The Focal Point (1 Chronicles 1-3 / John 5)

I Chronicles 1-3 does not make for good bedtime reading. However, this historical narrative is important in understanding the scope of Scripture. In these three chapters, we find the lineage of David. Both 1 and 2 Chronicles teach that it is through David's line that salvation will come to the nations. Of course we know that salvation comes through Christ alone and it is the Christ who is prophesied in Chronicles to come through David's family line. When we think about David, we often think of his stories with Goliath, as a sheperd boy, as a king, or as a warrior. However, what we should focus on is that in biblical history and theology, Christ overshadows David. Thus, even when we analyze David's life and character, our main attention should be drawn to God's bigger picture and the fact that David was simply an instrument God used to ultimately bring salvation to mankind.

In John 5:39, we see that Scripture is first and foremost about Christ. Many people think they understand Scripture and that by their understanding they will be saved. What Jesus says in this verse, however, is that many people who read the Scriptures do not truly understand its meaning. Christ is the focal point in both the Old and the New Testaments. It is Christ who overshadows Scripture itself because it is the Scriptures that "testify" about who He is.