{"id":26183,"date":"2020-11-06T13:52:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-06T13:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/2020\/12\/07\/preaching-on-2-chronicles\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T16:11:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T16:11:05","slug":"preaching-on-2-chronicles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/content\/preaching-on-2-chronicles\/","title":{"rendered":"Preaching on 2 Chronicles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cBut there are men for whom the unattainable has a special attraction. Usually they are not experts: their ambitions and fantasies are strong enough to brush aside the doubts which more cautious men might have. Determination and faith are their strongest weapons. At best such men are regarded as eccentric; at worst, mad.\u201d[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The above sentiment of the late Mt. Everest climber, Walt Unsworth, is something anyone preparing to preach through 1 and 2 Chronicles might say when looking at their task. Some of your ministry colleagues might think you are becoming a little eccentric when you tell them you will be leading your congregation in a series on the Chronicles. Yet, the God-fearing madman in you, seeing 1 and 2 Chronicles as part of the inspired Scriptures, looks ahead at the challenge and hears only the charge: Preach the Word!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My intention is to make tackling what is a Mt. Everest for many into a journey over a small sand dune on a nice day at the beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Historical Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Along with Ezra and Nehemiah, the Chronicles probably are the last books to be written in the Old Testament. The last dated event in 2 Chronicles is Cyrus\u2019 decree to grant the Israelites (Judah) permission to return from captivity and exile in Babylon to Jerusalem (c. 538 BC; 2 Chron. 36:22-23). Thus, the book is probably written within decent proximity to the return to Jerusalem, once the editor could settle into routine life in his homeland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2 Chronicles, the writer minimizes the failures of the Davidic sons. One follows Israel from the height of the Davidic monarchy under Solomon, to the fall of Jerusalem under Zedekiah with very little of the drama one sees in 1 and 2 Kings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important to 2 Chronicles is the presence of Solomon\u2019s Temple, aka the First Temple. During Solomon\u2019s reign, the Temple construction begins circa 966 BC (1 Kings 6:1) and is finished eleven year later, circa 955 BC (1 Kings 6:38). It remains the center of Israel\u2019s worship through its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. One follows the prosperity or failure of Israel as one watches her and her kings\u2019 actions toward the Temple and the prescribed activities that should take place in the Temple according to the Law of Moses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chart: Preaching Through 2 Chronicles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We know the weekly grind of sermon prep is hard, whether you are in the midst of series or planning a new series. Trying to find key verses you need to highlight in your sermon, finding the historical background to the book, discovering the flow\/structure of book, and even figuring out what is the theme of each section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why we created this chart! This chart is designed to\u00a0save you time<\/strong>\u00a0as you prepare to preach a new sermon series from the Book of 2 Chronicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will find a quick visual overview of the movement of the Book of 2 Chronicles. It will help orient you and your hearers as you preach through the entire book or sections of the book. It provides, at a glance, one way to divide the book into pericopes. The chart includes key verses in the book, an overarching title for the book, the overall message of the book, and some historical background. It is color-coded to highlight certain defining aspects of the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This chart could be used as a slide in your church service. It could serve as an introduction to a new series or a weekly check-in before you begin preaching. It could even be printed out and given to the members of your church, as a resource to help them grasp the message of the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sermon Series<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2 Chronicles, the Chronicler continues to place an emphasis on the Davidic monacrchy, as did the author in 1 Chronicles. However, differently than 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles focuses on the heart of the kings rather than the might of Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I first propose a simple 2-week outline that would give a congregation the broadest strokes of 2 Chronicles so that they might have a roadmap through these very long thity-six chpaters. The title for the series is: God\u2019s House and Her Leaders. And the following is the Big Idea for the series:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel and Judah\u2019s kings\u2019 heart toward the Lord determines the gradual demise of the nation and their own lives, but hopes in the Lord\u2019s fulfillment of his words toward his hose and his people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, the preaching and the outline intend to declare how God\u2019s people go from being the nation with the great presence of God in the Temple to a people overcome and taken captive by a secular nation. Here is a suggested outline for the overview:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text: 2 Chronicles 1-9<\/h2>\n\n\n\n