First Chronicles 1 Commentary
Ten words could make a relatively small sentence in most writings – hardly enough to convey a logical thought. But here in this book, ten words are enough to cover 3 opening verses. The reason is simple: these words are the names of individuals. The author is recounting the story of creation. This chapter, therefore, summarizes the Book of Genesis by listing key characters.
The LORD created man, Adam. He blessed him to have dominion, to increase in number, and to prosper. Between Adam and Seth is the famous fall recorded in Genesis 3. The threefold blessing of the LORD suffered confusion after the fall. So while part of Adam lived in the Garden of peace and tranquility, his son Seth lived in the world of confusion; so did the many other sons that Adam had, including Cain.
After the flood, the LORD would restart with humanity by again blessing Noah in Genesis 9. Three sons are born to Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The table of nations would spring from these three sons. But at Babel man’s sin reached heaven and we have another scattering here. We saw the first scattering when the LORD scattered Adam from the Garden of peace and tranquility. Cain suffered the second scattering when he was driven from the land of his birth. Genesis 4 verse 14.
Through the line of Shem, the LORD would single out Abraham and repeat the blessing in Genesis 12. The scripture gives us more details about the descendants of Abraham. It is highlighting the blessing of multiplication.
The focus would be on Isaac. Two sons are born, Esau and Jacob. Esau’s line is summarized and that is where the chapter ends. Next, Jacob’s line will be expanded and actually form the meat of this book, but that is for tomorrow.
You will notice that there is a pattern that the Bible is following. Each of the names mentioned had many sons but only one line is singled out. This is so because of the seed mentioned in Genesis 3. There is a script that the Bible is following. Interestingly, this script is not written until the time of Christ in the Gospels.
The reader may also want to reflect on the scattering of Israel from the land of promise. It feels quite like the scattering suffered by Adam from the Garden of peace and tranquility. The LORD is always scattering when humanity gathers to sin.
At the back of the reader’s mind should be the blessing of Genesis 1 verse 28. The LORD repeated it to Noah in Genesis 9. Abraham got the same blessing with the promise that the LORD would bless the nations through Abraham’s seed.
The blessing would be passed on from Isaac to Jacob. And Jacob would bless his 12 sons in Genesis 49, while in Egypt. The saint does well to reflect on this blessing as our salvation today is not independent of the original blessing, as given and passed on from the top.
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