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First Chronicles is a nice breath of fresh air from the book of Kings. It is more organized and idyllic than the 2 previous books.
So here is a summary:
- We have a short introduction on the lineage and the census of the 12 tribes.
- Then, there is a short information about King Saul.
- Lastly, it talks about King David, which is also the bulk of the book.
King David has been remembered more fondly here than in the Samuels and the Kings. He is portrayed as a great warrior leader and a faithful servant of the Lord.
He led by example. He led with humility, generosity and loyalty and his subjects followed suit. They volunteered, donated and actively contributed to the community. They cooperated and submitted to his leadership. In short, he was loved and feared by his subjects.
Moreover, his skills in governance and nation building were also highlighted. This is evident in the sophisticated organization of the Israelites.
In addition, this book, not only mentions his many victories against savage enemies, but also thoroughly discusses the mighty men who are reflections of King David's warrior character (strong, faithful and brave).
Despite bringing back the ark to Jerusalem, David was not content. He also had a deep desire in his heart to build a magnificent temple for the Lord. He wanted to glorify and thank Him for the overwhelming blessing and favor.
However, God did not allow him to because his hands were already bloodied by the wars he waged. Yet, he planned for it. He designed and prepared the temple's foundation on which his son, Solomon, can built on.
That is remarkable. Aside from David's fervent desire to glorify God, I think he also wants to be a good father by concerning himself with the welfare of his young son. He wanted to decrease the work and the pressure Solomon would have to face in building of the temple. This is a stark contrast to disastrous family life he had in the previous books.
And so, I could recall the saying that history depends on the writer's perspective. And here in 1 Chronicles, the writer(s) has really been kind to King David. The writer(s) really placed back the "King" with all the word's majesty and nobility in “King David”.
They didn't mention the affair with Bathsheba and the other bad things that happened in his life. His only sin in this book was that he counted his men which showed his confidence on man and not on God, of which he immediately repented.
I believed that the writer(s) wants to emphasize that we should never use our human existence as an excuse to continue doing evil. If we make a mistake, we should be humble enough to repent. If God blesses us, we should be humble enough to thank Him. And David's humility is really striking and admirable, worthy of emulation. The writer(s) had always affirm this fact all throughout the book.
And lastly, we are taught that even if we make mistakes, our lives aren't defined by them. Yes, we are sinners but through grace and through our love for Father God and for Jesus by striving for purity and holiness, our lives are still worth celebrating.