1 Chronicles 1:1–4: “Adam, Seth, Enosh, Cainan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”

August 20th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

1 Chronicles begins with a list of names—an abbreviated genealogy that isn’t duplicated anywhere else in Scripture. It starts with Adam and traces the genealogy of the tribes up to the time of the author of 1 Chronicles (some time during the Babylonian exile). This genealogy reveals several things to us. First, it is an introduction to the background of the nations of the earth. Noah and his 3 sons survived the flood and became the basis for all nations in the post-flood world. Second, this genealogy gives a panoramic view of God’s dealings with humanity.

When this genealogy and the genealogy of Jesus found in Luke 3 are considered together, the careful reader will observe that it is the godly line of Adam’s third son Seth that eventually led to the promised Messiah. Because of this it has been rightly called the “scarlet thread” or “the road map of redemptive history.” God walked with Enoch and called Noah into the ark. He called Abraham out of idol worship, and then sent him to Mount Moriah, with his son Isaac, to be a living parable of God’s own redemption plan that took place 2000 years later on the same mountain, when His Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for the sins of all mankind.

This genealogy is a summary of God’s love spread over many familiar names, each playing a critical role in God’s sovereign redemptive strategy. Scripture tells us God’s eyes are upon us, as King David wrote in Psalm 34:15: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.” Even though we cannot see Him, we know He sees us. And even though most have not audibly heard His voice from heaven, we know that God answers our prayers.

“LORD, hear our prayers and lead us this day. We desire to serve You and be a part of Your Kingdom.”

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1 Chronicles 1 KJV

¹ Adam, Sheth, Enosh, ² Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, ³ Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, ⁴ Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. ⁵ The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. ⁶ And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.  ⁷And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. ⁸ The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. ⁹ And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. ¹⁰ And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth. ¹¹ And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, ¹² And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim. ¹³ And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth, ¹⁴ The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite, ¹⁵ And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, ¹⁶ And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. ¹⁷ The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.  ¹⁸ And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber. ¹⁹ And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother’s name was Joktan.  ²⁰ And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, ²¹Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah, ²² And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba, ²³ And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. ²⁴ Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, ²⁵ Eber, Peleg, Reu, ²⁶ Serug, Nahor, Terah, ²⁷ Abram; the same is Abraham. ²⁸ The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael. ²⁹ These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, ³⁰ Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema,  ³¹ Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael. ³² Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan. ³³ And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah. ³⁴ And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac; Esau and Israel. ³⁵ The sons of Esau; Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah. ³⁶ The sons of Eliphaz; Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek.  ³⁷ The sons of Reuel; Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. ³⁸ And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan. ³⁹ And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Homam: and Timna was Lotan’s sister.  ⁴⁰ The sons of Shobal; Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. And the sons of Zibeon; Aiah, and Anah.   ⁴¹ The sons of Anah; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon; Amram, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.  ⁴² The sons of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan. The sons of Dishan; Uz, and Aran. ⁴³ Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city wasDinhabah. ⁴⁴ And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. ⁴⁵ And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead. ⁴⁶ And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith. ⁴⁷ And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. ⁴⁸And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. ⁴⁹ And when Shaul was dead, Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. ⁵⁰ And when Baal-hanan was dead, Hadad reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife’s name wasMehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.  ⁵¹ Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom were; duke Timnah, duke Aliah, duke Jetheth, ⁵² Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, ⁵³ Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, ⁵⁴ Duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.