Baptist General Convention of Texas-Division of Student Ministry
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HISTORICAL BOOKS
LECTURE 21
l KINGS 12:1 - II KINGS 9: 10
Students will be able to
1. identify a key event in the reign of three kings in both the northern and southern kingdoms.
2. demonstrate their understanding of the correlation between the national destiny and the faithfulness of their kings and the people of God's covenant.
CONTENT OF LECTURE
Outline of I, II Kings
(continued)
IV. The Kings of the Divided Monarchy (12:116:34)
A. Rehoboam's succession to the throne (12:124)
B. The Divided Kingdom (TN#1)
1. Early Kings of Judah
a. Rehoboam (I Kings 14:2124)
b. Abijah (1 Kings 15:18) followed the pattern of disobedience.
c. Asa (I Kings 15:924) tried to remove idolatry from the Southern kingdom and paid tribute to Syria when threatened by Baasha of Israel.
2. Early Kings of Israel
a. Jeroboam I (I Kings 12:2531) 1. Established his capital of Shechem. (TN#2)
2. Set up pagan shrines at Bethel and Dan in order to eliminate dependence upon Jerusalem. (TN#3)
b. Nadab (I Kings 15:2526) followed the example of his father Jeroboam and was killed by Baasha after a twoyear reign.
c. Baasha (I Kings 15:2730) killed by Jeroboam's family.
d. Elah (1 Kings 16:810) son of Baasha, reigned two years before being killed by one of his commanders. Zimri.
e. Zimri (I Kings 16:1115) killed all of Baasha's descendants and reigned for seven years.
f. Omri (I Kings 16:1528) was a military commander who killed Zimri. (TN#5)
g. Ahab (I Kings 16:2934) was Omri's son, reigning over Israel for 22 years. As one of Israel's worst kings, he married Jezebel (TN#6) and promoted the worship of Baal.
V. The Prophetic Ministries of Elijah (TN#7) and Elisha (TN#8)
A. Elijah and King Ahab (Northern Kingdom) (1 Kings 17:122:40)
1. The prophet Elijah announced that there would he no rain until God allowed it (17:1). (TN#9)
2. Elijah confronted Ahab and the prophets of Baal (18:1740). (DQ#10)
3. Elijah fled from Jezebel's wrath (19:118). (DQ#11)
4. Elijah commissioned Elisha to replace him (19:1921).
5. With the help of Jezebel, Ahab acquired the vineyard of Naboth (21:129).
B. King Jehoshaphat (Southern Kingdom)
(I Kings 22:550) - ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years (22:42) and joined Ahab in war against Syria although Micaiah, the prophet, had warned against this battle (22 1923).
C. King Ahaziah (I Kings 22:512 Kings 1:18),
son of Ahab, reigned two years over Israel and, because he had no son, was replaced by his brother, Jehoram (2 Kings 1:17).
D. Elisha and King Jehoram (II Kings 2:199:10).
1. Elisha received Elijah's mantle as the latter was taken up into heaven (II Kings 2:914).
2. Elisha predicted the victory of three united kings (from Israel, Judah, and Edom) over Moab (II Kings 3:1327).
3. Various miracles were attributed to Elisha (II Kings 4:143).
4. Elisha assisted Naaman, the Syrian army commander, in being healed of leprosy (II Kings 5:127).
5. Elisha worked miracles and served as a military advisor (II Kings 6:18:29).
6. Elisha commissioned "one of the sons of the prophets" to encourage Jehu to destroy Ahab's family (II Kings 9:110).
ASSIGNMENT
Read Amos and Hosea in order to get a view of how the prophets saw the spiritual decline during the latter stages of the divided kingdom.
| Discussion Questions: #10 What was the significance of Elijah's showdown with Prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel? #11 How can you explain the contrast between Elijah's courage on Mt. Carmel and his fear in the face of Jezebel's anger? Why do you suppose that Rehoboam listened to his contemporaries rather than to the "elders" as recorded in I Kings 12:115? Could it be that Rehoboam had been isolated from the common people who had been exploited by his father Solomon? Is it difficult for people living in affluence to understand the struggle of the poor? Where do you see the "tribal loyalty" which contributed to the divided kingdom within contemporary religious organization? |
| Teacher's Notes: This lecture focuses on the factors which led to the breakup of the United Kingdom (approximately 930 B.C.) and the reigns of rival kings in Israel and Judah, as well as the prophetic ministries of Elijah and Elisha. #1 What were the factors leading to the divided kingdom?
#2 Later Tirzah became Jeroboam's capital (I King 15:33) until Samaria was built (I Kings 16:24). #3 The bulls were symbols of Baal and condemned by Jewish law because they were pagan idols as well as forbidden images. "Baal" means "master" and probably was, at times, used innocently in reference to God's authority; however, its association with the fertility cult of the Canaanites made it an inappropriate designation for the God of Israel. #4 The author of I Kings implies that the assassination of Nadab began a brutal period of anarchy in Israel which served as a just judgment on the spiritual betrayal of that kingdom. #5 Omri is an example of a king who was politically significant (he conquered the Moabites and made Samaria the capital), yet whose reign is dismissed in just six verses by the author whose main interest was convenantal faithfulness #6 The expression "Sidonians" referred to the people living along the coast northwest of the Holy Land; later they were called the Phoenicians. Tyre and Sidon were main cities of this coastal region. #7 Elijah means 'the Lord is my God," which describes the essence of his prophetic message. #8 Elisha means "God saves." #9 Those who worshipped Baal believed the Canaanite deity controlled rainfall and agricultural prosperity. |
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12/21/96