t exist. “Scripture” was what we now call the “old” testament. Turn that over in your head a bit.
The Father gave us this information for a reason. It may not seem useful to you right now, but that is not to say that it won’t be later.
Are you ready to get armored up? Let’s dive into the Word – Father is waiting!
Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21
We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!
May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!