Bible Survey

Insights from Chronicles

     The value of the books of Chronicles is, primarily, in its spiritual assessments of what is going on.  Since Chronicles focuses on the kingdom of Judah, we learn some details that are not mentioned in the Kings account.

I. Genealogy (1Chronicles 1-10)

            1Chronicles 10/ Death of Saul

II. The Kings of Judah

David (1Chronicles 11-22)

     12:32-33/ When Israel gathered at Hebron to express their support for David, among them were “men of Issachar who understood the times and what Israel should do,” as well as skillful warriors with an undivided heart.

     15:13/ After the failed attempt to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, when Uzzah died (2Sam. 6:1-9), David realized that they had failed to follow God’s earlier instructions (Ex. 25:12-15; Num. 4:5,6,15).

     21:1/ David’s sinful census of Israel was incited by Satan.

     22:14,17/ David made preparations for the Temple and commanded Israel’s leaders to help Solomon with it.

     29:15/ David understood that we are just sojourners here and our days are like a shadow.

Solomon (1Chronicles 23 - 2Chronicles 9)

     1Chr. 29:23/ the “throne of David” was the “throne of the Lord”

     2Chr. 6:36/ “there is no man who does not sin”

     2Chr. 7:17-19/ God called Israel to “walk in faith” or the Temple will be destroyed

     2Chr. 9:13/ the amount of gold coming into Solomon’s kingdom annually was 666 talents

Rehoboam (2Chronicles 10-12)

     2Chr. 12:12/ judgment on Rehoboam was lessoned because he humbled himself; and conditions were good in Judah

     2Chr. 12:13/ Jerusalem was the city which God chose as the worship center

Abijah (2Chronicles 13)

     2Chr. 13:7/ Abijah later identified part of Rehoboam’s problem – “worthless men/scoundrels” had gathered around him and influenced him when he was young and unable to resist them.

Asa (2Chronicles 14-16)

     2Chr. 15:1-7/ The Spirit of God came upon Azariah, a prophet, and he encouraged Asa to seek the Lord

     2Chr. 15:17/ The high places remained, but Asa’s heart was blameless all his days

     2Chr. 16:9-12/ Asa was rebuked for trusting in Syria as he struggled with Israel.  God’s eyes move throughout the earth so He can aid those who truest Him, but Asa had acted foolishly and wars would continue.  Asa was angry and took it out on others, putting the prophet in jail and oppressing the people.  He later became diseased in his feet and refused to seek the Lord.

Jehoshaphat (2Chronicles 17-20)

     2Chr. 17:6-9/ Jehoshaphat took great pride in the ways of the Lord and sent men to teach God’s Word to people in all of Judah’s cities

     2Chr. 19:2-3/ Jehoshaphat was rebuked for aiding Ahab and joining him in battle, but his removing of Asheroth and disposition to seek God was remembered.

     2Chr. 20:1-3,15,20/ fear led Jehoshaphat to seek the Lord and he was reminded to not be concerned over the “size” of the opposing forces.  Trust the prophets and succeed.

     2Chr. 20:33/ the “high places” were not removed because the masses had not yet directed their hearts to God

Jehoram (2Chr. 21)

     2Chr. 21:16-20/ Jehoram, allied by marriage with Ahab’s family, received God’s opposition as He stirred up the Philistines and Arabs against Judah.  Later, Jehoram developed an incurable bowel disease and when he died, Judah did not honor him with a burial fire and no one regretted his passing.

Ahaziah & Athaliah (2Chr. 22-23)

     2Chr. 22:4/ Jehoram’s son, Ahaziah did evil because Ahab’s family was advising him

Joash (2Chr. 24)

     2Chr. 24:18-20/ After the advisor-priest Jehoida died, Joash was influenced by Judean officials and turned away from following the Lord, even though prophets, like Zechariah, were sent.  The Spirit of God came upon Zechariah and he prophesied.

Amaziah (2Chr. 25)

     2Chr. 25:2,14,17-20/ Amaziah did what was right, but half-heartedly.  After defeating the Edomites in battle, he picked up their discard idols and took them home to worship, for which he was rebuked.  Then, he picked a fight with the much more powerful Israel as a divine judgment

Uzziah (2Chr. 26)

     2Chr. 26:7,10,16/ Uzziah received God’s help against his enemies and he “loved the soil.”  Later, when strong, he became proud and tried to offer incense like a priest, for which he received leprosy.

Jotham (2Chr. 27)

     2Chr. 27:6/ Jotham became strong because he “ordered his ways before the Lord”

Ahaz (2Chr. 28)

     2Chr. 28:19/ God humbled Judah for being influenced toward evil by Israel’s king Ahaz (he had “brought about a lack of restraint/encouraged evil” in Judah).  When his alliance with Assyria brought him more stress, Ahaz became even more unfaithful toward YHWH by sacrificing to Syrian gods.

Hezekiah (2Chr. 29-32)

     2Chr. 29:34,36/ Hezekiah’s reforms brought an increase in sacrifice and there weren’t enough priests to accomplish the task, so Levites helped and they were more conscientious about it than the priests were.  All of this “came about suddenly.”

     2Chr. 30:10-12,18-20/ couriers went throughout Judah to announce the restoration of Passover, with some ridiculing the idea and others coming to it with “one heart.”  Even though they had not been able to purify themselves properly, the Lord overlooked it.

     2Chr. 31:4/ Hezekiah commanded the people in Jerusalem to restore the tithe so that the priests and Levites could minister.

     2Chr. 32:19/ the Assyrians trying to induce Jerusalem to surrender spoke of YHWH as being just another human invention

     2Chr. 32:31/ to determine what was in Hezekiah’s heart, God “left him alone” for awhile

Manasseh (2Chr. 33:1-20)

     2Chr. 33:13/ after a lot of serious sin, Manasseh was exiled to Assyria and there repented, was restored and cleaned things up at home.

     2Chr. 33:17/ Israel continued to worship at the high places, but only to YHWH

Amon (2Chr. 33:21-25)

Josiah (2Chr. 34-35)

Jehoahaz, Eliakim/Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin (2Chr. 36:1-10)

Zedekiah and the Fall of Jerusalem (2Chr. 36:11-21)

     2Chr. 36:12,15-16/ Zedekiah did not humble himself before the prophet Jeremiah.  The general rejection of the prophets is noted.

Cyrus Allows Jews to return to Judah (2Chr. 36:22-23)

     The Old Testament teaches some solid lessons about the “spiritual” vs. “carnal” life – to follow God and do good, one needed to “set their heart” in that direction or purposely focus on pursuing godliness.  Thus, David encouraged Israel to focus on building the Temple in these words - “Now set your hearts and your soul to seek the Lord your God” (1Chr. 22:19).  David told Solomon to serve God “with a whole heart and willing mind” (1Chr. 28:9).  Rehoboam did evil because he had “not set his heart to seek the Lord” (2Chr. 12:14).  Jehoshaphat’s “setting the heart to seek God” was remembered, even while he was being rebuked for aiding Ahab (2Chr. 19:3).  Canaanite high places remained because most of the people of Judah had not directed their hearts to God (2Chr. 20:13).  Those who had not been able to purify themselves properly for Hezekiah’s Passover were pardoned because they “prepared their heart to seek God” (2Chr. 30:18-20).