In this book we will continue with reading the summary of all of the Jewish Scripture since this is the second part of 1 Chronicles. It was originally written as one book. We will continue reading about the most important themes in the story of God. 

For a broader view of this book of the Bible, we encourage you to watch this video:

Bible Journaling Tip: In some Bibles, the cross-references are in the middle column and in others, they are inserted in the bottom as footnotes. When you read a text and you see that it is linked to something spoken about in a different place, you can use that cross-reference as a journaling inspiration. Bind the two texts together: you can make notes in both books to point to the other. With JournalOwl, cross-references will hyperlink to one another. Simply click-thru to the cross-reference. You can also use other people's cross-reference videos, audio, and comments as inspiration for your Bible journaling devotion time.

LOOK UP:
(information)  -  encounter God through the Scripture 

Author:

The author has been called “the chronicler” by scholars, but he is still not identified. Some have suggested Ezra as a possible author. What is clear is that this author wrote the book a few centuries after the return from the Babylonian exile. It is a book that reflects on the past and uses that to write a beautiful message of hope for the future. 

Audience:

The initial order of the Bible, the Jewish traditional ordering of the Bible, had Chronicles at the very end. It summarizes all of the Jewish scriptures, so it could have been written as the finale of the story. The audience is pointed towards the future when a Messianic king will come that will rule the nations with peace and justice - the text points to Jesus. 

History:

What is unique about this book of Chronicles in comparison to the rest of the books we have journaled about is that this is actually not following directly on the previous book.  Our story that ended in 2nd Kings will pick up again in the book of Ezra.  Still, we will be able to draw parallels from what we read in Chronicles to what we have read before. 

Genre:

Chronicles is a historical work that looks back, while at the same time being an encouraging and prophetic work that looks forward. Can you find different emotions conveyed by the author through the text? Examples: content vs discontent, love vs hatred, celebration vs mourning.

LOOK IN:
(revelation)  -  contemplate / reflect on our own lives

Key verse:

Inspiration:

Read the next few verses to see what king Solomon asked for. Also, read God’s response to what he asked for. What would you have asked for if God gave you this choice? There are numerous places in the Bible where this word “ask” is written - ask and you shall receive / you have not because you ask not. Is there something that you want breakthrough in, but that you have not asked God for yet?

LOOK OUT:
(transformation)  -  respond with creative worship action  

Drawing prompt:

Paint a big crown on a piece of paper. After your paint had dried, write on the crown all the characteristics of a good king that can be found throughout this 2nd part of the book called Chronicles. Read the different accounts of all the kings and if you read a word that describes a God-like quality, write it on the crown. 

Bible Journey with JournalOwl:

Here are some questions / prompts provided by the JournalOwl community. 

• What military campaign did Ahab want Jehoshaphat to undertake with him? (II Chronicles 18:2-3)
• Whom did Ahab bring in to ask God’s guidance? (II Chronicles 18:5)

Follow this link to dive into this book with an online Bible Study group.

Writing prompt:

Read Chapter 36:14-18.
Divide it into 4 categories that can be found in the verses: 

• Sin: unfaithful deeds, defiled the temple
• God’s response: sent prophets
• The choice: people ignored and ridiculed the prophets
• Consequence of sin: Exile to Babylon

Write down what happened here into a metaphor or example. Try to write it in a story that you could tell to a child. Use the same 4 categories as above: Injustice, response, choice, and consequence.

Prayer:

God, I want to thank you for the book of Chronicles as a whole. Give me wisdom and understanding by your Spirit so that I can see clearly what the purpose of this book is for my life today. Let my response to this text be worship unto you!