Old Testament Survey: Book of 1 Kings

1
Old Testament SurveyBook of 1 Kings
The wisest of the Kings of the United
KingdomKing Solomon

• Glory and Division

2
Background

• The books author and the date of the writing are
  unknown.
• Probably written by Jeremiah or Ezra
• Originally, 1 and 2 Kings formed one book
• History covered
• Solomons reign (1-11)
• History of Divided Kingdom (12-22)

3
Background

• After Solomons death, his son Rehoboam came to
  the throne in 975 BC.
• Oppressive measures caused the ten northern
  tribes to revolt and form Israel under Jeroboams
  leadership
• 1 Kings covers 119 years--from Davids death in
  1015 BC, to the deaths of Jehoshaphat, Judahs
  fourth king, and Ahab, Israels seventh king.

4
Background

• The books of 1 and 2 Kings form a continuous
  history.
• The parallel history of Solomons reign is given
  in 2 Chronicles 1-9.
• From the Kingdoms division to Israels fall1
  Kings 122 Kings 1812
• 2 Chronicles 10-28

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Keys to 1 Kings

• Key wordsGlory and division
• Key phraseAs David his father.
• Key verses
• 22,3

And keep the charge of the LORD your God to
walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His
commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies,
as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you
may prosper in all that you do and wherever you
turn.
6
Keys to 1 Kings

• Key word Glory and division
• Key PhraseAs David his father.
• Key Verses
• 39

• Key wordsGlory and division
• Key phraseAs David his father.
• Key verses
• 39

Therefore give to Your servant an understanding
heart to judge Your people, that I may discern
between good and evil. For who is able to judge
this great people of Yours?
7
Keys to 1 Kings

• Key word Glory and division
• Key PhraseAs David his father.
• Key Verses
• 94,5

• Key wordsGlory and division
• Key phraseAs David his father.
• Key verses
• 94,5

Now if you walk before Me as your father David
walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness,
to do according to all that I have commanded you,
and if you keep My statutes and My judgments.
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Keys to 1 Kings

• Key wordsGlory and division
• Key phraseAs David his father.
• Key verses
• 1111

• Key wordsGlory and division
• Key phraseAs David his father.
• Key verses
• 1111

Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, Because you
have done this, and have not kept My covenant and
My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will
surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it
to your servant.
9
Keys to 1 Kings

• Key chapter Chapter 12
• Critical turning point in Israels history
• United kingdombecomes divided kingdom
• 1214

• Key chapter12
• Critical turning point in Israels history
• United Kingdom becomes Divided Kingdom
• 1214

And he spoke to them according to the advice of
the young men, saying, My father made your yoke
heavy, but I will add to your yoke my father
chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you
with scourges!
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Keys to 1 Kings

• Key chapter Chapter 12
• Ten tribes revolt under Jeroboam
• Northern kingdom of Israel
• Great sin
• 1228

• Key chapter12
• Ten tribes revolt under Jeroboam
• Northern Kingdom of Israel
• Great sin
• 1228

Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves
of gold, and said to the people, It is too much
for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your
gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the
land of Egypt!
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Keys to 1 Kings

• Key chapter12
• Jeroboam sets up golden calves
• New feast day
• Priests not of Levi
• Built high places
• 1229

• Key chapter12
• Jeroboam sets up golden calves
• New feast day
• Priests not of Levi
• Built high places
• 1229

Now this thing became a sin, for the people went
to worship before the one as far as Dan. He made
shrines on the high places, and made priests from
every class of people, who were not of the sons
of Levi.
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The Books Message

• Two main divisions
• Solomons reign
• Chapters 1-11
• Divided kingdom
• Chapters 12-22
• Probably written after the captivity
• 1220

So he made offerings on the altar which he had
made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth
month, in the month which he had devised in his
own heart. And he ordained a feast for the
children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the
altar and burned incense.
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The Books Message

• God affirms His promise to Solomon
• Will rend the kingdom from him, but not in his
  days
• Spiritual significance of promised seed
  (Galatians 316)
• 1113

However I will not tear away the whole kingdom
I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of
my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem
which I have chosen.
14
The Books Message

• 1 Kings plays a grand role in the development of
  Gods plan
• Shows the importance of choosing Gods word
• Necessity of faith and obedience
• Blesses obedience punishes disobedience
• 314

So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes
and My commandments, as your father David walked,
then I will lengthen your days.
15
The Books Purpose

• Two fold
• To move the Jews to repent by reminding them of
  Gods promise to restore
• Trace Gods providence in preserving Davids seed
• Genesis 2218

In your seed all the nations of the earth shall
be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.
16
The Books Message

• The prophets importance during Divided Kingdom
• Must choose Gods wisdom
• Importance of prayer in serving God
• Temple builtGod does not live in a man-made
  temple
• 822-53

That Your eyes may be open toward this temple
night and day, toward the place of which You
said, 'My name shall be there,' that You may hear
the prayer which Your servant makes toward this
place.
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The Books Message

• God dwells in thick darkness
• Elisha follows God after Elijahs death
• The standard as David his father
• Power, wealth, and knowledge can corrupt and lead
  to destruction
• 1919-21

So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke
of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their
flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to
the people, and they ate. Then he arose and
followed Elijah, and became his servant.
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The Temple

• Materials David had collected
• Cedars of Lebanon from king Hiram
• 7 years, 185,000 workers
• Millions of dollars worth of gold, ivory, etc.
• Heaven is Gods real dwelling place
• 827

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold,
heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain
You. How much less this temple which I have
built!
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Other Kings

• All of Judahs kings descended from David
• Israel had bad kings
• Good kings
• Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah
• Evil kings
• Jeroboam, Ahab, (j)Ahaz, (j)Manasseh
• Eight kings in the book
• 1630

Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight
of the LORD, more than all who were before him.
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The Prophets

• Divided kingdom - the period of the prophets
• Sent to reprove their sins
• Elijah and Elisha
• 171

And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of
Gilead, said to Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel
lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be
dew nor rain these years, except at my word.
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The Prophets

• Elijah, the first great oral prophet
• Fearless reformerthe books hero
• Rebuke of Ahab and Jezebel
• Prophets of Baal
• Miracles
• 1821

And Elijah came to all the people, and said,
How long will you falter between two opinions?
If the LORD is God, follow Him but if Baal,
follow him. But the people answered him not a
word.
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More Information about Solomon in the Special
Studies section under King Solomons Reign