1 Chronicles 1 - 9

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Since these first 9 chapters are simply the geneological records of the beginning of Israel and the developments leading up to King David, I thought perhaps you could simply peruse through these chapters and try not to get bogged down in understanding it all. Someday, you may want to go back through it and do a study on each of these individuals or their tribes. But, for now, let's just cruise through it and let me give you some insight as to what you're reading here.

Here's what you can learn from these geneological records...

1) How Israel began! The first 27 verses of 1 Chronicles provides a detailed account of the development of a group of people (Israel) that God begins an intimate relationship with and from whom Jesus Christ (His Son) will be born to. These verses give a generation-by-generation account from Adam (the first man created by God) to Abraham (the grandfather of Jacob - who was renamed "Israel").

a) Only 10 generations lasted before God destroyed the earth with a flood! In the first 4 verses, you can see that it only took 10 generations of people before Noah is born - the very man whom God commanded to build an Ark due to the fact that He was going to destroy the world with a flood as a result of man's intense wickedness! This, and the book of Revelation, are great indications of just how wicked man really is without the Holy Spirit of God convicting men of their sin and of the need to be in right standing with God! Man is essentially evil at heart, not good!

2) How the Earth was populated! From verse 5 to verse 27, we see the lineage of the 3 children of Noah who came out of the Ark after the flood and repopulated the Earth. Remember, these sons were married BEFORE they entered the Ark, thus they had children after the flood event. You don't read this here, but the descendants of Japhepth poplulated (according to the book of Genesis) populated the north - Europe, Russia, Turkey, Italy, etc. The descendants of Ham populated the southern and eastern regions such as Africa and Asia. The descendants of Shem populated the regions primarily around the nation of Israel and the central regions of the Middle East.

3) It only took 5 generations before WAR broke out after the flood! In 1:10, we read of Nimrod, "who was the first heroic warrior on earth." It's sad to think how brothers can't even get along!

4) Shem's family destroys much of Ham's family! When you get to verse 13 of chapter 1, you see the very families that God tells Moses, Joshua, and the nation of Israel to destroy out of the land of Canaan because of the evil life they lived. Canaan was a descendant of Ham (one of the 3 sons of Noah). In essence, it's cousins killing off cousins!

5) More Cousins Killing Cousins! In 1:36, you see the tribe of Amalek arising out of the tribe of Esau (Israel's - or Jacob's - brother). Do you remember what the Amalekites did after Israel escaped from Egypt and after they crossed the Red Sea? They attacked their cousins - the Israelites - in an attempt to destroy them! You talk about family problems!

6) Chapter 2 goes right to King David! The bright spot in the nation of Israel was King David! Therefore, it's not surprising that only 1 chapter is devoted to the special tribe from which King David came from - that of Judah! Although Israel (Jacob) had 12 sons from which came 12 tribes, they'll be described later, but for now - the writer wants to talk about how King David came to the throne of Israel! After all, this is the lineage from which the Messiah - Jesus Christ - will come from! According to Matthew 1, there were 14 generations from Abraham to King David. Sadly, only 14 generations were developed after King David before Israel became so corrupt and evil that God sent them into Babylonian exile. And, it was another struggling 14 generations after that that Jesus Christ was born!

While so much more could be said, I hope this gives you some idea of the many things you can get out of the remaining 7 chapters. May the Lord give you a wonderful day!