Where Can We Find King Yeshua in Chronicles?
Have you ever skipped Chronicles thinking, “Haven’t I already read this in Kings?”
You’re not alone. Many readers glance at the familiar stories and move on. But hidden between the genealogies and royal records lies one of Scripture’s richest portraits of future hope. A hope anchored in worship, repentance, and the long-awaited King.
Chronicles invites us to look backward, not just for the sake of history, but to look forward and behold what’s coming. Or rather, who’s coming.
Let’s take a fresh look at the books of Chronicles and ask the question:
Where can we find King Yeshua?
The Hope of a Future King
The Chronicler isn't just recounting history, from the opening genealogies to the final royal edict. He’s curating it with hope. While the books of Samuel and Kings offer raw and often tragic narratives, Chronicles retells the story through a hopeful lens, intentionally focusing on David and Solomon as types of the coming Messiah.
David is portrayed not as the flawed king who stumbled, but as the faithful one who paved the way for a house for God.
Although not the Messiah, Solomon is pictured as a wise king who builds the temple and leads worship.
In 1 Chronicles 11:1, Israel tells David, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh.” The word behold isn’t just for effect. It marks a moment pregnant with meaning. David is publicly acknowledged as a shepherd and prince, echoing the kind of Messiah the people would one day need.
And yet, none of these kings fully measure up. The Chronicler knows it. He’s pointing to a king who will come from David’s line, build a better temple, and reign forever.
Spoiler alert: It’s Jesus.
Chronicles was written during a time of disappointment. Zerubbabel didn’t bring in the kingdom. Ezra and Nehemiah’s reforms fell short. The throne sat empty.
And still, the Chronicler hoped. We know what he longed to see:
“The Root of David… the Lion of Judah… has triumphed” (Revelation 5:5).
Repentance: The Forgotten Gift
One of the most quoted verses in Chronicles is 2 Chronicles 7:14:
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways…”
But this verse doesn’t stand alone. The entire Chronicles narrative calls God’s people back to repentance. The exile happened because Israel stopped seeking the Lord. The return from exile was God’s mercy in action.
Over and over, we see that when the people humble themselves, God responds. Even Manasseh, one of the worst kings in Judah’s history, is forgiven when he repents. That’s the kind of mercy the Chronicler wants us to remember. Today, we talk a lot about grace (rightly so!), but like Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, grace without repentance is just cheap mercy.
Chronicles reminds us that repentance is the soil where renewal takes root.
Worship and a New Temple
If you want to know what the Chronicler cared most about, follow the worship.
From the placement of Levites to the temple’s dedication, worship is not an add-on. It’s central. It’s the glue that holds post-exilic identity together. It’s the pathway back to God. When Solomon finishes the temple and prays, fire falls from heaven. The people hit the ground, worshipping with tears and shouting:
“He is good; His hesed (steadfast and loyal love) endures forever!”
But here's the thing: the temple was never the final destination.
Chronicles ends with a king sending the people back to rebuild it. But the Gospels begin with a King who is the new temple.
Jesus says in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Now, by the Spirit, our very bodies have become temples—places where the presence of God dwells (1 Cor. 6:19-20). We worship not just with burnt offerings but with surrendered lives.
So… Where Is King Yeshua in Chronicles?
He’s everywhere.
He’s in the hopeful lineage.
He’s in the temple vision.
He’s in the shadow of every good (and not-so-good) king.
He’s the Shepherd-Prince, the true Son of David, the One who will reign forever in justice and peace.
Chronicles teaches us to look backward so we can behold what’s ahead.
And as we wait for His return, like the Chronicler, we live in hope.
We repent.
We worship.
We rebuild.
And we remember: He’s coming again.
Reflection Questions for You and Your Behold Sisterhood
What “Behold Moments” have you had recently that reminded you Jesus is King?
Where in your life might repentance be needed to restore worship?
How can you embody temple worship in the ordinary moments of your week?
