Message 1: Prayer: What Difference Does it Make?

Introduction: From Chapter 1: Paul Miller A Praying LIfe (p.13-15)
i. Antidote – not feeling like prayer works

ii. p15 – “American culture is proibably the hardest place in the world to pray… Busy, it’s uncomfortable. We Prize accouplishments, production. If prayer is only “talking to God” it feels useless, every bone in our bodies screem “Get to work”

iii. We can do life without God. Money can do what prayer does, and it’s quicker, and less time-consuming. Our trust is in ourselves and in our talents.

1. Introduction to Chronicles/Exile - (God’s promises failed or did they) Reading Chronicles during/after the excile – people asking if God was powerful, or what made a difference?
(Introduction – Longman OTI p195)
Big Story – UNfair victomologies – “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Jer 31.29; Ezek 18.2)
The Chronocler answers that objection by telling about the individual prayers and spirituality of the leaders of Israel. The story of Chronicles is about individuals obedience, disobedience, prayer and idolatry and how God related to them.

A) Genealogies – 9 Chapters -
Boring – not relevant – unless you wonder about God’s faithfulness – “For those wondering “is God still interested in us?” the Chronicler gives a resounding “Yes! He always has been” The genealogies speak of Israel’s consistency and her election as God’s people. “Is Marduk of Babylon really more powerful than YHWH?”

B)  People seem pretty powerless – what what can they do that changes things? -
Chronicles uses a set of vocabulary words through out the whole work of Chron.

Here some vocabulary is used that will recur again and again as the Chronicler seeks to demonstrate the validity of his theology of immediate retribution.
“Seeking God” becomes a touchstone for weal or woe (1 Chron. 10:13-14; 22:19; 28:9; 2 Chron. 11:16; 12:14; 14:4, 7; 15:2, 4, 12, 13, 15; 16:12; 17:4; 18:4; 19:3; 20:4; 22:9; 25:20; 26:5; 30:19; 31:21; 33:12; 34:3);

“humbling oneself” or the failure to do so determines the divine response (2 Chron. 12:6, 7, 12; 28:19; 30:11; 33:12, 19, 23; 34:27; 36:12).

Prayer (1 Chron. 4:10; 5:20; 21:26; 2 Chron. 13:12-15; 14:11; 18:31; 20:9; 30:18, 27; 32:20, 24; 33:13, 18-19)

“turning” (2 Chron. 15:4; 30:6, 9; 36:13) occur at critical junctures in the narrative.

Not only these terms, but also their antonyms are common vehicles for the Chronicler’s convictions.

Forsake; The opposite responses to seeking God and humbling oneself are introduced through 1 Chron. 28:9, 20; 2 Chron. 7:19, 22; 12:1, 5; 13:10-11; 15:2; 21:10; 24:18, 20, 24; 28:6; 29:6; 34:25)

“be unfaithful, rebellious” 1 Chron. 2:7; 5:25; 10:13; 2 Chron. 12:2; 26:16, 18; 28:19, 22; 29:6; 30:7; 36:14

When one compares the account of the reign of a king of Judah in Kings with that in Chronicles, most of the differences are related to the Chronicler’s theology of immediate retribution. Most of the material unique to Chronicles is providing a theological rationale for the events he narrates or showing how God does indeed bless or judge each generation in terms of its own response to his commands.
The Chronicler uses a fairly stable set of motifs for showing divine disapproval or approbation. Acts of piety and obedience are rewarded with:

success and prosperity (1 Chron. 22:11, 13; 29:23; 2 Chron. 14:7; 26:5; 31:21; 32:27-30—contrast 13:12),

building programs (2 Chron. 11:5; 14:6-7; 16:6; 17:12; 24:13; 26:2, 6, 9-10; 27:3-4; 32:3-5, 29-30; 33:14; 34:10-13—contrast 16:5),

victory in warfare (13:13-18; 14:8-15; 20:2-30; 25:14; 26:11-15; 27:5-7; 32:20-22),

progeny (1 Chron. 3:1-9, 14:2-7; 25:5; 26:4-5; 2 Chron. 11:18-22; 13:21; 21:1-3),

popular support (2 Chron. 11:13-17; 15:10-15; 17:5; 19:4-11; 20:27-30; 23:1-17; 30:1-26; 34:29-32; 35:24-25),

large armies (2 Chron. 11:1; 14:8; 17:12-19; 25:5; 26:10).

Conversely, disobedience and infidelity
military defeat (2 Chron. 12:1-9; 16:1-9; 21:8-11, 16-17; 24:23-24; 25:15-24; 28:4-8, 16-25; 33:10; 35:20-24; 36:15-20),

the disaffection of the population (2 Chron. 16:10; 21:19; 24:25-26; 25:27-28; 28:27; 33:24-25),

illness (16:12; 21:16-20; 26:16-23—contrast 32:24).

In his emphasis on immediate retribution the Chronicler is warning the restoration community against any complacency or presumption that punishment might be deferred as it had been in the past. For a nation once again “serving the kingdoms of other lands” (2 Chron. 12:8), survival and blessing were found through seeking God and humbling oneself before him.

Application: Theology of
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