Welcome to 1st & 2nd Kings

Understand the Context (1 Kings 1:1 - 4:34) 

Welcome to our new study in the Bible Books of 1 and 2 Kings.  These books are major parts in the category of history books in the Bible.  Some Bible versions count 1 and 2 Samuel as the first two Books of Kings, so 1 and 2 Kings would be designated as 3 and 4 Kings.  First Samuel documents the final failure of the Israeli Theocracy.  Eli knew his sons were forcing evil on some of the worshipers at God’s Tabernacle.  Eli was allowed to die because of his failure to correct his sons and both met early deaths because they did not repent of their evil (1 Sam 1-3).     

The first three chapters of 1 Samuel also introduce a righteous man named Samuel (Hence the name of these two Books).  God speaks to him in a vision and tells him how he will destroy Eli and his family (1 San 3:11-18).  Samuel grew to be the final judge of Israel and led them out of defeat and Godlessness into repentance and respect for the Lord.  Samuel judged Israel for his entire life (1 Sam 7:13-17).     

Chapter 8 shows the death of Samuel and appointment of his two sons as judges, but they did not follow God, as their father did, and the people rejected them.  The people of Israel told Nathan, the Prophet that they refused to accept another Judge and face such evil again.  They insisted that Nathan anoint a king for Israel like all the other countries they knew (1 Sam 8:4-22).  Nathan acquiesced and God allowed that Saul, a tall man standing head and shoulders above all other became Israel’s first king (1 Sam11:12-15).  The remainder of 1 Samuel tells the history of Israel’s first king and the beginning of their life after the death of their theocracy and the beginning of their life in monarchy.  Saul and his three sons died in battle with the Philistines as 1 Samuel 31 ends.  

Second Samuel begins with David’s honor toward Saul and his sons and David became the second king over Israel.  He made them great as he returned them to God.  David’s history is written in 2 Samuel and the Book ends and transitions to 1 Kings with his death and the anointing of his son, Solomon as the third king of Israel.  That is the beginning of our study.   

The study of 1 and 2 Kings has periods of greatness and periods of defeat for Israel.  Their periods of defeat come whenever they take their eyes off their God.  Their periods of greatness come when they surrender to Him, repent of their sins against Him and return to worshipping Him.  There are many more periods of defeat than greatness.  Much of these two Books will tell of how Israel left their worship of the Lord for false gods and real devils.  It shows how God’s chosen turned against Him more often than turning toward Him.  Approximately one king of even ten walked in the ways of his Lord while all the others walked not after the Lord, their God.  Those words will be found at the introduction of each of the kings.  

First Kings 2:12 documents the seating of Solomon as King over all of Israel.  The first several acts of the new king might seem bloody and inappropriate to people of our generation and more sophisticated and civilized politics, but it was standard in those days.  A new king had to sure up his reign by blessing those who blessed him and destroying those who stood against him.  Solomon’s brother by another mother was Adonijah.  He had also claimed the kingdom of David before Bathsheba got involved to ascertain that her son, Solomon was made king.  Adonijah might have lived longer had he not convinced Bathsheba to request the hand of Abishag from Solomon for his wife.  Abishag was the young Shunammite woman who was brought to King David to warm him in his dying hours.  Bathsheba did as he requested, but as soon as the request was made, Solomon had him put to death.  It was a sign of dominance for a man to take a ruler’s wife or concubine as his wife or concubine.  Therefore, the request Adonijah made of Bathsheba for Abishag was highly inappropriate and predictably resulted in Adonijah’s death.  The scripture between 1 Kings 2:12 and 1 Kings 3:1 documents several other blessings and executions Solomon had done to complete his “establishing of his kingdom.”   

But Chapter 3 starts some bad and some good signs of how Solomon would reign.  First, Solomon stabilized his reign by marrying a daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt.  This was a way of establishing a very strong peace treaty with another country or kingdom.  Solomon recognized the strength of Egypt and took steps to neutralize that threat through marrying into a family relationship with Egypt.  The bad side of that marriage was that it reveled a flaw in Solomon’s strength because he not only did hundreds of these marriages, but he also allowed his wives to keep their previous religious ties.  Solomon would be judged by God for this later.  In the same paragraph, however, Solomon completed the building of his home, the Temple in Jerusalem and the wall around Jerusalem.    

God Offers (1 Kings 3:4-5) 

So, we start our study with the documentation of Solomon’s love for the God of Israel and his walking after God’s statutes as his father, David did.  There was no Temple in those days, so people would go where alters were set up in high places to do their sacrifices to the Lord (1 Kings 3:2-3).  Solomon did the same by going to such a high place in Gibeon to do his sacrifices.  Verse 4 says he offered a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord upon that alter.   

In the sacrificial system, the size or cost of the sacrifices was a dual indication of the seriousness of the sacrifice as judged by the law and the one offering the sacrifice, and the wealth of the person offering that sacrifice.  Just as Solomon spared no expense marrying the daughter of his nearest enemy, he wanted to offer the biggest and most costly sacrifice to make his most sincere relationship with God exceedingly obvious.  Solomon was making his relationships and associations clear.  With all his sins atoned for through the sacrifices, both the known and unknown sin, Solomon could approach God as sinless after his murderous transition to the throne.  

It was in that same place that God appeared to Solomon in a dream by night.  It is not quite clear why Solomon would spend the night at Gibeon.  It was only a little more than six miles northwest of Jerusalem, so one would think he would make the trip back to Jerusalem where security was stringent.  It is possible that Solomon planned to pray right after his offerings to see what directions the Lord would have him go.  The Old Testament shows God to have frequently communicated through dreams and visions.  Recall our earlier discussions from 1 Samuel, that Samuel was contacted by God in a dream, but as He called Samuel, he thought it was Eli (1 Sam 3:1-10).  At a minimum, that means God’s voice in dreams was loud and clear.  Samuel went to Eli’s bedside twice to see what he wanted because he did not recognize God’s voice.  God spoke to Samuel about exactly how He would punish Eli’s two sons for the evil they committed in His Tabernacle.  God also told Samuel that He would cause the death of Eli as well because he tolerated the behavior of his two sons against God and took no action to stop it. 

Solomon’s sacrifices were likely accompanied by prayers of repentance and rededication, and the Lord chose to respond as Solomon slept later that evening.  As with the example with God speaking to Samuel, His response to Solomon’s prayer was just as clear and detailed.  God initiated the discussion with a simple question, “Ask what I shall give thee” (1 Kings 3:5).  It seems a little strange that Solomon would have poured out his heart to the Lord, that he would not have spoken to Him concerning what he wanted of the Lord, but here we stand.  

Solomon Answers (1 Kings 3:6-9) 

Verse 6 goes immediately to Solomon’s response to God’s question.  There is a great teaching point here for us to understand God’s expectations of us.  God is omniscient; that is, He knows everything.  He had no need to ask Solomon what he wanted from Him because He already knew.  This is simply one of the characteristics of God.  He requires that we voice our request for our benefit, not for His.  

Consider 1 John 1:9, for another example, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  God has already paid the full price for all our sin; past, present future and throughout all time.  Look at His words in John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”  His words “It is finished” is the interpretation of a single Greek word tetelestai.  The root word for tetelestai is telos and means “the debt is discharged” or in words more familiar to us “paid in full.”  John’s use of the longer word includes the past, present, future and for all time (perfect) verb tenses of that root word.  So, when He cried tetelestai from the cross, He was saying that He had paid the full debt of all sin forever or continuously.  Why would He need to ask us to “confess our sin to remit our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness?”  It is because He wants us to voice the need or the answer in our own words, so we will recall them in the future.  We confess our sins, even though they were forgiven 2,000 years ago, to voice and acknowledge what they were and grow from voicing the facts of our failure against Him.  Here, God wants Solomon to voice and acknowledge his need rather than God voicing it for him.  That’s why God asks us to tell Him what He already knows; it is for our sake, not His sake.

Solomon began by reviewing his situation as he understood it.  Certainly, Solomon was not recounting the relationship between God and his father, David, because he thought God may have forgotten.  Solomon acknowledges God’s immense mercy (faithful love) He showed to his father, David (1 Kings 3:6).  He acknowledged that David grew into (was sanctified into) righteousness right-living.  Solomon says that God’s demonstrate grace and mercy for David continues after his death by giving him a son to take the throne of Israel in his place.  That’s how things stand today.

“And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David, my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in” (1 Kings 3:7).  This is a confession one could only make to the Lord.  Solomon was already king, yet he is saying he does not even know how to use a door.  He continues in verse 8 concerning the size of the responsibility God has given him, “And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.”  I think Solomon is saying what we would never have expected him to say.  Solomon is admitting his own inability to do the job God has appointed him to do.  

So, this is where Solomon comes to (and we come to) for God to ask what he (what we) want(s) of Him.  Solomon says simply, “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?” (1 Kings 3:9).  Solomon wants wisdom of judgement to properly judge the people of the Lord.

God Provides (1 Kings 3:10-13) 

Many of us would be relegated to sitting in wait to see what the Lord would answer to a request like Solomon made to Him.  Would He think Solomon is being far too presumptuous of God?  Would He think Solomon was so far lost in his tasking that he does not even know what to ask?  Does God wish He would have chosen someone else for this tasking?  Verse 10 ends the suspense quickly, “And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.”  It is a simple statement; not one put together with words of several syllables.  When I first read it, I could almost see God snacking His knee and yelling, “YES, this man has it!!!  He has learned in his early years the target learning I had intended.  He knows that when a man of God learns it is not all about him, he has learned the message of true holiness!  I am pleased!”  

God then explains why He was so pleased.  He speaks directly to Solomon, “And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgement;  Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.” (vss. 11-12).  God is impressed that nothing Solomon has asked for was for himself.  He lists several topics of what he may have asked for, but each item listed is in the negative; i.e., it was not in Solomon’s request.  God intensifies His level of granting Solomon’s request by saying there has not been; nor will there ever be another like Solomon.  We frequently refer to Solomon as the wisest man in history, and now we have God’s word that this is certainly the case because God has made it so!  

Understand the Context (1 Kings 5:1-8:66)

Welcome to our study in the Bible Books of 1 and 2 Kings.  First Kings 5:1 starts out with Solomon’s anointing as King of with his commitment to build the Temple of God to replace the Tabernacle carried through Israel’s 40 years in exile in the wilderness.  David certainly wished to build God’s House but was forbidden by God saying, “You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood” (1 Chron 28:2-3).  But David did much of the early preparation for the building.  

King Solomon picked up that presentation and met with King Hiram of Tyre and sent many servants to Tyre to collect cedar and cypress logs for the Temple.  Hiram loved King David and honored him by providing these materials for God’s House.  He sent the timber of cedar and cypress for the beauty of the building.  He also provided the cedar sheets for the floors and some of the bronze pillars for the Temple.  

In Chapter 6 we learn that Solomon sent more than 10,000 laborers in shifts between Israel and Lebanon to help farm, cut and move quarry stone for the Temple.  Chapter 6 also mentions that this start in the building of the Temple took place 480 years after they were freed from slavery in Egypt.  They describe some of the cedar boards in the inner sanctuary as being over 20 cubits or 30 feet tall.  Two of the cherubim near the Holy Place were constructed of olive wood inlaid with fine gold and stood above 10 cubits (15 feet) tall.  

The Temple was completed seven years after its start, according to Chapter 7.  By contrast, Solomon took 13 years to build his home.  The Ark of the Covenant was moved to the Temple and signaled its completion.  The Temple was then dedicated to service by King Solomon, and he offered hundreds more sacrifices to the Lord from there.  God finally had a house with walls and doors instead of living in a tent (the Tabernacle).

In Exile (1 Kings 8:46-48) 

Solomon starts his case for the sinner who comes to God supposing that if there are people who sin against God, and he adds, “for there is no man that sinneth not”, he recognizes that except for God, Himself, there is no one without sin, not even one (vs, 46, Rom 3:10 & 23).  So, Solomon echoes the acknowledgement that sin is universal, and the need for punishment of sin is required to draw a person back to a desire to stay holy in the eyes of the Lord.  Sin might result in God allowing the sinner to be taken captive in a foreign land, whether that land is far or near, but while there, the sinner might rethink what they have done and repent of that sin and make supplication or amends for that sin by confessing, “We have sinned and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness, and so return to thess with all their heart, and with all their soul, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:” (vss. 47-48).  The supposition is set up that the person who sinned is sent into exile because of that sin, but while he is there, he repents of that sin with all his heart and soul while he prays in the direction of the city and house God has chosen.  

Solomon does not suppose an answer for the supposition at this point but merely sets up the situation as a likely one based on the fact that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of the Lord”, and “there is none righteous, not even one.”  God’s punishment for that sin is exile in this case but it might be spiritual exile just the same.  The punishment God choses is not the important part of the supposition; only the fact of having a return path for the one who has sinned and sits in physical and/or spiritual exile because of that sin.  Sincere repentance, or turning from that sin, is experienced by that sinner, and now he prays toward God’s city and God’s house (Temple).  The purpose of these verses is to set up the fact that the sinner has demonstrated repentance and now looks in a direction of God to express it.

God Hears (1 Kings 8:49-53) 

Solomon continues his supposition that God hears the prayer of the sinner as He sits in Heaven, above (vs. 49).  Solomon says specifically, “Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their case,” or support their case, “and forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and their transgression wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:” (vs. 50).  Solomon sets up the case that the sinner’s repentance in that foreign land is sufficiently obvious that even the captures see it and causes them to have compassion on them.  

Solomon continues that the captures will have the knowledge that these people are those who claim to have God as their Lord and stand as His possessions, even while in captivity (vs. 51).  The captures know that these people are the ones who came out of Egypt at God’s command and have escaped the hot furnace of harsh slavery to be where they are today.

Solomon joins in the supplication of the sinner to plead to the Lord to remember these are the people whom He has chosen and named them, “Israel” after their earlier leader, “Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham.”  It is this people who now calls on the name of the Lord to forgive their sin and remember it no longer (vs. 52).  Solomon continues to support the case of the repentant by reminding God that these are those that He separated out from among all the people of the Earth as His own inheritance, just as He spoke it through Moses, His servant, when He called them out of Egypt (vs. 53).  Solomon’s case to God for those who sincerely repent of their sins is that He must hear their voices and give them compassion because they have realized their sin and sorrow because of it with all their hearts and souls.  This forgiveness Solomon prays for these sinners is the word for pardon.  It means the sin is no longer held against them.  It draws us to the memory that God does that one thing that none of us are capable of; God goes beyond forgiving even the most purposeful sin to the actual forgetting that sin.  Consider the power of that statement.  Look at Psalms 103:12 saying, “As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”  And Jeremiah 31:34, “saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Blessing Offered (1 Kings 8:54-58) 

Now, we see the end of Solomon’s prayer and supplication for the sinning people of Israel (vs. 54).  This Scripture starts with the words, “And it was so.”  Many of us have spoken the word “Amen” as we end our prayers.  The Hebrew word has exactly the same spelling and means “so be it.”  Others interpret it “let it be so, but either way, it has the impact of asking the Lord to let the words spoken be or become truth.  ”Solomon ended his prayers and supplications to the Lord and arose from his knees before the Altar of the Lord with his hands spread high toward heaven.  The Scripture tells us that he stood and spoke with a loud voice saying, “Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto His people, Israel, according to all that He promised: there hast not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised by the hand of Moses His servant” (vs. 55).  

Verses 8:57 and 58 are parts of how Solomon completes his prayer.  He asks the benediction in much the same words we recall from Psalms 67:1 saying, “God be merciful unto us, and bless us; [and] cause his face to shine upon us; Selah” or Amen.  Here, Solomon wishes to stress the permanence of God’s presence, so he prays, “The Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers: let Him not leave us, nor forsake us. That He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His judgements, which He commanded our fathers.”  In doing so, Solomon set the reference for words to live by as fixing our full hearts (i.e., center of our emotional and spiritual beings) toward Him, to focus on His ways as taught us not only through the 10 Commandments (Law of Moses) but through the teachings of Leviticus and Deuteronomy as well, because those are the teachings of Moses as documented and taught by our fathers.

Understand the Context (1 Kings 9:1-11:43) 

Studying the context of this section of Scripture is not only exciting but terrifying at the same time.  It starts with Solomon receiving a second vision from the Lord.  Last week’s study gave abundant evidence of God’s impression and dedicated overseeing of King Solomon.  We listened and studied as Solomon acknowledge his inability to properly manage and judge the great nation of Israel.  We saw him impress the Lord by offering over a thousand animal sacrifices to Him and requesting of the Lord only the wisdom to properly oversee the great nation of Israel.  The Lord granted his wish and gave him extra gifts of exceptional wealth and long years.  It looked like the greatest reign of a king on all the Earth. 

After Solomon dedicated God’s Temple, He affirmed His presence in the Temple to provide guidance for Solomon through his High Priests (1 Kings 9:1-9).  God made very promising commitments to Solomon regard the quality of his reign and blessings on all he did.  3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually (1 Kings 9:3).     

The conditional part of the promised followed immediately thereafter, 

"4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: 5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. 6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: 7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people: 8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house? 9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil."  (1 Kings 9:4-9). 

Recall that Solomon’s reign began with what might have been a wise political decision, it was a very poor religious one (3:1).  On the political side, a marriage of this type may well prevent war and they were somewhat common in the day.  The issue was that Moses warning Israel as early their approach to cross the Jordan after their completion of the 40-year trek in the wilderness (Deut 7:3-4).  There could be not misunderstanding of those words. 

An example of the greatness of Solomon’s earlier reign is found in Chapter 10 when the Queen of Sheba became impressed by his work and came for a visit (1 Kings 10).  She had nothing but praise for Solomon and the God of Israel (10:1-9).  Further, his wealth exceeded that of even the richest kingdoms (10:25-29).  But as obvious from above, God’s blessings were conditioned on Solomon’s living within God’s covenant.   

While Solomon’s blessings from the Lord made him the greatest of all times, the onset of older age and beautiful foreign women put Solomon in a bad place.  While Solomon was one of the most powerful men in the world, he did not exercise proper authority over his wives regarding their overt worship of gods other than the God of Israel.  He was believed to have worshiped Ashtoreth, Milcom, Chemosh and Molech (11:1-8).  He built visible worship centers for the latter two within the sight of Jerusalem. 

So, a reign that was blessed of God and had promise of greatness beyond any before or after it, would end in direct confrontation against the God of Israel.  The Lord let Solomon know that he and his heirs would reap the punishment of such behavior.  While Solomon naturally believed that his sons would follow a natural succession to the throne, God promised to prevent it by forcing a divided Israel with only 2 tribes of Israel’s 12 remaining with Jeroboam (Solomon’s successor) while the much greater 10 tribes separating the serve under Rehoboam.  The southern part of Israel would be called Judah while the north 10 tribes would be called Israel.   

Warning Ignored (1 Kings 11:1-3) 

The assigned Scripture (1 Kings 11:1-13) begins with a restatement of a potential problem for Solomon going all the way back to 1 Kings 3:1.  There, the author states simply, “And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.”  Moses warned all Israel as they prepared to enter battle to acquire the Promised Land that Israel would have to attack and annihilate the inhabitants of the Promised Land as Israel came across the Jordan River (Deut 7:3-4).  He was rightfully concerned that any survivors would tempt intermarriage with Israelis and result in Israel’s worship of strange gods.  Solomon intermarried with those who worshipped strange gods and destroyed his testimony as a leader in Israel.  His marriage with daughters or Egypt, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zidon and Hatti were all marriages to women who worshipped false gods.  Moses directed the children of Israel not to intermarry with the indigents because they would turn their hearts away from the God of Israel.  As we study what happened with Solomon, the wisest man of all time, we can see the danger was real and God was correct to have Moses issue that warning.  Solomon could have properly handled the situation if he demanded that all his wives and concubines worship only the God of Israel, but there is no evidence that he attempted that kind of direction. 

Verse 3 gives us the actual numbers of women involved with Solomon: 700 wives and 300 concubines.  Its hard for us to imagine these kinds of numbers in our culture, but many of the monarchs measured wealth and power by the number of wives and concubines they had compared to other in the same or similar roles.  Often arranged marriages between the families of monarchs would serve as peace treaties between countries.  Solomon started his reign with a marriage to a daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt to stay out of war (3:1).  That was not the negative here; rather, it was that Solomon failed to keep his worship of the Lord holy.  He failed to honor the commitments he made to God nor the conditional blessings that God promised to him.  Instead of properly managing the situation, Solomon took a lassi faire management approach and did nothing to force compliance with the commitments he made.

Divided Heart (1 Kings 11:4-5) 

There is at least a hint in these words that Solomon may have managed the foreign wives issue better when he was younger. The phrase between the first set of commas in verse 4 specifically mention Solomon’s age as something that changed.  That is, it may have become a serious problem as he aged.  The energy required to constantly oppose the customs of others is much more difficult as the elderly years enter into the problem than when the energies of youth are still available for the fight.  The words assign the problem of turning his heart away to the wives.  Combining the two issue suggest that Solomon’s wives were successful in turning his heart away for God as he grew older.  The author specifically mentions the words of God’s conditional blessing of Solomon.  He says that Solomon’s heart was no longer perfect or complete with the Lord his God.  It was no longer the same as it was with Solomon’s father, King David.  God said to Solomon, “As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: 'One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel” (9:4-5).  Verse 4 says that Solomon was failing do the same as his father, David, did.

Verse 5 addresses the specifics of the charge as it mentions that “Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.”  Going after these gods is not the same as a Baptist following after the teaching of a Presbyterian or Methodist.  These faiths still worship Jesus Christ and His Father.  No, this is more like Christians practicing Satanism or Buddhism or the Islam.  It is worshipping a different God.  It not like teaching a different interpretation of Christian teachings; it is like stepping out of the Christian faith, all together.  Not only that but the worship of Ashtoreth and Milcom (Molech) include sensuality, temporal/ritual prostitution and infant sacrifice.  Ashtoreth (AKA Asherah and Astarte) is called the moon goddess and is frequently found in cohort with the sun god, Baal.  The carved Asherah pole was actually placed in the Temple by King Manasseh (2 Kings 21:7).  Milcom (AKA Molech) also included sensual worship and child sacrifices.  TV/radio preacher and teacher Charles Swindoll tells of a recent visit to Ephesus when he dug behind an ancient idol of Baal and found a human femur bone (upper leg) of a human baby.  He spoke of his tears shed as he considered the meaning of what he found.  Chemosh was another false god introduced by King Solomon’s wives (1 Kings 11:4–7).  The cult of Chemosh was eventually destroyed in Judah by King Josiah (2 Kings 23).  It was also closely related to Ashtoreth and Baal and was the god of Ammon (1 Kings 11:5).  All of these were introduced to Israel by Solomon’s wives and tolerated by the king. 

Divided Heart (1 Kings 11:6-8)

The words “The king did evil in the sight of the Lord” was a byline for at least 80 to 90 percent of all the kings we will study between now and the end of August 2022.  Here, the words are added to King Solomon’s condemnation, “and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father” (vs. 6).  Remember the conditional blessing God made to Solomon mentioning specifically the previous relationship God had with His righteous servant, David, “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Kings 9:1-9).  Solomon was promised a perpetual throne for his heirs if he followed the Lord as David did, but the removal of his throne if he did not.  Our author documents Solomon’s failure to walk as David walked, and therefore, earned a loss of the throne for himself and his heirs.    

Verse 7 documents Solomon’s building of high place (or altar) for Chemosh, the abomination of the Moabites and Molech, the abomination of Ammonites.  Moab and Ammon have a common founding immediately after God’s destruction of Sodom-Gamora because of the city’s grossest form of depravity and evil.  As Abraham’s nephew, Lot, and his wife and two daughters left just as the city was destroyed, Lot’s wife looked back and was turned to a pillar of salt (Gen 19:17 & 26).  His daughters believed they would never find a husband away from Sodom-Gamora and decided to get their father (Lot) drunk and have sex with him (Gen 19:30-38).  Their offspring children were the founders of Moab and Ammon, respectively.  The nations were founded through Lot’s incest with his daughters.  This curse was perpetual for Moab and Ammon but recall God’s grace on Ruth, the Moabitess marrying Boaz, the Great Grandfather of David a prophetic ancestor of Jesus Christ (Ruth 4:13, 17, 22; 1 Chr 2:12; Matt 1:5; Luke 3:32). 

The transition between verses 7 and 8 here, show that Solomon was indiscriminately brazen in his endorsement of these false gods by erection altars in the sight of Jerusalem, burning incense and sacrificing (including children) on the hill facing the city of God’s Temple.  It is clear that Solomon not only did evil in his old age, but he was evil. 

Discipline Promised (1 Kings 11:9-10) 

It remains hard to understand what Solomon was thinking as he challenged the God of Israel by openly confronting Him with worship centers for false gods on the hillside within sight of the Temple.  1 Kings 11:9 states God’s well-earned wrath at Solomon’s behavior.  The paradox for most researchers into this time of Israel’s history is how Solomon could possibly have the God-given gift of being the wisest man who ever existed, yet he felt comfortable confronting the God of the Universe to His face with such obvious disobedience and complete disregard for the promised God and he exchanged just a few years earlier.  It was not because Solomon could have forgotten the awesome power of God; certainly, the fact of God’s two personal visits to him would never leave his memory.  Maybe Solomon’s old age made him feeble minded, and he no longer understood that he was confronting God’s specific prohibitions for him to His face.  Whatever the reason, the fact of this massive error in judgement would not be overlooked by the Creator of all that existed.

Verse 10 reminds all readers that God had specifically commanded Solomon concerning this very thing.  He said that “Solomon should not go after other gods” (1 Kings 11:10).  Solomon’s response to God’s prohibition of this atrocity was to only commit it regardless of the widespread knowledge of all Israel that God established this prohibition for Solomon, and he was challenging it.  While Israel had made a choice to have a king rather than a judge, that is, they desired a monarchy instead of a theocracy under God; they certainly did not anticipate that a king would stand against God to His face.  The wisest man on Earth was committing a colossal error in confronting God this way or at all.  The verse ends in the obvious, “But he kept not that which the Lord commanded.”

Understand the Context (1 Kings 12:1-14:31) 

Our previous study ended with Solomon declared as doing evil in the sight of the Lord.  In his old age, he let his 700 wives and 300 concubines practice their native religions, and he began worshipping with them.  With brazen disregard for the Lord and His warnings, Solomon built altars and offered sacrifices to these false gods on the hills facing Jerusalem.  God responded to his grave errors by telling Solomon that his punishment would not be measured against him during his reign in honor of His love for David, his father.  However, the punishment would be the loss of the kingdom from Solomon’s sons in favor of Solomon’s servants (1 Kings 11:11-13).   

God’s prophet, Ahijah, illustrates the details of those verses in 1 Kings 11:29-40.  Recall that God told Solomon earlier that the kingdom would be ripped from his sons and given to his servants.  Verse 11:29 introduces the servant as Jeroboam.  The prophet, Ahijah, meets him on a road and takes the new garment Ahijah was wearing and rips it into 12 pieces.  He gave Jeroboam 10 pieces and kept 2 pieces for Solomon’s son, Rehoboam.  This prophetic visit is exactly how God causes the nation to be divided in this week’s study of 1 Kings 12:6-19.   

The study opens with Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, traveling to Shechem to claim the reign of all Israel.  Israel had gathered there for that purpose and summoned Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1).  Jeroboam, Solomon’s servant, had fled to Egypt as Solomon attempted to kill him when he heard he might be the servant to whom God planned to give the kingdom rather than his son.  So here, the leaders of Israel have summoned Rehoboam and Jeroboam to speak with Rehoboam about becoming king of Israel.  I will save the rest of that discussion for today’s study below. 

After the dust settles, we find Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, as King of Judah and Jeroboam, Solomon’s servant, King of Israel.  Judah and Benjamin would make up Judah while the rest of Israel (10 tribes) would make up Israel.  The year was 975 BC.  Both of these kings would do evil in the sight of the Lord.  Their sons, Abijam and Nadab, respectively, did evil after them 

Experience Speaks (1 Kings 12:6-7) 

As the leaders gathered in Shechem to make Rehoboam king of all Israel, they spoke to Rehoboam and reminded him that his father, Solomon, had been very demanding on them including harsh taxation (1 Kings 12:4).  They proposed to Rehoboam that if he would decrease these burdens, they would be his dedicated subjects.  Rehoboam responded by asking for 3 days to consider the matter (12:5).

Our study begins with Rehoboam meeting with the men who advised his father, Solomon.  These men were more senior in age and provided advice to Solomon for decades.  Rehoboam recounts the situation to these elders and tells them of the question regarding the stiff burdens Solomon had placed on them.  The Shechem delegation asked Rehoboam if he would reduce these burdens, and Rehoboam passed that question on to the elders for an answer he should return to Israel.  

Verse 12:7 documents the suggested response of the elders and provides their reasoning.  First, recall that the delegation that met with Rehoboam had offered to be loyal subjects to him if he would have their burdens reduced (12:4).  The elders suggest that Rehoboam accept that offer and set his mode of operation as a serving king or servant (12:7).  Second, their reasoning was simple: “If you will be a servant to this people on this day, and serve them, and answer them with good or kind words, then they will serve you in turn.”  In essence, the elders could see a potential rebellion or even revolution at hand and were looking for a way to maintain peace throughout Israel – maybe even forever.

Arrogance Reigns (1 Kings 12:8-11) 

Verse 8 documents that Rehoboam reacted to the advice of the elders by seeking the advice of his contemporaries instead.  These were men who grew up with him and stood in front of him as advisers rather than the older men who were contemporary with his father.  He recounted the question to them much as he did with the elders.  “What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?” (12:9).     

The younger men suggested the opposite approach from the elders.  They suggested that Rehoboam threaten them with even more stiff treatment and higher taxation (vs. 10).  They recommended he use an illustration that their little finger will be tougher than his father’s entire waistline.  They suggested he add, “Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier!  My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’” (vs. 11, NLT).  While the former (whips) meant the kind of instrument used to correct or guide animals; the latter (scorpions) were constructed with braided leather to include sharp iron or glass braided in and intended to rip or severely lacerate the skin of prisoners or unruly slaves.  The threat was to significantly increase the burdens laid upon the people and if they had any rebellion, to punish them much more severely than Solomon did before him. 

Arrogance Reigns (1 Kings 12:12-15)  

When the 3-day period of consideration was over, Jeroboam and all the people came to hear what Rehoboam had decided regarding their offer to serve him as loyal subjects in exchange for reduced burdens upon them (vs. 12).  Put briefly, King Rehoboam answered the people very harshly the way the younger men suggested rather than the way Solomon’s advisors suggested (vs. 13).  He added, “My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!” just as the younger men suggested (vs. 14).   

Verse 15 summarizes that King Rehoboam demonstrated he had no intension of listening to the suggestions of the people of Israel nor was he interested in the opinions of the older men who were the earlier advisors to King Solomon.  Just as in the examples of the “hardness of the heart” God gave the Egyptian Pharaoh when Moses approached him to “set my people free,” the Lord allowed the ill-informed arrogance of King Rehoboam to be spoken to the people.  In the Pharaoh’s case, God never intended for him to graciously release millions of slave labor resources just because He said so; rather, God had to demonstrate His power over every false god Egypt held holy and completely humiliate the Pharaoh in front of his slaves and his people.  

Here, God had already directed and had His prophet, Ahijah, announce exactly what was going to happen.  God was going to punish Solomon for allowing the worship of and sacrificing to the false gods of his many wives and concubines by ripping the kingdom away from Solomon’s sons and giving it to his servants.  In short, Jeroboam would have to leave this meeting as King over 10 tribes of Israel while Rehoboam would leave as King of 2 tribes of Israel to be called Judah.  Just as in the case of the Egyptian pharaoh, God allowed Rehoboam to show his arrogance and foolish pride even though he knew God’s plan and what the results of this meeting would be.  We could say, “And God hardened Rehoboam’s heart to refuse Israel’s offer to be loyal subjects to him."  Rather, God’s plan was announced and the plan would be executed just as He stated it. 

Understand the Context (1 Kings 15:1-16:28) 

At the end of the previous study, we left Jeroboam and Rehoboam as the monarchs of Israel and Judah, respectively.  Now, it is the 18th year of King Jeroboam’s reign in Israel.  Rehoboam has died and his son, Abijah, was reigning over Judah in his place.  His reign lasted only 3 years and was spent in continuous war with Jeroboam.  Both men continued to do evil in the sight of the Lord and worshipped false gods instead of the God of Israel.  Once Abijah was dead Asa, his son reigned over Judah in his place and did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord as King David had done.  This, of course, was the 20th year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel.  Asa eliminated all the idols to false gods but neglected to remove the altars or high places of that past time.  

Notice the statement in verse 7, “Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?”  The Bible lays out the details of all the kings of Israel between 1 and 2 Samuel and 1and 2 Kings, however, there is more detail available on the kings of Judah in 1 and 2 Chronicles.  When studying a Judean king, more information may be found in Chronicles than Kings.  For example, the cross-referencing detail for this study would be found in 2 Chronicles 13:1-19.  2 Chronicles 13:3 offers that the size of Abijah’s army was 400,000 men while Jeroboam’s army was 800,000 men.  Nevertheless, Judah trusted in God and gave a great shout in His name.  Even though Judah were greatly outnumbered, they trusted in the Lord and the soldiers of Israel fled from them (2 Chron 13:14-18).  It also shows that Jeroboam lost more than 500,000 of his army and that he never recovered.

Understand the Context (1 Kings 15:1-16:28, Cont.) 

Nadab succeeded Jeroboam as king of Israel for 2 years.  He continued to do that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.  Baasha was one of Nabad’s generals and assassinated him and took his throne.  Now, Baasha set about constructing a wall between Israel and Judah to prevent movement between the two segments of Israel and there was war between Baasha and Asa.  Asa decided to get the aid of Syria involved in the war and offered a great deal of treasure for their support.

But Baasha was overthrown by his general, Zimri, who also destroyed all of his household the same way Baasha destroyed all of Jeroboam’s household.  Zimri only lasted for 7 days before he committed suicide which allowed Omri to succeed him.  Zimri and Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord.  Omri purchased a hill where he built the city of Samaria which later became the capital of Israel.  Omri reigned as king of Israel for 12 years.  Ahab was the son of Omri and succeeded him as king of Israel.  Ahab was notorious for marrying Jezebel and standing up against Elijah, the prophet of the God of Israel.  They sent 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah to stand up against Elijah as he prepared to sacrifice to the Lord.  The challenge from Elijah was simple: have your god light the fire for the sacrifice.  The one who lights the fire will be God, indeed.    The one who lights the fire will be God, indeed.  The results of the challenge will be covered in the next study.

Wholehearted (1 Kings 15:9-15) 

Our study opens in the 20th year of the reign of Jeroboam, king of Israel.  Asa had just taken over as king of Judah, beginning a 41-year reign for him.  Asa was one of those ten percent of kings who did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord.  Our author even equates him to King David in following the Lord.  Early on, he recognized the negative influences of those immigrating from Sodom and cast all of them out of the land (vs. 12).  He also removed all idols from the land in an effort to cleanse and return to holiness for the land.  His seriousness in doing these things was tested early when his grandmother, Maachah, had made an idol in a grove she was working.  He immediately removed her from being queen and destroyed her idol to Asherah forthwith by fire near the Brook of Kidron.  Our historian mentions that Asa’s heart was perfect with the Lord all his days, even though he did not destroy the high places (Altars) created by his forefathers.  Asa brought several objects that were created by his father and he which were made of silver and gold.  These items, some of which were vessels, were evidently dedicated to the Lord at a previous time.  Here, Asa wanted to bring these items into the House of the Lord.  Why Asa left the high places untouched is not addressed at this point but the summary remains that the historian credits him with doing right in the eyes of the Lord.

Cornered (1 Kings 15:16-19) Verse 16 leads with identifying the war that was taking place between the Asa, King of Judah and Baasha, King of Israel.  Baasha had advanced his front to within five miles of Jerusalem in the city of Ramah.  Baasha’s advancing front against Judah was impressive in that he decided to fortify Ramah to prevent passage in or out without full control.  Asa realized that the five miles between Ramah and Jerusalem was more than just a physical distance.  It represented Israel being able to take control of the seat of Judah’s religious strength, the City of Jerusalem and the Temple of God. 

This victory would symbolize a victory over the strength of Judah in defeating her God.  Asa knew he was in desperate need of strengthening Jerusalem and overcoming the heavily fortified Ramah just five miles away.  He decided it was time to bring in an ally to provide the strength they needed for Jerusalem to persevere.  Asa began by collecting all the silver and gold resources he had at his disposal.  He added the treasures of the House of the Lord (vs. 18).  He delivered the collections to his servants, and they delivered them to Ben-hadad of the royal family of the King of Syria, Hezion at Damascus.  The message accompanying the sizable contribution was simply a reminder that there is already a league of sorts between Hezion and Asa and their families before them.  In support of that relationship, Asa says, he has sent this contribution to allow Hezion to consider breaking the relationship Syria has with Israel to focus only on that part of the relationship dealing with Judah.  Asa identifies his problem specifically in saying that he needs Israel (Baasha) to depart from Judah (Asa) (vs, 19).

Understand the Context (1 Kings 16:29-18:46) 

As we introduced the various early kings for Israel and Judah, we had the pleasure of discussing King Asa of Judah.  He was one of the few kings who did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord (1 Kings 15:11).  Asa reigned for forty-one years over Judah, and in his thirty-first year, Omri began to reign over Israel (1 Kings 16:23).  In Asa’s thirty-eighth year, Ahab became Israel’s king (16:29).  He reigned over Israel from Samaria for twenty-two years.  He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and married Jezebel, who was daughter of King Ethbaal of the Zidonians.  She was a devout worshipper of Baal and Ahab erected an altar for her in Samaria. 

The Prophet Elijah was beyond very with Ahab and Jezebel.  He had promised that there would be no rain in all Israel.  He was sent by God to go east to hide by the brook just west of the Jordan River.  God told him he would drink of the brook and be fed by the ravens while serving Him there (17:1-6).  Elijah was allowed to do many miracles for the Lord while there.  When the brook dried up, God sent Elijah to Zarephath where a widow lady was to care for him.  Elijah asked her for a cake and some oil, neither of which she had, but as she went to the barrel to get flour for the cake, it was repetitively multiplied to feed them and her son.  Her son fell ill and died, but Elijah was blessed by the Lord to raised him from the dead.

Elijah continued to judge and challenge Ahab and Jezebel.  He told Ahab he wanted to meet with the prophets of Baal and Asherah to challenge their power.  The story of that meeting and its results are in the focal study for today.  After defeating the 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah, Elijah told King Ahab he should look out toward the sea because a great rain was coming (1 Kings 18:43).  This would end the terrible drought so, Ahab was excited about taking part in Ahab’s work if it meant good press for the king among his people.  Elijah told the king to check seven times form the great storm before he finally saw it.  He told Ahab he should get in his chariot and go after Jezebel or the storm would stop him.  The Lord gave Elijah supernatural strength for that trip.

Futility (1 Kings 18:25-29) 

Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and Asherah to come sacrifice on Mount Carmel.  Elijah had lined up a couple bullocks for the occasion and told the prophets they could take one of them to prepare for their sacrifice.  The only constraint Elijah gave them was that they had to rely on their god to provide the fire for the sacrifice.  Verse 26 reports that the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah took one of the bullocks, dressed it and called on the name of Baal from morning to evening saying, “O Baal, hear us,” but there was no voice nor anyone whom answered.  So, they leaped up on the altar to speak to their god.  When noon arrived, Elijah began to mock them in their labor to get the attention of Baal (vs. 27).  

Elijah suggested they cry out louder because their god might be talking or busy elsewhere or even sleeping.  The response never came, so the prophets began cutting themselves with knives and lancets until their blood flowed freely (vs. 28).  They continued these vile and desperate attempts at getting Baal’s attention through the midday and up to the time of the evening sacrifice to no avail, nor was there a voice or any other answer , nor any regard at all (vs. 29). 

Preparation (1 Kings 18:30-35) 

Finally, Elijah called out to the people gathered to observe this competition to come near to him.  He invited them to watch him as he repaired the altar after the prophets of Baal and Asherah gave up.  Verse 31 states that he began his work by collecting twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel or twelve sons of Jacob to whom the word of the Lord came changing his name from Jacob to Israel.  Starting with those twelve stones, Elijah built and altar in the name of the Lord.  Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons of water (1 Kings 18:32, NLT).  Then he put the wood for the burnt offering on the altar in the proper order to support the second bullock he had brought to Mount Carmel and cut it into pieces for the sacrifice (vs. 33).  

When all this was in place he said, “Fill four barrels with water and pour it over the burnt offering and the wood under the offering” (vs. 34).  Then he said the pour another four barrels on the offering and still a third time, and they did as he had ordered them.  By this time, the water ran down the alter and into the trench Elijah asked then to dig around the alter until it was filled with water as well (vs 35).  At this point, it was clear that no spark or ember or any other fire could have been left upon the alter by the failed efforts of the 450 prophets of Baal nor the 400 prophets of Asherah.

Understand the Context (1 Kings 19:1-20:43)

The story of Ahab, Jezebel and Elijah is timeless in Bible study. Ahab was just another evil king in Israel’s history, but his marriage to a practicing Baalist made him somewhat unique. He not only permitted her to practice but built an altar to Baal in the capitol city of Samaria. (Recall that Solomon built three altars to Ashtoreth, Molech and Chemosh on the hill facing Jerusalem and lost the kingdom for his family.) Fresh from Elijah’s defeat of 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Ashtoreth, Jezebel issues a threat to Elijah that causes him to flee to Mount Horeb. While hundreds, if not thousands, of people pledged their allegiance to God on Mount Carmel, Elijah is telling God that he feels alone. He does not believe there is even one person who shares his belief. It is astonishing that he successfully stood up against 850 mighty believers in false gods and now cowers at a threat from one little lady. Nevertheless, God advises him of 7.000 believers who have never bowed their heads to false gods. He also told him to anoint two kings and to anoint Elisha as his successor as prophet.

Chapter 20 turns to the wars of Israel and Judah during these times. Syria’s Ben-hadad threatened Ahab and went to war with Israel. Ahab listened to God’s prophet this time and won the war. Following that win, Ahab spared Ben-hadad and made a deal with him regarding peace for the future. Elijah warned Ahab that the treaty he made with Ben-hadad would cost him his life, not just politically, but physically.  

Understand the Context (1 Kings 21:1-22:37)

Chapter 21 documents Ahab’s lust for a vineyard belonging to Naboth, a rich man of Jezreel. Naboth refused to turn the vineyard over to Ahab, so Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, created false charges against Naboth attempting to discredit him in the area. Naboth was eventually killed and Ahab stole his vineyard from his inheritance to his survivors. Elijah, who advised Ahab earlier that an unfair deal would cost him his life, now advises Ahab that this thief of the vineyard from Naboth would result in termination of his line of succession as king. God decided to delay one generation.

Chapter 22 picks up three years later when Ahab of Israel and Jehoshaphat of Judah join forces against Syria (1 Kings 22:1-4). Ahab appointed Micaiah as prophet in Israel which resulted in God’s warning to Ahab of his defeat. Ahab, of course, ignored the warning of the prophet he appointed and was killed. Meanwhile, Jehoshaphat of Judah was finally a king who did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord (22:41-44). Ahab successor was his son, Ahaziah who did evil in the sight of the Lord.  

Alone? (1 Kings 19:9-10)

Following Elijah’s overwhelming defeat of 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah, he received a threat on his life from Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife. It is uncanny that he stood toe-to-toe against 850 highly-religious men but cowers at the voice of a single ungodly woman. Nevertheless, he fled  to sit under a juniper tree and was directed by an angel to Mount Sinai where he  found himself a cave thereon. The voice of the Lord came to Elijah saying, “What doeth thou here, Elijah?” Elijah begins his response with a defensive statement of all he had done for the Lord in the past. He said to God, “I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword.” In other words, “while Your entire race of chosen people has turned its back on You and Your agreements with them, while they have destroyed all Your altars across the land and butchered all You holy prophets, I am the only one left to stand up for You.“ And worse, he continues, “And (now) they seek my life to take it away” (1 Kings 19:10).

This is the true face of depression and fear. The truth of the situation makes no difference to Elijah at this point. The facts of his stand on Mount Carmel against impossible odds is stated in history forever, but today, the threat of the queen looms far greater in his sight than those massive accomplishments. His focus is on the fanciful facts that they are coming for him and he is all alone to face them. They are coming to take his life from him. As he hides from them in the darkness of the cave, surrounded by the cold rocks and absence of light, he feels he is alone. Somehow, it is not the same aloneness as a few days before when he stood alone to face 850 men. 

The Whisper (1 Kings 19:11-14)

Now, he is told of the Lord to get up and stand up upon the mountain before the Lord. And God showed him a great and strong wind that divided the mountains and broke the rocks remaining from the mountains, but the Lord was not in that wind for Elijah. And after the great windstorm, there was a massive earthquake that shock the vary ground Elijah stood on, but God was not in the earthquake for Elijah. Then there was a great fire destroying everything in its path, but God was not in the fire for Elijah. After the fire, there was the sound of a gentle whisper. Elijah wrapped his face in a cloak and went out to stand in the entrance to the cave as he heard God say, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 

Elijah responded to the Lord just as he did earlier, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty.  But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets.  I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too” (1 Kings 19:14, NLT). So, in spite of God’s direction for him to return to Mount Sinai, the vision of the might wind, the massive earthquake and the awesome fire, Elijah can tell God that while he has served Him well, all His people have turned their backs to the Lord and no longer keep His covenants. And now, he is all alone. He watched God’s altars torn down and all His prophets slain, and now he stands alone. He stands alone and they are coming for him to take his life away.

The Scripture repeats the words of Elijah to emphasize the sets of feelings he expresses. It is important that the reader understands that, in the mind of the prophet, this set of feelings transcends God’s demonstrations of the windstorm, the earthquake and the fire. As awesome and massive the power of all these things were, Elijah did not find the strength of God in them for him. After all God showed him, he still found himself saying that he was all alone, and he had had enough. 

Understand the Context (1 Kings 1:1-2:25) 

As we have learned in our studies of 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Chronicles and now, 1 and 2 Kings, the divisions between the chapters and books are generally signaled by the death of various monarchs.  Likewise, the transition between 1 and 2 Kings is the end of King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel and the beginning of King Ahaziah, his son, in Israel (1 Kings 22:51).  He began to reign in the seventeenth year of the reign of Jehoshaphat in Judah and reigned for just two years over Israel and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.  2 Kings starts with King Ahaziah suffering a fall and seeking help from Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron (1:2-3).  Jehovah sent Elijah to the King with a message that there is only one God in Israel, and the King’s going after a false god will result in his death in the bed where he lies (1:4, 6, & 16).  The King had sent three sets of fifty soldiers in to arrest Elijah and force him to come to the King.  Elijah responded to each band of fifty, “If I be a man of God, let fire come down and consume thee and thy fifty” (1:10, & 12).  Elijah went with the third set of fifty to the King and advised him of his certain death.  Jehoram, the brother of Ahaziah, began to reign in his stead in the second year of King Jehoshaphat because Ahaziah had no sons (2 Kings 1:17).

Chapter 2 also shows the succession of Elisha to replace Elijah, the Prophet.  Elisha received Elijah’s mantle and his requested double blessing of his spiritual power (2:9).  Of course, there were some followers of Elijah who would not accept that Elijah was no more, but his absence was compelling.  Elijah joined Enoch (Gen 5:24) as being the only two people who never died.

Understand the Context (1 Kings 3:1-5:27) 

Chapter 3 has Mesha, King of Moab, who paid significant tribute to Israel, refused to recognize Jehoram as King and rebelled.  Jehoram (Israel) asked Jehoshaphat (Judah) if he would ally with him against Mesha.  Jehoshaphat told Jehoram they were like one and decided to attack Moab from the wilderness side through Edom.  When notified they would be going through Edom, the King allied with Jehoram and Jehoshaphat against Moab.

Moab mustered their greatest attack against the three nations but failed.  Mesha offered his eldest son, who would have been the next king, as a burnt offering on their wall.  Somehow, that act kindled so much anger that it ended the war.  Elisha’s prophecy of victory was proven accurate. 

Chapter 4 documents some of the many miracles Elisha did in the power of the Lord.  Verses 1-7 describes a poor widow woman and her sons.  She had no source of income, but Elisha gave her an unlimited source of food oil to sell with plenty leftover for her family’s needs.  Verses 8-11 tells of an elderly lady and her husband with no children whom Elisha prophesied a child to be born and it happened as he said.  Later, that child died and Elisha brought him back to life again (18-37).  In verses 38-44, Elisha returns to Gilgal and provides unlimited supplies of pottage and bread for the people.   

Desperate (2 Kings 5:1-6) 

The subject of this study is a great warrior named Naaman.  He was an honorable man and very highly thought of by his master the King of Syria.  The King believed that God delivered Syria from defeat because of Naaman.  In all his notoriety, however, Naaman had leprosy (2 Kings 5:1).  As we learned from our earlier studies, the Syrians had a habit of taking the best talent out of captured countries to use in their own country.  The maid who served Naaman’s wife was such  a captive woman.  The maid was aware of a Prophet who was in Samaria, Elisha (vs. 3).  She believed that Elisha might be able to heal the leprosy in Naaman.  One who overheard that conversation repeated it to the King of Syria (vs. 4).  The King ordered Naaman to go to that prophet and he would write a letter of introduction to the King of Israel to make sure Naaman would get to see Elisha.  

So, Naaman left for Israel to deliver his King’s letter to the King of Israel.  Naaman also took silver, gold and changes of raiment to offer for his assistance to have the Prophet look at Naaman (vs. 5). The King’s letter said simply, “Now when this letter is come to thee, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy” (vs. 6).  

Directed (2 Kings 5:7-10) 

So, when the King of Israel read the letter from the King Syria, he ripped his clothes signaling that he has received an impossible tasking or request from the King of Israel.  He phrased a rhetorical question paralleling how impossible he felt the request was.  He asked, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive?” (vs. 7).  He believes the King had sent him a personal request to heal Naaman.  He adds that the King must be trying to establish an argument with him because of the impossible nature of his request. 

When the Prophet Elisha heard that the King of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent his King a message asking him why he tore his clothes.  He suggested the King simply send the diseased person to him so that he might know that there is a Prophet in Israel (vs. 8).  Elisha was telling the King that this would be an excellent opportunity to make a statement for the God of Israel being God indeed.  

So, at the direction of the King of Israel, Naaman went to Elisha with all his horses and his  chariot and stood at the door of Elisha (vs. 8).  Note that Elisha did not make time for a meeting with Naaman, he simply gave him the solution for his ills.  He directed Naaman by return message to go to the River Jordan and wash yourself seven times.  Further,, Elisha says that Naaman will do this thing, his flesh would come to him again and he would be clean (vs. 10).

Disappointed (2 Kings 5:11-12) 

Naaman was obviously taken back at this prescription.  The Bible says he was angry and went away saying that he felt dishonored that the man (Elisha) did not even come out to him and stand.  That he might have called on the name of the Lord his God and strike his hand over the diseased flesh and heal the leprosy.  There are several issues with Naaman’s expectations here.  First, he was feeling that Elisha should have come out to him.  This is probably because Naaman considered himself such an important man.  But beyond that, Naaman thought he knew what methodology was proper for the healing to take place. 

This was an issue than and is today.  It is a common error of people thinking that laying on hands, lighting candles, calling on the name of the Lord, anointing with oil, coming to an altar, paying a certain price or anything else can substitute for the simple and awesome power of the Spirit of God.  All these “window dressings” tend to bring attention to the person who is doing the healing rather than the Healer, Himself.  In truth, there is no amount of oil or touching or calling on God or even close presence that is more powerful than God doing a healing.  The Spirit of God is on record that He wants to heal the sick, raise the dead, make the lame walk, the blind see and the deaf hear.  Elisha was the Prophet of God.  When he made a decision to ask for God’s healing on this man, the washing in the Jordan was the demonstration of the personal faith of that person wanting to be healed.  It was all that was necessary.  Naaman was simply looking for personal recognition in front of those with him.  He wanted a ceremony; not just healing.

Naaman walked away believing that the absence of the Prophet, the water selected for healing, the cleanliness of that water, the country it was in, or anything else was necessary for his healing except his faith that the Healer can heal.  He went away in rage because he did not believe.

Understand the Context (2 Kings 6:1-7:20)  

The context for this study traverses five chapters in 2 Kings. They are 2 Kings 6 – 10. Elisha the Prophet occupies the lead role for each the stories associated with these chapters. First, he travels with several of the sons of prophets to visit the Jordan River. There, Elisha causes an ax head to float at the amazement of all attending (2 Kings 6:1-7). All attending the event realize that the floating of an item with the density of an ax head should be impossible to explain. Here, the explanation is to introduce the work of Elisha as the work of a Man of God.

Syria’s King Ben-hadad decided that this Man of God must had been sharing Syrian battle plans and strategies with Israel’s King Jehoram. It was true that Elisha contacted Jehoram and warned him about not taking a certain route near Samaria because the Syrians were passing that way. Nevertheless, God protects Elisha with His own heavenly army at Dothan. God delivered Elisha and the army of the Syrians never returned to Israel for this battle. 

However, when Syria’s King Ben-hadad besieged Samaria, Israel reversed the tables on Syria and charged Elisha with treason and arrested him for sharing secrets with Syria. It is ironic that both kings believed Elisha knew the plans and strategies of both countries, and both kings believed that Elisha was sharing their information with the other. Elisha prophesied that the besieged city would return to being a prosperous city within 24 hours (7:1-2). 

 Next, we see four men with diseases (probably leprosy) were discussing an escape to Samaria for food and water (7:3-11). They find the city totally empty of soldiers and citizens, so they help themselves to all the food and water they could hold and return to report the abundance of supplies in the city but the absence of any law to prevent taking of the plenty. The Syrian leaders hear the report but fear the leper’s report might be a trap to get their soldiers to enter the city oly to face an ambush of Samarian soldiers.  

Understand the Context (2 Kings 8:1-10:36)

Chapter 8 reveals some of the feelings of Elisha’s heart. Earlier, he had brought a Shunammite woman’s son back to life. She remained in Israel but found herself in a 7-year famine in that city. She left Israel for Syria but wished to return after the famine was over. Elisha told the lady that he would make it possible for her to return and regain possession of all her previously held real estate. 

Elisha also met with Hazael who would be king of Syria after Ben-hadad’s death. Elisha began to weep as he saw the future of Hazael’s reign in Syria and the havoc he would inflict on Israel. Jehoram became King of Judah and continued the evil of his predecessors.  Syrian history calls him “the son of no one” indicating that he did not follow a father to the throne. He was, however, the husband of Ahab and Jezebel’s daughter. His son would rule Judah after him and he was still another one who did evil in the sight of the Lord.

The last of the three commands God had given to Elijah was to anoint Jehu as the King of Israel. Note that Elisha was fulfilling these commands instead of Elijah. Jehu pulled together a loyal following of people and killed Joram, the current King of Israel, Ahaziah, King of Judah and Jezebel, Ahab’s wife (2 Kings 9:1-37). While Jehu did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, he was responsible for gathering together many Baal worshippers and killing them. 

Chapter 10 documents several of the purging efforts God used to reduce Israel through wars and civil actions. Jehu wrote two letters: the first was to the guardians of the 70 sons of Ahab telling them to equip themselves for battle. Their responses were filled with fear because two kings with all their resources could not accomplish the proposed effort against Jehu, how could they? The second letter from Jehu directed the guardians to behead the 70 sons of Ahab and place their heads in two stacks at the entry to the city. The main gate to a city was the place of judgement. The number 70 for the number of sons was not intended as an exact number, but rather, a number symbolizing the annihilation of an entire generation of a family (Matthew Henry, Vol 3. P. 251). So, while Jehu did many things favorable to God and His Kingdom, the writer called him evil.  

Doubts (2 Kings 7:1-2) 

 An initial reading of verse 7:1 leaves one feeling appropriately incomplete. The mention of the extremely low prices for the fine flower and the barley is done to set an awesome contrast between that cost and those mentioned in 2 Kings 6:24-25. As Ben-hadad (King of Syria) approached Samaria to possess it, he found the city in total famine. The costs of even worthless things like a donkey’s head or a dove’s excrement would sell for 80 shekels (roughly $23) while the announcement in verse 7:1 says a measure of fine flour or 2 measure of barley would sell for 1 shekel (about $0.29). So, the statement being made by Elisha would be received as nearly impossible. Nevertheless, Elisha made the comment to set the contrast between how things were a short time before and how things are now.

The reaction is captured in verse 7:2 when the “lord on whose hand the king leaned,” or put another way, a man the king trusted for accurate advice answered Elisha saying that something like that might be possible of God were to open up the windows of heaven and let rain flow on this place again. Or, only God’s intervention can make those prices possible. 

Elisha responds that within 24 hours, you will see that prediction come true. He says that the man will see these things with his own eyes. Even so, Elisha continues, you will see it come to pass but you will not be able to partake of it.  

Desperate (2 Kings 7:3-5)   

Now, we become partakers of a conversation between four lepers standing at the gate of Samaria. As lepers they know all too well that presenting themselves in the open in a populated area is forbidden and subject to harsh punishment. As they sat there, they began to reason that it would be frivolous for them to sit outside the gate until they die; especially if the city had been abandoned by the Syrians as it appear from their current vantage point. So, if they reasoned that we will enter the city and there is famine therein, we shall die in the city. However, if we continue to sit here, we will die also. 

So, they said, let us fall unto the host of the Syrians. If the save us, we shall live. If they kill us, we shall die anyway (vs. 4). As they entered into the city, the camp of the Syrians, they searched for the center of the city where the host of the Syrians would be waiting for them. But, when they came to the part of the city where the Syrians were supposed to be, they found no soldiers. Further, as they looked around the city, they found no person, at all.  

Desperate (2 Kings 7:6-8)

Earlier in the day, the Lord had caused the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, many horses and even a host of soldiers. The Syrians said to each other, “Lo, the King of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come upon us (vs. 6). The lepers reasoned that the Syrians fled in the dark hours and left their tents, horses, donkeys and even the whole camp exactly as it was, believing they were running for their lives under pursuit of a great army (vs. 7).

Upon looking into one of the tents in the main part of the camp, they found food, drink, silver, gold and clothes. They took it all and hid it away. They returned to enter another tent and found much the same situation. So, they took what they wanted and hid all they could carry (vs. 8). 

Announced (2 Kings 7:9-11) 

The four lepers looked at each other and decided they did not do the right thing. So far, they have found this day to be full of blessings and we have not told anyone about it. They were able to find food, drink and refreshment for as much as they wanted. But now, they were full, and all their short-term needs were met. They worried that, if they stayed until morning, some bad thing would happen to them. They decided they should go and tell the king’s household about what they found (vs. 9). 

So, the lepers went back to the city and told the gatekeepers exactly what they discovered. They had gone to the Syrian encampment and there was no one there. They reported that they had found the camp, tents, horses and donkeys all in order and completely whole, but the soldiers and all their servants were missing. The gatekeeper decided they had to tell the news to the people in the palace. 

Understand the Context (2 Kings 6:1-10:36)

 The succession of kings throughout the regions resulted in wars and rumors of wars. Recall that God told Elijah to anoint Jehu King of Israel and Ahaziah King of Judah and Elisha to replace him as prophet at the end of last week’s discussion of context. Now, we begin with Jehu killing Ahaziah and the priest, Jehoiada, protecting Ahaziah’s son, Joash, while his mother reigned over Judah. Joash was also known as Jehoash. Athaliah made plans to eliminate Joash’s entire royal line in order to maintain her control over the throne of Judah. In time, the priest, Jehoiada was able to bring Joash to Judah’s throne and Athaliah was put to death. Jehoiada initiated spiritual reform in Judah and saw Joash become a servant leader under God (11:1-12:3).  Together, they initiated several repairs to the temple of God in Jerusalem. Regardless of all the combined good they did, Joash caused the death of Jehoiada’s son when he elected to speak against Joash’s leadership (2 Chron 24:15-22). When Joash later lost a Syrian campaign against him, his servants murdered him. (2 Kings 12:17-21).  The Prophet Elisha also died during Joash’s reign (13:14-20). 

 The succession of kings throughout the regions resulted in wars and rumors of wars. Recall that God told Elijah to anoint Jehu King of Israel and Ahaziah King of Judah and Elisha to replace him as prophet at the end of last week’s discussion of context. Now, we begin with Jehu killing Ahaziah and the priest, Jehoiada, protecting Ahaziah’s son, Joash, while his mother reigned over Judah. Joash was also known as Jehoash. Athaliah made plans to eliminate Joash’s entire royal line in order to maintain her control over the throne of Judah. In time, the priest, Jehoiada was able to bring Joash to Judah’s throne and Athaliah was put to death. Jehoiada initiated spiritual reform in Judah and saw Joash become a servant leader under God (11:1-12:3).  Together, they initiated several repairs to the temple of God in Jerusalem. Regardless of all the combined good they did, Joash caused the death of Jehoiada’s son when he elected to speak against Joash’s leadership (2 Chron 24:15-22). When Joash later lost a Syrian campaign against him, his servants murdered him. (2 Kings 12:17-21).  The Prophet Elisha also died during Joash’s reign (13:14-20). 

Problem (2 Kings 12:4-8)

The name Jehoash used here at verse 12:4 is the same king named Joash. He starts this chapter by talking with the priests. There are several collections of silver that are taken at the temple, and Joash wants to be specific about which ones he is redirecting and which ones he will allow to continue as is. According to verse 4, Joash wants to have the priest isolate all the money that comes into the temple as regular assessments, payments of vows, or voluntary gifts and use some of it to pay for repairs to the temple which were documented by King Joash, yet have not been completed after several years. In fact, Joash had presented the plans for the repairs shortly after beginning his reign and it is now the twenty-third year of his reign (12:6). 

In verse 12:7, King Joash called for the priest named Jehoiada and other (non-specified) priests and asked them why the repairs had not been completed after all this time. Before they could answer, for there were no reasonable answers to be had, Joash continued saying that they would receive no more payment for their personal needs, rather, all of the money received by the temple in the three categories mentioned would go to repair the temple until it was completed (12:7). In verse 12:8, the priests agree with Joash that they will receive no more money for their personal needs, but rather, that all of the money from those three collection sources will go directly to repairing the temple (12:8). Further, they agreed to let others take responsibility for actually doing the repairs work. The New Living Version says, “and they also agreed to let others take responsibility for repairing the Temple” (12:8). After twenty-three years of waiting for the repairs, I can certainly understand why Joash was refusing to pay the priest until they get the work done.  

Solution (2 Kings 12:9-12)

 Jehoiada, the priest who King Joash specifically selected for this work had the problem of segregating the money that comes into the temple as regular assessments, payments of vows, or voluntary gifts from any other money coming into the temple. Jehoiada selected a large chest and had a hole bored through the lid of it. He realized that all three kinds of donations mentioned would come from the hands of the people into the temple as they attended the regular services. So, Jehoiada placed the chest on the right side of the altar all who came into the house of the Lord and the be overseen by the priests who tended that door. Verse 10 reveals that as the money came in it was a large amount. The scribe and the high priest put the money in bags and recorded the amount they took out of the chest for temple records.  

 Verse 11 says they delivered the money into the hands of the workers repairing the temple just as they were instructed. They divided the money to the carpenters, builders, mason and hewers of stone who were responsible for repairing the House of the Lord.  They also set aside some of the money to purchase new timbers and previously hewed stone to repair the temple. So, everything that was found in the chest Jehoiada placed by the altar was used for the repair of the House of the Lord, just as planned.  

Understand the Context (2 Kings 17:1-41)

Hoshea became King of Israel and reigned for nine years. He began his reign by establishing an alliance with Assyria’s King Shalmaneser in hope of securing his reign and protecting his country (Israel). Evidently, Hoshea’s fear and insecurities were greater than Assyria could quell, so he sought additional help from Egypt. Shalmaneser viewed this action as treason against Assyria and arrested King Hoshea and imprisoned him in Assyria (17:3-5). Shalmaneser also invaded Israel, captured her and reigned over her for three years. After a three-year siege, completed his capture of Samaria and exiled its inhabitants. Assyria was not alone in this practice; several countries would take capitol or primary cities of opposing countries and remove all the best and brightest leaders, leaving the cities defenseless and unlikely the rebel (17:6). Captives from other defeated nations would be moved into these cities, and eventually intermarried for survival. As a note, this is how Samaria became known as the city of half-breeds as we read in the New Testament (Luke 10:33 & 17:16). The people being children of Assyrian Israelis made them pagans. 

Verses 17:17-41 provides documentation that Israel (the ten northern tribes) continued worship strange gods and rejecting Jehovah and His covenants and laws throughout their existence. Even when Israel was a united country under Kings Saul, David and Solomon, they still worshiped false gods, built alters to them and sacrificed their children to them (17:21-23). When the Assyrians first began relocating to Samaria, they feared God and had Jewish religious leaders offer classes on the Hebrew faith. Nevertheless, when the Assyrians learned the Jewish faith, they continued their lack of respect and worshiped their false gods and pagan ways. 

Throughout our study in the Books of 1 and 2 Kings, Israel has been consistent in worshiping false deities, building altars and sacrificing to them. They seemed determined to show complete disrespect for God in anyway possible. Here we see Israel taken captive in 722 BC. 

Warned (2 Kings 17:7-9)

 We begin this week’s study with a recapitalization of Israel’s consistent denial of her God, His covenants and His laws. “For so it was” sets the tone for the usual in Israel’s life relative to her God. The historian documents the obvious when he states that Israel had sinned against the Lord (Hebrew: Jehovah) their God (Hebrew: Elohym), that is, their Lord who created them. The writer starts by reminding us that it was this God “Who brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, under the hand of Pharaoh, King of Egypt” (vs. 7). It was because of this act of God that Israel was supposed to have some level of respect and honor for the God who did these things for them. In short, the writer is saying that everything Israel was or could become was because of the love and action of their God. Still, he continued, “They sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them safely out of Egypt and had rescued them from the power of Pharaoh, the King of Egypt” (vs. 7, NLT). Later, as God led them through the wilderness and into the promise land, they feared other gods “and walked in the statues which the heathen made, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and the kings of Israel” (vss. 7 -8). 

The historian continues that “the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city” (vs. 9). This sentence is just the introduction of the many things the children of Israel did to dishonor their God in secret, as if there was some way for them to keep secrets from God. The statement reveals a complete ignorance of the nature of their God. It is impossible for anything in the universe could be kept secret from God. 

Warned (2 Kings 17:10-13)  

The historian continues that “the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city” (vs. 9). This sentence is just the introduction of the many things the children of Israel did to dishonor their God in secret, as if there was some way for them to keep secrets from God. The statement reveals a complete ignorance of the nature of their God. It is impossible for anything in the universe could be kept secret from God.

Verses 10 to 12 continue to document exactly what Israel had done which established them as gross sinners against God. The historian says that the children of Israel “set up these images and groves in every high hill, under every green tree.” In other words, the evidence of Israel’s complete rejection of her God was pervasive; it was everywhere. They not only built these idols everywhere, but they practiced the heathen faiths from which the idols came. Verse 13 documents God’s reaction to all this. The historian says, “Yet the Lord testified against (or warned) Israel, saying ‘Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded yours fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets (vs. 13). 

The Lord’s message here was written to be easily understood. First, the historian documents the gross performance of Israel against the standards set by her God.  The terms are clear and simple. Israel was not being faithful to its laws and covenants dictated in supernatural ways to them by the very One they were disrespecting. God’s warning is clear and concise: “Turn for your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statues, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I send to you by my servants the prophets” (vs. 13). This is the final warning which God issued many times. Here, however, is God’s last statement of it before He takes the action to issue severe punishment.

Rejected (2 Kings 17:14-17)

Like all commands that are intended to be followed to the letter, God’s command was clear, concise and unequivocable. It would stand up as a legitimate and enforceable order in any military trial convened against a disobedient soldier. In “street language,” Israel is toast! So, what was their reaction to God’s order? Verse 14 sums up the short language of it, “Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the necks of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God” (2 Kings 17:14). Purposeful refusal to hear or acknowledge the command and demonstrated intent to disobey.

So, they rejected the statutes of God, denied the covenant He made with their fathers, and ignored the testimonies He testified against them (vs. 15). Further, however, the children of Israel showed their complete arrogance and vanity toward the Lord by seeking after the very people God told them stay away from. They were not far away; they were all around them. God told them to stay away, but the children of Israel sought after them and imitated them (vs. 15) 

 Israel left all the commandments God had given them and made more idols. They made two calves like the Egyptian religions they learned in captivity. They made a grove and worshiped all the host of Heaven as well as serving Baal (vs. 16). As much as God loves the lives of all His creation, the children of Israel “caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire” (vs. 17). That is religious shorthand for sacrificing infants and small children in the worship od Baal and Ashtoreth.  In further open rejection of all God’s commandments, they consulted fortune-tellers, practiced sorcery and sold themselves into evil arousing the Lord’s anger (vs 17, NLT). After reading this list of offenses against God, what else could they do to disrespect God to His face? 

Understand the Context (2 Kings 18:1-21:26)

 Hezekiah became King of Judah and reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of the prophet Zechariah and author of a Bible book. In the fourth year of his reign, Israel fell to Assyria (2 Kings 18:9-12).  Three years later (the seventh year of Hoshea), Samaria fell as well.  Unlike many of his predecessors, Hezekiah did that which was pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. He purged the area of heathen shrines, sacred pillars and Asherah poles. They also destroyed a bronze serpent like Moses made because some of the occult began offering sacrifices to it. Hezekiah enlisted the help of the priests and the Levites to help him in the spiritual revival. All were praising God and celebrating their renewed faith. 

The king of Assyria ridiculed Hezekiah for making those corrections and for his dependence on the Lord to protect Judah (18:22-37). Sennacherib’s chief of staff warned him that the Hebrews would overhear their conversation if he continued speaking in their language. Sennacherib assured the chief that he fully intended for Hebrews to hear his words.  In the early stages of Assyria’s attack on Judah, they seemed to enjoy great success, but Isaiah the Prophet said the Assyrians would lose and Sennacherib would retreat to his country in defeat. 

One night the Lord sent His angel into the camp of Assyria and killed 185,000 soldiers. When the king arose and saw the destruction, he broke camp and immediately returned to Nineveh and stayed there. Isaiah’s prophecy became reality, but in a subsequent visit to Hezekiah, Isaiah prophesied the king would die, but was wrong (20:1). The king prayed the Lord would let him live to finish his work in Judah. God heard his prayer and saw his tears and granted him an additional fifteen years to finish. In pride, however, Hezekiah received a visit from Babylon and showed them all he had. Isaiah shared a prophesy that Babylon would overtake Judah and take them into captivity. Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh succeeded Hezekiah and reversed every advancement he made toward the Lord. 

The Taunt (2 Kings 19:10-13

Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, sent a message to Hezekiah, King of Judah, saying that he should not be deceived into believing that God, even the God he trusted, could prevent Assyria capturing and occupying Judah (19:10). He suggested the king should not believe those saying, “Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria” (19:10). Sennacherib asked if Hezekiah had heard of what the king of Assyria had done to all other lands they had come up against?” (19:11).  In fact, they had utterly destroyed all of these, so why should Judah believe it could be delivered by God? He asked in verse 12 if Hezekiah had heard of any of the gods of other nations had delivered them. He mentioned Gozan, Haran, Rezeph and the children of Eden in Thelasar as examples. 

Sennacherib’s letter to Hezekiah continued by asking if he knew where all the previous kings were who came up against Assyria, like kings Hamath, Arpad, city of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivah (19:13). All of these had entered into battle with Assyria, and all were destroyed as their nations were taken into captivity. Briefly, then, there were no countries who succeeded against Assyria in battle, nor were there any gods who protected their nations from the attack of the Assyrians. Of course, these political threats and warnings were always construed to decrease the number of actual wars necessary to achieve their political goals and objectives.

The Prayer (2 Kings 19:14-16)

Hezekiah, unlike most of the kings of Israel and Judah we have studied, was a man of God. As soon as he received and read Sennacherib’s letter, he wanted to consult with God about it. Verse 19:14 says as soon as he knew the content of the letter, he went to the Temple to lay out the situation before the Lord. He explained the whole thing to the Lord by saying, “…15 O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. 16 Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.” (19:15-16). 

Hezekiah honored the Lord his God through this prayer by acknowledging God for who He was and is. His mention of Him as the God that lives between the two cherubim acknowledges that He is the One who hears the prayers of Israel on the Day of Atonement. He is the One who shows Himself above the Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant and the One who promised Israel He would hear their prayers and give His message for the year from that Holiest of Holy places on Earth. Further, he states to God that he acknowledges that He is the only God in the universe and that He was the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Hezekiah asks God only that He would listen and hear the situation that Sennacherib has set up in his letter. 

The Prayer (2 Kings 19:17-19)

Hezekiah contuse showing the Lord Sennacherib’s letter saying, “17 Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, 18 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. 19 Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only” (19:17-19). Hezekiah is asking God to get glory for Himself by answering his prayer and destroying this godless leader of a heathen land. He reports to God that this pagan has led battles against many nations and has won. He has taken their gods, created by their hands and destroyed them because they were no gods at all. Because of this, oh Lord, Hezekiah beseeches him, would you save your land and your people out of his hand. And, he says to the Lord, do this thing for the sole purpose of demonstrating to all who are watching, all the kingdoms of the world, that there is but one God on the Earth and that God is the Jehovah Elohim, the Creator of all that exists and that He alone is God.

Simply put, Hezekiah is asking God to save Judah from the vile hand of Sennacherib, but at the same time, use the massive demonstration of power to let everyone know that there is only one God, and that He is Jehovah Elohim, the God of the nation of Israel and the entire universe. 

Understand the Context (2 Kings 22:1-25:30)

So, we find the Kingdom of Judah under Josiah looking at another thirty-one-year spiritual revival.  This one was like his great grandfather’s, Hezekiah’s, and did that which was good in the sight of the Lord. The study today begins in 2 Kings 22 at the end of the evil reigns of Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh (fifty-five years) and his grandson, Amon (two years) as kings of Judah (2 Chron 33). With Manasseh, however, we see that he was captured by the Babylonians and afflicted (tortured) while there (2 Chron 33:11-17). He repented of his evil ways and led massive revivals across Judah. He removed all the images of strange gods, destroyed their alters and repaired the altar of the Lord. Regardless, the Bible documents that the people of Judah did not completely follow his leadership.  Instead, they continued to sacrifice at the altars of the false gods (high places) but made the sacrifices to our God (2 Chron 33:17). 

While the High Priest, Hilkiah was leading the efforts to repair the Temple, he discovered a Book of the Law (22:8 & 2 Chron 34:14).  Adam Clark’s Commentary supposes that he found Deuteronomy 28-31.  Recall these were the last instructions to Israel as they prepared to cross the Jordan and begin taking God’s promised land. Hilkiak showed the Book to Shaphan the Scribe, and documented that Shaphan actually read the Book and later read it aloud to Josiah and others (2 Kings 22:10).  The reading of the Word caused Josiah to rip his clothes and ignited a national revival (vs. 11).  

Josiah began by having his staff of leaders find Huldah, the prophetess to inquire concerning what the writings in the Book of Law meant for the immediate future. Huldah told him of God’s great judgment and destruction that was in store for Judah, but she added that because of Josiah’s reaction to the reading and because he had already begun to cleanse the Temple and remove any evidence of Baal or other gods having been worshipped there, the judgment and destruction would be delayed until after his reign had completed and he was deceased (22:18-20).

Josiah reinstituted the celebration of Passover, immediately, at levels not seem in Israel since the time of the Judges, that is, prior to Israel’s rejection of theocracy (2 Kings 23:21-23). As promised by Huldah, Josiah was killed in battle by Neco of Egypt before any of God’s judgment on Israel began. Jehoahaz was one of Josiah’s son’s and became king after him, but only reigned for three months. So, Neco appointed another evil son of Josiah, Jehoiakim, and he, in turn, reigned only 3 months before surrendering Judah to Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  Zedekiah, a third evil son of Josiah served as king for eleven years and saw the complete destruction of Jerusalem and the great Temple (2 Kings 25). 

Discovered (2 Kings 22:8-10)

It had been about 250 years since the days of Joash and his terribly managed renovations of the Temple at Jerusalem (2 Kings 12). In 2 Kings 22, the Temple had fallen into severe disrepair just as in Joash’s day, but under King Josiah the work was to be resurrected and the Temple was once again going to be the place of worship it was intended to be. The High Priest at the time was Hilkiah and he was in the Holy of Holies (as the only person authorized to be there) cleaning the area and removing anything that showed signs that even this holy site might have been used for worshiping Baal. Hilkiah found a Book of the Law in the house of the Lord (vs. 8 & 2 Chron 34:14). Stated as it was, it was probably some part of the Pentastich, the first five Books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) as written by Moses. Clark’s Commentary supposes that he found Deuteronomy 28-31. These were the last instructions to Israel as they prepared to cross the Jordan and begin taking God’s promised land. 

Hilkiah showed the Book to Shaphan the Scribe.  The primary responsibility of the scribes was master the accuracy of the copied scrolls of the Word.  The Pentateuch, Torah or The Law was written by Moses considered the most holy and important part of the orthodox faith of the time. Many would believe it still is. Shaphan’s first response was to read the volume he received and probably review it for accuracy and determine if it was genuine. 

Shaphan’s next duty was to report to the King on the progress of the tasks inside the Temple (vs. 9). He reported to the king that the servants had gathered any money, gold, silver or other valuables found in the Temple to the workers who were responsible for the specialty work of repairing the Temple. (That gave me a flashback to the lessons learned by King Joash (2 Kings 12)). Shaphan also reported to the king that the priest had given him a Book of Law he had found in the Temple.  Shaphan read it aloud to Josiah and others present in the king’s court (2 Kings 22:10).  

Response (2 Kings 22:11-13)

 When the king heard the words of Book Shaphan read, he was moved emotionally and spiritually by the clarity of God’s wrath against Judah. Deuteronomy 31:14 begins a section of Scripture which predicts the disobedience of Israel even before He led them into the land He promised them. Then, it documents God’s response in wrath against them. It details Israel’s worship of foreign gods, the gods of the people in the lands God had told them to reject and totally destroy. It provides the details of their sacrifices to foreign gods. It details God’s response with wrath on all those who rejected Him. And then, verse 31:26 says, “Take this Book of Instruction and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, so it may remain there as a witness against the people of Israel.” There is where the High Priest had found the Book; waiting for just a time such as this.  

 King Josiah stood to his feet and ripped his clothes in total repentance for himself and for all the others who had made the words of Moses so very true in his time. Most recently, over the years of Manasseh and Amon, the people had done exactly what God said through Moses they would do. But no more! Josiah called together “Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's” (2 King 22:12). He told them to go and inquire of the Lord for him, for the people and for all Judah concerning the words he heard read from this Book (vs. 13a). Josiah knew that “the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us is great, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us” (vs. 13b). Notice how he ended his words with an acknowledgement that he now lived in a world where the people of Judah had made all God’s words spoken to Joshua and the people of Israel specifically true and directly applicable to them. Josiah told his people to go and inquire of God if my understanding is true.  

Proven (2 Kings 22:14-17)

 “So, Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess” just as the king said to them. Huldah was the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, who was the keeper of the wardrobe, and they communed there in Jerusalem with her (vs. 14). The people the king said should go, went. They found the person they were tasked to see and stayed there with her until she could provide and answer for the king’s question, “Does what we read, pertain to us in this time, in this generation?”  

 Huldah, the Prophetess began, “Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, ‘Thus saith the Lord’” (2 Kings 22:15).  And here is the beginning of the message she has for the king who sent these people to her. “Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched” (vss. 16-17).  

So, Josiah’s fear that there was a severe judgment from God on the way to Judah was correct. His drive to repent and tear his clothing in an open show of repentance and sincere sorrow for what his country had done was earned by the people. They rejected God by serving other gods and even sacrificing the little children trusted to their care to these inanimate and false gods. Josiah’s shame, humiliation and repentance were obvious. The anger and wrath of God at the works of His people will certainly be visited against Judah and will not be quenched by a current turn from the sin of the people. Josiah’s worst fears were realized (vs. 17).