I recently started reading through 1st and 2nd Chronicles as a part of my Bible studies. They are books that are often overlooked which is a shame. They contain a lot of key information about God's story with his chosen people and what happens from the establishment of Israel into the eventual subjugation of God's people. Still, I would forgive anyone from being turned off by the first 8 chapters. It is essentially just a list of the genealogies, beginning with Adam and Eve, moving through the centuries to the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel, and forward into the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel. It isn't exactly what you would call a page turner.
Still, there are nuggets in there worth noting. Many may recall the popular trend surrounding the "Prayer of Jabez". This appears in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. You may also be aware of the prophecies surrounding the coming Messiah, being an individual from the house of David. These records show the continuous line from David's house through the bulk of the Old Testament. When you start digging through these seemingly uninteresting family records, you catch glimpses of individuals who make up the fabric of God's works throughout creation. From Adam to Noah to Abraham, then on to Moses, Joshua, David, and so many others. These show us that there is completeness and purpose to all that came before. That same completeness gives us confidence in the work God has yet to do.
Looking at these scriptures reinforces what we read in 2 Timothy...
1All Scripture is inspired by God[a] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
There are elements of the Bible we all resonate with and others which cause us pause. It can be tempting to simply dwell in the portions of the Bible that make us feel good while neglecting other areas which may be good for instruction. In your own studies, take a moment to open up something you haven't read for a while. See if God doesn't speak to you through something that you had previously overlooked.
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