Day 14 – Thursday -- The Book of Second Chronicles

Day 14 – Thursday

The Book of Second Chronicles

The Chronicler continues his revisionist history in this second volume. The notable scholar Julius Wellhausen once wrote: One might as well try to hear the grass growing as hope to learn anything about history from Chronicles. (Look through your many prolegomenas at home and find Prolegomena to the History of Israel, Cambridge University Press, 2013. You’ll find this quote on page 215.) The first volume presented King David as the ideal king. This second volume presents Solomon as an idealized king too.

By the way, the two books of Chronicles were originally one “book.” But they had to be divided into two scrolls. One scroll would have been so big that you would be in danger of dropping it on your foot and breaking a toe or two.

Temple worship is central. The Jewish community is portrayed foremost as a worshiping community rather than a political entity. Details about the temple and the roles of priests and Levites play a significant role.

Once again Judah (the southern kingdom) is highlighted as the true “Israel.” The worst king of all—Manasseh—in this retelling, is given a chance to repent and be forgiven. A nicer God.

In chapter 30, Hezekiah asks God to go easy on some outsiders who were coming to the Passover celebration, and God answers his prayer. A softer God.

Chronicles ends with Jerusalem being destroyed by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar and the people being taken into exile into Babylon. But it goes further than 2 Kings which stops there. Chronicles reports the edict of the king of the Persian Empire, Cyrus, who allows the Jews to return to their home and rebuild the temple. The writer says that this is God’s doing. God chooses Cyrus to bring the people home. As a chosen one, Cyrus is literally a temporary messiah—a chosen one. God makes use of a pagan king to liberate her people! So, Chronicles (which in the Hebrew Bible is the last book) ends in hope. You can go home again.

Finish this: The outsider God used to help me along my faith journey was…