We are reading together again the book of the Chronicles. So far it has been all of genealogy and apparently dry and meaningless. Now, all scripture is profitable, we are told. This is an essential part of the divine message of life’s demands. And there are interesting facts amid the genealogies that clearly show us that they were meant to be read. If we are really godly- minded and spiritually-minded, we SHALL be interested in all of scripture, because of the consciousness that it is the Word of God, the Word of Life, and these genealogies are included.

In the Hebrew scriptures, Chronicles comes last in the Old Testament. It is important to understand its purpose. I and II Chronicles, in the Hebrew scriptures, are one book. It was the Septuagint translators who divided it into two. It is a summary of the whole Old Testament given from an entirely God-centered point of view. It reveals God’s idea of the relative importance of things. Its Hebrew name means “the words of the days”-a beautiful and significant title, for each day leaves its word in God’s book, when all else is forgotten.

Surely the whole Bible is of God-the book of Kings is as much as the book of Chronicles. All that is recorded is important. But this particular book is a summing up at the end, in broader perspective-an analysis and an explanation of the whole. Everything is ascribed to the hand of God. God is seen in everything. This is BASIC. As soon as we leave God out of anything, we are wasting our time; we are beating the air. This is why all the mighty works of men are meaningless and futile, as Solomon makes so clear.

Chronicles constantly refers to the activity of God in rewarding good and punishing evil. It shows the power of the love and the Word of God. How God draws near His people in it; how He constantly oversees it and enforces it. It is simply and plainly, but reverently written-solemn and spiritual in tone, always conscious of God in the background. We shall note as we read through these books, how the chronicler points out simply and directly, the spiritual lessons of events. Its spirit is both admonition and encouragement.

It was apparently written for a new beginning in Israel, after the return from the Babylonian captivity. It covers the entire period from Adam to the proclamation of Cyrus and the return from Babylon. It appears to be one book with Ezra, for it ends with exactly the same three verses that the book of Ezra starts with. Its latest genealogy, that of David straight through Zerubbabel, goes to about 425 BC-the latest events in the Old Testament scriptures. Therefore, Chronicles covers a period of about 3500 years, about half of the 7000 of the whole purposed.

It has always been ascribed by tradition to Ezra, and it has all appearances of that fact-the time, the circumstances, the terms used for Ezra and the position that he held in Israel at this time. He is the logical author. The modern view, of course, rejects this, as it rejects all else. It tries to make it much later, endeavoring to discredit the scriptures and bring them down to man’s low, weak level.

The Chronicles are unlike any other book in the Bible, for they do not undertake to cover any new period not already covered. Rather, it is a summary of the whole. It brings out more clearly than before the Messianic promise made to David. It largely covers the same period as Samuel and Kings, but from more specifically divinely and religiously centered viewpoints. It is a history with a special purpose. It leaves out very much that is not directly connected with the central movement of the divine purpose, and it greatly expands the religious sequence-the temple services and the Levitical arrangement and the religious reforms of the good kings. It hardly mentions at all the northern 10-tribe kingdom, except where it is absolutely necessary to give the picture that it is dealing with. In all, it emphasizes the fact that anything that strays away from God looses all meaning and importance, and becomes near animal and worthless.

What is the Chronicle’s primary purpose? Why did God consider it necessary to give a parallel account of ground already covered? It seems to have both a nearer and a broader purpose. That is, an immediate purpose for its time and a long range purpose for all times. As to the immediate purpose, it appears to have been given especially for the needs of those who returned from the Babylonian captivity. Both for the material and practical re-establishment of the framework and organization of the nation, and also to unify and to inspire them spiritually and religiously-to teach them their highly privileged position before God with its great responsibility-to give them a strong link with the past and an understanding of the present, and an interest in the future-to give them stability and a national purpose based upon the covenant to David and the temple service-to re-establish the Levitical pattern-to emphasize the religious aspect of their life and their history-to resettle them according to their old estates-to magnify God before them and give Him His right place as the center of the nation-and to teach the vital importance of the true worship of God according to the pattern set down by God, as nothing else is acceptable, no matter how well meaning.

When we think of this people brought back after 70 years of captivity, their whole previous national life destroyed and this long wait, we can see how desirable and necessary was this book to review the past for them and set them on the right path. Obeying God, seeking Him, praying continually to Him, recognizing His activity on behalf of His people, and His judgment for good or evil-these constitute the theme of Chronicles.

It appears to have been, as mentioned, the last written book of the Old Testament, together with Ezra and Nehemiah. Final-intended to complete the whole of the dispensation before Christ. It has four principle characteristics. First, its emphasis on worship and the temple arrangement-religious reformation and the religious state of the nation through its history. Second, its genealogical background, lists and names-to give stability and reality and unity with the past. This is very important and where so many are drifting astray today. We must maintain our awareness of and harmony and continuity with the sound foundations of the past. We don’t keep beginning again. Third, its history built around the House of David-the covenant to David-Israel’s link to the glories of their future. And fourth, its ascribing every event, great or small, directly to God’s hand and providence. This is another vital lesson. The more we can see and recognize and realize and remember that everything in our lives, great and small, is directly of God, and that He misses nothing and neglects nothing, the easier it will be to accept, and the better we shall react to it.

The two books of Chronicles are divided into four general parts, two in each. In I Chronicles, the first part, chapters 1-9-genealogies down to the return from captivity. Chapters 10-29-20 chapters, 1/3 of the whole two books on the reign of David. A book covering 3500 years and 1/3 of it is on the reign of David-very significant, with special emphasis on the preparation for the temple and the Levitical arrangements.

The second book is similarly divided between the first nine chapters, which are on the reign of Solomon, and chapters 10-36 on the Kingdom of Judah-Rehoboam to Zedekiah, the division down to the captivity. So, 20 chapters in the first book and 9 chapters in the second book are for simply David and Solomon. As an illustration of this emphasis, the four reforming kings: Asa, Joash, Hezekiah, and Josiah are given 13 chapters of the second half of II Chronicles, and there is much detail of their reform. The other eleven kings together are given 13 chapters. Again, the emphasis upon religion and religious reform.

In contrast to the book of Kings, there is much more about the temple service than there is about war and profane history.

In the genealogies, only the line of David and of the high priests are carried beyond the exile-the royal and priestly lines are the only ones that mattered. Many literal events are strangely interspersed through the genealogies, mainly to emphasize the hand of God in rewarding good and evil. For example, in chapter 4, in a long and apparently dry list of bare names, suddenly in ch.4: 9-10, we read, “And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” This is worthy of much meditation. This is how God sees history. In a seemingly dreary list of father to son in the plodding forward of the divine purpose, in spite of human indifference, suddenly a name stands out brilliantly like a jewel in a dark cavern. Jabez “was more honorable”; he “called on God,” and God gave him his request. His mother had named him Sorrowful. That was her view of things. It is the common view, and it is true of all natural things at the last. But Jabez finds the only true and eternal joy. He changes his name from Sorrowful to Joyful. And God stops in the midst of a long genealogy to point out him for the instruction of generations to come. Let us remember Jabez, and how, in faith, he broke out of the animal pattern of his fellow men and made contact with God.

In chapter one, we begin the history of the world. The history of God’s purpose-Adam to Abraham, and Abraham’s miscellaneous descendants-Ishmael, Esau, etc. From Adam to Noah-1600 years-in the first 3 verses. Three verses for 1600 years; 20 chapters for David. And 10 names in this list, the barest thing, the crown of darkness of much interesting human history and accomplishment, a time as long as from Constantine down to the present, but meaningless to God, except for a few righteous men aligned with His purpose. Mankind got worse and worse, more and more violent and evil, and doubtless more scientific and learned. And finally God blotted them all out. We are told the last days will be the same. And we see it coming to pass on earth with ever increasing momentum. “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man.”

Verses 5-23-the nations from Noah’s sons. This is from Genesis chapter 10-the basic framework of the division of the nations of the earth. Young’s Concordance calls Gen.10 “the table of nations.” It says that it is one of the most remarkable and unique documents in all literature. It points out that 19 names of people and places in it, mentioned no where else in all known writings, are identified by archeological research. This is the foundation-the beginning point of all TRUE history and geography. This is dependable. This is the Word of God, as contrasted with all the vain and pompous theorizing of the wise of the world. It is very interesting and significant that many of these names of the original distribution of mankind occur again in the prophetic picture of the end of man’s national history upon the earth. The great crisis of Armageddon described in Ezekiel 38-Gomer, Magog, Tubal, Meshech, Togarmah, and also Tarshish, Sheba and Dedan-names from the very beginning-the beginning of the divisions of the nations. Surely, this tells us to apply these names given by Ezekiel on a broad world-wide pattern, as at the beginning of the nations. The scriptures many times tell us that all nations will participate in the final conflict.

Of the three divisions of mankind from the sons of Noah, the descendants of Japheth populated Europe and West Asia-all to the north. The descendants of Ham populated Africa to the south, and also at the beginning, Palestine, Babylonia and Assyria. The descendants of Ham were clearly the early leaders of the world. Nimrod, the Hamite, founded the great cities of Babylon and Nineveh, and the other great original cities of Mesopotamia. Archeological research has shown these are the oldest known cities and that the original inhabitants were not, as later, Semetic. At first, in accord with Gen 10, it was the Hamites in Mesopotamian and in Egypt that dominated the world. Then, the Semites-Babylon, Assyria, Persia, Israel-became dominant. And finally, the Japheth nations-Greece, Rome, and the European nations-spread over all the earth. This is the root of all history, according to Genesis and Chronicles.

Verses 24-28, of chapter 1, extend the line to Abraham.

Verses 29-37-the descendants of Abraham other than Isaac.

Verses 38-42-the previous inhabitants of Edom-the Horites. Seir, who gave his name to Mt. Seir, is not called a Horite here, but in the parallel record in Gen 36, he is. These were not Semites. They were part of the original Hamite rulers of this area. Now, why is this information given about the original inhabitants of Edom? Especially, these details concerning a people who were absorbed and died out, disappeared from history. First, all real history must have a practical framework and background. The Bible is real history. It is by genealogies that it is interrelated and interconnected. Until the BC-AD system of dating all history from one central event was invented in the 6^{th century AD, and gradually adopted by all nations, unifying history, there was no way of tying history together and relating its parts except by lists of people and events-genealogies. Much if not all of the meaning of Bible events would be lost, if we did not know what order they came in and how they were related to each other in time. We may not see the value of some particular items of this record-like this list of the original inhabitants of Seir, or Edom. But we can see that the record as a whole is vitally necessary. And we often come to see the value of a part that previously seemed valueless.}

This list here is a perfect example. If we look at any Bible dictionary, older than about 30 or 40 years, we shall read that Horites means “cave dwellers”, that they were just a local group and that nothing is known concerning them. I would like to read from two Bible dictionaries: One dated 1885 and one 1960. The particular people are not very important, but the principle is very and vitally important. It is typical of how God’s Word has been repeatedly confirmed in the face of skepticism. And how what seems meaningless takes on a meaning. It gives one very good reason for this obscure reference and our careful study of them.

The Imperial Bible Dictionary of 1885 says of the Horites: “Horite - from hor, an opening of any sort; a cave. A Horite was an inhabiter of caves, instead of houses. It appears to have been especially appropriated to the earlier occupants of Mt. Seir, as being peculiarly distinguished for that mode of life (Gen 14:6). The original inhabitants, or Horites, distinctively so called, were afterwards dispossessed by the Edomites (Deut 2:12). Nothing is known as to the origin of that primitive race…”

Unger’s Bible Dictionary of 1960, on the Horites: “This unknown people used to be thought of as a very local and restricted group of cave-dwellers, named ‘Horites,’ being thought of as derived from Heb. hor, cave. The Horites remained completely obscure, not appearing in extra-Biblical literature (anything outside the Bible). Within the past forty years, however, archaeology has brought to light evidences of the Hurrians (the Biblical Horites), who now occupy a prominent place on the stage of ancient history. This ethnic group is now known not only to have existed but to have played a far-reaching role in ancient Near Eastern cultural history. Thousands of clay tablets were uncovered at Nuzu. Remarkable parallels from Nuzu tablets concerning marriage, adoption and social customs, such as those that prevailed in the patriarchal period of Genesis, occur. Scholars are still busy translating. As this material becomes accessible, the puzzle of the Biblical Horites is becoming solved.” For two thousand years, only the Bible knew about them.

We should immediately be reminded of the similar story of the Hittites. How, for long, the learned scoffed at the Bible references to them. For instance, ridiculing the statement in II Kings 7:6 that the Syrians could be frightened away by such an insignificant people as the Hittites, which they thought was just a local tribe. Again, the Imperial Bible Dictionary of 1885 on the Hittites: “The Hittites - one of the tribes that possessed the land of Canaan at the time of the conquest. Their chief settlement seemed to have been in the south in the neighborhood of Hebron. The tribe, as a whole, long retained a distinctive place and possessions though probably of limited compass.” That was all they knew about the Hittites.

1960, the Unger’s Bible Dictionary about the Hittites: “A people mentioned frequently in the Old Testament, 47 times under their own name and 14 times as descendants of Heth. These various Biblical allusions used to be treated with great skepticism, but the Hittites offer an example of archaeology’s resurrection of an ancient people. The center of Hittite power was in Asia Minor. There, an empire that once vied with Egypt and Assyria, but had been long forgotten, has been discovered by modern archaeologists. Many scholars consider the Hittites as the third most influential of ancient peoples of the Middle East, rivaling the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians.”

So, when we come in our readings to these obscure and apparently meaningless and useless genealogies, let us not neglect nor despise them. They may hold very interesting treasures, waiting for the proper time to be revealed to the confusion of the wise of the world.

Verse 43 to the end of chapter 1-the kings that reigned in Edom before there were kings in Israel. Again we wonder, why is this recorded? What is the significance in a book covering such a long period? Not only is it in Genesis, but the writer of Chronicles inserts it in full in his very brief summary of world history leading up to the story of Israel. Edom is the same word as Adam, red, earthy, fleshly. Edom had much to do with Israel from the beginning to the end-still has. The Herods, their last murderous kings, were Edomites. Edom stands for the flesh. Edom is to be desolate when the world rejoices in the Kingdom of God. The Edomites were famous for worldly wisdom. Solomom, as an extreme measure of his wisdom, was said to be wiser even than the wise men of Edom. The Edomites had kings, national pride, and unity long before Israel did. They were warriors, conquerors; they scorned agriculture and peaceful pursuits. They were the glamorous elder brother-the man of the field-the idol, to which the fleshly in Israel looked. Their cites were impregnable, deep in the mountains hewn in solid rock, up on the precipices in the narrow cliffs. At the time the Chronicles were written, that is at the time of the return from Babylon, the Edomites had lost much of their power. But they were now a greater danger in a more subtle way. With the emptiness of the land of Judah during the captivity, they had moved west into the southern part of Judah and had mixed with the remnant there. Hebron had now become their capitol. Edom had rejoiced greatly at Israel’s destruction and captivity by Babylon, persecuting the remnant and feeding on the spoils. The prophets refer to this. When Israel returned in struggling weakness to rebuild, Edom was still an enemy. They were finally subdued by the Maccabees and incorporated into Israel. But the fact that with Roman support, an Edomite line of Herod became rulers of Israel’s last days, shows the extent of their evil influence and power.

So, we can trace interesting and meaningful and significant events throughout these genealogies.

Chapters 2-8 -The children of Israel, largely Judah and Levi, because of the kingdom and the priesthood. It is narrowing down now to the main purpose. Chapters 2-3, and most of chapter 4, deal with Judah’s genealogy and history. And much of it, 37 verses in chapter 2 alone, regarding one man-Caleb, apparently tracing his line from three different wives. This extreme permanence of Caleb is very interesting and must be significant. He was apparently not in the direct line. At the time, Nahshon, in the direct line of Judah to David, was a prince of Judah. But the direct line is not elaborated, just carried singly to David in a few verses, while many times as much space is given to the line of Caleb. This does not appear to be the Caleb of Joshua’s time, but there does seem to be a connection. The latter Caleb appears almost certainly to have been a Gentile, adopted into the tribe of Judah. He is spoken of as a Kenezite, and God gives special command to Joshua that he be given a portion in Judah. This would not have been necessary, if he had been of Judah by birth, or if the family had been. In all, Caleb’s line is 47 verses, while Asher Naphtali, Issachar, Mannaseh, and Reuben only 37 all together. And Dan and Zebulun are not mentioned at all.

This clearly illustrates the character of the book of Chronicles. It is concerned with things from God’s point of view. Mighty nations are dismissed without a word-not even mentioned, or mentioned very briefly. Single faithful individuals have many chapters, IF they are part of the Purpose. There is a big lesson in all of this. IF we have the wisdom to make ourselves part of God’s purpose in the earth, we will endure in the record. We shall be of value and meaning and importance. We shall be noticed and preserved. We shall be part of eternal reality. IF NOT, we shall perish with the perishing world, soon to be swept away, leaving no record behind.

The final verse of chapter 2, verse 55 concerns the Kenites or Recabites. Here is another interesting puzzle. The Kenites and Kenizites are mentioned as inhabiting the land at the time of Abraham, and they seem to be closely related. Caleb was spoken of as a Kenizite; Jethro, a Kenite. The Recabites, a faithful family in Israel, who kept separate from the corruptions of the nations and to whom God promised continuance, are here spoken of as Kenites and seem to be traced through Caleb the Kenizite. The Kenites, not of the stock of Israel, appear to have been nomads, living in tents, not sowing the land, with no fixed abode. They appear at different times in different parts of the land. But, they were faithful to the God of Israel-more faithful than Israel itself. All this emphasizes the adoptive and Gentile aspect; the fact that God’s Kingdom was never exclusively national, but faithful Gentiles were always welcome to attach themselves. At the time of the regathering according to families and inheritance, the special position of the Kenites would need to be recorded, that they should find their place. And though Gentiles, they were the seed of Abraham by faith and obedience. And their names we find written in the great divine book of “the words of the days.”

Bro. G. V. Growcott