The Seed of David

A remarkable indication of the character of the book is to be seen in chapter 10 of First Chronicles. In just 14 verses the reign of Saul is introduced and summarily dismissed. Immediately we have the kingdom established according to God’s counsels in chapter 11: “Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel” (1 Chron. 11:3).
We do not read of David’s sin with Bathsheba or Absalom’s rebellion. We hear nothing of Adonijah, instead First Chronicles ends with the peaceful transfer of the throne to Solomon, “whom alone God hath chosen” (1 Chron. 29:1). Solomon’s failures are not recorded; there is no mention of his many wives.
In Chronicles, we see God’s counsels of grace accomplished in David and Solomon as types of Christ, but only in type. From chapter 10 of Second Chronicles to the end of that book, we have the sad history of Judah; from Rehoboam until the destruction of Jerusalem at the hand of the king of Babylon and their captivity in that land. Yet we see God in grace preserving the royal line of David, and to what end? “He raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus” (Acts 13:22-23).
In Chronicles, as in Samuel, David’s sin in numbering the people is mentioned. However, in Chronicles it is not, “Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord” (2 Sam. 24:14); rather, “let me fall now into the hand of the Lord” (1 Chron. 21:13).
We do not read in Chronicles of David buying the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver (2 Sam. 24:24); rather, David gives to Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight (1 Chron. 21:25). One is for the threshing floor and the other for the place—it is not just the treasure now, but the whole field (see Matt. 13:44). It is not measured in silver—the price of redemption—as we find in the book of Samuel (consistent with the character of that book). Rather, here it is measured in gold, the inestimable value of Christ’s work at Calvary as seen in the eyes of God.