Summary of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles
By Johannes Brenz
I translated a brief overview of the books of the Bible by Johannes Brenz (1499–1570) for the weekly devotional. Here’s what Brenz has to say about Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles.
For more Brenz on Holy Scripture, check out the archive!
Samuel, Kings, Chronicles
In the books of Kings and Chronicles, the monarchy is instituted and established in Israel and its governance is changed. Whereas previously many governed, now it is so arranged that one king ruled alone, and the monarchy was transferred from the lineage of Saul to the line of David. Furthermore, the temple was erected and built in Jerusalem, and the kingdom was divided into two parts: one is named the Kingdom of Judah, and the other the Kingdom of Israel. Here it is described and recounted how one king after another was chosen, and what took place in both kingdoms under their kings, until they were completely destroyed and ruined by the Assyrians and Babylonians.
Yet in all of these events and stories, something hidden is comprehended, which is the sum and the foremost chief point, namely, the promise of Christ, which was spoken to David. For when the promise of the seed of the woman, which is Christ, was initially directed toward the lineage of Abraham, the tribe of Judah was soon after described. In the books of Kings, however, the target of this promise is set in the tribe or lineage of David. Afterwards, Christ is not to be sought in any other line than in the line of David, as the Lord says, "When your time has come that you lie down to sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed, who shall come from your body, whose kingdom I shall establish. He will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he shall be My son." This is the greatest, foremost, and highest reason for the establishment of the monarchy in Israel, the building of the temple in Jerusalem, the reign of one king after another, how kings obtained victory, and everything else that occurred in the rule of the people of Israel, that upon which everything depends and to which everything is solely directed.
This promise became the standard and rule of all the prophets who came after. The prophets gathered and composed their preaching from this promise, which preaching was very good and excellent. Through this promise, all the godly who received and held it in faith were eternally justified and saved. Therefore, this promise should rightly take precedence and be considered the foremost point among everything one reads in the books of the Kings and Chronicles.
Johannes Brenz, Kurtzer Begriff und Inhalt der gantzen Heiligen Schrifft (1552)
Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553), David and Goliath