Weds 14th April 2021 - Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 3
Continuity by Becky Brooks
As we read through this list of David’s descendants, we find at verse 17, “Jehoiachin the captive.” Poor Jehoiachin was among the generation that was taken captive into exile in Babylon.
This catastrophic event in Israel’s history must have felt like the end of all things at the time yet, as the Chronicler continues to list name after name in the line of David, we can see that the purposes of God were not side-tracked at all, despite the catastrophe that had come upon Jerusalem.
God had promised that from David’s line, a saviour would come. Despite the great dislocation of exile and decades in a far land, David’s line was preserved, and God’s promise was eventually fulfilled.
This brings us to another reason why the Biblical genealogies are worth reading even today. They present to us a vast scope of history, allowing us to have a glimpse of a perspective that is more like God’s and less like our own often narrow view of events.
From our vantage point centuries later, we can see that the exile was not the end of all things but rather a relatively short historical detour which didn’t throw God’s plans out of line at all. Of course, at the time, without the benefit of such hindsight, God’s people understandably may not have had that view of things, so the Chronicler reminds the returning exiles that however bad things may seem when you are in the thick of them, God is still in control. It was true during the exile and it would continue to be true forever after.
It is still true for us today. It may be that you have responded to a call from the Lord in your life but find yourself thwarted at every turn. It may be that you have prayed faithfully for God’s intervention in some situation for a long time but cannot see the fruits of your prayer. It may feel as though you are facing a tremendous challenge – something that feels like the end of all things – and you cannot see what good the future could hold.
The same Lord who maintained the line of David throughout the exile for the fulfilment of his promise is at work in your life today. He does not forget his people and he does not forget his promise. May he comfort you, surround you, uphold you and guide you, and may he give you a glimpse of glory to sustain you in every situation.