Posts that reference the book of 1 Kings

1 Kings

Study Tip: Song of Solomon

In 1 Kings 4:32, we have this record of Solomon. "He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five." While hundreds of his proverbs are preserved, we only have one song. Song of Solomon is probably one of the least studied books in the canon of Scripture but one of the most practical. It's a candid celebration of courtship, marital intimacy, and mature love. That candor makes a lot of folks uncomfortable and for many years, the book was treated as allegory and spiritualized to the point that it didn't make much sense. For this book especially use the first rule of interpretation – The simplest, most obvious interpretation is best.

Let's address some issues that cause folks to shy away from the Song-

Solomon? Didn't he have hundreds of wives? How is he qualified to speak on this?

Solomon had God-given wisdom that no other man possessed. Unlike the Solomon in Ecclesiastes, this Song pictures a young man, chasing hard after God and His ways in every aspect of his life, including his marriage. It's God-inspired and God-preserved. The multiple wives happened after the conclusion of the events in the Song.

What is it even talking about?

For starters, it's poetry which means the language is rich in metaphors, similes and word pictures. Then when you add the fact that it's deeply rooted in ancient Hebrew culture and customs it can be difficult to interpret. This is where a good study Bible will help. If you don't have one, update the language. If you don't think a neck like an ivory tower is particularly attractive, what sweet nothing would make you gooey inside?

My sister, my spouse? Seriously?

Again, we have a cultural disconnect. There's nothing Freudian about it. Solomon and his bride wish for such a degree of closeness, that being womb-mates is the way he expresses it. It sounds a little unsettling to our ears, but he meant in the best way. In other spots, his bride says she wished Solomon was her brother. The reason is brothers and sisters were allowed to be affectionate in public. Decorum dictated that the King and his wife be prim and proper. She just wishes she could hug him or hold his hand or something. Purely innocent.

How can we get anything out of it?

1. Know who's speaking – The Song switches between the Bride, Solomon and a Chorus, the daughters of Jerusalem. Occasionally a few others pop in for a line or two. If your Bible doesn't help you out with divisions by speaker, use one that does. (One caution: While the words of Scripture are inspired, the section divisions and labels aren't. There may be some differences from one Bible to the next.)

2. Use a good study Bible or commentary – This is the easiest way to get the inside track on all those cultural references. (Recently I read What the Bible Says about Love, Marriage and Sex by David Jeremiah. It's straightforward, easy-to-understand and balanced between ancient wisdom and contemporary application. There are plenty of other good ones, too.)

3. Trust yourself when it comes to the poetic language – It probably means what you think it does.

While culture and society have loudly taken up the cause of illicit or immoral sex, the church has chosen to respond largely with silence. Song of Solomon demonstrates that God sanctions and blesses sex within the boundaries He established. Trust me, a walk through this book is well worth the time and effort (especially if you're the hopeless romantic type.)

So have you ever ventured to study Song of Solomon?

Study Tip: 1 & 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

By Paula

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.

Solomon (1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5 -7)
Elijah (1 Kings 18)
Ahab (1 Kings 22)
Elisha (2 Kings 5
Hezekiah and Isaiah (2 Kings 18-20, 2 Chronicles 29-32)
Manasseh (2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 33)
Josiah (2 Kings 22-23, 2 Chronicles 34-35)
Fall of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36)

Do you like reading the history books in the Bible?

Next week's study tip – Romans

Study Tip: Just the Facts

By Paula

Sherlock Holmes wannabe As you study, you run into them- genealogy lists, temple building instructions, missionary journey travel logs. What can you possibly take away from them if you're not into details? Here are some new perspectives on some of these more tedious (boring) sections of Scripture.

Genealogy and Census records– God uses ordinary people to accomplish His purposes. He knows each one, their history and their background, just as He knows ours, and in grace, He not only includes us in His work, but He records that for all eternity. Your name may not be written in Scripture, but it's recorded in God's ledgers. (1 Corinthians 1:26 …not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.)

Lists of offerings– In Numbers 7, for example, there is a huge list of the offerings each tribe brought as the tabernacle system was instituted. It's repetitive, and I often wondered why we couldn't have a much shorter chapter- "Each of the leaders brought …" But what's boring for us, God never tires of. He delights in EVERY offering, EVERY act of worship. It never gets old. If He accepts our worship with such intense delight, shouldn't that change how we offer it?

Temple-building instructions– You find these in Exodus for the tabernacle, in 1 Kings for the first temple and in the last chapters of Ezekiel for the millenial temple. Then there's wall-building in Nehemiah. I admit, those last chapters of Ezekiel are tough to wade through. Why does God do that to us? Just to kill our read-thru the Bible plans? No. Part of it goes back to the point I made about offering and God's delight in our worship. However, it also shows God's care and attention to detail. He has a right way that He wants things done. When we undertake something for God, it must be done His way and not ours. However, more significant than this, the temple and tabernacle represented God's physical presence with His people. When we see the cumbersome requirements that must be met before we can approach a holy God, we get a much greater appreciation for the what Christ's redemptive work did for us.

Missionary logs– If you're not into first century Mediterranean geography, wouldn't it be just as easy to say "Paul made a lot of stops." Yes, but we'd miss some insights, such as God has a plan. The places Paul went were not the only cities around, but they were ones God wanted Paul to go to. There are plenty on ministries around doing good work, but we can't work at all of them. God has a place for us, a route He wants us to take. Those other cities, other ministries- He's got somebody lined up for them.

Now when you read Scripture and hit some details that are … well, boring, take a minute before your eyes glaze over, and ask God why He wanted all that stuff in His word. What can you take away from it? You'll find out GOD is in the details.

Pour It Out

By Paula

Water Drop In 1 Kings 18, there is that tremendous story about Elijah and the prophets of Baal. God answers His lone prophet by fire, dramatically proving Himself strong and mighty on behalf of His people. Tucked in that story is a detail worth noticing.

Right before Elijah prayed, he directed some of those standing by to fill four pots with water and pour it over the altar and the sacrifice. Then he had them do it again. Then a third time. There could be no doubt when the fire came that it was a miraculous, divine reply.

But here's the thing. There was a famine going on. There had been no rain for three YEARS. That water poured out on the altar and sacrifice was a precious treasure, to be held back and guarded.

Pouring out the water had to come before the fire fell.
Pour out your hope for the future, your security, your ability to take care of things on your own. Pour it all out. I know there's a famine. Pour it out anyway. Take what's precious to you. Take what seems wiser to keep. Take what doesn't make sense. Pour it out. Every last drop. Then watch and see if I'm not God alone, the God who hears and answers.

Sometimes the fire doesn't fall in our lives, at our requests, because God is waiting for us to complete that last step. What is God asking us to pour out on the altar?