1 & 2 Chronicles (Bible in 90 Days)

I’m combining these two books. When I set out the read the entire bible, I figured if I could get through the Books of Law (Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) I would enjoy the rest. I was wrong, but only on this one account. I had a hard time reading the Chronicles, for the main reason being that it literally recapped everything I just read starting with Adam and in detail since King David. I know repetition is good, but it also gets boring.

photo credit

The Chronicles were written by the prophet Ezra to unify the Israelites as they returned from Babylonian captivity. He also traces David’s family line. Ezra tries to teach the people through history why God should be at the center of each of their lives as well as the nation as a whole. He also shows the importance of worship. He tries to show the correct and incorrect ways of acting by using examples of good and bad kings of the past.

One beautiful verse that stands out for me:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for his is good; his love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34

Second Chronicles ends with Jerusalem in ruins after a 70 year exile in Babylon. The new king of Persia, Cyrus, fulfills the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah to send people back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple for the Lord. 

photo credit