FROM ADAM TO ABRAHAM. 1st Chronicles 1 The list of names from Adam to Zerubbabel includes people of faith and people of failure. This pattern is common to humanity. Why do some choose to reject what they have been taught and deliberately pursue their own path? Ultimately, only God knows the reasons behind the decisions people make. It is clear that each person is known by God, whether good or bad, and every inclination of one's personality, every practice, and every event in a person's life has consequences that are felt by many generations to come. Each of us needs to remember our heritage and the privileges that come with it. "The things written aforetime were written for our learning." The Lord Jesus said, "They are they which testify of Me."
The writer of the Chronicles has written what is likely the first commentary on the scriptures. He traces the history of faith and salvation following a line of trust in God, and avoids emphasizing the failures of the past. To recount failures detracts from the objective of chronicling the heritage of God’s people. This chapter summarizes the origins of humanity, starting with Adam and continuing through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It defines the role of the Jews in history. The writer identifies figures from Adam to the time of the flood, assuming the readers know that Noah had three sons.
Reading about Adam teaches us that our sins have far-reaching effects. Noah’s story reminds us that obeying God brings the great blessings that grace bestows. Japheth and his descendants are associated with Europe and northern Asia, while those from the family of Ham populate southern Asia and Africa. The sons of Shem lived in central Asia “after the earth was divided” by the confusion of languages at Babel.
The name “Eber” (meaning Hebrew) refers to the ancestor of Abram, who settled in the region where the sons of Aram were nomadic tribes. From this list of names, we can trace the lineage of those from Abraham's family-he was the first of the Hebrews (Jews). Apart from a brief mention of Isaac, this genealogy covers the sons of Abraham through Hagar and Keturah. We learn from Abraham that faith in God makes one accepted by God. Isaac reminds us that those who seek peace are respected.
The names are there, and many hidden tales could be told of these ancients who lived for many years before they got old. But die they must, for sin had brought them death even though they lived for hundreds of years. Some of them brought great acts of evil to earth; through others, we are blessed.
One must have wondered when his two sons were born, “What have we done? Why has the world been torn apart?” Some went one way; others went another because sin created division, which still causes brothers to be separated. No wonder God hates division; its consequences are great. Instead of happy fellowship, brothers are sometimes strangers when they meet. Sin has consequences of whatever kind, but division brings such a schism that it seldom can be fixed.
When one glances over his shoulder and sees his brother’s back, he may not realize he is leaving for good, and he will never experience his fellowship again. His spiritual gift may go unused, though God has a purpose intended for him to utilize it for the benefit of all when combined with others. Perhaps it was a careless word, an undone task, or something minor when it occurred, but it becomes a significant issue when we fall into division. As far as I know, division creates an uncrossable gap when it happens. So many are affected, and there is no way to return.
The final genealogy in this chapter is that of Esau. The story of Esau reminds us that the way to forgiveness is to reject bitterness. Job came from Uz, and thus, he would have been an Edomite. Eliphaz appears on this list, suggesting he may have been one of Job’s friends at that time. Amalek was a grandson of Esau, impressing on our minds that wickedness will always oppose God’s people. The only way to deal with the wicked flesh is to reckon it dead. Hadad, mentioned near the end of the chapter, was a contemporary of Moses, as noted in the parallel genealogy in Genesis.
Genealogies establish our family identity, along with its privileges and responsibilities. They also place us within a national and, to some extent, a political framework that influences where we live and our roles in life. Those born into royalty have specific obligations and expectations imposed upon them. Individuals in families that own property possess certain rights based on their birth order within the family. A Levite's child lived differently than other children, as their income depended on what others were willing to give to the Lord. A servant's child occupied a distinct position in society compared to the children of landowners.
Children raised in God-fearing homes, where spiritual matters are of utmost importance, are naturally expected to differ from those without a spiritual heritage. Christian children must acknowledge that the significance of their privilege surpasses what they perceive as expected of them. Nevertheless, each individual plays a vital role in benefiting all God's people. Young believers are as valuable in the kingdom of God as older ones.
All those mentioned in the first chapter of 1st Chronicles trace their lineage back to Adam. From Adam to Noah, and from Noah and his sons Japheth, Ham, and Shem, to Abraham and Jacob, half of human history is encompassed in this timeline. The names of the forefathers denote crucial elements of human history. Not everyone was wicked, nor were all the faithful good people. However, God acknowledged all as individuals accountable to Him. Some were antagonistic toward others, and some family members distanced themselves from their relatives.
However, those whose names are remembered and revered as people of faith are on the list. We would not hesitate to name our sons Adam, Enoch, Noah, or Abraham. Isaac and Jacob remain attractive to new parents due to the historical accounts of their lives in their respective generations. Others, too, were honorable and trustworthy individuals whose names often reflected their personalities and actions. All of us have a heritage, and we all influence others. When I recognize that what I am doing now may impact the lives of others after I am gone, it prompts me to "do justly... love mercy and walk humbly with [my] God."