I Chronicles 17
Dear RTB’ers,
Throughout the Chronicles books the author is rewriting the Samuel and Kings books. Today he is copying II Samuel 6, editing it only slightly. I typically put the beginning of David’s reign as king at about 1000 BC. If that’s the case, then the Samuel and Kings books were probably written sometime in or around 900 BC (the author clearly knew of Rehoboam and Jeroboam and the “divided kingdom”, Israel and Judah). However the Chronicler is writing some five or six centuries later. I bring this item because of today’s “Messianic” verses 11b-14 (God speaking): I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for Me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to Me a son. I will not take My steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I will confirm him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.
So, to whom is God referring? David is concerned about God’s physical house (a permanent home for the Ark), but God seems to be answering with respect to David’s lineage, his descendants. And there David and Nathan and the Samuel author and his contemporaries might have imagined Solomon and Rehoboam and the continuing kingly lineage. Then the author of Chronicles can follow that line even further, having seen that kingly realm continue beyond the Exile in a person (Zerubbabel) if not in a mighty kingdom. Then going centuries further, New Testament writers apply these verses to Jesus in Luke 1:32-33 and Hebrews 1:5. Finally, we can’t read those verses today without inserting Jesus therein. I’m connecting three millennia of history here, a history that we embrace firmly, completely, and with endearing thankfulness. Glory!
Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far?” (v. 16) I couldn’t help but ask the Lord the same question about myself, “Who am I…that you have brought me…?” Herein I plug in my own “things”. And I daresay that most (all?) of us can ask the Lord the same questions – who am I, how did I get here, why have You blessed me so greatly? Take some time to dwell on that today, thanking the Lord even as David did in today’s ending verses.
Blessings.
See also: