Would you agree that there are parallels between Chronicles and Revelation?
This text is from a letter written by David Gooding in 1997.
It does not surprise me that you have discovered many possible parallels between Chronicles and Revelation. I am sure that the general theme of Chronicles will recur in the Revelation, because it is after all one of the major themes of both the Old and the New Testament.
It is, of course, important to remember that Chronicles is not Revelation. They are two distinct books. I say that in the light of a number of books that were written some twenty years ago by people like M. D. Goulder and Austin Farrer, who suggested that the Gospel of Luke was constructed after the same pattern as the Pentateuch, or after the same pattern as Deuteronomy. What led them to make these suggestions was, of course, the fact that there are many themes common to the Pentateuch and the Gospel of Luke, as there would be also between the Pentateuch and the Gospel of Matthew.
But such observations have to be balanced by observing that Luke is not another Pentateuch any more than Matthew is. To take another example, the Gospel of John has many allusions to the Book of Exodus, but the structure of John is not the same as the structure of Exodus.
One of the implications of this, to my mind, would be as follows. In the book of Kings, there is a whole chapter devoted to telling us explicitly the many sins and follies of which Solomon was guilty in his old age. These sins were the cause of the beginning of serious decline after the glorious age of peace and plenty that had been initiated by David and Solomon. But in 2 Chronicles there is no such chapter. Consider how the books of Chronicles make no mention of David's sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. Nor is there any record of his indiscretions that led to the revolt by Absalom.
It would be difficult, therefore, within the confines and structure of the book of Chronicles, to say that Chronicles depicts Solomon as a foreshadowing of the beast (Editorial note: This was suggested by the correspondent). As far as 2 Chronicles is concerned, the decline of Israel began with its rebellion against, and disloyalty to, David and the Davidic dynasty (see 2 Chronicles 10:16; 13:4–8).
It is my opinion, therefore, that you will certainly find many parallels between the books of Chronicles and Revelation in their general, basic themes. You would first need an in-depth study of the thought flow of Chronicles on the one hand, and Revelation on the other, before you could safely talk about Revelation being structured in the same way as 1 and 2 Chronicles. I rather fancy you will find that, when it comes to structure and thought flow, it will be the differences between Chronicles and Revelation that will prove in the end to be most significant.
Ever yours sincerely in Christ,
