There are a few clues as to when this passage was written, just after the long confusing lists of names. But when you understand it, the passage becomes a little easier to read.
I confess to going cross-eyed as I try to make sense of the large list of names in today’s passage. I mean, who cares, really? Why write all this nonsense down…especially when it isn’t even complete? What’s the point?.
Then in Chapter 9 it becomes a little more clear. I was just reading about Ehud leading his people into captivity, and wondering “what did Ehud do that would make the rest of Israel want to exile him?” But chapter 9 tells us that we have fast forwarded in time beyond David, beyond Saul and beyond a dozen or so kings that come after them to the Babylonian exile. 1 Chronicles was written after the people came back to their country having been captured and relocated for 70 years. At the time this is written the first temple, built by Solomon is in ruins, and the new (much smaller) temple built by Zerubbabel is either begun or soon will be. This passage is out of place in the overall narrative. We have been talking about David and the poetry he writes as God allows him to experience new things. But here we are many years in the future, and David is nothing more than a memory.
Of course the genealogy is incomplete…they haven’t been home for years. And, they are trying to reestablish their spiritual connection to the land by remembering what tribe they were from. No one who actually knew David or Saul or even the kings that came after them is still alive. Everything they have has been handed down verbally…and now they are recording it, so they don’t lose the rest. In fact, it’s amazing to me that they remember as much as they do.
Then, the narrative returns to Saul and his careless bungling that led to the collapse of his reign, and defeat in battle for Israel. I am saddened as I consider how easily we find it to walk away from God, who is both life and truth. If Saul, who prophesied in God’s name, and who was hand-picked by God to lead the people, can then fall away…
Well, I don’t want to even finish the statement. Because I know that the reason Saul drifted off was due to a heart that wasn’t intent on serving God. In our case, we can learn from his mistakes and pray that God will take complete ownership of our heart, our mind and our soul. Only in this way can we hope to avoid the tragedy that befell Israel.
I don’t want my children to wander into “exile” with their only experience and relationship with God being something they read about, or a memory handed down by generations. I want each generation in my family to have a deep, personal and abiding relationship with the Creator.
Faithfully,
PR