April 30 - 1 Chronicles 1-2: Hope Rather Than Sin

We're beginning another pass through the history of Israel, but from a different point of view. It reminds me of reading through the Gospels in order. "Uh, I think I've read this already." But I haven't, really.

"This is a different version of the story than before... I am writing to My people in a specific time and in specific circumstances, a time and a set of circumstances that were different from when I wrote to them in Samuel and Kings.

I wrote my earlier four letters soon after My people were carried into exile...They felt mistreated, victims of a fate they didn't deserve. They saw themselves as decent people entitled to a better life that I should provide....I detailed their history of moral failure...My message to those people, in that time, in those circumstances, and with that attitude, was clear. It was a message of hard and humbling love: You are not entitled to the good life. Stop whimpering as if you deserve what I am not providing.

In 1 and 2 Samuel and in 1 and 2 Kings, I am writing to the exiled community. In 1 and 2 Chronicles, I am writing to the restored community....To the exiled but still proud community, I underlined sin. To the restored but discouraged community, I aroused hope." 66 LL

I love that God speaks His message directly to individuals. That's what all of these genealogies represent to me. Our Lord is in the details of their lives and my life, which is so encouraging to me.

I'm also hoping this means that it'll be a more uplifting read through this book than the previous ones, one focused on hope rather than sin. We shall see...