at a glance
author: Unknown, but possibly Ezra.
date: About 430 BC.
setting: Covers the period from Solomon’s reign (970 BC) to the Babylonian exile (586 BC), paralleling many of the events of 1 and 2 Kings.
verse to remember:“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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (7:14).
theme to consider: Hear God’s call that echoes through the ages—come to him, confess to him and receive his healing and forgiveness.
unchanging truth
Don’t you just love family reunions? (Yeah right, some of you are thinking.) How about those cheesy comments? “Oh, you look just like your mother did when she was your age!” “You have your great-aunt Mildred’s nose!” “Well, we all know where you got that athletic ability! Your Grandpa Joe was a real wildcat back in his day.” Sometimes it’s all you can do to smile politely as you wonder if you really do have a nose as big as Mildred’s. Even though we can’t always see the resemblance, family characteristics—both good and not so good—are passed down through the generations.
That’s the beauty of family stories. Even though you might not remember all that much about your ancestors, when you really listen to stories about them, you can discover some interesting facts about them and about you. Those family legends not only connect you to past events, but they also help you grasp your place in the family line.
The book of 2 Chronicles is very similar to 1 Chronicles (originally they were one book) in the way it relates the family history of God’s people and recounts God’s grace and love through history. God is still calling his people to come to him. This loving call of God will continue through all the generations that are to come until the end of the world. That’s one great family story to be included in!
1. Need something to do the job God’s given you? Just ask. He gives generously (1:7–10).
2. God wants us to learn from our spiritual ancestors and then pass our wisdom along to the next generation (17:3–6).
3. Following God means dedicating your whole life to him (29:1–5; 30:23–27).