1 Chronicles 3: One Big Story

​Key Verse
19 and the sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei; and the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; 
 
Meditation
Genealogies are tapestries to reveal the beauty of God’s redemptive story. Every word of God’s word is a gift to God’s people. Embedded in the Chronicler’s long list of names we unearth gold nuggets of grace, minerals of mercy, and diamonds of Divine faithfulness. 
 
Ezra was writing actual history for a real audience, and for this reason he begins the book of Chronicles as he began his short history of the exile’s return to rebuild the temple, with a list of names (see Ezra 2). Today’s reading chronicles a summary of the sons of David (vv. 1-9) and the sons of Solomon (vv. 10-24).
 
One key take-a-way is God’s faithfulness to preserve a remnant to return from exile to the land, a historical fact highlighting God’s faithfulness. Zerubbabel is mentioned in 3:19 and is the first name on Ezra’s list in Ezra 2. He is important because Zerubbabel is king Jehoiachin’s grandson (2 Kings 25:27-30). Jehoiachin was the king taken into Babylonian exile (2 Kings 25) and the return of Zerubbabel displays the Davidic line continued in exile! Matthew highlights this at the beginning of his gospel (Matthew 1:12-13). God is faithful to keep His covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:16) and His first gospel promise in the garden (Genesis 3:15). 
 
God will fulfill his plan of redemption through exile and return. Jesus is the greater king to come through the lineage of David (Luke 1:32-33), the fullness of both God’s promises and plan, who was exiled by our sin on the cross so by His resurrection we can return to the Father’s covenant love!
 
Today’s Reading
These are the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; the second, Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelite, 2 the third, Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; 3 the fifth, Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah; 4 six were born to him in Hebron, where he reigned for seven years and six months. And he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 5 These were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon, four by Bath-shua, the daughter of Ammiel; 6 then Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, 7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 8 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.9 All these were David's sons, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar was their sister.
10 The son of Solomon was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, 11 Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, 12 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, 13 Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, 14 Amon his son, Josiah his son. 15 The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. 16 The descendants of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son; 17 and the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, 18 Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah; 19 and the sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei; and the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; 20 and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed, five. 21 The sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, his son[a] Rephaiah, his son Arnan, his son Obadiah, his son Shecaniah. 22 The son of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. And the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat, six. 23 The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three.24 The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani, seven.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Which names from today’s reading are familiar to you? Why?
 
-Why is it important to see the continuity of God’s word?
 
-What are some names in your spiritual genealogy that reveal God’s faithfulness to keep His promises?
 
Key Verse
19 and the sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei; and the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister;