Study 2 – The Root of the Tree of the Lord (1 Chronicles 1)Introduction
a. The 1 Chronicles is divided
into two major parts.
- Part 1: chapters 1-9 are
genealogical or the Root; with one section given to the period from Adam to
Jacob (1:1-2.2) and another given to the descendants of Jacob (2:3-9:44),
extending well into the fifth century BC.
- Part 2: chapters 10-29
concentrate on King David’s reign and the temple plans.
1 Outline of Chapter 1
This chapter gives us the
genealogy of the patriarchs
a. v1-4 Adam to
Noah: These first four verses
exactly agree with the account of the antediluvian patriarchs in Gen 5:1
b. v5-27 of the sons of
Noah, and their posterity, to Abraham.
- Here begins the
genealogy of the sons of Noah after the flood; of the sons of Japheth the
elder, in this and the two following verses; next of the sons of Ham, the
younger brother, 1Chro 1:8
- Then of Shem, whose
posterity are mentioned last, because from him, in the line of Eber (Hebrew),
sprang Abraham, the ancestor of the Jewish nation, of whom the Messiah was to
come, for whose sake this genealogy is given, 1Chro 1:17
- The whole is the same as
the account in Gen 10:1f
c. v28-34 of the sons of
Abraham and their posterity:
- The sons of Abraham: the
famous and well-known ancestor of the Jews; of Ishmael his firstborn, and his
posterity; of his sons by Keturah; and of Isaac and his sons, an account is
given from hence to the end of verse 34; entirely agreeing with the account in
Gen 25:1
d. v35-37 of the sons of
Esau:
- The sons of Esau: The
firstborn of Isaac; his posterity are named in this and the two following
verses, as in Gen 36:1, only it should be observed that Timna, 1Chro 1:36, is
not the name of a man, but was the concubine of Eliphaz, the eldest son of
Esau, and the mother of Amalek, Genesis 36:12.
e.. v38-42 And the sons of
Seir:*
- This man and his
posterity were not of the race of Esau, but are mentioned because they were a
family into which Esau, and a son of his, married, and whose possessions he and
his obtained. The account is the same as Gen 36:20, with some minor
variations of names.
f. v43-54 and of the kings
and dukes that reigned in Edom:
- Now these are the kings
that reigned in the land of Edom,... Which had its name from Esau, who was
so-called, Gen 25:30. The account is given of the kings and dukes of Edom, in
the same order as in Gen 30:31.
g. A list of family names
(around 200 in chapter 1 alone) is boring to those who are disinterested in
roots or are rootless, those whose lives are not anchored in nor guided by
history and who are absorbed with present excitement and temporary impressions.
- However, it is of great
interest to those who want to know their roots, to establish their identity in
life, and to have a clear direction in where they are going.
- To the author of
Chronicles, genealogy has great stories to tell and powerful lessons to teach.
To grasp his message, we need to come to grips with the significance of the
genealogies.
In the genealogies, we
have a series of family trees, and the ‘tree’ image is one picture by which God
so often in Scripture illustrates His greatest truth with such simplicity that
anyone can understand it. With the imagery of the
tree, we are at once directed to the root from which the trunk, branches and
leaves originated. Branches and leaves can’t afford to ignore the roots and
trunk that hold them up.
2. Roots are Important
a. In the first three
chapters, we have a broad sweep from Adam to the contemporaries of Ezra
- Adam > Shem >
Abraham > Isaac > Jacob (Israel) > Judah > David > Elioenai and
his seven sons; the last are the most recently sprouted leaves at the top of
this Lord’s Tree, perhaps men who are known to Ezra himself.
- There are also lateral
branches of this tree. At each of a dozen points, we are shown a group of brothers,
the immediate families, for example, of Japheth (1:5-7) and Ham
(1:8-16).
- Also included with this
genealogy are lists, not of family relationships, but of rulers – kings and
their chiefs – of Edom (1:43-54).
- Although the purpose is
to ultimately focus upon the nation of Judah, the genealogy is actually the
history of the human race, and also of the spiritual descendants of
Abraham.
- The whole human race
descended from Adam to Noah. From one of the three sons of Noah came Abraham,
and from him David, and finally, greater than David, the Lord Jesus Christ, the
promised Messiah of God’s elect people.
- The other lines that
descended from Abraham are traced only to show forth their relationship to the
narrow and godly line that terminated Jesus, the Son of David.
- Godly ancestors do not
guarantee godly descendants. From the spiritual point of view, it is through
the supernatural spiritual birth that produces godly descendants.
b. Adam was the federal
head of the whole human race
- God entered into a
covenant with him as the head of the human race. So, as a covenant of works, Adam's relationship to God entitled him as a son to all the blessings of life
as long as his works were well-pleasing to God.
- But as soon as his works
violated the command of God, those blessings would terminate. So Adam could not
gain life through works; he had been given life.
- But he could, through
his works (disobedience), forfeit what he had and plunge himself and his
posterity into a state of sin and misery.
- That fall into sin
became the occasion for God to unveil His gracious promise of the Saviour who
will honour the covenant on behalf of all His people, all those given to Him by
God. It is only the Last Adam, by His life and death, who could rescue us from
the curse of sin, and restore us to God again.
c. Noah was the man from
whom the world was populated afresh after the flood.
- God’s covenant with him
is a reminder that he is the Lord of the whole earth, not just one nation (Gen
9:8-17).
- Some names of those from
whom nations were established are mentioned in the genealogies, to indicate
that the human race descended from Noah has spread throughout the world.
- Javan was the father of the Greeks (1:5); Tarshish (Spain) and Kittim (Cyprus) are mentioned too. Cush
(Ethiopia) is mentioned several times (1:8-10); Mizraim (Egypt) in
v8,11.
- Some individuals are
singled out for special mention, eg Nimrod (v10), Peleg (v19) and Hadad (v50).
But all these individuals (leaves of the tree) belong to larger communities,
tribes, and nations, all with the common root which can be traced back to Noah and Adam, the head of the human race.
d. The gracious Lord did
not abandon the fallen race of Adam, but showed His great and abundant mercy
and gave the promise of the Deliverer who will save His people from the curse
and effects of the Fall.
- Because of this grace
and mercy, there is a story to tell, a story rooted solidly in the history of
the human race.
3. God’s Hand in
History
a. The true history is God’s
story
- The record of God’s
dealing with mankind. From the one common root, a genealogy of a specific line is
traced. Along the way, the genealogical path passes many forks.
- This is because God is
working out His eternal purpose of redemption. The seed of the woman who was
promised to Adam is the pursuit of the genealogical quest. Along the way, the
wonders of God’s gracious dealing with His people are recorded and interpreted
for us.
- God has set His electing
love on a multitude of the fallen race of Adam. He is sovereign, and His free
grace determines who will be among His redeemed people. It is through these
people that the Lord God worked out His purpose in the history of the human
race.
- In every age, God has
His chosen people whom He will preserve for Himself. Through them, God is
bringing His purpose to pass. God’s purpose is not worked out in a vacuum, but in real space-time history, involving the lives of real people like you and me,
living real and down-to-earth lives.
- History is not made up
of spectacular events and great personalities, but the ordinary lives of
ordinary men and women.
How do we see our
‘ordinary life’ in these ordinary times? Are you making history, God’s story?
b. The genealogical
records, v38-51, also remind us that the people of God were confronted with
enemies. Nothing was smooth sailing.
- Abel was murdered by Cain.
- Esau was resentful of losing his birthright to Jacob (Gen 25:29-34). Esau’s jealousy left a legacy of
bitterness that was directed against Israel for generations to come.
- The
Edomites, descendants of Esau, attacked the Israelites when they came; they
proceeded to possess the promised land (Num 20.14-21).
- They gloated when
Nebuchadnezzar attacked and destroyed Jerusalem in 587BC, and even took advantage of the situation to attack and kill the escaping Israelites (Ob
10-14).
- The descendants of Esau
also became known as the people of Seir. Seir was a prominent descendant of
Esau who established a well-organized kingdom long before a king ruled in
Israel (v43).
c. For all its strength,
Seir, the enemy of God’s people, was fragile in God’s sight. Significantly, death is written all over this branch of the genealogy. “Died”
is written seven times over the enemies of God’s people. Their kingdom shall
certainly perish with them.
- All other earthly
kingdoms will face the same fate, but God’s kingdom will last forever, and the
author is out to remind the people of God of this great truth. Let us remember
this as we face the hostility of the world.
