OPENING UP 1 CHRONICLES
By Andrew Thomson
Day One. 128 pages. £5.00
ISBN 978 1 846 252 891
OPENING UP 2 CHRONICLES
By Andrew Thomson
Day One. 128 pages. £5.00
ISBN 978 1 846 252 907
1 and 2 Chronicles are possibly among the least read books in the Bible. Perhaps it is the name that puts us off, with its suggestion of dry and dusty history, or perhaps it is the ‘endless genealogies’ at the beginning of 1 Chronicles. Or maybe we think they are just a repetition of 1 and 2 Kings. In these two slim volumes, Andrew Thomson opens our eyes to the spiritual treasures in these books.
Written after Israel's return from exile, possibly by Ezra, these two books (which were originally one) were intended to encourage the nation, and to warn them against past mistakes.
Thomson points out that in the Hebrew Bible, they come at the end, among the ‘Writings’, and should therefore be regarded more as a sermon than simple history. The main theme is the endless kingdom of God, tracing the history of the two ‘houses’ — the house of David and the house of God, or the temple.
The author is the pastor of Kesgrave Baptist Church, and writes with a pastor's heart, seeking always to draw out the practical relevance of these ancient stories for today, with an abundance of helpful quotations and illustrations.
He shows how not only the more famous passages (like Jabez's prayer) but also the more obscure events have parallels in the New Testament and can help us in our daily lives. Above all, he shows how these books point us again and again to Jesus Christ, the King of kings.
These are not intended to be detailed commentaries, but will inspire the reader to delve deeper. They are simple enough for the new Christian, but profound enough for the more experienced also. Even pastors will find them refreshing; I certainly did! A valuable addition to the ‘Opening Up’ series.
