Adam, Seth, Enosh ... – 1 Chronicles 1:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 14, 2013): 1 Chronicles 1

It is often said that history is written by the victors. The idea of an objective historian is really an impossibility – every one of us approaches history with our own bias. And we interpret the events of history in a way that makes some kind of sense to us. So as we look at history books of 1 and 2 Chronicles, one of the first things we have to be willing to do is recognize the bias with which they are written. The two books of Chronicles were originally a single book. And the book itself is a history book, but a bit of an unusual one. There is absolutely nothing new in this history book. It is simply a retelling of the biblical story, but this time the retelling is from the other side of the Babylonian Exile. It was a version of the history of Israel with all of the biases of the returning captives – the ones who were finally coming home after their stay in a foreign land. It was not new history, but it was in some ways a new telling of the story.

And so the story of Israel starts where every story should start – at the very beginning. The historian starts with Adam and Seth and Enosh. With each of these names comes a story – and a bias. One of the significant differences is that the only descendant of Adam that is listed is Seth. And Seth was the youngest of the three boys that we know about. Cain was the oldest, and second in line would have been Abel – and then Seth. Of course, part of the history that is quietly missed is that Cain murdered Abel, and removed both of the older male descendants of Adam from the line of Israel. It would not be the last time in the history of Israel that the younger son would take precedence over the older siblings. God’s plan was a different plan from the one usually followed – it was Seth over Cain, Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Joseph over his elder brothers, and even the most storied king of Israel, David, was the youngest of eight brothers. While the rest of the world was following the lead of the eldest male, Israel was finding a different way.

For the fresh returnees from a forced stay in Babylon, this take on history was important. It meant that God was willing to find a different way to success. Israel had not been a world power for many generations – and the people dreamed of a return to the success that the nation had once known, especially under the rule of David. And all of their dreams were possible if they would only recognize the character of the God who raises the weak over the strong, elevates the humble above the proud, and allows even the younger brothers to take precedence over their elder counterparts.

For us, that means that our Creator and Sustainer continues to be a God that is willing to move in unusual and counter cultural ways. The whole Christian belief in the power of love itself depends on a willingness to believe that God sees this world in a very different way from the way that we do. That in the end love is not weak – love really will win.     

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 2