Old Testament Survey: Book of 2 Kings

1
Old Testament Survey Book
of 2 Kings

• Downfall and Captivity

2
Background

• The books author and the date of the writing are
  unknown.
• Chapters 1-17In Israel, from Ahaziah to Hoshea,
  a period of 176 years (897721 BC)
• Largely, the last days of Elijahs ministry and
  his ascension (11212) Elisha (Chapters 2-13)
• Chapters 18-25in Judah, from Hezekiah to Judahs
  fall to Babylon, a period of 155 years.

3
Background

• Historical Events
• 2 Kings gives Israels history, from the wicked
  king Ahabs death to its destruction in 722 BC.
• Judahs history, from the good king Hezekiah to
  its fall to Babylon in 586 BC.

4
Background

• Relation to other books of history
• A sequel to 1 Kings.
• Takes up where the former leaves off--in the
  middle of the brief reign of Ahaziah, Ahabs son,
  continuing through Israels fall to Assyria and
  Judahs fall to Babylon.
• Parallel passage is 2 Chronicles 21-36.
• 1 2 Kings first divided by the Septuagint.

5
Background

• Period covered by both books
• Approximately 430 years--from Davids death to
  Judahs fall
• After division in 975 BC, Judah had 19
  kingsRehoboam to Zedekiah--all descended from
  David.
• Israel had 19 kingsJeroboam to Hoshea--seven
  dynasties, or families.
• Israels kings were all bad.
• Leading prophets Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, and
  Jeremiah

6
Background

• Historical scope of the period
• Begins with King David and ends with the King of
  Babylon.
• Opens with the temple being built and ends with
  the temple being burnt.
• Begins with Davids successor on the throne of
  his kingdom and ends with Davids last successor,
  Jehoiachin, being released from the house of
  captivity.

7
Background

• Historical scope of the period
• First half of 2 Kings (1-13) a record of Elijahs
  66-year ministry.
• Following Elijahs last days and ascension
  (11212).
• Second half of the book is an account of the
  events leading to the fall to Samaria, Israels
  captivity (14-17).
• Judah alone for 135 years, the nations decline,
  Jerusalems fall, captivity in Babylon (18-25).

8
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key wordsdownfall and captivity
• Key phraseAccording to the word of the Lord.
• Key verses
• 122,3

Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the
LORD all the days in which Jehoiada the priest
instructed him. But the high places were not
taken away the people still sacrificed and
burned incense on the high places.
9
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key wordsdownfall and captivity
• Key phraseAccording to the word of the Lord.
• Key verses
• 1722,23

For the children of Israel walked in all the
sins of Jeroboam which he did they did not
depart from them, until the LORD removed Israel
out of His sight, as He had said by all His
servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away
from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this
day.
10
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key wordsdownfall and captivity
• Key phraseAccording to the word of the Lord.
• Key verses
• 2113-15

So I will forsake the remnant of My inheritance
and deliver them into the hand of their enemies
and they shall become victims of plunder to all
their enemies, because they have done evil in My
sight, and have provoked Me to anger since the
day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this
day.
11
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key wordsdownfall and captivity
• Key phraseAccording to the word of the Lord.
• Key verses
• 2325-27

Now before him there was no king like him, who
turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all
his soul, and with all his might, according to
all the Law of Moses nor after him did any arise
like him. Nevertheless the LORD did not turn from
the fierceness of His great wrath, with which His
anger was aroused against Judah
12
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key wordsdownfall and captivity
• Key phraseAccording to the word of the Lord.
• Key verses
• 241-3

In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came
up, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three
years. Then he turned and rebelled against him.
And the LORD sent against him raiding bands of
Chaldeans, bands of Syrians
13
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key phraseAccording to the word of the Lord.
• Expression or equivalent 24 times!
• 117
• 242

So Ahaziah died according to the word of the
LORD which Elijah had spoken. Because he had no
son, Jehoram became king in his place, in the
second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat,
king of Judah.
14
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key phraseBecause they have done that which is
  evil in my sight.
• Expression or equivalent 21 times!
• 2115

Because they have done evil in My sight, and
have provoked Me to anger since the day their
fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.
15
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key phrasethe man of God.
• Expression or equivalent 36 times!
• 113

Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his
fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went
up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah,
and pleaded with him, and said to him Man of
God, please let my life and the life of these
fifty servants of yours be precious in your
sight.
16
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key chapter25
• Utter destruction of the temple and Jerusalem
• Nebuchadnezzar places Zedekiah on the throne
• 2413,14

And he carried out from there all the treasures
of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the
king's house, and he cut in pieces all the
articles of gold which Solomon king of Israel had
made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had
said.
17
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key chapter25
• Babylons king besieged Jerusalem till Zedekiahs
  11th year.
• 252,3

So the city was besieged until the eleventh year
of King Zedekiah. By the ninth day of the fourth
month the famine had become so severe in the city
that there was no food for the people of the
land.
18
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key chapter25
• All men of war fled
• Zedekiahs sons put to death before him
• His eyes were put out
• 256,7

Then they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his
eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him
with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon.
19
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key chapter25
• Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, destroys
  Jerusalem
• Took the priests to king of Babylon he slew them
• 259-12

He burned the house of the LORD and the king's
house all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all
the houses of the great, he burned with fire.
20
Keys to 2 Kings

• Key chapter25
• Remnant of the people fled to Egypt
• Prophets gave hoperelease in 70 years
• 2527-30

Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year
of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in
the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of
the month, that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in
the year that he began to reign, released
Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison.
21
Theme of 2 Kings

• Tragic continuation of Jewish history in 1 Kings
• Period of corruption, disruption, decline,
  destruction, and desolation
• 2521

Then the king of Babylon struck them and put
them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath.
Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own
land.
22
Appeal of 2 Kings

• For faithful obedience to God
• Teach morality lessons for the lives of the
  nation and its leaders
• Warning of the consequences of disobedience
• Romans 154

For whatever things were written before were
written for our learning, that we through the
patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have
hope.
23
Principal Events

• Elijah taken up into heaven
• Elisha receives a double portion of Elijahs
  spirit
• 29-12

And so it was, when they had crossed over, that
Elijah said to Elisha, Ask! What may I do for
you, before I am taken away from you? Elisha
said, Please let a double portion of your spirit
be upon me.
24
Principal Events

• Elisha rewards the Shunammite womans hospitality
  (48-37)
• Naamans leprosy healed
• 51-15

And his servants came near and spoke to him, and
said, My father, if the prophet had told you to
do something great, would you not have done it?
How much more then, when he says to you, Wash,
and be clean?
25
Principal Events

• Jezebels gruesome death (930-37)
• Jehus execution of divine justice on Joram,
  Ahaziah, 70 sons of Ahab, and the Baal
  worshippers
• Chapters 9,10

Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of
the word of the LORD which the LORD spoke
concerning the house of Ahab for the LORD has
done what He spoke by His servant Elijah.
26
Principal Events

• Israels fall conquered by Assyria (17)
• Hezekiahs good reign
• Deliverance from Assyria 185,000 slain
• Chapters 18-20

And it came to pass on a certain night that the
angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the
camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five
thousand and when people arose early in the
morning, there were the corpses-all dead.
27
Principal Events

• Manassehs wickedness and the evil ways of his
  son Amon
• Built altars to pagan gods
• Sons passed through the fire
• 211-15

For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah
his father had destroyed he raised up altars for
Baal, and made a wooden image, as Ahab king of
Israel had done and he worshiped all the host of
heaven and served them.
28
Principal Events

• Josiahs reforms following the discovery of the
  Book of Law
• Chapters 22,23

Now before him there was no king like him, who
turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all
his soul, and with all his might, according to
all the Law of Moses nor after him did any arise
like him.
29
Principal Events

• Judah begins its servitude to Babylon during
  Jehoiakims reign
• 241

In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came
up, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three
years. Then he turned and rebelled against him.
30
Spiritual Lessons

• Powerful influence of rulers upon nations
• Gods anger kindled against unfaithful people
• Punishment according to His word
• 1723

Until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight,
as He had said by all His servants the prophets.
So Israel was carried away from their own land to
Assyria, as it is to this day.
31
Elishas Miracles

• The book records 16 miracles by Elisha Elijah
  performed eight miracles
• 41-7
• 418-37
• 55-15
• 61-7

So the man of God said, Where did it fall? And
he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick,
and threw it in there and he made the iron
float.
32
More Information About the Divided Kingdom and
Judahs Fall Under Special Studies