Books of 1 & 2 Chronicles Summary

Here’s the summary for the books of 1 & 2 Chronicles:

Main Idea

Central to the people of God is the prophetic reign of King David (1 Chr. 5:2; 17:11), the temple (1 Chr. 28-29; 2 Chr. 2-7, 29), the word of God (2 Chr. 34:14-33), and His promise to bless those who seek Him (1 Chr. 22:19; 29:9; 2 Chr. 16:9).

Explanation of Main Idea

The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles recount the history of the people of Israel from the death of King Saul to after the time of exile in Babylon, including mentioning the decree of Cyrus allowing God’s people to return to the land and build a temple (2 Car. 36:22-23). The Chronicler highlights certain individuals and events and excludes others. He dedicates some eighteen chapters (1 Chr. 11-29) to King David and his preparations for the building of the temple by his son, Solomon. Curiously absent from these chapters are any mention of David’s terrible sin of adultery and murder, and it’s ramifications to his family. The particular focus is the promise to David that he will have a descendant who will be appointed over God’s “kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever” (1 Chr. 17:14).

The spotlight then moves to King Solomon’s construction of the temple and it’s dedication in 2 Chr. 1-7. “Fire descended from heaven…and the glory of the Lord filled the temple” (2 Chr. 7:1), initiating an extravagant worship service with “Solomon and all Israel with him” (2 Chr. 7:8). The temple also receives prominence during the reign of King Hezekiah when “he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them” (2 Chr. 29:3), and commissioned the temple’s cleansing (2 Chr. 29:4-19) and renewed worship there (2 Chr. 29:20-36; 30).

The Chronicler also draws attention to the word of God, both written (1 Chr. 1:15; 2 Chr. 17:9; 2 Chr. 34:14-21), through the Lord’s prophets, such as Nathan (1 Chr. 17:1-15), Gad (1 Chr. 21:9-13), Azariah (2 Chr. 15:1-7), Hanani (2 Chr. 16:7-9), Micaiah (2 Chr. 18:12-27), Jahaziel (2 Chr. 20:14), Zechariah (2 Chr. 24:20), and Huldah (2 Chr. 34:22-28), and even through the Lord Himself (2 Chr. 33:10).

Lastly, Chronicles reveals that those who seek the Lord are blessed. David told Solomon to “determine in your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God” (1 Chr. 22:19). He repeats this admonition in 1 Chr. 28:9-10. Among the many examples of this type of seeking are David successfully inquiring of the Lord in his battles with the Philistines (1 Car. 14:10-14), Asa crying out to the Lord and experiencing victory when he faced Zerah the Cushite (2 Chr. 14:11-12), and Jehosaphat, who prayed, “We will cry out to you because of our distress, and you will hear and deliver” (2 Car. 20:9). Clearly, God is looking “throughout the earth to show himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him” (2 Chr. 16:9).

Purpose

The purpose of Chronicles is to bring hope in the future Messiah who will come from David’s line (1 Chr. 17:11-14). While the history of God’s people is marred, it does not lead to despair. Chronicles helps us to look to the King of Kings, trust in His word, seek Him with all our heart, and let Him fight our battles.

Leading Themes

1. 1. The Messiah is coming.
      This is the great hope of Israel. People sin; leaders fall. No king has been able to lead perfectly. rather most have done a horrible job. God promised the Messiah would come through David’s line (1 Chr. 17:11-14) and rule perfectly. He will be the Son of God (1 Chr. 17:13)

1. 1. Seek the Lord wholeheartedly.
      The book repeatedly references the value of seeking the Lord. For the kings or people that do, they are promised to find him (2 Chr. 15:15), to have success (2 Chr. 13:18) and rest (2 Chr. 14:7), and to be strengthened by Him (2 Chr. 16:9).Many kings, like Rehoboam, Ahaz, and Jotham, abandoned the Lord (2 Chr. 12:1; 28:19). They chose to rule on their own, apart from God’s guidance and trust in Him. Consequently, the paid a steep price (2 Chr. 24:24-25). On the other hand, those who set their heart and mind to seek the Lord, were answered and blessed by Him. Prominent among these are Hezekiah (2 Chr. 30) and Uzziah (2 Chr. 26:5-8).
   2. God gives the victory.
      There are battles in the Chronicles, massive battles. In each case, when the leader was facing innumerable odds and certain defeat, as long as he cried out to the Lord, God gave him the victory.On the other hand, when a leader tried to fight apart from calling on God or even allying with a foreign country for help, the consequences were severe. This was the case with King Asa who sought out help from King Ben-hadad of Aram resulting in a lifetime of wars (2 Chr. 16:1-9).
   3. Obeying the Word of the Lord brings blessings.
      God speaks in the book of Chronicles. When the message of a prophet is taken to heart, good things happen! Consequently, when it is rejected, difficulties, or even death is the result, as in the case of King Saul (1 Chr. 10:13-14).

1. The Construction of the Temple
   David was not called by God to build the temple, but he did make lavish preparations for Solomon, his son, to build it. God shows divine approval by filling the temple with His glory at the dedication ceremony (2 Chr. 7:1) and tells Solomon that he has “chosen and consecrated” it and that His “heart will be there at all times” (2 Chr. 7:16).

How Does This Relate To Us?

Chronicles looks forward with hope to the coming of the King who “will be established forever” (1 Chr. 17:14). Having the full revelation of God’s word, including the New Testament, we now see that He has come. The promised Ruler from David’s seed has arrived. He is the hope of the world and the Saviour from sin. His Kingdom is not simply a throne or temple in Jerusalem, it is the hearts and lives of all who would believe in Him.

The lives and blessings of the kings who sought the Lord are great examples for us. The miraculous victories and the faith-building exploits of these rulers remind us that God is able to deliver us from any enemy, problem, or difficulty and bring about victories in our lives. We are motivated to be counted among those who are fully-devoted to the Lord and are whole-heartedly seeking Him. We should diligently listen to and obey His word.

The Church, as the people of God, can look at the emphasis on the Temple, it’s construction and dedication, and conclude that congregational worship, it’s planning and execution, is important and should be valued. While our worship services generally will not be as elaborate (David and Solomon employed 288 musicians (1Chr. 25:7)!), we are justified to do things with excellence and organization.

Study Questions

Textual Questions

1. How many chapters at the beginning of 1 Chronicles are devoted to genealogies? Why do you think this is?
2. According to 2 Chr. 3:1, where was the Lord’s temple built? Compare this verse with Genesis 22:2. What significance do you see?
3. Read 1 Chr. 13. How did David bring the ark into Jerusalem? What method of transportation was used for the ark? What calamity occurred in verse ten? Why do you think this happened?
4. Read 1 Chr. 15:1-15. How was the ark transported this time? Based on 1 Chr. 15:13, what did David say was their mistake?
5. What are the results of seeking the Lord based on the following passages: 2 Chr. 15:15; 2 Chr. 15:1-7; 2 Chr. 17:3-6?
6. What were the results of Uzziah becoming strong, based on 2 Chr. 26:16-23?

Life Application Questions

1. Solomon was commissioned by his dad for a big project. What encouragement did he receive in 1 Chr. 22:19 and how does this encourage you? See also 1 Chr. 28:9-10. What encourage can you derive from this passage?
2. What did Solomon ask God to do for him, based on 2 Chr. 1:7-10? What would you like God to do for you?
3. Very few faults of David and Solomon are mentioned in 1 & 2 Chronicles. Why do you think this is and how does this fact encourage you?
4. Read 2 Chr. 20:1-28. What part did music and praise play in their victory? How could you incorporate music and praise in your life when you are faced with a battle?

Copyright © 2018 Pat Sieler