Chapter 1 traces genealogy from Adam to Noah. Then from Noah to the people of Canaan and the non-Israelite descendants of Abraham. Then chapter 2 traces the genealogy of the twelve tribes of Israel, beginning with the genealogy to David and then diverts to the genealogy of the descendants of Caleb.
What does it mean?
Chronicles depicts the pre-exilic period but was written for the people of the post-exilic period. Genealogy was very important to these people because of rights to the land. The land had been divided up among the tribes of Israel, and within tribes among families. For those returning to the land of Canaan in the post-exilic period, if one could trace his genealogy to a particular person of the pre-exilic period then he had the rights to that families land. As well as the right of an Israelite to worship the Lord the God of Israel ceremonially in the Temple.
What Shall I do?
Should I trace my family line so that I may no my rights to a particular piece of land in the country? Or should I trace my family line, so that I may know that I am a descendant of God’s people? I Have traced my genealogy to the turn of the 17th century into the 18th century in the region of the Virginia Colony, what is now called the American south. Does this make me more of an American than someone who is a naturalized citizen? Does this give me rights to the land that others do not have. Am I some how closer to God than others because of my genealogy. The answer is no. The genealogies in 1 Chronicles and in all of Scripture served a purpose for the people whom they were originally written for but in my life genealogies only serve the purpose of satisfying my curiosity. It does not place me above others. One thing that we can all take out of these genealogies is that every single person on earth descended from the first man Adam, and his wife, the first woman Eve. “The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17) The first man and the first woman Adam and Eve ate from that tree. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22) Should we trust in Adam or in Christ? I shall put my trust in Christ Alone!
