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STT: 1 & 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

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1 & 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles detail the history of Israel from the end of David's reign until the Babylonian captivity. If history isn't your thing, these may be difficult books to study. The unfamiliar (but often similar) names and different spellings for those names add an extra challenge. But don't get discouraged. We are used to names changes- When I was a kid the capital of China was Peking. Now it's Beijing. The names in Kings reflect that same cultural shift in spelling between the generations of historians.
 
These books form the framework for the rest of the Old Testament since the prophetic writings fit in between the narratives in these books. For instance, Lamentations is Jeremiah's poem written after he witnessed the devastation of Jerusalem's fall. Knowing the history gives a better insight into the prophets.
 
Details aside, there are three great threads that run through these books-
 
God's promise to David. Notice how God reiterates His covenant and preserves David's line.
God keeps His word - including the promises of judgment. The messages delivered by appointed prophets underscores this.
Obedience matters. Each king's reign includes an assessment of where he stood before God. Notice how the people responded to the king's obedience (or disobedience) and the consequences.
 
 
If you want a quick survey hitting some of the highlights and notable people, check out the following chapters in Kings and their Chronicles cross references.
 
 
 
Do you like reading the history books in the Bible?
 
Next week's study tip – Romans
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Footnote to Greatness

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passing the baton

Hezekiah son of Ahaz began to rule over Judah in the third year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel.  He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years.  His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.  He did what was pleasing in the LORD’S sight, just as his ancestor David had done.  (2 Kings 18:1-3, NLT)

Abijah gets two passing mentions in Scripture. One here and one in the parallel account in 2 Chronicles. It’s easy to overlook her, but she must have had a tremendous testimony, one that deeply impacted her son, the good king, Hezekiah.

Ahaz, Hezekiah’s father, had sold out, and thrown his lot in with Assyria.  To assure his new allies of his sincerity, he adopted their religion. In chapter 16 of 2 Kings is the chilling description of Ahaz’s sacrifice of his own son to those pagan gods.

Even with that example, Hezekiah turned out to be the greatest king Judah had aside from David. Apparently, his mother quietly passed on an unwavering faith to her son. 

Who knows? There may be a young Hezekiah in your life, soaking up your example, learning from your life. Be diligent to pass on your faith, then watch and see what God does with the investment.

 

 

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Study tip: Seek God

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The ultimate purpose of Bible study is to deepen our relationship with the God who reveals Himself in its pages. He promises us ‘you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.’ (Jeremiah 29:13) It will increase our wonder and our worship of our God ‘who called you out of darkness into His glorious light’. (1 Peter 2:9)

So with each passage, each you study, ask yourself what it reveals about God or His ways. In the two quick examples I cited, we find out that God encourages us to seek Him and promises to honor every sincere search. He wants us to know Him. Ponder that for a moment or two. God… wants me to know Him… challenges me to… How could I refuse an invitation like that? How could I slack off on Bible study when God is effectively asking me to sit down with Him?

That phrase from 2 Peter gives us the gospel. God called us. He didn’t move us Himself. He called and we had to respond, but when we did, everything changed as much as it could possibly change. From darkness into light, and not just any light, His glorious light! God wants us to join Him in that light, so He calls us. How could you not love a God like that?

One more example- This one is a little more obscure. I was reading in 2 Kings this morning and hit this verse in chapter 17. “And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them.” The context is that Assyria has taken the northern kingdom into captivity and repopulated the land with people from all over their empire. These folks brought their religion with them, and when they practiced it in the Promised Land, lions came and attacked them. What does that tell you about God? Mess up church and you’ll get eaten? Maybe. I think the Old Testament consistently reveals God’s character. In this odd verse, we see that He takes assaults on His holiness very seriously. The people failed to revere Him alone, and He brought swift judgment. Thankfully for us, His grace often delays that judgment, but He has that right.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to makes notes about all these observations in your notebook.

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