A Divided Kingdom:The Books of I & II Kings

Early History of the Kingdoms

1 Kings Chapter 13-14

Announcements

I KingsWeek Date Topic

1 05 Sep 12 Introduction

2 12 Sep 12 Fight For the Kingdom: I Ki 1-2

3 19 Sep 12 Solomon Begins His Reign: I Ki 3-5

4 26 Sep 12 Solomon Builds The Temple: I Ki 6-8

5 03 Oct 12 Splendor of Solomon’s Kingdom: I Ki 9-10

6 10 Oct 12 Solomon’s Demise: I Ki 11

7 17 Oct 12 Division of the Kingdom: I Ki:12

8 24 Oct 12 Early History of the Kingdoms, Pt 1: I Ki 12:25-16:34

9 31 Oct 12 Early History of the Kingdoms, Pt 2: I Ki 12:25-16:34

10 07 Nov 12 Stories of Elijah: I Ki 17:1-19:21

11 14 Nov 12 War with Syria: I Ki 20:1-43

12 21 Nov 12 More Stories of Elijah: I Ki 21:1-21:29

13 27 Nov 12 Ahab’s Final Battle: I Ki 22:1-53

Today’s Objectives• Review last weeks lesson• Review historical maps of Israel and the region• Learn about the message to Jeroboam from the man

of God • Learn about the fate of the man of God• Learn about the further decline of Israel under

Jeroboam and how he establishes the pattern that other kings of Israel will follow

• Learn about the attack of Egypt into Jerusalem during the reign of Rehoboam

• Learn about the demise of Rehoboam

Last Week’s Lesson• Reviewed previous weeks lesson

• Reviewed historical maps of Israel and the region

• Learned the test the Israelites used to determine if they would follow Rehoboam

• Discovered how Jeroboam became king of Israel

• Learned how Rehoboam became king of Judah and musters Judah and Benjamin to fight Israel

• Learned what God told Rehoboam through the prophet Shemaiah about war with Israel

• Learn why and how Jeroboam creates his own religion

Overview of I and II Kings• Originally one book

– Early Greek manuscripts of the OT combined the books of Samuel and Kings under the title of "kingdoms," or "reigns"

– Kings was broken into two books for convenience sake because of its length (Greek translation)

• Authorship– Some portions of the book identical to the book of Jeremiah

– Jeremiah would have personal knowledge of some contents

– Evidence that Ezra was the author after the Babylonian captivity

• Timeline– Approximately 400 years, written between 560 B.C. and 538 B.C.

– Start: Death of David in 971 B.C.

– End: Jehoiachin's release from a Babylonian prison in 562 B.C.

Overview of I and II Kings• Books of Samuel and Kings cover Israel's period as

a nation under a king:– I Samuel: Life of Saul– II Samuel: Life of David– I Kings: Solomon and the divided kingdom– II Kings: The fall of the divided kingdoms of Israel and

Judah

• Content of I and II Kings– 47 chapters (I Ki – 22 chapters, II Ki – 25 chapters)– History of the Jewish commonwealth– Death of David to subjugation to Babylonians

• Purpose– Imparting of great moral lessons backed up by well-

known illustrations– Religious history – Focused upon kings rather than prophets

• Key Lesson– God does not fail His people; His people, led by their

kings, have failed God– God’s covenant has the contingency of Israel’s

faithfulness– Covenant also promises a return from exile those that

return to God

Overview of I and II Kings

Main Characters of Chapters 13-14• Rehoboam – Son of Solomon, briefly became

king of Israel, then cast out, then ruled Judah

• Jeroboam – One of Solomon's officials who Ahijah told would rule over 10 tribes of Israel

• Ahijah – prophet, delivered four critical prophecies

• Shishak – King of Egypt who attacks Jerusalem and loots the temple and palace

Prophecy from the man of God (1 Kings 13:1-5)

• Coming destruction of the altar in Bethel (13:1-2)– Man of God went from Judah to Bethel– Apparently no qualified messengers in Israel– Josiah, from Judah, will sacrifices priests on the altar

• Signs confirm the prophet’s words (13:3-5)– The prophet gave a sign the same day, confirming a

future prophecy for those present– Altar would split apart and the ashes poured out– Jeroboam tries to have the prophet arrested– Jeroboam’s hand withers, the altar splits apart

Jeroboam’s Plea (1 Kings 13:6-10)

• Jeroboam asks that his hand be restored (13:6)– Jeroboam asks for the favor of the “Lord your God…”– Prophet asks God to restore Jeroboam’s hand– God restores the hand to show his power and goodness

• Man of God declines Jeroboam’s invitation for refreshments (13:7-10)– Offers a reward, but no repentance to God– Man of God refuses bread and water or fellowship with

idolatry– Man of God departs Bethel a different way

Man of God’s Disobedience and Death (1 Kings 13:11-19)

• Old prophet from Bethel invites the man of God to dinner (13:11-17)– Tests the man of God– Asks him to come home and eat bread– Man of God initially refuses

• Prophet from Bethel lies (13:18-19)– Falsely states that an angel told him to bring the

prophet of Judah back to his house to eat and drink– Why would the prophet go back?– Remain true to the command of God

Man of God is Doomed (1 Kings 13:20-32)

• Prophet from Bethel prophecies his doom (13:20-22)– Prophet receives the true prophecy– God promises judgment upon the man from Judah– Die and be buried away from his family

• Lion kills the man of God (13:23-32)– Lion was an instrument of God’s judgment– Old prophet of Bethel buries the man of God in his

tomb– Asks to be buried beside the man of God from Judah

Jeroboam Continues His Evil Ways (1 Kings 13:33-34)

• Jeroboam becomes one of the priests of high places

• The archetype of disobedient kings of Israel– Had the favor and blessing of God– Sought political advantage– Led an entire nation into idolatry– Was warned to repent– Despite specific judgment and deliverance from that

judgment– He failed despite a clear message and example of

integrity

End of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:1-20)

• Jeroboam sends his wife on a mission (14:1-3)– To see Ahijah – ask what will become of his sick son– She goes in disguise

• Ahijah meets Jeroboam’s wife (14:4-6)– God tells Ahijah she is coming

• Ahijah declares God’s judgment on the house of Jeroboam (14:7-11)– Far worse than any king before you– Jeroboam had forgotten God– God will bring disaster upon his house

End of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:1-20)

• Immediate and distant judgment (14:12-16)– Jeroboam’s child would die (Abijah)– Will uproot Israel and scatter beyond the “River”– Happens with the fall of Israel to the Assyrians

• Immediate judgment is fulfilled (14:17-18)– Abijah dies as Jeroboam’s wife enters their house at

Tirzah

• Death of Jeroboam (14:19-20)– 2 Chron 13:20 states that God struck him down– 22 year reign, replaced by his son Nadab

End of the Reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:21-31)

• Judah’s sin provokes God to jealousy (14:21-24)– Judah committed spiritual idolatry– Perverted persons in the land, i.e. cultic prostitutes

• God punishes Judah through Egypt (14:25-28)– Shishak, king of Egypt, attacked and looted

Jerusalem– Took all of the treasures from the temple and palace– Great wealth disappeared in a matter of five years

• Rehoboam death (14:29-31)– Reminds us that his mother was an Ammonitess

Review• Reviewed last weeks lesson• Reviewed historical maps of Israel and the region• Learned about the message to Jeroboam from the

man of God • Learned about the fate of the man of God• Learned about the further decline of Israel under

Jeroboam and how he establishes the pattern that other kings of Israel will follow

• Learned about the attack of Egypt into Jerusalem during the reign of Rehoboam

• Learned about the demise of Rehoboam• Next week: 1 Kings 15-16