First and Second Chronicles are a challenging assignment in our Bible reading plans. The books open with an imposing nine-chapter genealogy, then the story starts with Saul’s suicide and concludes with Judah’s exile and two hopeful verses about the Persian king Cyrus. These inspired texts are rarely preached or read in corporate worship, so many Christians may wonder what to do with them. One of many reasons to consider 1–2 Chronicles is the biblical author’s continued focus on seeking the Lord.
David’s song contributes significantly to this stress on seeking the Lord:
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! (1 Chron. 16:10–11)
The Lord reiterates this emphasis when he appears to David’s son, Solomon, and says,
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chron. 7:14)
On the whole, the kings of Israel and Judah rarely humble themselves to seek Yahweh’s presence and power, with disastrous results. Israel’s first king, Saul, “did not seek guidance from the Lord” but instead “consulted a medium, seeking guidance” (1 Chron. 10:13–14). A similar judgment is made of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam: “And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord” (2 Chron. 12:14). The author offers a mixed assessment of Asa’s reign. Initially he starts out so well, leading the people “into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul” (2 Chron 15:12). Yet decades later in a time of personal affliction, Asa “did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians” (2 Chron 16:12). What a sad, cautionary tale reminding us of the importance of perseverance!
Four kings of Judah stand out for their sincere (though imperfect) resolve to seek Yahweh in 2 Chronicles: Jehoshaphat (20:3–4), Uzziah (26:5), Hezekiah (30:18–19; 31:20–21), and Josiah (34:3). Consider this remarkable summary in 2 Chronicles 31:20–21:
Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.
So what does it mean to “seek the Lord”? John Piper explains, “Both the Old and New Testaments say it is ‘setting of the mind and heart’ on God. It is the conscious fixing or focusing of our mind’s attention and our heart’s affection on God.” From the positive and negative examples in Chronicles we could add that seeking the Lord entails relying supremely on God’s help, not alternatives like mediums, doctors, idols, or political alliances. This is why the boy king Josiah purges Judah of idols after he “began to seek the God of David his father” (2 Chron. 34:3). Further, when Hezekiah is troubled by Assyria’s threats and mockery, he does not send for Egyptian chariots. Instead, the humble king and Isaiah the prophet cry out to the God of heaven, who remarkably rescues his people (2 Chron. 32:20–23).
Bethlehem College and Seminary is an institution sustained by God through prayerful dependence, as Pastor Jonathan Parnell explains in this recent chapel message. May we be people who continue to seek the face of the God of Jacob, rather than relying on our own strength and understanding.
Brian Tabb, Ph.D.
President and Professor of Biblical Studies
Prayer Requests:
- Pray for rest and protection for our students and faculty as they enter Spring Break and return refreshed.
- Pray for wisdom for the prospective students attending our College and Seminary Preview Days.
- Pray for the speakers of Theology for Everyone Weekend as they prepare.
- Pray for the full funding of The Serious Joy Scholarships needed to support this year’s students and their teachers.