The History of Redemption Series Book Four –
God’s Profound and Mysterious Providence
As revealed in the Genealogy of Jesus Christ from time of David to the Exile in Babylon
“By focusing on the faith and failures of Israel’s kings, Dr. Park leads us to Jesus the Messiah so that we may know Him and be known by Him. . . . Indeed, our Lord has given this servant to the Church as a gifted pastor and teacher in order to bring us together in the faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ (Eph 4:11-13).”
~Dr. Robert C. Stallman, Professor of Bible and Hebrew, Northwest University
BOOK SYNOPSIS
The history of redemption has continued through the means called “covenants.” The Bible is a record of the providence of God who has ceaselessly labored to carry on the covenant despite the endless betrayal of men.
The fourth book in the History of Redemption series, God’s Profound and Mysterious Providence begins with accounts of King David and Solomon, and then continues into the era of divided kingdoms: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. It illustrates the reigns and lives of the kings from the perspective of God’s administration for redemptive history.
In its discussion of the second period of Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1, this book in the series reveals God’s redemptive administration concerning the omission of four kings: Ahaziah, Athaliah, Joash, and Amaziah.
The book also offers many informative charts and maps, including “The Regnal Chronology during the Era of the Divided Monarchy,” and “The 42 Generations in the Genealogy of Jesus Christ at a Glance.”
Why read it?
Second period in the genealogy of Jesus Christ of Matthew chapter one; a mirror for our lives of faith
– The genealogy of Jesus Christ lists 42 generations, which are divided into three periods with 14 generations per period. The second period begins with King David and Solomon whose reigns mark the peak of prosperity in Israelite history. This period then continues into the era of divided kingdoms, the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel. The period ends with the fall of the kingdoms and the deportation to Babylon. This period spans from 1003 B.C. to 598 B.C.
The history of Israelite kings is not an ancient history of a foreign country. It is a vivid account of God’s meticulous providence to carry on the genealogy ultimately to Jesus Christ. Therefore, this period reflects as in a mirror our own lives today. This is the message of the book.
Massive content of the kings organized; resolving questions that have been asked
– The fourteen kings of Judah are unveiled one by one. Although the kings are documented in the 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles in the Bible, their records were scattered throughout these books such that even their regnal orders were unclear. Now, the fourth book clearly recapitulates the history, deeds and mistakes of these kings as well as God’s solemn judgments on them.Furthermore, the book introduces key terms in understanding the genealogy, i.e., accession year, regency, joint reign, and the months of Tishri and Nisan. Entering these terms into formulas of chronicles will solve numerous mysteries that had been veiling the regnal chronology of Judah and Israel to this day.
Discovery of the time it took to build Solomon’s Temple; it was approximately 6 years and 6 months.
– How long did it take to build the legendary Temple of Solomon? Its construction began on the 2nd month in the 4th year of Solomon’s reign and completed on the 8th month in the 11th year. It is commonly calculated as approximately 7 years and 6 months. All biblical commentaries have documented the same to this day. However, this book presents irrefutable evidence to prove that it actually took “approximately 6 years and 6 months.”Its explanation is easily grasped once we understand the concept behind the months of Tishri and Nisan as previously mentioned. Many theologians are exclaiming at this finding since it is presented for the first time in biblical research history. Why is this “one-year difference” so important? It is because Solomon’s Temple is a type of the true temple built by Jesus Christ.
BOOK EXCERPT 1
God’s Providence and Everlasting Lovingkindness
God’s administration proceeds through the covenants. The covenants are important links and the means of accomplishing redemptive history. God performs specific activities within redemptive history to fulfill His covenants once and for all. And these activities are His “providence.” The dictionary defines providence as the “principle which governs the natural world,” or “God’s will or grace which governs all things in the world.” In Hebrew it is (rā’â), which means “to prepare beforehand” (Gen 22:8), and in Greek it is πρόνοια (pronoia), which is a combination of the words πρό (pro, “before”) and νοέω (noeo, “to think”). This word literally denotes “foresight” which gradually developed to mean “providence.”
Providence is God’s continued exercise of authority over all things in order to achieve their appointed end—the fulfillment of all things according to God’s plan. In other words, providence is God’s concrete activity which He performs in order to achieve the goal of redemption. It indicates God’s active and sovereign intervention in all things that take place in this world until His plan to save the sinner is fulfilled.
BOOK EXCERPT 2
Third, the plans for Solomon’s Temple were given to David by God Himself (1 Chr 28:11-19).
The Bible tells us in 1 Chronicles 28:19, “‘All this,’ said David, ‘the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern.’” Also in 1 Chronicles 28:12 it speaks of, “the pattern of all that he had by the spirit” (KJV). Here the word “pattern” is (tabnît) in Hebrew which means “plan.”
The details of the plan which God Himself had made known are as follows:
1 The porch of the temple, storehouses, upper rooms, inner rooms, and the room for the mercy seat (1 Chr 28:11)
2 The courts of the house of the Lord, all the surrounding rooms, the storehouses of the house of God and the storehouses of the dedicated things (1 Chr 28:12)
3 All the utensils of service in the house of the Lord, the weight of gold and silver used for the gold and silver utensils (1 Chr 28:13-14)
4 The weight of gold and silver used for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps as well as for the silver lampstands and their silver lamps (1 Chr 28:15)
In 2 Chronicles 4:7, reference is only made to the ten golden lampstands, which were placed in the temple, and there is no mention of any silver lampstands. It is presumed that the silver lampstands were used elsewhere within the temple.
5 The weight of gold to be used for the tables of the bread of the Presence and the weight of silver used for the silver tables (1 Chr 28:16)
6 The weight of pure gold used for the forks (fleshhooks–KJV), basins, and cups (small vessels for storing spices–KJV) and the weight of the golden bowls and silver bowls (1 Chr 28:17)
7 The weight of refined gold to be used for the altar of incense, and the weight of gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubim (1 Chr 28:18; KJV)
David explained in detail to Solomon his son all the plans of the interior of the temple down to even the weights of gold and silver to be used (1 Chr 28:11-13). Not only that, David prepared all the necessary materials needed to finish the temple according to the plan God had showed him. His preparation was thorough, making provisions for even the minute details such as the nails for the doors and the gates and the clamps (1 Chr 22:2-19).
If it were not for David’s meticulous preparation, it would have been impossible for Solomon to complete the construction of the temple. The Bible testifies in 1 Kings 6:38, “the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans.” Thus, 2 Chronicles 8:16 states, “So the house of the Lord was perfected” (KJV).
The size of the temple, its plans, all the vessels in the temple and the rites of worship to be performed within were all done according to the Word of God. And this was also the case when Noah’s ark or Moses’ Tabernacle was built. God told Noah the materials to be used, the size of the ark and even the details of the plan such as the placement of the window (Gen 6:14-16); and Noah did according to all that God had commanded in the plans (Gen 6:22; 7:5). God transmitted to Moses the details of the plans for the tabernacle (Heb 8:5) and told him, “According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it” (Exod 25:9), “after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain” (Exod 25:40), “Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown in the mountain” (Exod 26:30). Moses merely did what the LORD had commanded him (Exod 40:16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32).
The history of redemption—from its inception, development and down to its conclusion—is completely a work of God. He does not discuss or consult with human beings for this work. The power that drives redemptive history is entirely the grace and blessing of God which seeks to save the sinner who is bound for death.
ACCOLADES
Dr. Yeong-Su Ye
President of the International Christian Academy
President of the International Council of Churches and Ministries
Former President of Hanshin University Graduate School“To this date, no theologian has ever been able to completely organize the chronology of Judah and Israel. Even the book The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings written by the most renowned scholar in this field, Edwin Thiele, stopped at speculations for crucial areas and was unable to provide concrete answers. However, this book so clearly settles the regnal chronology, delivering a sheer delight as in finally reaching the end of a long winding tunnel of darkness.”
Dr. Yong-kuk Wone
Professor Emeritus at Anyang University
Honorary Chairman of the Korean Archaeological SocietyThe author’s literary skills are superb, and his profound spiritual insight heightens the spiritual beauty of this book. I have personally authored over 40 books until now. Beginning with Moses’ Pentateuch, I have authored The Christology of the Pentateuch, The Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology, The Up-to-Date New Testament Archaeology, Commentary on Genesis, and Commentary on Psalms. I have recently begun a commentary on the New Testament and published a commentary on the book of Jude.
However, as I read the author’s book, I discovered that he was on a completely different level than I was. If my writing is a scholarly study, then the author’s writing contained in this book is a profound spiritual study that penetrates through the entire Bible. He possesses this inexplicable ability to disclose the enriched treasures hidden in the Bible in light of Christology. And the power of his words is like the forceful spewing eruptions of an active volcano.
This fourth book unfolds the second period in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. The author uses Jesus Christ’s genealogy to trace back and illumine the history of the Old Testament. Such undertaking originates from his spiritual insight that holds Jesus Christ’s genealogy as the condensation of the entire Old Testament.
The most remarkable feature of this particular volume is the explanation about the omitted generations in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. As we read Matthew 1:4-5, which says, “Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab…,” we often thought that Ram’s biological son was Amminadab and Salmon’s biological son was Boaz. However, the author elucidates that there was a gap of hundreds of years in history among these figures and successfully presents the evidences from the Bible. Surely, this is an unprecedented achievement that no other theologian in the world has been able to undertake to this day. The author also clearly explains the omissions of the three kings between Joram and Uzziah.
…In today’s spiritually dim generation, I heartily recommend Rev. Abraham Park’s latest book for I am fully assured that it will light up the darkness as a torch of God’s profound providence.