| 1 Kings 1 | 1 Kings 2:1-3:2 | 1 Kings 3:3-4:34 |
| 1 Kings 5-6 | 1 Kings 7 | 1 Kings 8 |
| 1 Kings 9-10 | 1 Kings 11:1-12:19 | 1 Kings 12:20-13:34 |
| 1 Kings 14:1-15:24 | 1 Kings 15:25-17:24 | 1 Kings 18 |
| 1 Kings 19 | 1 Kings 20-21 | 1 Kings 22 |
| Solomon’s Temple |
1 Kings 1:1-53
King David is now old, cold, and bed-ridden, but (as we’ll see), he still has some spunk left in him.
Even though Abishag, a beautiful young woman is used as David’s “sweeter-heater,” David seems to see Bathsheba as his most prominent wife, and Solomon as his most significant son, in the sense that he was called to be the next king of Israel.
But, another one of David’s sons named Adonijah exalted himself to be king (1 Kings 1:5). It’s never good when a person exalts himself (see Matthew 23:12), it even sounds ugly, huh? Shouldn’t King David have a say in any of this? What about God? Isn’t He the one who puts people in positions of authority? (Psalm 75:6-7)
When Nathan the prophet found out what Adonijah was doing, it didn’t sit well with him, he spoke with Bathsheba, and together they worked out the best way to approach the king on this matter. Apparently David had given previous word that Solomon would reign after him. Neither Bathsheba or Nathan were demanding, they were simply looking for that clarification and guidance. As Bathsheba said:
1 Kings 1:20 (NKJV) “And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.”
David confirmed and initiated the coronation of Solomon.
1 Kings 1:29–30 (NKJV) “And the king took an oath and said, ‘As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, 30 just as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.’”
David called Benaiah (his new general) to pave the way for Solomon, to place him on the king’s mule, to have Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet anoint him as king; to blow the trumpet with that official and royal declaration, “Long live King Solomon.” Afterwards, David had him sit on the throne to be ruler over Israel and Judah.
Adonijah had exalted himself, but God had exalted Solomon. I found it interesting that we don’t read of Solomon’s suggestions in any of this. He let the Lord do the work.
All Israel rejoiced. We read in:
1 Kings 1:40 (NKJV) “And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.”
Almost all the people. The one’s with Adonijah were suddenly afraid. The party’s over and Adonijah flees to the sanctuary for safety. Solomon will not be a soft ruler. If Adonjah is submissive, he will survive, but if wickedness is found in him, he would die, for he had already exhibited a lack of submission to God. Adonijah also manifested that spirit of Satan, who also was guilty of exalting himself.
1 Kings 2:1–3:2
The day drew near for David to die. His opening words to his son are worth repeating if we have the opportunity to communicate to our children from our deathbeds.
1 Kings 2:2–3 (NKJV) “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. 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.”
David tells Solomon, “Everyone on earth is going to die one day, and my day has come, son, so… ‘man-up.’ Wise up, look up, grow up, by making sure you read and heed God’s Word, the Bible. Take it to heart, Solomon, if you do, you’ll be blessed, and so will your sons after you.”
After the spiritual, came the political counsel. In one sense this chapter deals with the further “establishment” of Solomon’s throne.
Warren Wiersbe, “Before he died, David gave Solomon wise counsel about the men who were a threat to the throne.”
Not only threats to the throne, but justice must be served, and kindness appreciated. Justice – the innocent blood that Joab shed, had to be dealt with. Kindness – the generosity of Barzillai would allow his sons to eat at the king’s table.
David didn’t say anything about Adonijah to Solomon, but in the same spirit, Solomon is watching him closely. Adonijah thinks he can outwit Solomon by talking to his mother, Bathsheba and request Abishag as wife, the last “lady” that King David had. Adonijah is able to fool Bathsheba but not Solomon. Solomon knew that such a request is much too close to a claim to the Kingdom, and the man who was hoping for a wedding and a crown, ends up at a funeral in a coffin.
The banishment of Abiathar the priest who had defected to Adonijah is a fulfillment of 1 Samuel 2:30-35 regarding the descendants of Eli.
David knew that Solomon would know what to do with Shimei, the man who had no problem cursing the king publicly. By allowing Shimei to live in the confines of Jerusalem only, Solomon was giving him some rope, and Solomon knew that it would only be a matter of time before Shimei hung himself.
Certain individuals had to be “dealt” with – they were, and so we read in:
1 Kings 2:46 (NKJV) “…thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”
The treaty and marriage of Pharaoh’s daughter would be more than a political maneuver, it would be part of Solomon’s future failure as a king. He would eventually build his wife a house, but first he would build his own palace, the Temple of God, and the walls around Jerusalem. Positions of leadership and politics are not easy places to navigate. If only Solomon would have heeded ALL the words of his father.
1 Kings 3:3–4:34
Isn’t it wonderful to read those opening words? “And Solomon loved the LORD…”
That’s the simple key to life, it’s the question of life, “Do I love the LORD?” That’s what Jesus asked Peter about, for that’s what it’s all about, do I truly love God? (John 14:21; 21:15-17)
If only Solomon would have stayed put with that tender heart. If only we would measure all of life with that simple core-question, asking ourselves in all honesty…from the heart, do I really love the LORD?
As for King Solomon, he started off well, walking in the statutes of his father David; he sacrificed and burned incense in the “high places” but only to the LORD. He went to Gibeon to genuinely seek God, manifested in the fact that he offered up 1,000 sacrifices. I would say that Solomon REALLY wanted to hear God’s voice, His guidance, to get His help – and God did not let him down. The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. And just as a quick side-note, God’s promise to all of us is that we’ll find Him, IF we seek Him, with ALL of our hearts (Jeremiah 29:13).
In the dream, God spoke to Solomon, “Ask! What shall I give you?” Solomon already had a bit of wisdom, but he now asks for more, for a double-dose, for all the wisdom possible and necessary to take care of God’s people. When Solomon asked for an “understanding heart,” he literally asked for a “hearing heart.” We read his words in:
1 Kings 3:9 (NKJV) “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?”
Solomon’s motivation was the nation, the congregation.
God was pleased with Solomon’s request and vowed to grant it, and as a bonus, because Solomon didn’t ask for the fringe benefits of life, God gave it to him anyways. He only asked that Solomon walk in His ways – and IF he did, the Lord would lengthen them.
This wasn’t some distant dialogue that would never amount to making any difference to anyone else. This would affect the lives of all the people. Which is why we have an account of two women claiming the same child. Solomon’s wisdom was demonstrated in determining the true mother. I can’t think of many things more important – than “family matters.” If God grants us wisdom, something He promises to do if we pray in faith (James 1:5-6), it will make a huge difference in many lives.
Solomon’s officials are named, as well as his 12 governors who provided food for him and his household, one governor each month. When we look at a map we see the extent of Solomon’s kingdom, it’s the largest Israel ever was, it was a reign of peace, where every family had his fig tree, vine, and peace all around (1 Kings 4:25).
We read something wonderful about Solomon:
1 Kings 4:29 (NKJV) “And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.”
May He do the same for us.
1 Kings 5:1–6:38
Where God guides, God provides, and that means everything and everyone we need, to do all, that God calls us to do. Enter Hiram, King of Tyre. This man loved David, so when David passed away, he sent his condolences to Solomon. Solomon wrote back, letting King Hiram know that the dream of his father was to build a Temple to the LORD. Since Tyre was known for it’s trees and the Sidonians were known for their lumber skills, Solomon asked him if the two nations could enter into a treaty – and they did – food for wood.
Pastor Chuck Smith, “They floated these big logs down the Mediterranean Sea to Joppa, which was the only seaport on the coast of Israel then. From Joppa, they carried these huge timbers forty-miles to Jerusalem. Quite a monumental task.”
Solomon was now utilizing that God-given wisdom to build a glorious temple for the name of the LORD.
1 Kings 5:12 (NKJV) “So the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together.”
This was not going to be some rinky dink thing, this would require a labor force of 30,000 men who would travel to Lebanon, 10,000 at a time, one-month-on, two-months-off was the rotation for 7 years. Solomon also had 70,000 who carried burdens (common laborers), 80,000 who quarried stones, and 3,600 who organized those workers and led the way as supervisors.
In the construction of the Temple, Solomon took into consideration the Tabernacle and made it beautiful. One commentator said the amount of gold used to build the Temple was 75,000 pounds! Of course we know that God doesn’t dwell in houses made with man’s hands, but David’s heart was in a good place, as well as Solomon’s. He wanted it to be a facility where God’s people could come together and congregate in the name of the LORD. While they were there, David and Solomon (who designed it), wanted everyone to be reminded (wherever they looked), of the glory of God.
It was all symbolic, the gold, the bronze, the silver, the flowers, the cherubim, the palm trees, and the colors, but the challenge over the years is to never lose sight of the pure and original intention. There’s more to this than meets the eye!
1 Kings 6:11–12 (NKJV) “Then the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying: 12 “Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform My word with you, which I spoke to your father David.”
Warren Wiersbe, “God gave David the design for the temple (1 Chronciles 28:11–19), and David and the people provided most of the materials (1 Chronciles 29). A gentile king, Hiram, supplied the timber, and a Canaanite work force (1 Kings 9:20–22) assisted the Jewish workers. It was a cooperative effort supervised by King Solomon. God is building His “holy temple” today (Ephesians 2:19–22), and He uses the service of all kinds of people. Are you helping to build His church? They built with gold, silver, and costly stones (1 Chronicles 28:14–29:9), the same materials God wants in His church (1 Corinthians 3:10–23; see also Prov. 2:1–9; 3:13–15; 8:10–11). Every detail was spelled out, and Solomon saw to it that the design was followed perfectly.”
1 Kings 7:1-51
Solomon spent 7 years building the Temple of the LORD, but he spent 13 years building his own house (1 Kings 6:38; 7:1). I’m not sure if that’s a random statement or if it carries any implications. Does that mean Solomon worked harder on the Temple to make sure it was done in a timely fashion? Or does that mean that Solomon’s home was more important to him based upon the time he spent on it? I’m not sure, but I do know that although Solomon did a lot of building (other structures are mentioned as well), there was tons of money spent on the Temple and we have many details provided about it and its furnishings.
When the Bible describes the skilled craftsman named Huram (not to be confused with the king Hiram), we see that he was a man filled with wisdom and understanding, and skilled in all kinds of bronze work. Haven’t you been blessed with the diversity of gifts that different men and women contribute to the church? It reminds me of the passage in Ephesians 4:11-12. Huram specialized in Bronze.
Although we have other “metals” mentioned in the construction of the Temple, bronze is the emphasis in this section.
The two pillars were made of bronze, they were 27-feet tall, named Jachin, meaning, “He will establish,” and Boaz, meaning, “In Him is strength.”
We then have the bronze laver (called a Sea because of the water), 15 feet in diameter, 7-1/2 feet high, some estimate it was able to hold up to 12,000 gallons of water (1 Kings 7:26). It stood on 12 bronze oxen, each facing outward. We then read of the 10 bronze carts and lavers with bronze wheels. The word bronze is found twelve times in this chapter! Why the emphasis on the bronze? Notice what we read in:
1 Kings 7:47 (NKJV) “And Solomon did not weigh all the articles, because there were so many; the weight of the bronze was not determined.”
Why?
Pastor Chuck Smith offers some insight, “In the Scriptures, gold is always symbolic of heaven (or deity), silver of redemption, and brass (bronze) symbolic of judgment.”
What we see in this section of Scripture is that the judgment we deserve, symbolized by the bronze, cannot be calculated. Yes, the Temple was a place to seek the the LORD, to meet with God, to learn and fellowship together, but that was only possible because of the judgment Jesus bore on our behalf. This judgment for sin is more than we can ever imagine, something we will never understand or be able to calculate. “I’ll never know how much it cost, to bear my sin upon that cross.” It’s true. And so we read in:
Numbers 21:9 (NKJV) “So Moses made a BRONZE serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.”
This “bronze” serpent was symbolic of Jesus, who said in;
John 3:14 (NKJV) “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”
It was a picture of Jesus. When we look to Him with eyes of faith we will be saved (Isaiah 45:22).
Here’s a glimpse of the Temple Solomon built for the LORD from the ESV Study Bible Notes.
1 Kings 8:1-66
What an amazing day that must have been in Israel when they dedicated the Temple to the LORD! The Temple was glorious, it could definitely be categorized as a wonder in the world amongst the things built by man – but in all reality, without the presence of the LORD, it was nothing, and it would not fulfill its purpose. The same is true of our lives, our homes, and our churches. We thank God that He graciously showed up to fill the “temple.”
The priests and Levites brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Holy of Holies. Then we read in:
1 Kings 8:10–11 (NKJV) “And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.”
Solomon begins with a speech about the way this structure came to pass. It wasn’t something God asked for, He was content with the Tabernacle, but David had it in his heart. God told David it was good that it was in his heart, but that his son would be the one to build the Temple – and now…Solomon said, God’s word had come to pass (1 Kings 8:20).
Solomon then prays (1 Kings 6:12-39). It’s actually a beautiful prayer that glorifies God and acknowledges the fact that God is not in any way limited to the confines of the Temple.
1 Kings 8:27 (NKJV) “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!”
Solomon goes on to recognize the Temple as the location where the sacrifices would take place and hence, through which prayer would be possible. He spends much time requesting that God would hear the prayers of the people when they prayed toward the Temple. When they’d sinned, and been disciplined, but then repented in sincerity – that God would hear them. After famine, or pestilence, blight, mildew, locust, plague, sickness, whatever it might be, but if the people prayed toward the Temple:
1 Kings 8:39 (NKJV) “then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men).”
Solomon even includes the foreigner (1 Kings 8:41), he had a heart to evangelize and spread the Word and the name of the LORD. This brings up an interesting point, because the Temple was to be a place of prayer, for Israel and all nations (Isaiah 56:7), we even see it here in Solomon’s prayer…but eventually, Israel lost sight of that mission. The House of Prayer for all nations became a den of thieves, where the religious leaders were making big-time money, ripping the people off. That’s when Jesus cleaned house (He actually did it twice in His ministry) (John 2:14-17; Mark 11:15-17).
Solomon was on his knees, pleading with God. He then rose to his feet and blessed the assembly and praised the LORD for the way He had fulfilled His Word in every way.
1 Kings 8:56 (NKJV) “Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.
(See also Joshua 21:45; 23:14 – God fulfills His Word!)
The entire chapter is rich with content – but I’ve always loved the principle found in 1 Kings 8:59, how God maintains the cause of His people, “…as each day may require.” I’m so glad that God doesn’t take a day, or even a moment off. Here we are, another day, O Lord, please help us today…whatever the requirements may be.
Solomon ends with an exhortation to the people. If only he would have remembered it for himself!
1 Kings 8:61 (NKJV) “Let your heart therefore be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.”
It all ended with more sacrifices, supper, and assemblies for seven days. On the eighth day the people headed home, praising God for all He’d done through David and on behalf of the people of Israel. Today we thank God for all He’s done through Jesus – and all He’s done for His people.
1 Kings 9:1–10:29
After the dedication of the Temple, God appeared to Solomon again, with a positive promise, and word of warning. The word “IF” is epic.
God said IF you and your sons walk before Me as your father David walked in integrity (David wasn’t perfect but he WAS a believer in the LORD), blessings would follow.
But…
IF you or your sons turn from following Me and begin to follow other gods:
1 Kings 9:7 (NKJV) “then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight. Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.
God couldn’t have made it any clearer. Then why do we so often disobey? We choose to go our own wayward way? So foolish. We will see that even Solomon himself will eventually serve other “gods.”
It doesn’t happen overnight – he simply drifts away. As we read of Solomon’s riches, accomplishments, and accolades we can almost see his apostasy woven in.
In the meantime, we read of Solomon’s labor force, forced to build and build and build Solomon’s kingdom. We read of Solomon’s extravagant and exotic wealth, unparalleled in his era (picture the pockets of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk combined) (1 Kings 10:23).
We also read of Solomon’s wisdom. And it seems to me that Solomon was not only wise in what to do in sticky situations, he was also extremely intelligent, gifted by God to know almost everything about everything. The Queen of Sheba had heard of him and came to test him. She was overwhelmed:
1 Kings 10:6–7 (NKJV) “Then she said to the king: ‘It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. 7 However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard.’”
The Queen of Sheba acknowledged the LORD and gave Him the glory in blessing Solomon to be a blessing to Israel (1 Kings 10:9), but it seems that Solomon, unlike his father David, lost sight of the fact that God was the one who did all this.
Solomon went on to multiply gold, and horses, and chariots, and wives for himself, things God specifically forbade the kings of Israel to do (Deuteronomy 17:16-17). Solomon gave glory and attention to his own throne (made of ivory and covered with gold), it was lifted high (six steps up), but he neglected the glory of God’s throne, it wasn’t as high in his heart as it used to be.
We read in 1 Kings 10:24 that all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear the wisdom God put in his heart. I can’t help but think of the words of Jesus at this point – for Solomon was not the wisest man to ever walk the face of the earth – Jesus was (the God-Man):
Matthew 12:42 (NKJV) “The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”
I’m blessed with the wisdom of Solomon in his heyday, when He was walking with God he wrote the book of Proverbs. But there’s no comparison to the words of Jesus found in the New Testament, and in one sense, the entire Bible. May all the earth seek His presence and hear the wisdom from His heart.
1 Kings 11:1–12:19
It’s heartbreaking to see the way Solomon did not remain loyal to the LORD; to see the devastation of sin to him, his family, and the entire nation of Israel.
God had clearly warned Solomon not to marry pagan women – they would turn his heart away from the LORD. But Solomon not only married them, we read in:
1 Kings 11:2b (NKJV) “Solomon clung to these in love.”
We all know about the crazy things we do for “love.” He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. Such a tally took its toll. We read next:
1 Kings 11:4 (NKJV) “For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.”
It’s hard to imagine, but Solomon began to serve other gods, Ashtoreth, Milcom, Chemosh, he accommodated all his wives who burned incense to other gods.
Solomon no doubt justified his behavior, for this is what kings did in those days, it was diplomatic, it was the expected practice in the world, it was politically correct, and then to add to that, they say it’s every man’s battle (and I believe it). But it doesn’t matter what the pressure may be from the outside or the inside, Solomon should have known better. God had shown Himself to Solomon in so many way, even appearing to him twice. Solomon had the Word of God to kings in:
Deuteronomy 17:17a (NKJV) “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away…”
We have the same principle taught to us in 2 Corinthians 6:14, believers are not to marry non-believers…but so many do not listen to the Lord, and they pay a heavy price.
God became angry with Solomon (1 Kings 11:9), and raised up adversaries against him. A prophet named Ahijah even prophesied that one of those adversaries would be given 10 tribes of Israel, and the nation would be divided. But none of it seemed to bring Solomon back to where he’d once been. God, in His mercy, and because of His covenant with David, allowed Judah to be given to David’s descendants, but what a tragic story in the end.
I pray that you and I would stay on track.
When Solomon died, the leaders of the nation gathered together at Shechem to make Solomon’s son Rehoboam, king, but they had a question for him.
1 Kings 12:4 (NKJV) “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”
Rehoboam asked for 3 days to think it over, to consult his advisors. The elder (and wiser) advisor gave him good counsel.
1 Kings 12:7 (NKJV) “And they spoke to him, saying, ‘If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.’”
But Rehoboam didn’t heed their advice. He listened to the younger guys who told him he’d be better off not giving in to their pressure, to take the bull by the horns, to hold his ground, to be a tough king, a resilient leader – he wasn’t going to let them push him around…and in doing so, he lost 83% of the kingdom – overnight.
Rehoboam missed an opportunity of a lifetime, but it was all part and portion of Solomon’s sin, “…for the turn of events was from the LORD” (1 KIngs 12:15, 24).
Such a tragedy – and the kingdom was divided!
About a thousand years later, Jesus Christ would tell His Apostles that godly leaders are servant-leaders…it’s too bad Rehoboam didn’t yeild to godly counsel (Mark 10:42-45).
1 Kings 12:20–13:34
It’s tragic to see the division in the nation of Israel, but that’s what sin does, it divides. Satan’s plan is to divide and conquer. He knows we’re weaker when we lose our oneness (Mark 3:24). Much of this particular division is due to the sins of Solomon.
Jeroboam is crowned the ruler of the Northern Kingdom – Israel, while Rehoboam is crowned the ruler of the Southern Kingdom – Judah, ultimately consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
In the get-go Rehoboam wants to go to war. He musters up an army of 180,000 chosen warriors, but the Lord sends a godly man his way commanding him not to do this: We read in:
1 Kings 12:24 (NKJV) “Thus says the LORD: ‘You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel. Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.’ Therefore they obeyed the word of the LORD, and turned back, according to the word of the LORD.”
Solomon’s sin led to God’s discipline, something Rehoboam had to accept.
Jeroboam’s wheels immediately begin to turn. He knows the people will travel south to Jerusalem to sacrifice at the Temple, and he’s aware of the fact that this might turn their hearts back to Rehoboam. So what does he do? He invents his own religion! Can you believe that? He holds on to God’s covenant name, but he fashions golden calves as idols, sets up a couple of fancy altars, ordains his own priests, and devises in his own heart, certain feast days (religious holidays). As we read through the Kings and Chronicles we will find that the Northern Kingdom never left the worship of these calves. I have actually traveled to Israel and I’ve seen the northern altar – you can still sense the tragic darkness when you’re there.
This leads us to the bizarre story of the man of God who traveled from Judah to Bethel to pronounce judgment, that one day a child by the name of Josiah, a descendant of David, would sacrifice pagan priests upon this altar (it would be God’s judgment upon this religion – fulfilled 290 years later in 2 Kings 23:15-16).
The man of God also mentioned a sign to prove this prophesy would certainly come to pass – the altar would split and the ashes would pour out. When King Jeroboam heard the prophesy, he stretched his hand against the man of God, his hand went limp, and the altar was split. Jeroboam asked the prophet to pray for him – which he did, and he was immediately healed. You would think that this would bring Jeroboam to repentance, but it didn’t. Hardness of heart, and the dabbling with the demonic makes a man religiously unreasonable, even to something so obvious to others.
What happens next to the man of God is a heavy lesson for us all. May we never believe or follow anything ANYONE else may tell us (even if it’s an old prophet), if what they tell us contradicts the Word of God. Because he believed the old prophet over God’s Word, the man of God, who had been used by God in such a miraculous way, was killed by a lion (symbolic of Satan – 1 Peter 5:8).
1 Kings 14:1–15:24
King Jeroboam’s son, Abijah, was severely ill, so he asked his wife to disguise herself and travel to Shiloh, where the prophet Ahijah was, to find out the fate of their child (he may have even hoped that he’d pray for their son). Ahijah was the prophet who had predicted to Jeroboam that one day he would be the king of Israel (a prophecy that came true – 1 Kings 11:29-31). Jeroboam was acutely aware that the religion he had established in Israel was fake and fabricated, so in order to genuinely hear from God, he must send his wife somewhere else.
When Jeroboam’s wife arrives, although Ahijah’s eyes are nearly blind, his spiritual senses are keen – he not only knows who it is, but he announces that he has been sent to her…with bad news.
The child would die upon her return home, when she stepped into the city, but that was only the beginning. All the house of Jeroboam (his male descendants), would be extinguished, slaughtered as judgment for the sins of this king who had been given such an amazing privilege and opportunity. In establishing a new religion he was the root reason for the sin of the nation and the eventual carrying away of Israel into captivity by the Assyrians. As to Jeroboam’s descendants, the dogs would eat the dead bodies in the city and the birds would eat the dead bodies in the field, none would get a proper burial except this child – for God saw good in him.
Jeroboam blew it, big-time! God had given him such a wonderful promise woven within the original prophecy – the prophet Ahijah made it clear:
1 Kings 11:38 (NKJV) “Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.”
But Jeroboam valued the kingdom more than the King of kings. He was not loyal in the least, and forfeited his opportunity. God help us not miss out on the life He has for us!
While Jeroboam was reigning in the Northern Kingdom, Rehoboam was reigning in the Southern Kingdom. This son of Solomon also did evil in the land worshipping idols and setting up altars wherever he could. We even read of “perverted persons” in the land at that time.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary, “The high hills and spreading trees were favorite locations for these cultic shrines. Male shrine prostitutes (sodomites) were used in pagan worship. The same practices that moved God to purge the land of the moral cancer that plagued it in Joshua’s day were those to which the Israelites returned under Rehoboam’s leadership.”
It’s tragic to read of the swift fall of God’s people. The gold shields that Solomon had made were taken away by the Egyptians. King Rehoboam replaced them with bronze. This not only depicts the decline economically, but also spiritually – in the Bible gold symbolized deity while bronze symbolized judgment.
Rehoboam reigned for 17 years and was followed by his son Abijam’s brief stint as king (3 years) – he also walked in the sins of his father. We’re not told how he died, but his son Asa reigned after him. By God’s grace Asa was a good king in Judah who reigned for 41 years (longer than Saul, David, or Solomon).
1 Kings 15:11–12 (NKJV) “Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did his father David. 12 And he banished the perverted persons from the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.”
One of the things I’ve learned in life is that we must strive to do what is right “in the eyes of the LORD.” The standards of the world and the applause of any man are not to be our goals – pleasing God is our goal – His approval is all that matters!
Asa banished the perverted people, he even demoted his grandmother, for she had made an obscene image of Asherah – Asa’s heart was loyal to the LORD…all of his days.
We’ll see when we study Chronicles that Asa wasn’t a perfect king, but his prayer life and trust in the Lord, especially in the early years, are a blessing to read about (2 Chronicles 14-16).
As we study the kings of Israel and Judah we will see that there were no good kings in the Northern Kingdom of Israel (not one). But there were some good kings in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and Jehoshophat, the son of Asa, was one of those classified as a “good king.”
1 Kings 15:25–17:24
In this brief section we read of six evil kings in Israel, and one good king in Judah.
1. Nadab, the son of Jeroboam reigned (2 years)
2. Baasha, conspired against Nadab and reigned (24 years)
3. Elah, the son of Baasha reigned (2 years)
4. Zimri, the servant of Elah conspired against Elah and killed him and reigned (briefly – 7 days – but then committed suicide by burning the house down on himself).
5. Omri, the commander of the army conspired against Zimri and reigned (12 years)
6. Ahab, the son of Omri reigned (22 years) and things continue to decline.
1 Kings 16:30–33 (NKJV) “Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. 31 And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.”
1 Kings 16:34 is a fulfillment of Joshua 6:26 spoken 500 years earlier.
We will be reading a lot about King Ahab, Jezebel, and Elijah. A spiritual war is made public in 1 Kings 17:
1 Kings 17:1 (NKJV) “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.”
Elijah knew the Word, that the LORD promised to shut the heavens if His people worshipped other gods (Deuteronomy 11:16-17), so he simply prayed Bible. We can do the same, and if God wills, He can open and shut the heavens. We may look at Elijah and think he was some sort of superman, but he was just like us. James teaches the church that we can all have a ministry like Elijah – the key is prayer.
James 5:17–18 (NKJV) “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”
Who is this guy who just bursts onto the scene, storms into the palace, declares war, and shuts the heavens on Israel? He’s a man who has spent some serious time in prayer. Elijah is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. God feeds him through ravens (how cool is that?). God leads him every step of the way, eventually to a Gentile widow and they’re a mutual help to each other. The LORD leads Elijah to the widow in Zarephath. When Elijah asks her for some food, a little pancake perhaps, she tells him that she only has enough for her son and her. It’s the last of the oil and flour, they’re about to eat it and get ready to die (the drought is severe). Elijah responds:
1 Kings 17:13 (NKJV) “And Elijah said to her, ‘Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.
Was Elijah being selfish? Why did he ask her to make him a small cake first, bring it to him, and THEN make some for themselves?
Pastor Chuck Smith, “…he was asking her to give all she had to the Lord. We see this principle in action: If you put God first, He’ll take care of the rest. Give God your first fruits; then watch Him miraculously provide.”
Woven into this word is a principle deeper than tithing, it’s truly, totally, trusting God to provide. Give to God what belongs to God and watch God work! I wonder if this story was an inspiration to another widow we read about later in the Bible who gave her whole livelihood to God (Mark 12:41-44).
As we read through the Scriptures we see certain seasons of when there were “more” miracles:
1. At the Exodus.
2. During the time of Elijah and Elisha.
3. When Jesus came.
4. At the establishment of the church.
Here we see Elijah even raise the dead (1 Kings 17:21-24).
1 Kings 18:1-46
It hadn’t rained for three years. This led to a severe famine in the land…and now it was time. Elijah journeyed to present himself to King Ahab in obedience to God’s command. Rain would fall down – after – the showdown.
It just so happened that Elijah first crossed paths with Obadiah, the steward of Ahab’s house. Obadiah was a follower of the LORD, he had protected 100 prophets of the LORD by hiding them in caves and tending to their needs. Obadiah reveals to Elijah (and us), that King Ahab had searched everywhere for Elijah. We read in:
1 Kings 18:10 (NKJV) “As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you.’”
It just goes to show how God protects and even hides us as He sees fit – no one is allowed to touch us apart from His providential permission.
After 3 years of Divine discipline, it’s tragic to see that Ahab refers to Elijah as the troubler in Israel; Ahab had it backwards.
1 Kings 18:17–18 (NKJV) “Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.”
Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal and Asherah to a showdown. Elijah is passionate for the one true God, and the people of God. He wants to prove to them that the LORD is God (not Baal, Ashera, or any other deity), for their hearts were divided.
1 Kings 18:21 (NKJV) “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.’”
In all reality, this is the real reason why so many fall, and falter, people are half-hearted. One part belongs to the Lord and the other part belongs to someone or something else. Satan has a stronghold, even on the saints! Most are lukewarm and having left their first love…it permeates the church (Revelation 2:4; 3:16).
The challenge is fairly simple. They would prepare a bull, lay it on wood and put no fire under it. They were to call on Baal. Elijah would call on the LORD:
1 Kings 18:24b (NKJV) “…and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”
Everyone agreed.
As the day unfolds, it’s sad to see how the prophets of Baal, cried, and leaped, and even cut themselves (this was their custom) in order to get Baal’s attention, but no one answered. Elijah offered some suggestions with a hint of sarcasm, maybe Baal was busy, on a journey, or perhaps he was asleep. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention. (all day long)
Then Elijah called the people closer to him. He set up 12 stones for the 12 tribes of Israel. He drenched the sacrifice and the wood with water, four times. Elijah prayed a simple prayer, sharing his heart – all he wanted was for the people to know that the LORD alone is God – and he wanted the people to know that he was a prophet of God (so they would heed his message). He wanted the hearts of the people to return to the LORD. Sure enough, fire fell from heaven – proving to the people who God is.
1 Kings 18:39 (NKJV) “Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!’”
The people then executed the prophets of Baal, and rightly so, under the theocratic laws of Israel.
Next came rain, following the fervent prayers of Elijah, who prayed with his head between his knees, seven times. You would think the nation would turn to the LORD after these turn of events, right? God had proven Himself beyond a shadow of a doubt. But as we’ll see next time, sin and Satan get such a hold on souls, that even the most convincing of evidence rarely leads to genuine conversion.
1 Kings 19:1-21
My heart goes out to Elijah as hee went through that valley of depression and wanted to die.
At first, I didn’t understand how he could swing from one extreme to the other. How could he conduct himself with such courage before the king, be supernaturally supported by God for three years, lead an absolutely amazing and awesome victory over 450 prophets of Baal (calling fire down from heaven) and then have a complete meltdown at the threat of ONE woman?
It goes to show us that sometimes the most dangerous place to be is on the mountain-top of victory.
It goes to show us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:12), and any study of Jezebel would definitely lead to the conclusion that she was under the influence of the devil himself.
It goes to show that the battle doesn’t go away. Maybe Elijah thought the battle was over, but it wasn’t. Initially I shook my head in disgust, “How could he do such a thing!” Then I scratched my head, puzzled, “How could he do such a thing?” Then I remember what James wrote of Elijah, he was a man with a nature just like us (James 5:17).
If you were to look at a map, you would see that Elijah, ran, and ran, and ran, not just fleeing the nation of Israel, but to the southernmost portion of Judah (Beersheba). He sat down under a tree, and prayed that he might die.
Perhaps God allowed this to happen to Elijah as an encouragement to the many, many people who struggle with similar thoughts. Who’ve lost their will to live, they’ve lost that desire to keep going. Maybe some will be encouraged when they see what happened to Elijah, and realize, if it can happen to him, such a strong man of God, then I’m not without hope.
God will meet you there. It may not be in a spectacular way, like a hurricane, an earthquake, or a fire, it may just be in a still small voice. God sustained Elijah in every way, and He will do the same for you. Elijah thought his life and mission were in vain, that he was the only one left and he was about to die – that it was ALL in vain – but it wasn’t. God revealed to Elijah that He had reserved 7,000 men who had not bowed the knee to Baal.
God even commissioned Elijah with more work to do. His mission wasn’t over – as a matter of fact, it would expand. Elijah would be used to anoint the next king of Israel, and even in Syria. Elijah would anoint a successful successor (which says a lot), and check this out, ELIJAH WOULD NOT DIE. Not yet anyway. He would be taken up in a chariot of fire and return at the end of world history to usher in the coming of the King of kings – THEN he would finish his race.
May we all be encouraged by this mysterious prophet named Elijah – a man with a nature like ours…in so many ways (James 5:17).
1 Kings 20:1–21:29
Samaria, the capital of Israel, was surrounded by the forces of Syria, horses and chariots, AND thirty-two other kings were with them.
King Ahab was willing to surrender his silver and gold, loveliest wives, and children to the king of Syria, but when Ben Hadad demanded the freedom to search and take anything their hearts desired, Ahab brought it to the elders of Israel who counseled the king to resist. The king of Syria then threatened to reduce Samaria to dust.
At this point a prophet is sent to King Ahab:
1 Kings 20:13 (NKJV) “Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’”
Sure enough, the LORD defeated Syria and all her friends and forces! If only Ahab would have opened his heart to see and surrender his life to the LORD, that was God’s reason and intention for the victory.
Round 1 goes to Israel.
As a quick side-note, I thought it was interesting to read the words of the prophet who counseled Ahab to strengthen himself because the king of Syria would attack again in the spring. Have you ever noticed that some seasons of our lives are tougher than others? It’s wise to prepare ourselves in peaceful times, because the enemy will come against us again.
The bell then rings, for round 2.
The King of Syria assumes that the only reason Israel was able to defeat Israel was because their God was the God of the hills and not the plains. So he takes the battle there – and again, God sends His prophet to Israel.
1 Kings 20:28 (NKJV) “Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, ‘Thus says the LORD: Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys, therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’”
Sure enough, God graciously gives Israel the victory over Syria. The LORD was proving Himself to Ahab, to Israel, and even to Syria. He’s also proving Himself to us. God is the God of the mountain-top experiences, He’s the God of the plains, and He’s also the God of the valleys. He’s there with us in the best times, the darkest times, and even the plain times, when life seems pretty normal.
The LORD defeated Styria and intended to bring judgment on their leader. But King Ahab was foolish; he let the very enemy of the nation he was appointed to protect, get away. The prophet let King Ahab know he would die as a result, so King Ahab was sullen.
King Ahab was also sullen (depressed and moody) because he couldn’t purchase a vineyard adjacent to the palace that he wanted to make into a vegetable garden. In steps his wife Jezebel, who has the owner Naboth, murdered and allows Ahab to acqiure his vineyard.
The prophet Elijah is then sent to Ahab to pronounce judgment for what he’s done. Not just death, but he and Jezebel would be eaten by dogs.
A couple of things stand out:
1 Kings 21:20 ((NKJV) “So Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.”
Ahab sold himself to do evil.
1 Kings 21:25 (NKJV) “But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up.”
What a difference an ungodly spouse can make! Ahab was weak and therefore wicked. Maybe he though he could turn a blind eye to all his wife was doing, but as a husband, he was responsible for his family.
His attempt at remorse, however, was seen by God and delayed the judgment.
1 Kings 22:1-53
We read in 1 Kings 22:44 that Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, made peace with Ahab the king of Israel. Jehoshophat was a good king, but Ahab was an evil king. This was not a wise alliance. As I read the story I want to give Jehoshaphat the benefit of the doubt, maybe he was trying to win Ahab back to the LORD, knowing the history of Israel. Perhaps he was seeking unity in the “family.” He may have had a “good heart,” with good intentions, but it was not good…he lacked wisdom. There is a time to unite, and a time to divide.
As Ahab decides to go to war against Syria, he asks Jehoshaphat to join him. Jehoshaphat wholeheartedly agrees, emphasizing their unity (1 Kings 22:4), but he asks to hear from a prophet of the LORD (this is God’s covenant name). Are there any prophets of the LORD left as counselor to the king in Israel? Notice Ahab’s response:
1 Kings 22:8 (NKJV) “So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.’ And Jehoshaphat said, ‘Let not the king say such things!’”
The false prophets were predicting victory, words that Ahab wanted to hear. When Micaiah was compelled to speak the truth, he foresaw Ahab’s death:
1 Kings 22:17 (NKJV) “Then he said, ‘I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’’”
The king and false prophets mocked him, and even beat Micaiah, but he was telling the truth. It was all part of God’s plan, in allowing lying spirits to be used in the judgment of Ahab. Some might wonder how God could allow demons to do their work, but keep in mind, the truth was also told by God’s prophet, but he chose NOT to listen to the LORD.
Isn’t it interesting the way God made it clear that it wasn’t Syria who killed Ahab (although that was their intention – to get the king), it was God who judged Ahab. A “random” arrow struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor (1 Kings 22:34), even through he disguised himself. The dogs licked up his blood, just as the LORD had spoken in 1 Kings 21:19.
Although Jehoshaphat lacked wisdom in his alliance with Ahab, he was a good king in Judah. We read about him in:
1 Kings 22:43a (NKJV) “And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD.”
Jehoshaphat may have learned from his mistake with Ahab and later chose not to align himself with Ahab’s son Ahaziah (see 1 Kings 22:49). O Lord, please help us to learn from our mistakes!