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LECTURE 22

II KINGS (8:16­25:30)

Students will be able to

1. describe the positive contributions of Josiah and Hezekiah of the Southern Kingdom.

2. identify the significant aspects of the reigns of the following "evil" kings: Manesseh, Jeroboam II, Jehu, Joash.

3. describe the advantages of both Northern & Southern kingdoms.

4. identify the important dates of the period.

CONTENT OF LECTURE

OUTLINE OF II KINGS

(continued)

VI. The Kingdom Divided (From 850­722 B.C.)

(II Kings 8:16­17:6) (TN#1)

A. Judah (Southern Kingdom) (TN#2)

1. Jehoram (II Kings 8:16­24)­­son of Jehoshaphat, married Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and promoted the worship of Baal.

2. Ahaziah (II Kings 8:25­27)­­the son of Jehoram and Athaliah, ruled for one year.

3. Athaliah (II Kings 11:1­20)­­Usurped authority and tried to destroy all of the royal family. She was the only non­Davidic ruler in the Southern Kingdom.

4. Joash or Jehoash (II Kings 12:1)­­was saved from the purge of Athaliah, his grandmother, by Ahaziah's half­sister, Jehosheba, and her husband, Jehoiada (II Kings 11:1­20).

5. Amaziah (II Kings 14:1­22)­­son of Joash, engaged in war with Jehoash of Israel.

6. Azariah Uzziah (II Kings 15:1­7) ­had a lengthy reign and, like his father, Amaziah, was described in favorable terms.

7. Jotham (II Kings 15:32­38)­­had a sixteen­year reign similar to that of his father Uzziah.

8. Ahaz (II Kings 16:1­20)­­became one of Judah' worst rulers, even sacrificing his own son. When threatened by the coalition of Israel and Syria, Ahaz ignored Isaiah's advice (Is. 7:1­8:8) and sought help from the Assyrian ruler Tiglath­Pileser.

B. Israel (Northern Kingdom) (TN#3)

1. Jehu (II Kings 9:4­10:36)­­was anointed by Elisha to destroy the household of Ahab. Later (Hosea 1:4­5) Jehu was condemned for his excessive brutality.

2. Jehoahaz and Jehoash (II Kings 13:1­13)­­like their predecessors "did evil in the sight of the Lord."

3. Jeroboam II (II Kings 14:23­29)­­ had a long and prosperous economic reign but allowed the continuing spiritual decline which became the background for the ministry of Hosea.

4. Zechariah (II Kings 15:8­9)­­was the last of Jehu's dynasty. His assassination began a series of revolts and changing dynasties.

5. The unstable reigns of Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah and Pekah presented the Assyrian King Pul (Tiglath­Pileser) with an opportunity to bring Israel into his sphere of influence, exacting heavy tribute from Menahem (II Kings 15:17­22).

6. Hoshea (II Kings 17:1­6)­­tried to stop tribute to Assyria and was imprisoned by Shalmaneser, who laid siege to Samaria.

C. Fall of Samaria (Northern Kingdom) to Assyria in 722 B.C.

(II Kings 17:4­41). (TN#4) At the death of Shalmaneser, Sargon II became the Assyrian King who completed the conquest of Samaria. Many of the leading Jewish officials and artisans were taken into exile for security purposes. The Assyrians who came to live in the occupied land may have eventually intermarried with the remaining Israelites thereby producing the Samaritans, those viewed with contempt by people of the Southern Kingdom as being offspring of pagan Assyrians and compromising Israelites.

VII. Kingdom of Judah (722­586 B.C.)

A. Hezekiah (II Kings 18­20)

led a revolt against Assyria which was challenged by Sennacherib (ca. 701 B.C.) who eventually departed without conquering Jerusalem. Along with Josiah, Hezekiah is one of Judah's most highly praised rulers.

B. Manasseh (II Kings 21:1­18) and his son Amon (21: 19­26)

helped to bring about the worst period of apostasy in Judah's kings.

C. Josiah (II Kings 22:1­23:30)

led a revival based upon the rediscovered book of the Law, generally believed to be Deuteronomy. The brief return to covenant loyalty was reinforced by the preaching of Jeremiah (Jere. 1 1­3).

D. Jehoahaz (II Kings 23:31­35)

was an evil king whose brief reign allowed the reversal of Josiah's reforms.

E. Jehoiakim (II Kings 23:36­24:7)

fell under the power of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Kings 24:7 may refer to the Battle of Carchemish where Babylonia defeated Assyria and Egypt in 605 B.C.

F. Jehoiachin (II Kings 24:8­17)

surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and was taken into exile along with many Jews and the temple treasure.

G. Zedekiah (II Kings 24:18­25:7)

tried to rebel against Babylonia.

VIII. Fall of Jerusalem to Babylonia in 586 B.C. (II Kings 25:1­30)­­Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city and temple.

A. Historical Appendix A: Governor Gedaliah (25:22­26)­­With the abolition of the monarchy, Gedaliah was appointed governor; but when he was assassinated by a member of the deposed royal family utter chaos resulted.

B. Historical Appendix B: Jehoiachin in exile (25:27-30).

 

ASSIGNMENT

Read chapters in text on I, II Chronicles (i.e. Hill and Walton's A Survey of the Old Testament).

 

OUTLINE OF 1 AND II KINGS

 

Teacher's Notes:

The instructor might begin by asking class members the list some of the best American presidents. After allowing time for student response, ask "What are the criteria by which you evaluate previous presidents?" How did the author of I, II Kings evaluate the rulers of the divided kingdom? (ANSWER: Rulers were compared to either David as an example of faithful leadership or an evil ruler such as Rehoboam who led people into idolatry.) Remind the class that these books were written primarily to explain to a people in exile that their present humiliation was the result of their past stubborn persistence in breaking God's covenant with them.

1. Advantages, disadvantages of Judah:

+ More homogeneous population

+ Relative geographic isolation

+ Stable dynastic (Davidic) tradition

­ Smaller and less prosperous

Advantages, disadvantages of Israel:

+ Larger and more prosperous

+ Nearer center of old tribal system

­ Had large Canaanite population

­ Geographically exposed to outside influence

­ Absence of stable dynastic tradition

­Started from scratch in building a nation/state: capital, administration, military, religious cult system (shrine)

#2 Only Josiah and Hezekiah were given unqualified approval by the author of Kings.

#3 All the kings of the Northern Kingdom were said to "have done evil in the eyes of the Lord."

#4 Read 11 Kings 17:7­18 and locate reasons for the fall of the Northern Kingdom.

 

Discussion Questions:

#1. According to the author of Kings, what were the mate reasons for the fall of the Hebrew Kingdom?

Answer: Among other things, they sinned against the Lord their God, they feared other gods, they walked in the customs of other nations, sacrificed to idols and refused to heed the warnings of the prophets.

#2. Why did the people of Israel return to their old ways even after the revival of Josiah?

#3. Why did the Southern Kingdom survive for over one hundred years longer than the Northern Kingdom?

Answer: Judah had more stable leadership and the temple in Jerusalem (less idolatry at times). The Northern Kingdom was on a very desirable trade route which made it the focus of conquering nations.

 Resources:

 

Credits and Copyright This online text book is provided by the Division of Student Ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, 333 N. Washington Dallas, Texas 75246-1798 214.828.5100 Use the text to meet your academic needs. If you copy any part of this online text, please give credit to the Division of Student Ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Any donations which you give will be used in the Division of Student Ministry Summer Missions Programs.

Credits and Copyright This online text book is provided by the Division of Student Ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, 333 N. Washington Dallas, Texas 75246-1798 214.828.5100 Use the text to meet your academic needs. If you copy any part of this online text, please give credit to the Division of Student Ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Any donations which you give will be used in the Division of Student Ministry Summer Missions Programs.