Why do we even have the books of Chronicles? Aren't they redundant when compared to the books of Samuel and the Kings? But there are some differences. The Books of 1st and 2nd Chronicles, while repeating much of the early history of the Jews, do so from a viewpoint focusing on Judah and its kings. They also "clean up" the reputations of the kings of Judah, removing much of the bad stuff from the kings' lives. Some have said that the books of Samuel and the Kings look at the history of Israel and Judah from God's point of view, while the books of Chronicles are a more secular, almost governmental history of the people.
The books of Samuel and the Kings were written at the beginning of the exile, while the Chronicles were written after the exile was over. The Jews were trying to re-establish themselves. It would do little good to dwell on their sinful past. They needed to have a renewed faith in God and their leaders. They needed to be encouraged and strengthened. The Chronicles help to do just that.
Some questions and thoughts for this week:
What had the people learned from the exile? How do the Chronicles work to re-establish their relationship with God? What were the major changes that had taken place in their beliefs and forms of worship? Were they any more prepared for the coming of the Messiah?
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles