I KINGS---DIGNITY AND DECLINE


INTRODUCTION

1.    Originally I and II Kings formed one book, I and II Samuel another, and I and II Chronicles, a third. When they were translated into Greek, they were divided because the Greek required one-third more space than the Hebrew. Scrolls on which they were written were limited in length.

 

2.    The name is taken from the kings whose deeds and reigns they narrate. It records the principal events and characteristics of the kings of Judah and Israel from the death of David to the end of the kingdom of Judah and the fall of Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged it, burned the city, plundered the Temple of its sacred vessels, and carried away the people as captives. I Kings 2:10-II Kings 25

 

3.    The book continues the history begun in I and II Samuel.

 

COVERAGE

1.    About 120 years - roughly the close of David’s reign to the death of Ahab of Israel and Jehoshaphat of Judah.

 

2.    From about 1020-895 B.C. (1:1; 22:40,50)

 

CIRCUMSTANCES

1.    To record the building of the Temple (6:14), the division of the kingdom (12:20), and the ministry of Elijah (17:18)

 

2.    To record the apostasy of Israel (12:28-33; 15:25,26; 15:33,34; 16:13; 21:25,26, etc.)

 

THEME: Division and Apostasy (12:19-20,26-33)

 

KEY PHRASE: “The way of Jeroboam” (or similar phrase) occurs 9 times. (14:16; 25:26,30,34; 16:2,19,26,31; 22:52)

 

KEY PASSAGES: 12:28-33; 12:16-19

 

HISTORY OF THE BOOK

1.    The historians of Israel were in every case prophets. They did not write history simply for history’s sake, but as spokesmen of God wrote with a purpose which was distinctly spiritual. “The different kings, consequently, are portrayed not so much in their relations to their subjects, or to other nations, as to the Invisible Ruler of Israel, whose representatives they were, whose religion they were charged to uphold, and of whose holy law they were the executors.” --Excell

                                                                                                                    

2.    For 120 years the kingdom was united, having three kings, Saul, David and Solomon. Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin and David and Solomon of the tribe of Judah. David’s declining strength and final death is seen in the earlier chapters and the coronation of his son Solomon just prior to his death. A great part of the book deals with the reign of Solomon. After his death the sad division of the kingdom is recorded. Rehoboam ascended to the throne after Solomon, and at the outset of his reign made a series of unwise and unpopular moves. In view of his folly, Jeroboam was successful in persuading ten tribes to follow him. From this point on, the kingdom is divided. There are two kings and two capitals. Judah’s capital remained as Jerusalem and Israel’s capital was the city of Samaria.

 

3.    At this point in Bible history it becomes necessary in order to avoid confusion, when making reference to the people and the Land, to assign them to their proper place. Hence, the 10 tribes to the north are Israel and the two tribes that remained faithful to David in the south are Judah.

 

MESSAGE OF THE BOOK

1.    The need for personal godliness and moral vigor. Both qualities were decidedly lacking in the kings. Though Solomon was the greatest king of this era, he is not characterized by personal piety or devotion to God.

 

2.    “It gives the first hint of a new chronology. In I Kings 6:1 the period between the Exodus and the beginning of the Temple building under Solomon is given as 480 years, whereas it was 573 years. This has proved a stumbling block to many. But devout students of the Word have discovered that the difference of 93 years is exactly the length of time covered by the captivities in the book of Judges. This is the solution to the problem. This is God’s spiritual chronology. During those years, Israel was not under Isra-EL, not governed by God, but under the heel of the oppressor. God did not count the years of their captivity. The years lived out of His will are not counted by Him. The sin and sins of these years are remembered until confessed, but the years are reckoned by Him as wasted and of no account.”

                                                                                                                                    --Robert Lee

                                                                                                                                   

3.    When Israel remained loyal to God she flourished, but when Israel departed from God their morals and their kingdom declined. (11:11-13)

 

4.    DECLENSION AND DECLINE THROUGH DISOBEDIENCE

 

NOTE ON SOLOMON - Solomon is a striking figure in three ways:

1.    Historically - he represents the peak period of Israel’s prosperity as a kingdom.

 

2.    Personally

A.   To his credit:

1)    His choice of wisdom at Gibeon (3:5-10)

2)    His prayer at the dedication of the Temple (8:22-53)

3)    His benediction after the dedication (8:54-61)

4)    The 72nd Psalm

5)    The books of Proverbs, Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes

B.   To his debit:

1)    His severity in the executions by which he inaugurated his reign (2:13-46)

2)    His unrestrained polygamy (11:3)

3)    His multiplication of horses and chariots (4:26)

4)    His vast accumulation of wealth (10:14-29; II Chron. 9:13-28; cf. Deut. 17:17)

5)    His cruel employment of slave labor in the building of the Temple (I Kings 5:13,14; 5:15)

6)    His condoning of idolatrous worship (11:4-8)

7)    His foreign alliances (3:1)

C.   “The question whether Solomon was among the saved or the lost has been hotly discussed, and, says Dean Stanley, ‘so equally balanced did it seem, that in the series of frescoes on the walls of the Campo Santo at Pisa, Solomon is represented in the resurrection of the last day as looking ambiguously to the right and to the left, not knowing on which side his lot would be cast’.” --W.G. Scroggie

D.   He was a naturalist, a botanist, a zoologist, a philosopher, a trader, a builder, a poet, and an administrator. He wrote 3,000 proverbs of which only about one-third are recorded in the book of Proverbs and 1,005 psalms of which only one is recorded.

 

OUTLINE OF THE BOOK

  I.    DAVID’S LAST DAYS (1:1-2:11)

A.   Adonijah attempts to seize the kingdom (1:1-9)

B.   David confirms the choice of Solomon (1:10-31)

C.   Solomon anointed king (1:32-53)

D.   David instructs Solomon and dies (2:1-11)

 II.    THE REIGN OF SOLOMON (2:12-11:43)

A.   His early days (2:12-4:34)

1.    Takes vengeance on his enemies (2:12-46)

2.    Prays for wisdom (3)

3.    His magnificence (4)

B.   He builds and dedicates the Temple (5-8)

1.    Preparations (5)

2.    Construction details (6-7)

3.    The ark and the glory of the Lord (8:1-11)

4.    The dedication of the Temple (8:12-66)

C.   His latter days (9-11)

1.    The Lord’s conditional covenant with him (9:1-9)

2.    His wealth, wisdom and fame described (9:10-10:29)

3.    Sin, trouble, and death (11)

III.   FROM THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM TO AHAB (12-16)

A.   The kingdom divided (12:1-24)

B.   Israel’s apostasy under Jeroboam (12:25-33)

C.   Reigns of Jeroboam and Rehoboam (13-14)

D.   Long war between Judah and Israel (15)

1.    Between Abijam and Jeroboam (vs. 1-8)

2.    Between Asa and Baasha (vs. 9-34)

E.   From Baasha to Ahab in Israel (16)

1.    Baasha, evil (vs. 1-7)

2.    Elah, murdered while drinking himself drunk (vs. 8-10)

3.    Zimri, Elah’s murderer (vs. 11-20)

4.    Omri, builds Samaria (vs. 21-27)

5.    Ahab marries Jezebel and introduces Baal worship (vs. 28-34)

IV.   ELIJAH AND AHAB (17-22)

A.   Elijah and the terrible drought (17-18)

1.    The drought begins (17:1)

2.    Fed by ravens (17:2-7)

3.    Cared for by the widow of Zarephath (17:8-24)

4.    Sent back to Ahab in the third year of drought (18:1-19)

5.    Proves Jehovah is God (18:20-40)

6.    The drought ends (18:41-46)

B.   Elijah alone with God (19)

C.   Ahab’s wars with Syria (20-22)

1.    Defeats the Syrians twice (20:1-43)

2.    Murder of Naboth and prediction of Ahab’s death (21)

3.    Jehoshaphat joins Ahab against Syria (22:1-28)

4.    Syria victorious and Ahab killed (9:29-40)

5.    Jehoshaphat’s good reign in Judah (22:41-50)

6.    Ahaziah succeeds Ahab in Israel (22:51-53)