Adam, Noah, many Nimrods, Abram, Abraham, Jesus, and you...

From Adam to Abraham

(1 Chronicles 1:1-27, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, March 26, 2017)

[1] Adam, Seth,... [4] Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, [24] Shem,... [27] Abram, that is, Abraham.

Adam

This amazing and uplifting two-volume series written by a priestly man who we will call the Chronicler, begins with the name of the first man, Adam. The Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament insist that we take this very seriously. Adam existed as the bearer of the image of God, and even as the non-divine son of God (Luke 3:38). He eventually had a son named Seth through whom the line to Noah was born. Adam violated a covenant with God (Hosea 6:7) and in his sin, all humanity fell, and death reigned over this broken world (Romans 5:14 and 1 Corinthians 15:22). But Adam hoped (Genesis 3:20).

Noah

Noah and the eight people in his family were the only representatives of an old world to make it through the flood, which again the entire Bible insists that we take seriously. We cannot have true, historic, resurrection, victory-over-death Christianity and reject Adam and the fall of mankind or Noah and the flood that destroyed the world that once was. All people on earth today are descended from Adam and Noah. Noah was a man of faith in a very dark age. Hebrews 11:7 tells us, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Peter, the same Peter who was a simple fisherman chosen by Jesus to be a leading herald of the events of the coming of the Son of God, writes in 2 Peter 2:5 that God “did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly.”

The mighty man, the kingdoms of this world, and the scattering of the nations

The flood was a new beginning, but it was not the end of sin on the earth. The Chronicler, through the use of selective genealogy and occasional brief commentary, teaches us about the problem of human beings impressed with our own glory. Nimrod, associated by the Hebrew prophet Micah with the origins of the great and brutal Assyrian empire, is simply noted here as “the first on earth to be a mighty man.” The words “on earth” could also be translated “in the land,” perhaps referring to the land of Canaan which would eventually be given to God's chosen people.

The Chronicler is well aware of the various mighty people groups and empires that showed great interest in this little piece of land. He writes of the Egyptians, the Philistines, all the various groups that were the Canaanites, and the powers to the east including the Syrians and the Assyrians. He also notes that these groups came into existence in the days of one “Peleg” whose name means “division.” “In his days the earth was divided.” This reminds any reader aware of the earlier Hebrew Scriptures of the Tower of Babel incident. It was God who scattered the great men who wanted to make a name for themselves.

One of the points of 1 and 2 Chronicles is that Almighty God has a purpose. He has a purpose for all of the scattered people groups of the earth, with all their mighty men and their impressive empires. Through all this great variety, the community of Jesus Christ has become richer and fuller than they ever could have been if the Lord had kept everyone all together. Out of these various groups that descended from Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, have come not only man-glorifying tyrants, but also God-glorifying Christians.

Abram, that is, Abraham.

That brings us to the last name on the list, Abram, who was given another name by the Almighty. Abram would not have been recognized by kings and rulers as a mighty man on the face of the earth. But Abram was chosen by God. His original name almost seems like a cynical joke for a man who could not father a child with his own bride—“exalted father.” Yet God made Abram's name even greater by calling him “Abraham”—“father of a multitude.” In Genesis 17:5 we read, “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.”

Even before this nobody from nowhere received his new name, the Lord had promised him that “through you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” The Chronicler very swiftly and skillfully takes us through the history from Adam to Abraham just by mentioning names and a very few additional words. The names he chose were not random. They show a divine purpose.

When Matthew writes his gospel of Jesus as the divine King come in the flesh, he begins with this summary from Matthew 1:1, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Many people have wanted to be considered the rightful spiritual heirs of Abraham, but God alone was able to raise up the true sons of this patriarch (Luke 3:8). Why is that? The real children of Abraham follow him in faith. Abraham believed in the promise of God. Consider this interchange between Jesus and some Jewish leaders from John 8:56-59.

56 … “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

The Lord had a great plan to save a multitude through the coming of the great I-AM in the flesh. Left to our own devices, the best we can hope for is to finish our lives as a famous “mighty man” and then go the way of all flesh. God has a better genealogy for us. He intends that we would be sons of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 and 2 Chronicles were originally written to prepare God's chosen people for life back in the Promised Land where the line of kings would once again continue while people waited for the Messiah to come. I announce to you today that He has come. He is the Lord of history, and He is your Lord. He has called you.

The history of humanity is a story with a purpose. The exiles of Judah in the days of Ezra needed to know that. We also must embrace the truths of biblical history to avoid an overestimation of those who would make us subjects of their tyranny. We are children of the King of kings who has bought us and our people new dignity; humble not arrogant, joyful not gloomy. We need to understand our true history by the Word of the Lord. Good news! We shall inherit the earth.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 7 – The Lord judges the peoples

Gospel Reading—Matthew 6:16-18 – [16] And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. [17] But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, [18] that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.