in his own name

The lineages used to bug me because, well, they're lineages. Just lists of names. And not just any names, but really weird ones. Seriously, Zaza? Madmannah? Achsah? It's like someone was at a keyboard pretending to type.

Then you began to see branching patterns in your head. Or else you recognize figures from other chapters, so it all ties together and begins to make sense.

IChron1-2 had two points of interest for me. The first was the listing of the sons of Isaac. Not Esau and Jacob, no. Esau and Israel. Confirmation that the naming by God supersedes all other conventions.

The second point of interest is the eternal contrast between two men: Nimrod and Achar. Nimrod is listed forever as "a mighty one in the earth". Mighty in physical strength? Wisdom? Fame? Spiritual power? Doesn't matter. Just mighty. Achar on the other hand will forever be known as "the troubler of Israel, who violated the ban." Which ban? Again, the detail doesn't matter.

The difference between mighty and troubler in our imaginations is surely smaller than the difference in God's eyes between a believer and a non. Captured for all eternity as we will be.

Take your choice, hardheart. Take it now for eternity.