Our portion this month is first Chronicles, in the Old Testament, and the brief epistle to the Colossians in the New.
The books of Chronicles correspond quite closely to Deuteronomy in their relation to the other historical books. As we learned in the case of Deuteronomy that it was not a mere repetition, but rather a re-statement of the law, with special lessons in view and looking forward to the future, so the books of Chronicles, while narrating largely the same events as are recorded in the books of Samuel and Kings, do so with a specific purpose. Externally, we might say that the book of Kings is largely the history of the ten tribes; while Chronicles is equally confined to the history of Judah or the two tribes. In Samuel and Kings, the failures of David and Solomon are clearly brought out. In Chronicles this is minimized. The object in Chronicles is evidently prophetic and typical; the Spirit of God bringing out the future glories of the kingdom when in the hands of One greater than David and Solomon. Things point thus largely to the Millennium.
In a similar way, the causes of declension on the part of many of the kings subsequent to Solomon, and the moral effect of their declension, are mostly dwelt upon at greater length than in Kings. The evident reason for this is to impress upon the people the one great lesson written over every page of Scripture, that it is an evil and bitter thing to depart from the Lord.
The first nine chapters of first Chronicles are devoted to genealogies, beginning with Adam, as though showing the descent by nature, which was the fruitful source of all subsequent failure. What could be expected from children of a disobedient parent, but the same disobedience ? In beautiful contrast with this tracing of genealogy down from our first parent, is the reverse order in the case of our blessed Lord's genealogy in Luke, where His human ancestry is traced back, not only to Adam, but then to God, showing Him as the Son of man who had in infinite grace taken that place and would reverse the dark stream of evil which had been flowing from Eden onward.
The second chapter is devoted more specifically to the children of Israel, singling out the line of Jesse, of whom David was born.
Chap. 3:traces the line of David onward.
Chap. 4:gives others of the children of Judah.
Chap. 5:, the line of Reuben; chap. 6:the Levites; chap. 7:the descendants of Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher.
Chap. 8:traces the descendants of Benjamin in detail down to Saul and Jonathan.
The first verse of chap. 9:has this significant summary of all that has gone before:"So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies, and behold they were written in the books of the Kings of Israel and Judah who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression." Everything ended, thus, in captivity because of transgression. The rest of the chapter gives certain other summaries, more specially of priests and Levites with their duties at Jerusalem, and closes with the brief genealogy of Saul and Jonathan.
Chap. 10:closes this part of the book with the account of the sad ending of Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboah.
The rest of the book is practically the history of David in the glory and righteousness of his reign, omitting the dark, personal blots which would be out of place in what is, as we said, largely typical.
Chaps, 11:and 12:, after briefly recounting David's being made king over Israel at Hebron and his taking Jerusalem for his permanent capital, are devoted to the deeds of his mighty men, things which significantly come in the narrative of the close of his life in Samuel, but which here are looked at from the beginning.
Chaps, 13:-16:recount the bringing of the ark, which had practically been put aside since the days of Saul, to its place of prominence at Jerusalem. It was the recognition of the throne of Jehovah as supreme. We have the mistaken expedient of bringing it on the new cart in imitation of the Philistines, with the judgment upon Uzzah for his profane attempt to steady the ark; and in Chap. 15:, the proper carriers, the Levites, have charge of it with the result that it is brought into its place with un-mingled joy and liberty.
The parenthetic chapter, xiv, shows how God blessed David, both in building up at home and victories abroad, so that, confirmed in His goodness, he was emboldened to attempt again in an orderly manner, the bringing in of the ark.
Chap. 16:gives the psalm of celebration composed of selections from the 105th, 96th, and 106th psalms.
Chap. 17:tells of his desire to build a house for God, which, while recognized by Jehovah, is not permitted; God declaring how He would build David a sure house -looking forward to the coming of Christ. This calls forth the outflow of praise from David's heart.
In Chap. 18:, we have his triumph over his enemies, answering somewhat to our Lord's victories at the beginning of the Millennium.
Chap. 19:relates the offered mercy to the Syrians, which is rejected, corresponding to the folly of those who shall, in the latter day, reject the offered blessing of the Kingdom.
Chap. 20:gives also a narrative of victories, most significantly omitting the account of the dreadful sin with Uriah the Hittite, which would have come in at this very place.
Chap. 21:tells of the only failure recorded of David in this book, that of numbering the people, but it is as leading up to the selection of the temple site, as though reminding us that there could be no dwelling place for Jehovah except in the midst of a people who were not merely numbered, but redeemed; for it will be remembered that provision was made for paying the ransom of every Israelite who was enrolled.
From chaps, 22:-29:, we have most elaborate and complete preparations for the building of the temple and the ordering of its service by king David. While not permitted to build it himself, he is allowed to gather gold and other precious material for the purpose, and to make all arrangements, somewhat as we saw Moses leading the people in their preliminary victories on the east side of Jordan, and making full provision for their conduct as a nation when they entered the land, while not himself permitted to go in thither. So David is seen here, not as the decrepit old man in the first of Kings, where mere nature is manifest, but in all the vigor and energy of faith and love, devoting all his powers to the plans and ordering of that which was dearer to his heart than life itself, -the glory of the dwelling place of Jehovah. How fitting it is that such an object should command all the powers of the man after God's own heart! Most beautifully in all this does he prefigure our blessed Lord, who has established, not in any typical, but in a real way, the foundations for God's dwelling place in the midst of His earthly people during the Millennium, and the eternal basis of His relationship with mankind in the new heavens and new earth.
Thus, the book which begins with the humbling witness of the descent of man from our common father who had fallen, closes with preparations of glory and an outburst of praise which show that grace has come in through the second Man:" Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty, for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted above all" (i Chron. 29:n).
Colossians is a brief, but most full unfolding of the glories of our blessed Lord. It has some points strikingly in common with the epistle to the Ephesians, but differs from that in its main theme. Ephesians shows us the Church in relation to Christ, its present position, future glory, with the walk that results from that known relationship.
Colossians presents to us, rather, Christ in His own glory as the Object to fill His people's heart, and in whose power they can walk the resurrection-life even here.
Its five divisions 'bring out the gradual development of these truths.
Div. 1:(chap. 1:1-18) presents Christ as Head and Lord over all. We see Him as First-born of all creation -its Head because He is its Creator; and also as Firstborn from the dead in resurrection, and thus Head to His Church.
Div. 2. (chap. 1:19-29), He has by His death made reconciliation for His people and brought all things into subjection to God. The twofold Headship over creation and the Church suggest a twofold ministry, which is dwelt upon in this division. In connection with His world-wide dominion and world-wide reconciliation, the gospel also has been preached to every creature that is under heaven; while, in connection with His Headship over the Church, His body, the apostle presents the mystery in which the whole word of God is fulfilled. He labors earnestly and desires to present the saints complete in Christ, in accordance with the ministry of the mystery.
Div. 3. (chap. 2:1-23) dwells upon the infinite fulness of Christ, in whom we also are complete or filled up. The-treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid here. Whether, with many editors, we omit the words, " Father and Christ" or only the word, "Father"-as evidently should be omitted-the truth remains the same, that in connection with Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid. These are fully brought out in the mystery, which thus becomes, as we might say, the repository of the truth that is in Christ. The saints are to walk as they have received Christ Jesus the Lord, entering into the precious fact that they have been crucified and buried with Him, and now, as risen, are freed forever from the external demands of Judaism or the vagaries of human philosophy and vain deceit. Christ is thus seen as the full and perfect remedy for all the thoughts of man, whether they be intellectual or religious.
The fourth division (chap. 3:1-17) shows the practical effect of the truth of resurrection with Christ in our lives. It means the putting off of the works of the old man and seeking those things which are above, where Christ is, and the putting on of all the gracious fruits which flow from this new relationship.
Fifth division (chaps, 3:18-4:) This might be treated as a second portion of the fourth division. It goes, however, more fully into details, and, very much after the manner of Ephesians, gives us the various earthly responsibilities in the order that has been established in God's creation,-the love of husbands and subjection of wives to their husbands; children to parents; the mutual responsibilities of servants and masters; the need of prayer, and the careful walk before the world.
The apostle closes, after the beautiful manner of the New Testament fellowship, with the account of his own experiences, and salutations to many beloved saints.