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Preaching Social Justice from THE CHRONICLER

John Mark Hicks

Lipscomb University Preaching Seminar

May 7-9, 2001

Session I: An Introduction to the Theology of Chronicles.

  1. Introduction to 1 & 2 Chronicles.
  1. Deuteronomic History and Chronicles Compared.

Deuteronomic History / Chronicler
Authorship / Exilic Scribes/Prophets / Postexilic Levites
Date / ca. 550 B.C.E. / 515-200 B.C.E.
Audience / Exilic Community / Restored Community
Biblical Texts / Deuteronomy-Kings / 1-2 Chronicles
Content / Northern and Southern Kingdoms / Only the Southern Kingdom
History / From Moses through David to the Exile / From Adam through David to Restoration
Question / “Why are we here in exile? / “Will God remember his covenant with David?”
Theme / Sin and Judgment / King and Temple
Point / Punishment for Sin / Grace for Seekers
  1. Narrative Theology: Interpreting Pre-Exilic History for Post-Exilic People.

Topic / Samuel-Kings /

Chronicles

Death of Saul / Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days. (1 Sam 31:13). / Then they buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days. Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse. (1Chr 10:12-14)
God’s Response to Solomon’s Prayer / The LORD appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. (1 Kgs 9:2-3) / The LORD appeared to him at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.” (2 Chr 6:12-16)
Invasion of Shishak / In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. (1 Kgs 14:25) / After Rehoboam's position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the LORD. Because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the LORD…. [Rehoboam] did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD. (2Chr 12:1-2, 14)
The Rescue of Jehoshaphat / So they turned to attack him, but when Jehoshaphat cried out, the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel and stopped pursuing him. (1 Kgs 22:32b-33) / So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him, for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him. (2 Chr. 18:31b-32)….Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you. There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God." (2 Chr 19:2-3)
Condemnation of Uzziah / The LORD afflicted the king with leprosy until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house. (2 Kgs 15:5) / But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. (2 Chr 26:16)…They confronted him and said, "It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the LORD God." Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the LORD's temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead. When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the LORD had afflicted him. King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. (2 Chr 26:18-21a)
The Death of Josiah / While Josiah was king, Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah marched out to meet him in battle, but Neco faced him and killed him at Megiddo. Josiah's servants brought his body in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb (2 Kgs 23:29-30a). / After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, "What quarrel is there between you and me, O king of Judah? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you." Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Neco had said at God's command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo. Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, "Take me away; I am badly wounded." So they took him out of his chariot, put him in the other chariot he had and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him (2 Chr 35:20-24).
  1. Significant Texts for the Chronicler’s Theology.
  1. Thematic Text: 1 Chronicles 28:8-10.

So now I charge you (pl) in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow (vrd) all the commands of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.

And you (sg), my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion (<l@v* bl@B=) and with a willing mind (hx*p@j& vp#n\b=W), for the LORD searches (vrd) every heart (tobb*l=-lk*) and understands (/yb!m; lit., “he gives understanding”--a causative; cf. Psalm 119:34) every motive behind the thoughts (tobv*j&m^ rx#y}-lk*). If you seek (vrd) him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake (bzu) him, he will reject (bzu) you forever. Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.

  1. Supporting Thematic Texts.
  1. 2 Chronicles 7:14-16

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble (Wun+K*y]w+) themselves and pray (Wll=P^t=y]w) and seek (Wvq=b^yw) my face and turn (Wbv%y`w) from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

  1. 2 Chronicles 15:1b-4, 15

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. He went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek (vrd) him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake (bzu) him, he will forsake (bzu) you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. But in their distress they turned (bv*Y`w) to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought (Whv%q=b^y+w) him, and he was found by them.”... All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly (<b*b*l=-lk*b=). They sought (Whv%q=B!) God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

  1. 2 Chronicles 33:12-13

In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled (un~K*Y]w~) himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed (lL@P^t=Y]w~) to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back (Whb@yv!y+w) to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.

  1. Supporting Theological Ideas.
  1. Davidic Covenant: Divine Faithfulness (1 Chronicles 17, 22; 2 Chronicles 6).

Point: God gives rest to his people (1 Chronicles 22:9).

  1. Solomonic Promise: Divine Presence (2 Chronicles 5-7).

Point: God comes to rest in the Temple (2 Chronicles 6:41-43).

  1. Prophetic Word: Divine Interpretation (2 Chronicles 15:1-7; 20:14-17).

Point: The people are at rest when God is with them (2 Chronicles 15:15; 20:30).

  1. The Theology of the Chronicler.
  1. Theology for the Post-Exilic Community.
  1. The fundamental theological hermeneutic of Chronicles is “God seeks seekers.” The faithful and gracious God seeks hearts that seek him. The God of Chronicles is a relational God who seeks authentic reciprocal relationship.
  2. The theological focus is “seeking” (54x) and “hearts” (64x), which are linked 11 times in 1 Chr. 16:10; 22:19; 28:9; 2 Chr. 11:16; 12:14; 15:12,15; 19:3; 22:9; 30:19; 31:21.
  3. God enters history to create, discipline, punish, probe, test, and redeem in order to find hearts that seek him as he seeks them. Chronicles is the story of Yahweh who moves among his people to know their hearts and find those who seek him (2 Chr 16:9).
  4. The Davidic covenant and the Solomonic promise ground the hope of restored Israel. The postexilic community depends on God’s faithfulness to David (King) and Solomon (Temple).
  5. Thus, standing on the promises of God to David and the gracious presence of God in his temple, the postexilic community is called hope, holiness and perseverance. If they will seek God in his temple, trusting in his promises, then God will find them.

  1. Theology 21st Century Christians.
  1. Christians understand this dual theme of Davidic promise and gracious presence in the context of Jesus Christ. God has demonstrated his faithfulness in Jesus and has given his presence to the church through the Holy Spirit. The theological themes that ground the hope of the postexilic community are fulfilled in Jesus Christ who grounds the hope of the Christian community.
  2. God still seeks seekers. Those who seek him will be found. In this sense the story of Chronicles is our story. The same God seeks the same kind of hearts. The same God is still at work in history to find those hearts and give them rest.
  1. A Theologian of Grace and Holiness.
  1. Will God remember his people? Yes, as God took the initiative to renew his gracious presence in the temple (2 Chronicles 36:22-23).
  2. What does God expect from his people? He expects them to seek his face and share his values as a community.
  3. The Chronicler is a narrative version of Paul’s ethical indicative/imperative perspective—the character and actions of God ground and empower the imperative call to imitate God as a holy community.
    Session II: Testing the Wealthy and Powerful in Chronicles.
  1. Testing the Wealthy (1 Chronicles 29).
  1. The Divine Grace of Giving (1C 29:1-9).
  1. divine initiative in electing grace
  2. consecration to the Lord (giving is a priestly act)
  3. wholeheartedness (<l@v* bl@B)
  4. willingness (bdn; “give willingly” is used 7x in 29:5,6,9[2],14,17[2]; cf. Ex. 25:21,29).

Then King David said to the whole assembly: "My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure (only here and 1Chronicles 29:19) is not for man but for the LORD God. With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God--gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble--all of these in large quantities. Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate (lit., to fill the hand; cf. Exodus 28:41; 29:29; 32:29) himself today to the LORD?"

Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly. They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the LORD in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

  1. The Prayer (1C 29:10-19).
  1. Blessing (1C 29:10-12).
  2. Blessing past/present God—everlasting greatness, as it links present with both the present and the future.
  3. Blessing in Israel’s present situation—doxological terms.
  4. Blessing to God as ruler—kingdom belongs to Yahweh.
  5. Everything is “in your hands” (cf. 1 Chronicles 29:14,17).

David praised (lit., blessed) the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,

"Praise be to you, O LORD,

God of our father Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power

and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;

you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;

you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all.

  1. Thanksgiving (1C 19:13-17)
  2. Here we are thanking and praising (participles) you! But…
  3. Who are we? By grace we are who we are. Human dependence/frailty.
  4. The privilege of worship is based on grace, not right.
  5. Israel is an alien/stranger (cf. Genesis 17:8; 21:23; 23:4) in their own land where God has given them rest. How can they be aliens in the land? It is a pilgrimage before the face of God—we always have a sojourner/pilgrim status before God (thus, the allusion to the brevity of life).
  6. Generosity does not flow from pride, but humility; it flows from dependency, not self-sufficiency. People are generous when they recognize their “alien/stranger” status.
  7. God tests the integrity (“uprightness”) of human hearts. Human integrity.
  8. God tests and we respond with integrity. Testing is a pervasive Hebraic motif with the use of several synonymous Hebrew verbs (e.g., Gen. 22:1; Deut. 8:2-5; Jer. 11:20; 20:12; Prov. 17:3; Ps. 7:9; 11:5; 17:3; 26:2; 66:10; 139:23).
  9. Integrity (<yr]v*ym@W) yields generosity and honest intention (yb!b*l= rv#y{B=; “in rightness regarding the heart/inner person”).
  10. Will the Kings do what is “right” when they are tested? (2 Chronicles 14:2; 20:32; 24:2; 25:2; 26:4; 27:2; 28:1; 29:2; 31:20; 34:2).

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.

  1. Petition (1C 29:18-19).
  2. Covenantal Character (invoking the patriarch cal names).
  3. Prayer for hearts! God works in the hearts of people (1 Samuel 10:9; 1 Kings 18:37; Ezra 6:22)
  4. The text petitions three things regarding hearts:
  5. Keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever (;M#u^ bb^l= tobv=j=m^ rx#y}l= <l*oul= taZ{-hr`m=v(; lit., keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever according to the form/purpose/shape of thought).
  6. Keep their hearts loyal (;yl#a@ <b*b*l= /k@h*w+; lit., prepare their hearts to/for you).
  7. Give Solomon a whole heart to keep the divine requirements and accomplish his ministry task (romv=l! <l@v* bb*l@ /T).

O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.