What we can learn from the Chronicles

genealogies

Laindon Bible Study14th December 2011

What we plan to cover this evening

• Some background to Chronicles• An outline of the genealogies (ch. 1-9)• The national importance of genealogies• Seven aspects that illustrate that we can learn

from the Chronicles genealogies• New Testament teaching on genealogies• Conclusions of our study

The timing of the book• Probably written by the scribe Ezra c.450-435 BC

2 Chronicles 36 v 22 – 2322 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

Ezra 1 v 1-3

1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

Key: [differences red / reordered green]

The names of the book• Hebrew Bible Dibre hayyamim Meaning: Acts of the days / Register of days

• Septuagint (LXX) Old Testament ParaleipomenaMeaning: Things omitted, left out / Supplements

(additional 20 whole chapters, 24 part chapters)

• Latin Vulgate / English Versions Chronicon Meaning: Chronicles

An outline of the Chronicles• Grouped under 4 main heads:

1 Chronicles 1-9

Genealogies1 Chronicles 10-29

David2 Chronicles 1-9

Solomon2 Chronicles 10-36

Kings Judah

Focus on Southern 2 Tribes, not

Northern 10 Tribes

An outline of

the genealogies

the generations of Adam to Abraham (1:1-28)

of Abraham and Esau (1:28-54)

of Jacob and his son Judah (2)

of king David (3)

of Judah in another line (4:1-23)

of Simeon (4:24-43)

of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, with historical and topographical notices (5)

two lists of the sons of Levi (6:1-30)

genealogical registers of Heman and Asaph (6:31-43)

of Merari (6:44-50)

of Aaron, with a list of the residences of the Levitical families (6:50-81)

list of the sons of Issachar (7:1-5)

of Benjamin and Naphtali (7:6-13)

of Manasseh (7:14-19)

of Ephraim, with notices of their possessions (7:20-29)

of Asher (7:30-40)

a second list of the descendants of Benjamin, with the genealogy of Saul (8)

list of families dwelling at Jerusalem, with intimations of the tribes to which they belonged

(9)

After McClintock and Strong (Encyclopaedia)

FIRST CHRONICLES: A Teaching Outline

Part One: The Royal Line of David (1:1—9:44)

I. The Family of Adam 1:1-27A. From Adam to Noah 1:1-4B. From Noah to Abraham 1:5-27

II. The Family of Israel 1:28-54A. From Abraham to Isaac 1:28-34B. From Isaac to Israel 1:35-54

III. The Family of Israel 2A. The Sons of Israel 2:1-2B. The Sons of Judah 2:3-55

IV. The Family of David 3A. The Sons of David 3:1-9B. The Sons of Solomon 3:10-24

V. The Descendants of the Twelve Tribes 4:1—8:40A. The Family of Judah 4:1-23B. The Family of Simeon 4:24-43C. The Family of Reuben 5:1-10D. The Family of Gad 5:11-22E. The Family of Manasseh 5:23-26F. The Family of Levi 6G.The Family of Issachar 7:1-5H.The Family of Benjamin 7:6-12I. The Family of Naphtali 7:13J. The Family of Manasseh 7:14-19K. The Family of Ephraim 7:20-29L. The Family of Asher 7:30-40M.The Family of King Saul 8

VI. The Descendants of the Remnant 9:1-34A. The Family of the Twelve Tribes Who Returned 9:1-9B. The Family of the Priests Who Returned 9:10-13C. The Family of the Levites Who Returned 9:14-34

VII. The Family of Saul 9:35-44

From Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary

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The significance of genealogies• ‘An important part of the public records of the

Hebrew state’ Easton’s Bible Dictionary

– Distribution of land – Family inheritance– Office of priests – General temple service

• This public record more critical than ever with the return from captivity...

The Hebrew words yachas 3187 / 3188

• Combined 21 appearances in Old Testament• Only appear in Chronicles, Ezra & Nehemiah• 10 appearances in 1 Chronicles 1-9*

OT:3187 cj^y* yachas (yaw-khas'); a primitive root; to sprout; used only as denominative from OT:3188; to enroll by pedigree:

KJV - (number after, number throughout the) genealogy (to be reckoned), be reckoned by genealogies.

OT:3188 cj^y^ yachas (yakh'-as); from OT:3187; a pedigree or family list (as growing spontaneously):

KJV - genealogy.

* Books that were written after the exile

1. The scriptural ‘ring of truth’• Why would this record have been fabricated?

2. The importance of Israel• Israel at the centre of the purpose of God

3. Connections with Israel • The importance of other nations conditioned

by their relationship with God’s people/elect

• Example in Chronicles genealogy is Edom, which had been active (for evil) in the time of Judah’s captivity (see Obadiah v 10-14)

Deuteronomy 32 v 8

8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

4. The significance of order• Prominence given to certain individuals/tribes1 Chronicles 2 v 1-3

1 These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,2 Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.3 The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah:

1 Chronicles 5 v 1-2 (Note also prophecy in Genesis 49 v 9-10)

1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:)

5. Family connections• The relationships hidden

behind the stories1 Chronicles 2 v 15-17

15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:16 Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.17 And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.

2 Samuel 17 v 25

25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.

6. Patterns and shapes1 Chronicles 1 v 5-265 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 6 And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. 7 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 8 The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 9 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. 10 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth. 11 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, 12 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim. 13 And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth, 14 The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite, 15 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 16 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. 17 The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech. 18 And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber. 19 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan. 20 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 21 Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah, 22 And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba, 23 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 24 Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu, 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah,

Japheth 14

Total70

Shem26

Ham30

7. Mentioned by name • God’s purpose centres on individuals (for good

or for bad), through whom God’s plan fulfilledIsaiah 43 v 1

1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

Malachi 3 v 16-17

16 Then those who respected the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice. A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the Lord and honored his name. 17 "They will belong to me," says the Lord who rules over all, "in the day when I prepare my own special property. I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.(from The NET Bible®)

New Testament teaching• The unalterable rites of birth removed

• We are not constrained by flesh and blood ties (see Galatians 3 v 26-29)

1 Timothy 1 v 4

4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Titus 3 v 9

9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Conclusions of our study• Whatsoever things were written aforetime were

written for our learning... (Romans 15 v 4)

1. The scriptural ‘ring of truth’2. The importance of Israel3. Connections with Israel4. The significance of order5. Family connections6. Patterns and shapes7. Mentioned by name

Just a few angles, probably are many more...