Topic: Making sense of First Kings
The book of 1 Kings is the sequel to 1 and 2 Samuel. First Kings begins with the last days of King David and the pronouncement of Solomon as King. King Solomon inherited Israel as a united kingdom, but ended his reign with the nation divided into two kingdoms—Judah and Israel.
A key verse that holds 1 Kings together is chapter 2 verse 3. This verse is advice from King David to his son Solomon.
“ Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.”
The book of 1 Kings starts with Solomon and ends with Elijah.
- Solomon, like his father, had a weakness for women that would bring him down. Solomon did well at first, praying for wisdom and building a temple to God that took seven years to construct. But then he spent thirteen years building a palace for himself. His accumulation of many wives led him to worship their idols and away from God. After Solomon’s death, Israel was ruled by a series of kings, most of whom were evil and idolatrous.
- Elijah, unlike Solomon, had a heart to honor God. As the nation fell further away from God, his preaching could not bring them back. Elijah tried to turn the Israelites back to the worship of Yahweh, challenging the idolatrous priests of Baal to a showdown with God on Mount Carmel. Of course, God won. This made Queen Jezebel angry (to say the least). She ordered Elijah to death, so he ran away and hid in the wilderness. Depressed and exhausted, he said, “Let me die.” But God sent food and encouragement to the prophet and whispered to him in a “quiet gentle sound” and in the process saved his life for further work.
The book of 1 Kings has two main lessons for believers:
1. The company we keep, especially in marriage, sets the spiritual direction of our lives. The kings of Israel who—like Solomon—married foreign women which exposed themselves and the people they ruled to evil. As believers in Christ, we must be very careful about whom we choose as friends, business associates, and spouses. “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33).
2. Spiritual victories are often followed by a letdown, depression, and discouragement. We need to be on guard for this type of experience in the Christian life. But God is faithful and will never leave or forsake us.
See you Sunday,
Dr. Scott Kallem