Bible Study

Summit Views: 2 Kings

Purpose:

To trace the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel to their ultimate destruction and exile.

Gospel Connection:

Is their one who will do right? Though there were some bright spots, the majority of the kings did not heed the word of the Lord from the prophets and in the covenant of the law. Instead the kings walked in the sinful ways of their fathers and of the nations around them. They “did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD” (16:2), but “what was evil in the sight of the LORD” (16:23). God however will not tolerate sin and his justice demands a penalty. As a result, the wrath of God came upon them due to their sin.

The good kings however turned in humility toward God and trusted Him for deliverance. Though few in number, these kings were hints along the way pointing to a future One who would fully walk in the way of God, because He would in fact be God in the flesh. This King (Jesus Christ) would deliver people from their sin and one day rule righteously from the throne of David. Those who trust in Him will be forgiven and receive new life by the Spirit to walk in the way of righteousness.

In the progress of revelation, the prophets would soon share this message of hope to the people in exile. God would bring His people back and offer deliverance for those who turn from their sin and trust in Him. The prophets would speak of a new covenant, where God would provide the means of living rightly before Him. The hope of this covenant is found in Jesus Christ!

Summary Outline:

(1-2) Transition from Elijah to Elisha
(3:1-8:15) Elisha’s Ministry to People, Kings, and Foreigners
(8:16-29) Kings and the Evil Ways of Ahab
(9-10) Jehu Strikes the House of Ahab
(11-12) Joash’s Escape, Reign and Repairs
(13) Conflict with Syria and Elisha’s Death
(14-16) Evil Ways are Persisting
(17) Fall of Samaria
(18-20) Hezekiah’s Trust and Isaiah’s Prophecies
(21) Manasseh’s evil and Judah’s Impending Judgment
(22:1-23:27) Josiah’s Reform
(23:28-25:30) Fall of Jerusalem

Summary message:

The book begins by continuing to show how God uses Elijah the prophet among the kings. Elijah’s ministry concludes as He is taken to Heaven and the baton of this great prophet is transferred over to Elisha. The Lord uses Elisha to minister to everyone from kings to widows, children, and foreigners. The work and glory of God continued in spite of the people’s sin and His covenant promises remained available. The majority of the kings, however, did not follow in His ways. They followed the idols of the nations around them and forsook God and His covenant. Their evil ways led the nation into idolatry and as a result, God used foreign nations to exact His wrath upon them. He gave his people into their hands and into their lands. There were however a few hints of hope in the life of a handful of kings. We see from these examples, that when one humbles himself before God and trusts in Him, God is always faithful. Israel and Judah however by and large reject Him and God punishes them in His wrath. The Assyrians invade Samaria and take Israel into exile in 722 BC. Later, the Babylonians invade Jerusalem and take Judah into exile in 586 BC. King Josiah did bring some reform to the people but it would not last even one generation. The book ends with the sad destruction and exile of the LORD’s people for their covenant unfaithfulness.

Date:

Events take place from the 9th to 7th century BC. The book was probably completed sometime after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC and no later than 540BC[1]

Author:

Jewish canons include 1 and 2 Kings as one book.[2] The author is not mentioned but the Babylonian Talmud attributes authorship to Jeremiah[3]

Historical context:

– Fall of Israel 722 BC (2 Kings 17)
– Fall of Judah 586 BC (2 Kings 24-25)
      Beseige 605 BC
      ______ 597 BC
      ______ 586 BC

Nations and their kings that interacted with God’s people:

(not exhaustive)

Key People/places/passages:

People: Baal, Asherah

Places: Jerusalem, Samaria, Moab, Assyria, Syria, Babylon

Passages: 2 Samuel 7; Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28

Maps:

(coming soon)

Detailed Outline:

Transition from Elijah to Elisha (1-2)
Elijah Prophecies Judgment on Ahaziah (1:1-18)
Elijah is Taken to Heaven (2:1-4)
The Spirit of Elijah Rests on Elisha (2:15-25)

Elisha’s Ministry to People, Kings and Foreigners (3:1-8:15)
Moab Rebells And Kings Seek Help From Elisha (3:1-27)
Elisha Increased the Widow’s Oil (4:1-7)
Elisha Tells the Shunammite Woman She Will Have a Son (4:8-17)
Elisha Brings the Shunammite’s Son Back to Life (4:18-37)
Elisha Feeds the People (4:38-44)
Naaman Is Cured of Leprosy (5:1-14)
Elisha’s Servant Disobeys and Contracts Leprosy (5:15-27)
Elisha And the Floating Axe (6:1-7)
The Lord Opens Eyes and Protects Israel From Syria (6:8-23)
Syria Besieges Samaria During a Famine and Jehoram Goes After Elisha (6:24-33)
Elisha’s Prediction and The Lord’s Salvation (7:1-20)
The Shunammite Woman Receives Her Land Back (8:1-6)
Elisha Foretells Ben-hadad’s Recovery and Death (8:7-15)

Kings and the Evil Ways of Ahab (8:16-29)
Jerhoram Reigns in Judah (8:16-24)
Ahaziah Regins in Judah (8:25-29)

Jehu Strikes the House of Ahab (9-10)
Elisha Sends Man to Anoint Jehu and Avenge Jezebel (9:1-13)
Jehu Conspires and Kills King Of Israel And Judah (9:14-29)
Jehu Kills Jezebel (9:30-37)
Jehu Slaughters the House of Ahab (10:1-17)
Jehu Slaughters the Prophets of Baal (10:18-27)
Jehu’s Reign Over Israel (10:28-35)

Joash’s Escape, Reign and Repairs (11-12)
Athaliah Destroys the Royal Family Except For Joash Who is Hidden (11:1-3)
Jehoida the Priest Makes a Covenant with the People and Anoints Joash (11:4-20)
Joash Reigns in Judah (12:1-3)
Joash Repairs the Temple (12:4-18)
Joash is Killed by His Servants (12:19-21)

Conflict with Syria and Elisha’s Death (13)
Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel (13:1-9)
Jehoash Reigns in Israel (13:10-13)
Elisha’s Final Ministries and Death (13:14-25)

Evil Ways are Persisting (14-16)
Amaziah Reigns in Judah and Picks a Fight with Israel (14:1-22)
Jeroboam II Reigns in Israel and The LORD Saves them (14:23-29)
Azariah Reigns in Judah (15:1-7)
Zechariah Reigns in Israel and Murdered by Shallum (15:8-12)
Shallum Regins in Israel And Murdered by Menahem (15:13-16)
Menahem Reigns in Israel and Bribes King of Assyria (15:17-22)
Pekahiah Reigns in Israel and Murdered by Pekah (15:23-26)
Pekah Reigns in Israel and Murdered by Hoseha (15:27:31)
Jotham Reigns in Judah (15:32-38)
Ahaz Reigns in Judah, Seeks Help from Assyria, and Builds a Different Alter (16:1-20)

Fall of Samaria (17)
Hoshea Reigns in Israel But Put in Prison by Assyrian King (17:1-4)
Assyria Captures Samaria and Carries Israelites Into Exile (17:5-6)
The Reason for Israel’s Exile Due to Sin (17:7-23)
Assyria Resettles Samaria by Others Who Don’t Follow the LORD (17:24-41)

Hezekiah’s Trust and Isaiah’s Prophecies (18-20)
Hezekiah Reigns in Judah and Trusts in The LORD (18:1-12)
Sennacherib Attacks Judah and Challenges Hezekiah in Jerusalem (18:13-36)
Hezekiah Humbles Himself and Seeks Out Isaiah the Prophet (19:1-7)
Sennacherib Challenges the LORD A Second Time (19:8-13)
Hezekiah Responds in Prayer (19:14-19)
Isaiah Delivers the LORD’s Response and the Assyrians are Defeated (19:20-37)
Isaiah Becomes Sick but Turns to The Lord (20:1-11)
Hezekiah Shows Off His Wealth and Isaiah Foretells Judah’s Exile (20:12-21)

Manasseh’s Evil and Judah’s Impending Judgment (21)
Manasseh Reigns in Judah and Does Great Evil (21:1-9)
Prophets Declare the LORD’s Judgement upon Judah (21:1-18)
Amon Reigns in Judah and Murdered by His Servants (21:19-26)

Josiah’s Reform (22:1-23:27)
Josiah Reign’s in Judah (22:1-2)
Josiah Repairs the Temple (22:3-7)
The Book of The Law Is Found and Josiah Seeks the LORD (22:8-20)
Josiah Reads Book of The Covenant and Commits to The LORD (23:1-3)
Josiah Destroys Everything Devoted to False Gods (23:4-20)
Josiah Continues to Reform but The LORD’s Judgment was Impending (23:21-27)

Fall of Jerusalem (23:28-25:30)
Pharaoh Neco Kills Josiah (23:28-30)
Jehoahaz Reigns in Judah but Taken Captive by Pharaoh Neco (23:31-35)
Jehoiakim Reigns in Judah (23:36-37)
The LORD Uses Other Nations to Come Against Judah (24:1-7)
Jehoiachin Reigns in Judah (24:8-9)
Nebuchadnezzar Captures Jerusalem and Carries People into Captivity (24:10-17)
Nebuchadnezzar places Zedekiah as King Who Reigns in Judah (24:18-20)
Jerusalem and the Temple Burned While the Rest Go into Exile (25:1-21)
Gedaliah Becomes Governor in Judah but Is Murdered (25:22-26)
Evil-Merodach Releases Jehoiachin (25:27-30)

_____________________________________

[1] Charles Dyer and Eugene Merrill. Nelson’s Old Testament Survey. Ed. Charles R. Swindoll & Roy B. Zuck. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2001, p. 270.
[2] Ibid., p. 245.
[3] Ibid., pp. 245, 269.

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