Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 11
Introduction to
CHRONICLES
W E B E G A N O U R J O U R N E Y into the Bible’s First Testament with a comprehensive telling of Israel’s history, from the creation story to Israel’s exile
from the Land of Promise. Then we heard the prophets delivering the
word of the Lord to Israel, intervening as the people wandered again
and again from their allegiance to God. We joined with Israel in singing
songs of both lament and praise, entering into the worship of God in
a way that acknowledges a full range of human emotions. We listened
in as Israel’s wisdom teachers taught the good way of life meant for all
the Creator’s people.
This final part of the Immerse First Testament contains its three remaining books. This last collection focuses once again on telling stories. The Hebrew expression translated as Chronicles means “words or
events of the days.” That is, it’s a record of day-to-day events, much
like a diary or journal. The stories in this volume are all “chronicles” that
tell how the people of God lived out their faith after his covenants with
Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David were established.
First comes the book of Chronicles–Ezra–Nehemiah. This unique telling of Israel’s history is presented in most Bibles as four separate
books, although it was originally a unified work. (Notice that the ending of 2 Chronicles overlaps with the beginning of Ezra.) This book of
Chronicles–Ezra–Nehemiah emphasizes the importance of the true worship of God. The shorter books in this volume, Esther and Daniel, show
God’s people facing extreme challenges in foreign lands. Whether in
their careful day-to-day observance of God’s Law or in their willingness
to suffer death through persecution, faithful and courageous men and
women demonstrate an unfailing loyalty to God.
All three works presented here were written after the Jewish people
were conquered by foreign empires and scattered among the other
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