A Study of the Kings and Prophets

David Weaks Contents:

Lesson One: An Introduction to the Prophets 2 Lesson Two: An Introduction to the Kings of Israel and Judah 10 Lesson Three: The United Kingdom: Saul 14 Lesson Four: The United Kingdom: King 19 Lesson Five: The United Kingdom: King 25 Lesson Six: The Kingdom Divides: and Jeroboam 30 Lesson Seven: The First Kings Born In Division 36 Lesson Eight: , , and 43 Lesson Nine: The Prophet 50 Lesson Ten: The Prophet Elisha 56 Lesson Eleven: Two Jehoram's: A Time Of Confusion 64 Lesson Twelve: Years Of Upheaval In The North and South 69 Lesson Thirteen: The Prophet Obadiah 76 Lesson Fourteen: The Prophet Joel 80 Lesson Fifteen: The Beginning of Israel's Decline 84 Lesson Sixteen: The Prophet Jonah 91 Lesson Seventeen: The Prophet Amos 96 Lesson Eighteen: The Prophet Hosea 102 Lesson Nineteen: The Fall of Israel 109 Lesson Twenty: The Prophet 115 Lesson Twenty-One: The Prophet Micah 123 Lesson Twenty-Two: King and His Reforms 128 Lesson Twenty-Three: Manasseh, Amon, and : Judah's Last Battle For righteousness 137 Lesson Twenty-Four: The Prophet Zephaniah 144 Lesson Twenty-Five: The Prophet Nahum 148 Lesson Twenty-Six: The Prophet Habakkuk 152 Lesson Twenty-Seven: The Final Kings of Judah and 's Fall 156 Lesson Twenty-Eight: The Prophet 160 Lesson Twenty-Nine: The Prophet Ezekiel 168 Lesson Thirty: The Prophet Daniel 174 Lesson Thirty-One: The Book of Esther 187 Lesson Thirty-Two: Ezra and Nehemiah 193 Lesson Thirty-Three: The Prophet Haggai 206 Lesson Thirty-Four: The Prophet Zechariah 210 Lesson Thirty-Five: The Prophet Malachi 218

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson One

An Introduction To The Prophets

Today we begin a study of the amazing period of Israel and Judah's history in which God spoke to the people by His prophets (Hebrews 1:1). For some six hundred and fifty years (from post-Samuel 1050 B.C. to Malachi 400 B.C.), the people of God were led by the kings and the prophets. This was a time of great upheaval in Israel. There were many battles fought, land changed hands between Israel and the Philistines, the Egyptians, Syrians, and others. Israel made alliances with nations whom they were supposed to defeat in battle, while fighting on the side of the Lord. The nation divided, and the two resulting nations: Israel and Judah set out on a fractured history which led to eventual defeat and conquest by the Assyrians and the Babylonians. The kings were the men who were chosen (by a defiant Israel) to supplant the judges (1 Samuel 9:4-5). Israel complained about the wickedness of Samuel's sons, who were judges, who "did not walk in his (Samuel's) ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice" (vs. 3). This was bad, but it wasn't the real reason why the people asked for a king. They wanted a king like the nations around them (vs. 5). It was the nation's assumption that doomed them. They assumed that a king would be a noble and true leader. This assumption turned out not to be catastrophically false. The kings were a collection mostly of wicked men, although some were good or moderately so. This is what God promised Israel that would happen when they rejected the judges and demanded a king: "Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.... And he said, "This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day" (1 Samuel 8:9-18). The nation of Israel made a bad decision when they chose to reject the God-given leadership of the judges, because when the kings entered the picture, there were very few of them who would lead Israel righteously. As a result, the nation of Israel departed from the Lord. With the reign of Solomon, Idolatry became a very serious threat to Israel, because the wisest king who ever lived

2 practiced idolatry openly in honor of his seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. The prophets of Israel were divinely appointed messengers whose job it was to call the people to repentance with strong preaching. Literary and non-literary prophets There were many prophets who lived and preached during the . However, most of us think of men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Amos, and Hosea, as well as a number of other prophets who wrote books. These books are recorded for our learning (Romans 15:4). Their writings remind us of the consequences of sin when we witness the condemnation and fall of mighty nations at their word. The prophets also wrote about Jesus Christ and His kingdom. However, we must not forget the great men of God who served as God's prophets, but who never wrote a book. Some of the non-writing prophets are well known, but others less so. However, they all had an important role to play in the life of God's people. That a man wrote a book did not make his work more important than one who did not. Some of the non-writing prophets include the following:

 Samuel: An important prophet who bridged the period between the Judges and the Kings. He appointed Saul as King and rebuked Saul's sin with Agag (1 Samuel 15:14-31).  : The prophet who condemned David's sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 24:1-14)  : A prophet who told David of God's punishment for numbering the people contrary to God's wishes (2 Samuel 24:13ff).  Shemaiah: A lesser known prophet who commanded Rehoboam not to war with Jeroboam (:22-24). He also foretold the defeat of Rehoboam in war with Shishak of Egypt (:5-7).  Iddo: A lesser known prophet who prophesied during the days of Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijam, kings of Judah. At the death of Solomon, Iddo is mentioned as one who foretold the blasphemy of Jeroboam (:29). Iddo's "annals" are mentioned several times (2 Chronicles 12:14, 13:22), so technically, we can call him a "writing prophet" but his writing is not preserved for us.  : A prophet who preached during the days of Jehoshaphat of Judah and several kings of Israel. He condemned Baasha of Israel for leading Israel into idolatry like Jeroboam I had done (1 Kings 15:1-4). Jehu also condemned Jehoshaphat for his alliance with king Ahab of Israel (:1-3).  Elijah: Elijah prophesied during the days of Ahab of Israel. He is most famous for his contest with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:21-40).  Elisha: Elisha was the successor of Elijah. Elisha was gentle whereas Elijah was forceful. Elisha is best remembered as the prophet who cured Naaman of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:1-27).

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God sent the appropriate prophet for the appropriate circumstance to God's people when they were most needed The writing prophets all lived and preached over roughly 450 years (850 to 400 B.C.). However, there were other prophets who lived before and during this same time period. We will attempt in our study to put each prophet where he belongs in the story. We will note his deeds, to whom he preached, his message, and his impact on the kings of His day.

The message of the prophets

The Message of the prophets was clear and concise: Repent or be destroyed! The bulk of the writing prophets’ work concentrated on the people of God: Israel and Judah. However, regardless of the audience, each of the prophets had a common mission - to save the nations from their wickedness and rebellion against God. This great mission was accomplished by preaching. The prophets spoke pointedly, clearly, and with urgency. One can scarcely read the words of Jeremiah and imagine anything less. God appointed Jeremiah to “root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). These were truly men of fire and brimstone! A common thread that weaves itself through each of the prophet’s work is the theme of redemption. The prophets continually mention a remnant that will heed the warnings of doom and repent. Likewise, the prophets speak often of the coming Messiah. They point across the centuries to the Son of God who will save men from their sins. This Messiah, or “one like unto the Son of man” (Daniel 7:13) would arise from the tribe of Judah to sit on David’s throne (Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:14-17).

The "major" and "minor" prophets

The only distinction that exists between the “major” prophets and the “minor” prophets is an accommodative one given by Bible students. The “major” prophets left behind a larger body of writing than the “minor” prophets. In simple terms the “minor” prophets wrote less than the “major” prophets. Certainly, there is no more importance attached to the writing of Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Ezekiel, than to one of the twelve “minor” prophets.

The role of the prophets: They were God's spokesmen

The meaning of the word: “prophet”: In the Old Testament, “prophet” is translated from the Hebrew word: nabhi which is from: nabha meaning: “To bubble up.” The prophets were men who could not help but speak the message God gave them. Jeremiah said: “Then I said, ‘I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.’ But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not” (see: Jeremiah 20:9).

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In the , “prophet” is translated from the Greek word: prophetes referring to a public expounder of God’s word. The relationship between God and His prophets can be understood by noting the relationship between and Aaron (Exodus 4:10-16; 7:1). Moses expressed concern over his ability to adequately deliver God’s message to Pharaoh (4:10). God appointed Aaron to be Moses’ mouthpiece. Aaron would be Moses’ “prophet,” and Moses would be as “God” to Aaron (4:14-16; 7:1). This is the role the prophets served on behalf of God. The prophets were men who preached by Inspiration of God. Peter confirms this to be true: "knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20-21). The Hebrew writer also taught that God delivered His oracles through the prophets (see: Hebrews 1:1). The prophets spoke nothing more than the words God put into their mouths (Jeremiah 1:9). If prophets spoke any other words than those given to them by God, they were false prophets (2 Peter 2:1). The test of a prophet's genuineness was the truth of his words. If he spoke something that did not come to pass, he was to be rejected by the people (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). Jeremiah said that such men were to be regarded as false prophets (Jeremiah 23:16).

The scope of the prophet's work

Sometimes the prophets were fore-tellers. They often foretold important events, people, and times which their unaided mind could not possibly have known. One of the most impressive examples of foretelling occurs in Isaiah 44:28-45:1. In this text, Isaiah prophecies the name of the Persian king who would release the Israelites from after their seventy years of punishment. That king's name was "Cyrus." What makes this prophecy so remarkable is that Isaiah called the man by name, and described what he would do, and also that he did it more than a century before Cyrus was even born! The record of Cyrus releasing the Israelites is recorded in :1-4. Another equally amazing prophecy is the one in which Isaiah foretold the nature of Jesus birth (Isaiah 7:14). Isaiah foretold that Jesus would be born of a virgin more than seven hundred years before Jesus was born! Micah added his part to the story of Jesus' birth by foretelling that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem of Ephratha (Micah 5:2). These prophecies were not of the kind that we hear by modern palm readers and other hucksters. The prophets of God did not make guesses. They foretold with absolute accuracy what the future held. The events can be verified down to the most minute detail. But, the main job of the prophets was to be forth-tellers. The prophets of Israel and Judah were the preachers of their day. God sent them to call His people to repent and return to Him. The prophets arrived on the scene during various periods of rebellion and upheaval in Israel. They prophesied during the days of the kings of Israel and Judah, which was a time of terrible

5 rebellion against God in both nations. They also preached and condemned the sins of the kings of the United Monarchy: Saul, David, and Solomon. The preaching of the prophets was fiery and plain. They prophets were preachers of punishment and doom. When the prophets arrived, it was usually after the nation had sunk into the depths of sin. God sent the prophets to warn men to repent or perish. Sometimes they preached to foreign nations as well. Joel preached the doom of Judah and warned Jerusalem of a terrible locust plague that would soon come upon the land (Joel 2:1ff). Jonah preached to Assyria that "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (Jonah 3:4). The prophets were courageous. God intended for them to be men of great courage, because their work was to cause the sinful nation of Israel to repent of wickedness. The people generally did not want to hear what the prophets had to say, and they often rejected these great preachers and their messages of doom. Amaziah told Amos the prophet to go back to Judah and leave King Ahab of Israel alone, because Amos had been sent by God to condemn the sins of Ahab (Amos 7:10-13). Ezekiel was told that God required him to go and preach with great courage to the people of God who would reject His preaching. God's people at this time were stubborn, rebellious, and would be like scorpions to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:1-10). Long before these events by the familiar writing prophets, Samuel had to tell Eli the high priest (and Samuel's mentor, by the way) that Eli's house had been rejected by God (1 Samuel 3:4-18). Later, Samuel had to tell the unstable King Saul that God had deposed him as king, and that Saul's son would not sit on the throne, but David would be the next king (1 Samuel 13:11-14). One of the most famous events in the whole Old Testament involved the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:20-40).

How did a man become a prophet?

The prophets of God were chosen directly by God for the work of prophesy. The prophets were not like the priests; the prophets were not born into their duties by heritage. There did not exist in Israel a prophetic tribe, like Levi was the priestly tribe. If a man was born into the tribe of Levi, he would serve some priestly capacity. But no prophet served unless he was first called directly by God. Isaiah volunteered to serve as God's spokesman when he said: "...Here am I, send me!" (Isaiah 6:8). God called Jeremiah with these words: “For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak” (Jeremiah 1:7-8). Amos gives us even more detail regarding how he came to be a prophet of God: I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son...the Lord picked me...Go prophesy” (Amos 7:14-15). How did the prophets communicate their messages to the people? (The following was taken from: “The Prophets Of Israel” by Leon J. Wood, pp. 67-71)

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A. By Preaching: The prophets were the preachers of the Old Testament. Their work consisted of publicly proclaiming God’s oracles to the people. 1. The purpose of preaching is to move the people to action. 2. Preaching is aimed at the emotions and will of the audience (Jonah 3:5-9) B. By contacting key individuals: The prophets contacted key individuals in hopes that they would conform to God’s will, and their followers would then do the same. (Isaiah 7:11-17 - Isaiah warns , king of Judah, about Assyria). C. By symbolism: The prophets often used actions that were symbolic of the message they wanted to convey (Hosea 1:2; 3:1-3 - Hosea’s marriage to Gomer was symbolic of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God, and God’s constant love for Israel.) D. By object lessons: Some item or action the prophet saw illustrated a truth which he would convey to the people using the object (Jeremiah 18:1-11; 19:1-10 - Jeremiah used the image of the potter and the clay vessel.)

The Chronology of the writing prophets:

The Major Prophets

 Isaiah (740-700 B.C.) - The Messianic Hope  Jeremiah (627-587 B.C.) - The Fall Of Judah  Daniel (606-539 B.C.) - History Of The Babylonian Captivity  Ezekiel (597-571 B.C.) - The Fall Of Jerusalem

The Minor Prophets

 Obadiah (845 B.C. ?) - The Fall Of  Joel (830 B.C. ?) - The Doom Of The Nations And The Ultimate Glory Of God’s Cause  Jonah (790-750 B.C.) - The Doom Of Nineveh  Amos (755 B.C.) - Sins Of Israel  Hosea (750-725 B.C.) - Whoredom Of Israel  Micah (735-700 B.C.) - Sins Of Judah  Zephaniah (630-625 B.C.) - Great World Judgment  Nahum (625-612 B.C.) - Fall Of Nineveh  Habakkuk (605 B.C.) - Judgment Of Judah  Haggai (520 B.C.) - Rebuild The Temple  Zechariah (520-518 B.C.) - The Future Messiah  Malachi (440 B.C.) - Indifference Of God’s People

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Questions:

1. How did Israel come to have a king?

2. Who fretted that Israel rejected him when the nation rejected the judges? Whom did Israel really reject?

3. Who were the kings of the United Kingdom?

4. Name some of the well-known "literary prophets."

5. How many years (roughly) of Jewish history is covered by the literary prophets?

6. Name some of the non-writing prophets. Was their contribution to the Bible less important because they did not write a book? Explain.

7. Which non-writing prophet actually is said to have written "annals"?

8. What was the primary message of the prophets, whether they were literary or non-writing prophets?

9. When the prophets foretold the future, what was their main focus?

10. Explain how the prophets were the preachers of their day.

11. What does the word "prophet" mean in the language of the Old Testament? Explain how this word suits the work of the prophets.

12. Which prophet tried to refrain from speaking God's word. What happened within him?

13. Who tells us that the prophets were inspired of God?

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14. How were the prophets God's spokesmen?

15. How did a man become a prophet?

16. Which prophet was a tender of sycamore fruit?

17. Which prophet preached to Nineveh?

18. Which prophet is often called the "prophet of Pentecost"?

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The Kings and Prophets Lesson Two An Introduction To The Kings Of Israel and Judah

Israel asks for a king, and God foretells disaster for the people. As we learned in our previous lesson, God originally established the rule of judges to govern the nation of Israel. Most of the judges were good, but a few, including Samuel's sons were wicked. The people became convinced that the solution to their problems was to have a king like all of the nations around them (1 Samuel 8:1-22). Samuel was grieved by their demands, but God told him to give them their king, because they were rejecting God Himself when they rejected the Judges (vs. 7). God also told Samuel to tell the people how miserable their lives would be under the kings (vs. 9-18).

 (vs. 11) – "This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots."  (vs. 12) - "He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots."  (vs. 13) - "He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers."  (vs. 14-15) - "And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants."  (vs. 16-17) - "And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants."  (vs. 18) - "And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day."

The people were not moved by Samuel's warning and continued their demand for a king (vs. 19-22). The few "bad apples" among the judges was not a sensible reason to demand a whole new governmental order. The judges were not kings, and they were not dynastic, therefore, the occasional bad judge would not necessarily influence the next one to govern the people. However, the kings were monarchs who could exercise either benevolent leadership or brutal dictatorship. More often than not, throughout history, kings tend to be the latter. The old saying: "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts, absolutely" was proven by the men who ruled over Israel and Judah. All of the Lord's warnings came true. Beginning with Saul the first king to the last, there were forty-two kings (including one female usurper,

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Athaliah of Judah). These wicked rulers fulfilled God's promises in the most shocking ways.

 Solomon raised crippling taxes to build his many projects. He built the temple in seven years with the supplies and revenues that his father David had accumulated for the job (:2-4). However, Solomon was not done building when the temple was completed. He built a massive palace for himself and his many wives and concubines. It took him thirteen years to build it (1 Kings 7:1-12). Solomon had an enormous household and thousands of mouths to feed, and so a system of taxation was established in which the people were compelled to supply food for the king and his household (1 Kings 4:7). Read: 1Kings 4:22-23 to see how much was required to operate the king's houses and holdings for one day!  Solomon also raised a levy of labor from among his people in order to complete his building projects. Solomon raised a massive work force from Israel to build the temple which consisted of many thousands of common laborers, quarry workers, burden carriers, and supervisors (:13-18). People from foreign nations who resided within Israel were enslaved as forced workers, in order to build other palaces, temples, and governmental buildings throughout Israel (1 Kings 9:20-21). However, other supervisory work was "levied" and enforced on Israelites, during these extra building projects, which was compulsory and was just as onerous as enslavement (vs. 22-23).  Rehoboam, Solomon's son was urged to lighten the people's burdens which were imposed by Solomon (1Kings 12:1-4). Rehoboam refused their request and only imposed greater burdens on the people (vs. 8-14). This move led to the division of the kingdom.  Ahab (actually Jezebel) stole the property of Naboth (1 Kings 21:7-16).

The United Kingdom and the Divided Kingdom

In the beginning the nation of Israel was united under one single king at a time. This was the period called the United Kingdom or United Monarchy. There were three kings during these years, beginning with Saul the son of Kish. Next was King David, and Solomon, David's son was the last king of this line. The United Kingdom lasted approximately 120 years, as each king ruled for forty years. The Divided Kingdom was a long period of time that began with the death of Solomon and the beginning of the reign of his son Rehoboam. Solomon had heaped burdens of taxes and labor on the people in order to accomplish his many building projects. When Solomon died, citizens of the northern ten tribes asked Rehoboam to lighten their burdens, promising to follow him faithfully. Rehoboam only increased their burdens, and in rebellion, the people of Israel made Jeroboam I their king. From this point onward there were two kingdoms: Israel and Judah.

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The dynasties of Israel and Judah

A dynasty is a line of kings from one family. This is one of the negative characteristics of the kings which Israel did not account for when they made their request to Samuel to give them a king. Surely, the people thought that there could be nothing better than a family of rulers who would govern the nation in righteousness for centuries. What actually happened was much different and more destructive. Sons tended to try to emulate or even outdo their fathers in wickedness. In Israel, this was especially true. There were some good kings, and some of these were very good, but most of the kings were mostly bad to completely wicked. One dynasty in Judah. The kings of Judah reigned for roughly 300 years, until the Babylonian Captivity in 606 B.C. The kings were all descendants of Solomon: Rehoboam, , Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah, (*), Joash, Amaziah, , Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, Jehoahaz, , Jehoiachin, Zedekiah. *Note: Athaliah was actually a member of the Fourth Dynasty belonging to Omri in Israel. Athaliah was married to Jehoram of Judah. She was either the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel of Israel (2 Kings 8:18), and she was a Baal worshiper like her mother. When Jehoram died, Athaliah set about assassinating the heirs to the throne and ruled as regent for six years (2 Kings 11:1-3). Nine dynasties in Israel. The kings of Israel ruled for around 200 years before the nation was conquered by Assyria in 721 B.C. There was much more political intrigue and upheaval in Israel. Kings often took power by assassinating their predecessor and starting a whole new family dynasty.

 First Dynasty: Jeroboam, Nadab  Second Dynasty: Baasha, Elah  Third Dynasty: Zimri  Fourth Dynasty: Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, Jehoram  Fifth Dynasty: Jehu, Jehoahaz, Joash, Jeroboam II, Zechariah  Sixth Dynasty: Shallum  Seventh Dynasty: Menahem, Pekahiah  Eighth Dynasty:  Ninth Dynasty: Hoshea

The , Kings and Chronicles

The six books: 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles tell the tell the entire story of the kings, and they overlap at certain places.  First and Second Samuel – These books tell the story of the end of the judges and the origin of the kings. Specifically, they involve the story of the United Kingdom.  First and Second Kings – These books continue the story where First and Second Samuel ended. First Kings begins in the last days of David's

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reign and the beginning of Solomon's rule. They tell the story of both kingdoms, Israel and Judah.  First and Second Chronicles – These books tell the story of the kingdom of Judah. Chronicles begins with Adam and gives the genealogy of the families of Israel up to the time of the twelve tribes. First and Second Chronicles focus on the Kings of Judah during the Divided Kingdom.

Questions:

1. Why did Israel demand a king?

2. What did God say would be the result of Israel's wishes being granted?

3. What is the difference between the United Kingdom and the Divided Kingdom? Why were there two kingdoms?

4. Who were the kings of the United Kingdom?

5. What is a dynasty? What are some of the dangers of a dynasty of kings?

6. How many dynasties ruled Israel (the northern kingdom)?

7. How many dynasties ruled Judah (the southern kingdom)?

8. Who was the only woman to rule over God's people? How long did she reign, and how did she come to power?

9. At what point were the kingdoms of Israel and Judah united in marriage?

10. What story do the books of First and Second Samuel tell?

11. Name a key difference between Kings and Chronicles.

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A Study Of First and Second Kings Lesson Three

The Kingdom United: King Saul

Bible texts covered: 1 Samuel 9:1-31:13; 1 Chronicles 10:1-13

Timeline Of The Kings: The United Saul David Solomon Kingdom 40 years 40 years 40 years (Acts 13:21) (3 years Hebron 33 years Jerusalem)

In today's lesson, we begin our study of the United Kingdom of Israel. We will concentrate on the life and times of King Saul. God chose Saul to be the first king of Israel, and while his reign started out with a bang, it soon fizzled. Saul was initially successful in battle in the defense of Israel, but soon afterward, Saul became indifferent to the need to protect Israel from the Philistines. Also, When God charged Saul with wiping out the Amalekites, Saul failed, and as a result, he lost the throne for his descendants. When David arrived at the scene of Goliath's challenge to Israel, He stood up for God and His king and killed the giant challenger. Thereafter, Saul descended into bitter rage against David and his increasing popularity in Israel and obsessed for the rest of his life about killing David.

Saul, the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 9-31; 1 Chronicles 10:1-13).

God chose Saul, the son of Kish to be the first king of Israel (9:1-2). Saul looked the part of the strong, powerful, and wise leader (vs. 2), and the people were thrilled by God's choice. Saul started well. He expressed humility in the beginning, stating that surely someone greater than himself could be found to be the first king of Israel: "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?" (9:21). God charged Saul with the protection and leadership of his people (9:16), and it was a task for which Saul showed great potential. Shortly after he was made king, he came to the rescue of Jabesh-Gilead which was in danger of falling to the Ammonites (11:1-15). Saul cut up a yoke of oxen, and sent messengers with pieces of the oxen throughout the land of Israel, warning that all who did not join the fight in defense of Jabesh-Gilead would have their oxen slaughtered (vs. 6-7). The fighting men of Israel and Judah, numbering three- hundred and thirty thousand, gathered to fight with Saul as one man (vs. 7b-8). The people of Jabesh-Gilead were filled with courage, and they joined Saul's massive army, and the next day the combined forces "killed Ammonites until the

14 heat of the day" and the survivors were so scattered that no two were left together (vs. 11). Saul showed such brilliance as military leader early in his reign as king that the hearts of the people changed from one of skepticism to one of full- throated support of Saul. In the beginning, there were men who doubted Saul's ability to rule Israel (10:27), but after the conquest of the Ammonites, the people asked Samuel to round up the doubters and execute them for their short- sightedness and doubt (11:12). Unfortunately, Saul's greatness was short lived. Shortly after his great victory in the rescue of Jabesh-Gilead, Saul showed that he was not a man who was worthy of leading Israel. On the eve of battle against a massive Philistine army, Saul was too impatient to wait for Samuel to join him and make an offering for soldiers who would fight the battle (13:8-10). One might understand Saul's actions if only because of the nature of the threat. The Philistines who gathered to fight with Israel consisted of thirty-thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand on the seashore (vs. 5). However, Saul's impatience and self-importance led to Samuel's warning that Saul's kingdom would not continue (vs. 13-14). Because of Saul's missteps, his army which once numbered three- hundred-thirty thousand now numbered only six hundred men (vs. 15). There was no choice but to retreat from the field of battle against a vastly larger and superior Philistine army. The Philistines drove the people of Israel back from their borders and kept them isolated. Moreover, the Philistines, being masters of metallurgy controlled the nation of Israel by not allowing Israel to have a blacksmith among them. The Philistines, by this method of control, kept the Hebrews from making swords or spears (vs. 19). Saul's initial military prowess fled from him, and he became indecisive and hesitant. With enemies on every border, and the Philistines a constant threat, the people needed a king who would secure their borders and their safety. One of the saddest scenes in Saul's life, and one that drove a wedge between him and his son Jonathan, was the occasion when Jonathan took it upon himself to force his father into action by launching a daring attack of his own against the Philistines (14:1-15). His hope was that once the attack occurred, His Father would be forced to lead his small army into battle. Jonathan's raid was effective. He and a lone armor bearer were able to kill about twenty men within a half-acre of land, causing terror among the Philistines (vs. 14-15). Jonathan's strategy worked. The Philistines were set in such disarray by Jonathan's unorthodox attack, that Saul, not knowing what had caused the Philistines to bolt, rallied his forces and attacked the Philistines (vs. 16-21). The following statement about Saul during this time pretty much sums up what had become of the once mighty king: "And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men" (vs. 2). Considering the historical context in which this statement occurs, it shows Saul to be a disengaged, hesitant king, resting on the laurels of his past, when he should be fighting and pressing the

15 advantages that Israel gained at the beginning of his reign. He was reduced to being a paranoid and bitter ruler. After Jonathan's surprise attack and Israel's victory over the Philistines, Saul could not rejoice, but instead, he bound his people under an oath, forbidding them to eat any food until he had rooted out his enemies (14:24-27). Jonathan was once more forced to oppose his father's policy. When the people found honey enough to satisfy their hunger, they refused to eat, for fear of Saul's oath (vs. 26). Jonathan had had enough of his father's foolishness, and ate of the honey, stating that his father had troubled the land, and his policy of starvation was weakening the army (vs. 27-30). Saul threatened to kill his own son Jonathan for violating his edict, but the people defended Jonathan, not Saul, as the hero of the battle against the Philistines (vs. 43-45). Saul's final downfall came when God told him to utterly destroy the Amalekites (chapter 15). Saul was given very specific instructions to wipe out the whole Amalekite nation, including women, children, and livestock (vs. 3). But, Saul chose to spare King Agag of Amalek and the choice livestock (vs. 8-9). God sent Samuel to declare the end of Saul's reign (vs. 10-30). The last years of Saul's life were spent in constant paranoia and senseless warfare against his successor, David (chapters 18-31). History tends to paint Saul as a king who slipped into madness. What we know for sure is that Saul was a sinful and rebellious man. He never sought God's counsel, he acted on his own authority, and he led his people to sin rather than in faithfulness to God. David was never his enemy, but Saul treated David as his enemy, and pursued him relentlessly. In the end, Saul and his sons were all killed in battle. Saul died in the most undignified manner, by falling on his own sword (31:1-13).

Samuel, the prophet of Saul's reign

Samuel the prophet was the son of a man named Elkanah, an Ephraimite (1 Samuel 1:1). Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah (vs. 2). Hannah was childless, but Peninnah had children. Peninnah treated Hannah badly, since the latter was childless (vs. 6). However, Elkanah loved Hannah (vs. 5). Eventually, Hannah's grief over her inability to have children left her unable to eat, but only to weep (vs. 7-8). Elkanah took his family to Shiloh, where the priests, Hophni and Phineas waited on the Lord (vs. 3). Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept in the bitterness of her soul and made a vow that if God would give her a son, she would dedicate him all of his life to the Lord's service (vs. 10-11). Eli witnessed her prayer, seeing her lips move without hearing her speak, and thought she was drunk (vs. 14). She told Eli her dilemma and her prayer and promise to God, and Eli assured her that God would grant her request (vs. 17). Soon, Hannah conceived and bore a son and called Him Samuel (vs. 20). Hannah remembered her vow to the Lord, and she kept it. Each year Elkanah would return to Shiloh to offer sacrifices and vows (vs. 21). Hannah kept the boy with her at home until he was weaned, and then she dedicated him

16 to the Lord, as she had promised. After Samuel was weaned, Hannah would leave him in Shiloh for the rest of his life to serve God (vs. 21-28). As Samuel grew and served the priest, Eli, he soon found himself faced with one of the most difficult duties, and one which would define him and produce a man of courage and power for the rest of his life. Eli's sons were corrupt (1 Samuel 2:12). They abused their position and robbed from the people more than was their due (vs. 13-17). During these days there was no widespread revelation among God's people (1 Samuel 3:1). One night God called to Samuel repeatedly, and Samuel mistook the voice of God for that of Eli (vs. 4-7). Eli realized that Samuel was receiving instructions from God, and he told Samuel to heed God's voice, whatever He required of Samuel (vs. 9). When God spoke again to Samuel, he told Samuel that his first duty as prophet would be to condemn the sons of Eli (vs. 11-14). In the morning, fighting back fear, Samuel told Eli about his revelation from God (vs. 16-18). Eli accepted the will of God as the young man reported it to him. Later, Samuel demonstrated himself to be a man of courage and conviction and a great spiritual leader in the nation of Israel. The Lord let none of his words fall to the ground (vs. 19). As a result: "...all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established a prophet of the Lord" (vs. 20). From that time forward Samuel resided in Shiloh, and the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel there (vs. 21). For the remainder of Samuel's life, he served God, Israel, and King Saul. His sons served as Judges in Israel, although they were corrupt. When the people clamored for a king like the nations around them, it was Samuel who reported to them what kind of king they would receive (1 Samuel 8:12-19). He installed Saul the son of Kish as king (1 Samuel 9:1ff). He gave Saul God's orders, and he also rebuked Saul when he sinned. Ultimately, Samuel condemned Saul for his sin with the Amalekites and declared the end of Saul's reign as king (1 Samuel 15:16-31). Samuel feared the wrath of Saul, but he continued to perform the Lord's will including the duty of appointing David as the new king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:1-13).

Questions:

1. Who were the judges?

2. What was their role?

3. Why did the people ask for a king?

4. Who's sons sparked their demand for a king?

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5. Describe Saul's appearance.

6. How did Saul begin his reign as king?

7. What event marked the beginning of Saul's downfall?

8. What event caused Saul to lose the kingdom?

9. Why did God not choose Jesse's son Eliab to be the second king of Israel?

10. How did David gain the favor of the nation?

11. What provoked Saul to such anger against David?

12. How did Saul die?

13. Who was the father of Samuel the prophet?

14. Why did Hannah make her oath?

15. What was Samuel's first duty to the Lord?

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A Study Of First and Second Kings Lesson Four

The Kingdom United: King David

Bible books covered: First and Second Samuel; First Kings 1-11; First Chronicles 9 – 2 Chronicles 9.

Timeline Of The Kings:

The Saul David Solomon United 40 years 40 years Monarchy (3 years Hebron 33 years Jerusalem)

In our current lesson, we turn our attention to the most famous of Israel's kings: David. Without a doubt, David is the most well-known Old Testament character. David was a man of great ability, which manifested itself early in his life, and he proved himself to be a loyal servant to God and King Saul. He was a great warrior King, and a beloved ruler. However, David's life is also marred by equally great weaknesses. He was a man who coveted the wife of another, he proved himself to be a liar and ultimately, a murderer. His skill as the ruler of the nation was not reflected in the way he governed his own household, which was in nearly constant turmoil because of his ambitious and renegade sons. Yet, David was also a penitent man. There is much to learn from David

David, the second king of Israel (1 Samuel 16 – 1 Kings 2:4; 1 Chronicles 9; 2 Chronicles 9).

Saul remained king for the rest of his miserable life, but for most of those years he knew who his successor would be. It would be David, the son of Jesse. God chose David, the least of the sons of Jesse of Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:1- 13). David and Jonathan. Saul ruled Israel for forty years, and for the bulk of that time, he was obsessed with killing David. Saul's son Jonathan was disgusted by the lack of leadership and the crazy antics of his father, so he pledged his loyalty to David. In fact, the friendship between David and Jonathan is portrayed as an intense loyalty, which only further agitated Saul. The love of David for Jonathan was spelled out in the eulogy David preached for Jonathan and Saul: "I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me; your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women" (2 Samuel 1:26; see also: 1 Samuel 19:1-4; 19:2; 20:17). Note: Some have perversely tried to twist these comments about the brotherhood of David and Jonathan into a homosexual relationship. Such an effort is truly warped.

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David's attitude toward Saul. Saul sought multiple opportunities to kill David; he gave his daughter, Michal to David as wife, in hopes she would help Saul destroy David, and he courted favors from neighboring kings in hopes that they would betray David to him. Yet, for all of this, David never betrayed Saul, and he refused to kill Saul when he had the chance. As far as David was concerned Saul was God's anointed (1 Samuel 26:9). One of the most striking passages in the whole matter of David and Saul came after Saul and Jonathan died. One would think Saul would rejoice at the death of such a man as Saul, but David responded by preaching the famous eulogy for Saul and Jonathan, which contained the words: "The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!" (2 Samuel 1:19, 27). Samuel anoints David. Samuel presumed that the eldest son of Jesse, Eliab, would be the next king of Israel, because he looked like a king (1 Samuel 16:6). But, God was not interested in the outward appearance of a man. Remember, Saul had looked the part of a king, but he proved to be a disaster as ruler. God was interested in what was in the heart of a man: "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (vs. 7). Samuel considered each of Jesse's sons in turn, from the oldest to the youngest, but it was the youngest son, who looked least like kingly material, whom God chose (vs. 11-13). David lived up to God's billing throughout his life. Although he was far from perfect, David remained all of his life a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). David's military skill is evident from the start. David proved himself to have the heart of a soldier while he was still a boy. He is most famous for his battle with Goliath. The Philistines and the Israelites were on the brink of war in the Valley of Elah (1 Samuel 17:1-3), when an unusual thing happened: Goliath, a giant Philistine challenged the soldiers in Israel to hand-to-hand combat (vs. 4- 10). The problem for Israel was that Goliath was not any ordinary soldier, he was a giant. Depending on the length of the cubit meant in the text, Goliath stood between seven and eleven feet tall (vs. 4). Most scholars presume him to have been 9½ feet tall. The size and weight of his armor was massive (vs. 5-7): his chain mail weighed 156 lbs., his spearhead 18 lbs. 12 oz. King Saul and his soldiers cowered in fear as Goliath challenged them day after day to combat (vs. 11, 24). However, when David arrived on the scene he was incensed that the "uncircumcised Philistine" would dare defy the army of Israel (vs. 25-26). He was equally disgusted that none of his brothers or soldiers would answer the challenge, so he did it himself. He told Saul: "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine" (vs. 32). David's actions in this matter established him as a man of action, but also a man of faith. Saul argued that David was just a child and would be killed by the giant soldier Goliath (vs. 33), but David assured Saul that God was on David's side, and he would be victorious. He cited incidents in the past when God protected David; God empowered David to kill a lion and a bear that endangered

20 his father's flocks (vs. 34-36). In David's eyes, Goliath was already doomed, because the battle was the Lord's: "Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God" (vs. 36). Goliath was enraged that Israel would send a boy out to fight him (vs. 42- 44). David was not remotely afraid, but cited the power of His God and killed him with a single smooth stone thrown from his sling (vs. 45-50). This is one of the greatest and most memorable events in the Bible. After many centuries, the story is thrilling to read, and it is a courage building example of faith in God. The people turn to David as their hero. The people recognized David's greatness and sang about it when Saul and the army returned home to the capital. The women met the victorious army and sang of David and Saul: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands" (1 Samuel 18:7). Saul, in jealousy, made David his enemy from that day forward. For the remainder of Saul's life, he fought a useless series of battles against David. He alternated between overtures of friendship toward David to outright attempts at assassination. But, God was with David, not Saul. Even Saul's son Jonathan sided with David, and provided David with friendship as well as military assistance. David successfully avoided Saul's attacks until Saul died, and David never embraced the opportunities that presented themselves to him to kill Saul. On two occasions David could have killed Saul, but he chose not to, instead leaving behind evidence that he had been near enough to the king to do so (1 Samuel 24:1-22; 26:1-25). David and Bathsheba. David's life was not perfect, though. He was a great military genius, and he was a capable administrator, but his personal life was a mess. David used his power and position as king to take the wife of Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11:1-27). It was one of the sorriest episodes in the whole Old Testament, and it ironically involved the man who was the man after God's own heart! Not only did David commit adultery with Bathsheba, he murdered her husband and took her for himself. However, when Nathan told David of his sins (2 Samuel 12), David repented. God forgave him, but took the child that was conceived between David and Bathsheba. David's family problems. Later in life, David's family troubles continued. His great achievements as king were overshadowed by the crumbling of his family. God told David through Nathan that trouble would never depart from his house (12:11), and it did not. David's son Amnon raped David's daughter, Tamar (2 Samuel 13:1-22), but David did nothing about it. His son Absalom murdered Amnon in revenge (13:23-33), and David did nothing about it. Finally, Absalom raised a war of insurrection against David, which actually came close to toppling David from the throne (2 Samuel 14-18), and when Absalom was caught, David ordered that he not be killed. David had many personal failings, and he committed sins, but he never departed from the Lord. Whereas Saul acted constantly on his own authority, David consistently sought God's counsel. On the few occasions when David did not seek God, his plans fell apart, and he was defeated. He always returned to

21 the Lord and submitted to God's will. Below is a list of nine separate occasions when David sought the counsel of the Lord:

 1 Samuel 23:1-3 – While Saul was still ruling as king, but had grown neglectful of his duties as protector of Israel, David asked God to allow him to attack the Philistines who were laying siege to Keilah.  1 Samuel 23:4-5 – Having received permission, David inquired of God once more before launching his attack on the Philistines, because his soldiers were afraid of the Philistines. David then led his army to Keilah and defeated the Philistines with a mighty blow, saving the city.  1 Samuel 23:10-14 – Saul heard of David's raid on the Philistines, and determined to beat him to Keilah and attack David. David heard of Saul's plot and inquired of God whether the report was true. David asked whether the people of Keilah would betray David. God answered yes to each question, so David fled from Keilah and hid in the Wilderness of Ziph.  1 Samuel 30:8 – David and his army had been given the Philistine city of Ziklag by king Achish (1 Samuel 27:6), making Ziklag a city of Judah. Upon returning from battle to Ziklag, David found the city had been burned to the ground by the Amalekites, and the families of David and his soldiers had been taken captive. David consulted with God for permission to pursue the invaders.  2 Samuel 2:1-2 – Saul and Jonathan were dead, but David refused to claim his throne without permission from God to go to Hebron to be crowned.  2 Samuel 5:17-21 – As soon as David was officially crowned king, the Philistines marched on Judah hunting for David and preparing for war with Israel. David inquired of God before marching out to meet the Philistines in battle in the Valley of Rephaim. God promised victory to David, and Israel was indeed victorious.  2 Samuel 5:22-25 – However, the Philistines were tenacious, and deployed themselves once more in the Valley of Rephaim. Any king in his right mind would have counterattacked immediately, having previously routed the Philistines. However, David understood where his victories in battle came from, and he once more inquired of God. God instructed David not to attack, but to surround the Philistines from behind  2 Samuel 21:1 – There was a three year famine in the land, and David inquired of the Lord.

David was forbidden to build the temple. David wanted to build a temple for God, but he was not allowed to do so because he was a man of war and had shed much. David's desire sprang from His love for God and His devotion to Him. God had given Him peace from all of his enemies, and David noted the fact that: "I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains" blood (2 Samuel 7:1-2; 1 Chronicles17:1-2; 22:6-8). David did not rebel against God in this matter, but submitted himself, and prepared the way for

22 his son Solomon to build the temple. David made all of the arrangements necessary to supply Solomon with the materials to build the temple (:2-3). David had a longstanding alliance with Hiram, king of Tyre, who supplied cedar logs from Lebanon along with stonemasons and workers for David to use in the building of his palace (2 Samuel 5:11; 1 Chronicles 14:1), and when Solomon was made king, Hiram honored David by supplying cedar for the building of the temple (1 Kings 5:10, 18; :3). David accounted for the materials with this summation: "Indeed I have taken much trouble to prepare for the house of the Lord one hundred thousand talents of gold and one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond measure, for it is so abundant. I have prepared timber and stone also, and you may add to them. Moreover there are workmen with you in abundance: woodsmen and stonecutters, and all types of skillful men for every kind of work. Of gold and silver and bronze and iron there is no limit. Arise and begin working, and the Lord be with you" (22:14-16). Everything was ready when Solomon was old enough to be crowned king and to begin the work. David is the noted author of many of the psalms in the Book of Psalms. He is also in the direct blood line of Jesus Christ.

The prophet of David's reign: Samuel and Nathan

Samuel. We discussed Samuel in detail in our last lesson, concerning the reign of Saul. However, Samuel is also important to our study of David, because he was the prophet chosen by God to inform Saul of his downfall and to anoint David to be God's chosen successor to Saul. Nathan. There is not a lot of historical information about Nathan. We are not told where he came from or who his family was. However, he proved to be very important in the reign of David. He enters the Bible story at the beginning of David's reign. He was clearly the "court prophet" for David (2 Samuel 7:2-3; 1 Chronicles 17:1-2). David informed Nathan that his intention was to build the temple, but it was Nathan who conveyed to David the will of God in the matter. God informed David through Nathan that David was not permitted to build the temple, but that in time, David's son would build the temple (2 Samuel 7:4-17; 1 Chronicles 17:4-15). Nathan was a man of great devotion to God and a man of great courage. He was tasked by God with informing David of God's judgment in the matter with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-7). Further, Nathan boldly chastised the king and informed David that the son who was conceived in Bathsheba would die (vs. 14). He also promised David that David's life would be one of constant adversity within his own house (vs. 11). The last mention of Nathan of any significance is that he wrote a record of the "acts of Solomon" in the "Book of Nathan the Prophet" (2 Chronicles 9:29).

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Questions:

1. How many years did Saul reign over Israel?

2. What was the reason why Saul was demoted as king?

3. Who anointed David to be the second King?

4. What confusion did this man have on the day of the anointing of David?

5. Who was David's father?

6. What event turned the people's loyalty to David and away from Saul?

7. How did Saul react?

8. Why did Saul give David his daughter as wife?

9. How many times did David have the chance to kill Saul? Why didn't David kill Saul?

10. How does the Bible describe the love of David and Jonathan for each other?

11. What did David want to do that was reserved for Solomon?

12. Why did Nathan rebuke David?

13. What was David's penalty?

14. What book did Nathan write?

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A Study Of First and Second Kings Lesson Five

The Kingdom United: King Solomon

Bible books covered: First Kings 1-11

Timeline Of The Kings:

The Saul David Solomon United 40 years 40 years Monarchy (3 years Hebron 33 years Jerusalem)

In this lesson we will examine the life of Solomon, David's second son with Bathsheba. He ruled Israel for forty years after the death of his father, David.

Solomon's contradictions

Solomon's life is a study in contradictions. Solomon indulged in every worldly pleasure available to him, and built monuments to his own greatness rather than for God's glory alone. Ironically, Solomon wrote three of the books in the Bible, and in two of them (Proverbs and Ecclesiastes), Solomon spoke deeply about the nature of wisdom and folly. It seems Solomon was the most qualified to write on these mirror themes. He described foolishness in forty-four inspired lines in Proverbs, but he exemplified folly more than any other man ever has. Solomon had it within him to have been the greatest king in Israel's history, and he could have cemented the nation in unity for many years. But for all of his skills, wisdom, and the favor of God, Solomon set the stage for the division of Israel into two kingdoms.

Solomon's administration begins with political trickery (1 Kings 1:1-53).

The house of David was in turmoil in David's later years. He saw his household fall apart due to the sinfulness of his children. It was David's intention that Solomon serve as king after David's death, but David's other son, Adonijah had other ideas. As David lay dying, Adonijah presumed to reign in his father's place (1 Kings 1:5-10). He quickly built for himself an army (vs. 5), and secured the support of some of David's key men, including Joab and Abiathar the priest (vs. 7). However, Adonijah could not sway all of his father's advisers to his side. Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoida, Nathan the prophet and other mighty men who were loyal to David did not accept Adonijah's claim on the kingdom (vs. 8). Adonijah went through all of the motions of assuming the throne, including making sacrifices to God, to which he invited all of his

25 supporters, but did not invite Nathan, Solomon, and the men who opposed him (vs. 9-10). Nathan approached Bathsheba with the news that Adonijah had usurped the throne which was rightfully Solomon's, and that the aged David was unaware of any of it (vs. 11). He warned Bathsheba that if she did not act quickly, she and Solomon would be executed by Adonijah in order to preserve his claim to the throne (vs. 12). Nathan proposed that Bathsheba spill the beans to David, who was unaware of Adonijah's scheming, and Nathan would back her claim to David's throne for the sake of her son Solomon (vs. 13-13). Bathsheba and Nathan carried out their plan, and once David was aware of what Adonijah had one, that he officially declared that Solomon would sit on the throne instead of Adonijah (vs. 29-31). David instructed Nathan, Zadok the priest, and other leading men to anoint Solomon king in an official public ceremony, and to declare of Solomon: "Long live King Solomon!" (vs. 32-34). Afterward, Solomon would sit on David's throne as the new official king (vs. 35). The people of the nation celebrated Solomon's coronation (vs. 40). Adonijah feared for his life as news came to him while he was celebrating that his father had made Solomon the new king (vs. 51-53). However, Solomon did not execute Adonijah while his father lived. Adonijah tried one last vain plot to wrest the kingdom for himself. He tricked Bathsheba into interceding on his behalf to Solomon with the request that Solomon would grant Adonijah the consolation prize of Abishag the Shunamite as wife (1 Kings 2:13-21). However, Solomon was wise enough to see in this plot what his mother could not. He knew that Adonijah was angling for leverage in his claim by asking for David's favored concubine, Abishag. Solomon knew that by granting such a request would be equal to granting his older brother the keys of the kingdom (vs. 22). Adonijah was attempting to portray himself as the rightful heir to David by showing deference to Abishag. Had Adonijah succeeded in his ruse, he would have claimed to be in control of everything in David's household, and to put Solomon's legitimacy in doubt. Solomon wisely executed Adonijah (vs. 24-25).

Solomon's advantages

Solomon began his reign with every advantage that his father David could give him. David eliminated most of Solomon's enemies during his reign as king, and he advised Solomon about who in his administration (and among his allies) was trustworthy (1 Kings 2:1-9). Also, David made all of the preparations that he could so that Solomon would have the necessary materials and work force necessary to build the temple of God. However, as we are going to learn, Solomon's advantages did not always translate into good leadership and faithfulness to God.

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The wisdom of Solomon

One of the most famous scenes in the early reign of Solomon is the Furthermore, God promised Solomon that he would grant any request that he made. Solomon was wise enough to humbly request only one thing: wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-15). The words of Solomon contain no trace of insincerity. He viewed himself as a little child who has been placed at the head of a vast nation, and what he needed most from God was the wisdom to lead them (vs. 7-9). God was pleased with Solomon's request and granted it, and since Solomon did not ask for money, power, or long life, God granted him those things as well (vs. 11-13). God's only requirement for Solomon was that he "walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments as your father David walked" (vs. 14). The divided-baby judgment. Solomon's first official act as king demonstrated his wisdom for all to see (1 Kings 3:16-26). Two harlots who lived in the same house brought a baby to Solomon for him to determine who its mother was. The true mother of the child told how the other woman's child had died in its sleep because his mother lay on top of him (vs. 18-19). When the woman awoke to find her baby dead, she stole her housemate's child and claimed it as her own (vs. 20-22). Solomon declared that the child should be cut in half and each woman would be given a half of the dead baby (vs. 24). Moved with compassion for her child, the true mother surrendered the child so he could live with the other woman rather than be killed (vs. 26). Solomon deftly uncovered the real mother, and awarded the child back to her. Solomon knew that boy's real mother would never consent to having him murdered in order to satisfy her claim of parentage. This judgment and his wisdom was immediately spread throughout the kingdom, and Solomon's reputation for wisdom was firmly established in Israel (vs. 27-28). The Queen of visits Solomon. Solomon's wisdom was so legendary that the came to see it for herself, and when she returned to her home, she stated that the half had not been told (:7; 2 Chronicles 9:6). The books containing Solomon's wisdom. His wisdom excelled the wisdom of all of the men of the East, and he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five (1 Kings 4:29-31). His authorship of three important books in the Old Testament gives us the advantage of his inspired wisdom, and we get to see how he tested the boundaries of wisdom daily.

 Proverbs – A collection of short, pithy statements which are filled with great truths. Proverbs is a prime example of Hebrew poetry. This type of poetry teaches not by rhyme and meter but by comparisons and contrasts, and by repetition of key ideas. The book's main theme is the contrast of wisdom and foolishness and their various consequences. The book opens with a declaration of its purpose and theme: "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, to

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the young man knowledge and discretion - a wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, to understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles" (Proverbs 1:1-5).  Ecclesiastes – Ecclesiastes is a book of twelve chapters in which Solomon rehearses the folly of searching for contentment without the wisdom of God. He portrays himself as the subject of the book. Owing to his position as king, and his wealth and power, he had the resources to test and taste all that life had to offer, but his conclusion (which is repeated as a refrain throughout the book) is: "all is vanity and striving after the wind." Solomon's conclusion is that the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Ecclesiastes serves as a perfect bookend to Proverbs. Proverbs elevates and extols wisdom by the inspired king, but Ecclesiastes reads like an old man's lament. It shows how the wise king had truly lived his life, and his regret at rejecting God's wisdom is evident.  Song of Solomon – One of the most difficult and variously interpreted books in the Bible. Song of Solomon tells the story of a young maiden who is wooed by the king (Solomon), but she resists all of his efforts to win her heart by gifts and poems of love. Her heart belongs to a shepherd boy. There is wide disagreement whether this book is an allegory or represents actual events, and if it is an allegory, what does it represent. Some believe it represents the constant love of God for Israel, and others think it represents Christ's love for the church.

The foolishness of Solomon. The great tragedy of Solomon's life is that for all of his advantages and all of his proven wisdom, he behaved as one of the most foolish men ever to have lived. The Bible tells us that Solomon married many foreign women (:1-2). One of his first acts as king was to make an alliance with the king of Egypt by marrying his daughter (1 Kings 3:1). The Law of God forbade the children of Israel to marry among the foreign nations in Canaan, but Solomon seemed determined to marry women from as many of the nations as he could. The text gives us what seems to be an unfathomable number of wives and concubines: "And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines" (vs. 3). Solomon demonstrated the truth of God's warnings in his life: "and his wives turned away his heart. 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. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of , on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of . And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods" (vs. 3-8).

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This is one of the most tragic stories in the Bible. Solomon's heart turned away from God, because he disobeyed God. He lost the favor and pleasure of God when he turned to idols, and as a result, his kingdom fell apart. Solomon's many building projects. A significant part of Solomon's foolish behavior was that he practically created slaves of his own people. He was charged by God with the duty of building the temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6-8), but in addition to the temple, he built numerous other structures including his own palace which took nearly a decade and a half to complete. His immense family required provisions, and for all of this Solomon raised various levies among his people, both of labor and material tribute. Later, when Solomon's son Rehoboam took the throne, the people were so enraged by their lives of enforced servitude that the northern ten tribes made Jeroboam their king (1 Kings 11:1-24). All of this was due to Solomon's foolishness.

Questions:

1. Why did Nathan the prophet intercede for Solomon?

2. Why was Adonijah nearly successful in his insurrection?

3. Why was Solomon so opposed to Adonijah's request for the hand of Abishag?

4. What event cemented Solomon's wisdom in the eyes of the people?

5. What was the Queen of Sheba's opinion of Solomon?

6. How many songs and proverbs did Solomon write?

7. Describe the theme and content of the three books written by Solomon.

8. How many wives and concubines did Solomon have?

9. What was the consequence of these marriages?

10. How did Solomon trouble the reign of his son Rehoboam?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Six

The Kingdom Divides Rehoboam and Jeroboam

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Rehoboam (17 years) Abijam (3 years) Asa (41 years)

Israel Jeroboam I (22 years) Nadab (2 years) Baasha (24 years)

Judah

Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1-15:31; :1-12:16).  Son of Solomon.  Ruled for 17 years.

Rehoboam is a tragic king who played his part to fulfill the will of God. Being the son of Solomon made him the presumed king and next leader of Israel from the line of David. However, his youthful foolishness brought about the permanent division of the kingdom of Israel. In reality, the division of the kingdom, while instigated by Rehoboam's rashness actually came to be because of God's pronouncement on the family of Solomon. The prophet Ahijah the Shilonite informed Solomon that Jeroboam would rule ten tribes and his son Rehoboam would be left only with two tribes (1 Kings 11:30-39). The kingdom divides. At the coronation of Rehoboam, Jeroboam led a delegation from the northern tribes who wanted to petition the new king to address their grievances (1 Kings 12:1-4; 2 Chronicles 10:4). In truth, the division of the kingdom is the direct result of Solomon's failures of leadership. Solomon had not only built the temple of God, but also his own palace, military installations, and temples for the gods of his many wives. As a result, the people of Israel had become little more than a nation of slaves and providers of food for the king and his many projects (1 Kings chapters 6-8). Therefore, the request of the people seems very sensible: "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" (vs. 4). It should be noted; however, that this is exactly what God promised would happen when Israel asked for a king. God warned them that the king they sought would make their lives one of servitude and hardship. (See: 1 Samuel 8:11-18)

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Unfortunately, Rehoboam had too much of his father in him. The people's sensible request was not met with an equally sensible judgment. Rehoboam consulted his older advisers who had lived during Solomon's administration and asked them what their view of the matter was (1 Kings 12:6; see also: 2 Chronicles 10:6-7). These wizened men gave Rehoboam the proper answer: comply and the people will serve you forever: "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" (1 Kings 12:7). Had Rehoboam seen the wisdom of these counselors and acted on their advice, he would have begun his reign with the peace that God had promised to Solomon, but peace and conciliation was not on Rehoboam's mind. Rehoboam rejected the counsel of the older men out of hand and turned to his young friends, who advised Rehoboam to increase the people's duties and compel them to serve Rehoboam by force (1 Kings 12:9-11; 2 Chronicles 10:9-11). When the people returned to Rehoboam after three days, as he had instructed them (1 Kings 12:5, 12), the king spoke roughly to the people and promised that they had only seen the tip of the iceberg. He would increase their burdens and make their yoke heavier than his father had ever done. Rehoboam proves that sons often take their father's mistakes and amplify them. There is no evidence of malice in Solomon's actions, simply foolishness and rebellion against God. But, Rehoboam responded with cruelty: "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges" (1 Kings 12:14; 2 Chronicles 10:13-14). The people of Israel realized with Solomon's pronouncements that they had no inheritance in the kingdom of David, and they departed (1 Kings 12:16; 2 Chronicles 10:16). This was the break that had been building throughout this entire transition from Solomon's reign into Rehoboam's administration. The tribes of Judah saw that the schism was unavoidable, and their words reflect this belief: "What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now, see to your own house, O David!" Rehoboam tried to regain control over Israel, but Israel was now in open rebellion against the house of David (1 Kings 12:19). Israel formalized the break with their brethren in the South by making Jeroboam the son of Nebat their king (1 Kings 12:20). There were now officially two kingdoms. Ten tribes made up the northern Kingdom known collectively as "Israel" and only Judah remained loyal to Rehoboam. The kingdom's division is "of the Lord." Rehoboam, having lost control of the nation because of his rash acts, acted just as swiftly in an effort to compel the rebel tribes back into line with him. He assembled the tribes of Judah and Benjamin in order to raise an army to fight and compel the rebel North back into compliance (1 Kings 12:21). However, God thwarted Rehoboam's plans and informed him that the division of the kingdom was from God (1 Kings 12:23-24; :1-4). Rehoboam was left with very little choice other than to try and fortify his small kingdom as best he could (2 Chronicles 11:5-12). Rehoboam builds as strong a kingdom as he can with what little he has left. Rehoboam was fortunate to have retained the support of the priests

31 and Levites, who stood with Rehoboam and left their appointed Levitical cities and moved to Judah (2 Chronicles 11:13), because Jeroboam had removed them from their posts (vs. 14), and instituted a whole new priesthood and idolatry in Israel (vs. 15). The priests and Levites "set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel," (vs. 16). For a brief period of three years, Rehoboam walked in the ways of David and Solomon and commanded the loyalty of the priests (vs. 17). He also married within the family of David and built a lineage from which he chose Abijam his son with Maachah, the granddaughter of Absalom to be his successor (vs. 20-21). Rehoboam departs from the ways of David. Unfortunately, Rehoboam was not loyal to God for very long. During Rehoboam's reign, Judah turned to idolatry, as it had done in the days of Solomon (1 Kings 14:21-24; 2 Chronicles 12:1). 2 Chronicles records the following sad commentary on the reign of Rehoboam: "And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord" (2 Chronicles 12:14). Pharaoh Shishak invades Jerusalem. Shishak is commonly believed to be the king in Egyptian history known as Pharaoh Shoshenq I. Shishak entered the Bible story when Jeroboam fled to Egypt from King Solomon (1 Kings 11:40). When Shishak invaded Jerusalem, he came with twelve-hundred chariots and sixty-thousand soldiers (1 Kings 14:25-28; 2 Chronicles 12:2-12). Shishak raided the temple of God and carried away its treasures. Note: For what little it's worth, this event has managed to find its way into popular culture. In the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark, Dr. Jones tells the government agents about the raid of Shishak and tells them that Shishak stole the . There was never to be any peace between Israel and Judah during their entire history. Some kings made temporary alliances, but they never lasted. And the story of Rehoboam ends with these words: "And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. So Rehoboam rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David..." (1 Kings 14:30-31; 2 Chronicles 12:15-16).

Prophet to Rehoboam: Shemaiah

Shemaiah the prophet warned Rehoboam against launching a war against the northern tribes in order to bring them back into line with his rule (1 Kings 12:22-24; 2 Chronicles 11:1-4). Shemaiah also brought bad news to Rehoboam near the end of his reign. Shishak of Egypt would invade Jerusalem and defeat Rehoboam because the king and people of Judah had forsaken the Lord (2 Chronicles 12:5-7). For one brief moment, Rehoboam humbled himself at this news and said: "The Lord is righteous" (vs. 6). As a result of this

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simple act of rare humility in Judah, the Lord promised that Judah would not be destroyed (vs. 7).

Kings of

Israel Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:26-14:20; 2 Chronicles 10:1-13:20).  Son of Nebat  Ruled for 22 years

Jeroboam was the first king in Israel after the rebellion of the northern ten tribes. He was the first king of the Northern Kingdom, and he was made king by popular consent of the people. He was their champion in their rebellion against Rehoboam. However, the truth remains that Jeroboam was made king by the will of God as previously noted (1 Kings 11:30-39). God had previously promised David that a descendant of his would remain on the throne in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 7:11-15; 1 Kings 11:11-13). Ultimately, the messiah would arise from this family line, and the kings are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:7-11). Jeroboam established the city of Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim as his capital (1 Kings 12:25). Naturally, he would build for himself a secure capital in the mountains for the sake of security. Jeroboam's legacy. While the reign of Jeroboam was in accordance with the plan of God, what Jeroboam did next was not. Jeroboam introduced calf worship to Israel. He feared that his people would return to Jerusalem and Rehoboam, so he built a golden calf in Dan and as a substitute for God. Listen to his reasoning in his own words: "Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah" (1 Kings 12:26-27). Next, Jeroboam issued a royal decree requiring the people to worship the calves which he had built in Dan and Bethel. He led the way by making a public show of consulting the calves for divine counsel, and he declared to the people that they represented the God who brought them out of Egypt (1 Kings 12:28). He made shrines for the calves on the high places and established a priesthood to serve them, and he even ordained feast days, all in mockery of the Law of Moses (1 Kings 12:31-32; 2 Chronicles 11:15). Jeroboam's idolatry would forever drive the agendas of the kings of Israel. Thereafter, when a new king assumed the throne in Israel, the Bible text notes how the new kind "did not depart from the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat" (2 Kings 3:3; 10:31; 13:2; 13:6; 13:11; 14:24; 15:9; 15:18; 15:24; 15:28; 17:22).

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The death of Jeroboam's son. The sins of Jeroboam were met with punishment. His son Abijam became gravely ill, and Jeroboam sent his wife on a secret mission to Shiloh to inquire of the prophet Ahijah, whether his son would recover or not. The prophet informed Jeroboam's wife that her son would die, because Jeroboam had turned the people to idolatry after God had made him king (1 Kings 14:1-18). The end of Jeroboam's reign and his death. Jeroboam's reign came to an unceremonious end. After twenty-two years as king, he was defeated in battle against Abijah of Judah. Abijah not only defeated Jeroboam, but he also took Bethel and other important cities in the North. As a result, Jeroboam was effectively deposed as king and died (1 Kings chapters 13 and 14). He rested with his fathers and Nadab his son reigned in his place (1 Kings 14:20).

Prophet to Jeroboam: Ahijah, the Man of God from Judah

Ahijah was the prophet whom God sent to inform Jeroboam that he would be made king by the design of God (1 Kings 11:29-39). He tore a garment into twelve pieces and gave Jeroboam ten pieces declaring that he would rule over ten tribes, and the two remaining pieces symbolized the two tribes who would remain loyal to Rehoboam for the sake of David. When Jeroboam's son took ill years later, he remembered the man of God and sent his wife to him in disguise, to inquire whether the child would live or die (1 Kings 14:1-16). Ahijah issued a scathing denunciation of Jeroboam and the idolatry that he introduced into Israel, which now permeated the nation of Israel. As a result, God would allow the child to die, and the house of Jeroboam would be defeated and utterly destroyed. The dogs would eat all that remained of the house of Jeroboam in the streets (vs. 11). The child who would die would be the only member of Jeroboam's house who would see a grave and receive any compassion and mourning, because Jeroboam would receive none (vs. 13). Ahijah further declared that God would raise up another king from outside of Jeroboam's house to rule in Israel (vs. 14).

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Questions:

1. Who was Rehoboam's father? What quality did he inherit from his father?

2. What request did the people make of Rehoboam? Was it reasonable? Why?

3. What was the advice of the old men who had served with Rehoboam's father?

4. What did Rehoboam's young friends advise?

5. Whom did the northern tribes make their spokesman to Rehoboam?

6. Where had Jeroboam been? Who had been protecting him?

7. How did Ahijah inform Jeroboam that he would be king over ten tribes?

8. What did Rehoboam do to try to regain control of the North for himself? Who warned him to stop his plans?

9. Who invaded Jerusalem? Describe his army.

10. What thing is Jeroboam known for which all other kings of Israel followed?

11. How did Jeroboam present the matter to the people?

12. What was Jeroboam's reasoning?

13. How did Jeroboam attempt to legitimize the worship in Dan and Bethel?

14. Why did Jeroboam send his wife to Shiloh to meet with the Old Prophet?

15. What did Ahijah tell Jeroboam's wife?

16. How did Jeroboam's reign end?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Seven

The First Kings Born In Division

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Abijam (3 years) Asa (41 years)

Israel Nadab (2 years) Baasha (24 years) Elah (2 Years) Zimri (7 days)

Our study now considers the kings who knew nothing of unity. They were born long after the kingdom of Israel divided. All that they know of their brethren across the border, whether it be Israel or Judah, is that they are enemies. The kings of Judah were all of one dynasty or family line, but in Israel there were multiple family lines or dynasties. Tonight we look at the first three dynasties.

Kings of Judah

Abijam (1 Kings 14:31; 15:1-8; 2 Chronicles 13:1-22)  Son of Rehoboam and Maachah (Michaiah)  Ruled for just 3 years  Evil king

Abijam (called Abijah in 2 Chronicles 13) was a relatively minor king, and he became king only because God had promised that descendants of David would remain upon the throne in Jerusalem (1 Kings 15:4). David, in spite of his occasional sins and weaknesses, was loyal to God, and as a result, he secured the throne of Judah for his family (1 Kings 15:5). However, Abijam was known for bringing about the defeat of his father's mortal enemy, Jeroboam. Unfortunately, Abijam did not follow the example of his great-grandfather, David, but instead followed the example of Rehoboam. The text tells us that he "walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David" (1 Kings 15:3). The only thing of note that the Bible says about Abijam is that he warred against Jeroboam of Israel during the whole of his three year reign (1 Kings 15:3). The book of Second Chronicles gives the details of one of the greatest battles which Abijam fought against Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 13:1-22). As both 36 armies were poised for battle, Abijam lectured Jeroboam for introducing idolatry he urged Israel to surrender. His reasoning was that God was on the side of Judah for the sake of David (vs. 4-5). Furthermore, Jeroboam led a revolt against David's heir, Rehoboam, and banished God's priests from Israel (vs. 6- 9), while the people of Judah continued to serve God loyally and to observe the proper order of sacrifices and offerings (vs. 10-11). This is hardly accurate, but it made for a good rallying speech which Abijam hoped his soldiers would believe and that would frighten and shame Jeroboam and his soldiers. While Abijam was speaking, Jeroboam sent a flanking army around behind Abijam's forces to surround Judah's army (vs. 13-14). Jeroboam had his enemy completely boxed in and trapped. He anticipated total victory. You have to imagine that he was glad for Abijam to continue distracting himself with his wonderful speech. However, in spite of Jeroboam's brilliant military strategy, Judah defeated Israel and slaughtered five hundred thousand choice soldiers from Israel (vs. 15-17). Abijam and his army pursued the army of Israel over their border and captured several key cities (vs. 18). The defeat was so devastating that Jeroboam never recovered during the days of Abijam, and finally God struck Jeroboam so that he died (vs. 20). In this tremendous victory for Abijam, we find that the reason had nothing to do with any particular military prowess that Abijam possessed, or for any great moral reform that he had instituted among his people. By all rights Israel should have won the battle. Israel's army outnumbered the army of Judah 2 to 1 (800,000 soldiers to Judah's 400,000), and Jeroboam was an older man, had reigned longer than Abijam, and his flanking maneuver is still one favored by armies of today. Then why did Abijam and Judah win? They won for one very simple reason: they depended on the Lord. Abijam's speech indicated that Judah had not completely abandoned God. In spite of the evil of its kings, the nation of Judah still worshiped only God, whereas Israel had abandoned God for calf- worship. Abijam's reign is summed up with a few facts: He grew mighty, married fourteen wives, and begot twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. The prophet Iddo recorded more of Abijam's ways and sayings (2 Chronicles 13:21- 22). Please note: God demonstrates with this mighty victory that He favors Judah and its kings. This fact should have sent a message to every king thereafter to repent of the sins of their predecessors, reform the nation, and serve God faithfully. Unfortunately, Rehoboam and Abijam would not be the last bad kings to rule Judah.

Asa (1 Kings 15:8-24; :1-16:14)  Son of Abijam  He began to reign in the twentieth year of Jeroboam of Israel  He reigned in Jerusalem for forty-one years  Good king

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Asa was the first king in many years who followed God as fully as David had done. Asa departed from the evil ways of his father and grand-father Abijah and Rehoboam and led Judah toward God. Asa is the first of Judah's great reformer kings. His reforms were sweeping and thorough, although he failed to remove from Jerusalem the "high places" of idolatrous worship. However, Asa's reforms were sweeping and they were needed if Judah was to continue to be blessed by God. He banished the perverted persons from the land and removed the idols which his fathers had built (1 Kings 15:12). Asa demonstrated that his loyalty to God was greater than his loyalty to his own family. He deposed his grandmother from her status as "queen mother" because she had built an image of Asherah. He destroyed the statue and burned it by the Brook Kidron (vs. 13). One of the flaws of many of the kings who ruled over Israel and Judah was that they seemed more determined to honor their wicked predecessors than they were keen to honor God. Asa did not so honor his family that he was willing to forsake God. He was the first of Judah's kings who seemed to recognize that his primary role as king was to lead the people toward God and to banish sin from the nation. Asa was also devoted to protecting his people and Judah's borders. There was war between Asa and Baasha of Israel all of their days (1 Kings 15:16). Baasha built the fortification city of Ramah in order to prevent any of his subjects from fleeing to the south and siding with Asa (vs. 17). Asa attempted to strengthen himself against Baasha by making an alliance with Ben-Hadad, king of Syria (1 Kings 15:18-21; :1-6). Ben-Hadad agreed to the alliance and mounted an attack from Syria against the Israelite territories in the North, forcing Baasha to abandon his efforts to build Ramah (vs. 21; 2 Chronicles 16:15-18). While Baasha was occupied furiously trying to repel the attack of the Syrian army, Asa compelled all of his people to lay siege to Ramah and tear it down, stones and timbers, and build Geba and Mizpah in the land of Benjamin with the captured materials (1 Kings 15:22; 2 Chronicles 16:6). Sadly, Judah's first great king in generations was not perfect. He did not please the Lord when he made his alliance with Ben-Hadad (2 Chronicles 16:7- 8). And, when he later contracted a foot disease, it was fatal (1 Kings 15:23-24). The Bible says that he died because he sought the help of physicians rather than the help of God (2 Chronicles 16:11-14). The disease that took his life ate at him for the last three years of his life (vs. 12-13). It is a shame that such a great man, who followed the Lord so closely, and who did his best to lead his people toward God should die because he did not seek the Lord for help with his illness. One of the greatest things that Asa produced was his son Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was one of Judah's greatest reformer kings. He would follow the lead of his father and move his people closer to God and to undertake greater efforts at reform in Judah, spurred by the memory and example of his father.

Prophet to Asa: Hanani the seer

Hanani the seer was sent by God to rebuke Asa for seeking a treaty with the

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Syrians against Israel rather than depending on God. He never consulted the Lord or his prophet in the matter with Ben-Hadad. Had Asa consulted God, the Lord would have assigned the Ethiopians as Asa's benefactors (2 Chronicles 16:7-8). Because of Asa's foolishness, Hanani warned that his reign would be characterized by constant wars (vs. 9). Asa responded in anger and had the prophet imprisoned (vs. 10). Also, he departed from the loyal character which he had demonstrated earlier in his reign.

Kings of

Israel

Nadab (1 Kings 15:25-31)  Son of Jeroboam  Reigned for two years  Evil king

Nadab goes down in history as one of the most unremarkable kings in Israel. He only reigned for two years, and he walked in the ways of his father Jeroboam. He began to reign in the second year of good king Asa of Judah (1 Kings 15:25). The only notable thing that happened to him was his assassination. Baasha the son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired to murder king Nadab during the siege of the Philistine city of Gibbethon (1 Kings 15:27). With Nadab's murder the first dynasty of Israel came to a close.

Baasha (1 Kings 15:27-34; 16:1-5)  The first king of the second dynasty in Israel  Assumed the throne through the assassination of his predecessor  Reigned for twenty-four years in Tirzah  Evil king

The reign of Baasha begins in a very familiar way. The kings of the earth rarely came to power by the peaceful process of death and birth. Often kings

39 came and went through conspiracy, murder, and warfare. The history of Israel is no different. Baasha decided that it was time for the family of Jeroboam to exit the throne, and so he conspired against and murdered Nadab when the opportunity presented itself during the "fog of war." Baasha's primary role was to rid Israel of Jeroboam and his descendants. The Bible says: "And it was so, when he became king, that he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite," (1 Kings 15:29). The prophecy which Baasha fulfilled can be read in 1 Kings 14:7-14. In that text, the prophet Ahijah foretold the complete overthrow of Jeroboam's family line. Unfortunately, Baasha did not reform the nation of Israel, but continued the sinful practices which had been instituted by Jeroboam (1 Kings 16:2). Therefore, as he ascended to the throne by prophecy, he would also fall the same way. God promised through Jehu the prophet that God would take away the posterity of Baasha's house, and that dogs and birds would eat whoever belonged to the house of Baasha (1 Kings 16:3-4).

The prophet to Baasha: Jehu

Jehu was the son of Hanani, and he was sent by God to foretell the doom of Baasha. God had lifted Baasha out of the dust and made him ruler over the people of Israel, and now his own house would end violently. All of his people would be obliterated and dogs and birds would eat their bodies (1 Kings 16:1-4).

Elah (1 Kings 16:6-14)  Son of Baasha  Reigned 2 years  Evil king

In a stroke of irony, Elah would fall to political assassination where his father ascended to power by it. All that we know about Elah is this: he reigned two years in Tirzah and then Zimri the commander of his chariots conspired to get Elah drunk and then murdered him and reigned in his place (1 Kings 16:9- 10). The only footnote that the Bible gives about Elah is that he followed the pattern of his father Baasha and his predecessors in leading Israel in idol worship, and we are told that his deeds are recorded in the Chronicles of the kings of Israel (vs. 13-14).

Zimri (1 Kings 16:9-14, 15-21; 2 Kings 9:31)  The only king of the third dynasty in Israel  Reigned for seven days

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 Destroyed the household of Baasha  Evil king

Zimri did not rule for long - only seven days. His only notable act was that he eliminated the household of Baasha from the earth. The Bible text tells us that Zimri began to cleanse Israel of Baasha's family line as soon as he ascended to the throne. He did not leave one male among his relatives or among Baasha's friends (1 Kings 16:11). This is a brutal way for a king to rise to power, and it did not result in a long, peaceful reign, but it was according to the will of the Lord. God used Zimri to rise to power precisely for this cause: "for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, by which they had sinned and by which they had made Israel sin, in provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols" (vs. 12). As the old story goes, a kingdom that rises by violence and deceit will end the same way. This was certainly true of Zimri's reign. Zimri surely thought that the people would rally behind him after hearing of how masterfully he had removed the house of Baasha from power, but the people did not follow him. Instead, Israel made Omri their king and followed him into battle to besiege Tirzah, where Zimri ruled as king (1 Kings 16:16-17). When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he burned the king's palace down on himself and he died (vs. 18). Please note: even though Zimri only ruled for seven short days on the throne of Israel, he still managed to do evil in the sight of God like Jeroboam before him. His only week of rule as king was devoted to leading his people even further into idolatry (1 Kings 16:19).

Questions:

1. Whose son was Abijam? Who was his mother?

2. Was Abijam good or evil?

3. Why did he become king?

4. Who ruled in Israel when Abijam became king?

5. How did Abijam win against a vastly larger army and superior tactics of Jeroboam?

6. How was Asa different than his father Abijam?

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7. Asa was the first of what kind of king in Judah?

8. What did Asa do that proved he was more loyal to God than to his own family heritage?

9. What two mistakes did Asa make?

10. Who was Ben-Hadad?

11. What notable thing did Nadab do?

12. Who was the first king of the second dynasty in Israel?

13. How did Baasha become king?

14. How did his successor become king?

15. Who was the only king of the third dynasty in Israel? How long did he reign? How was he replaced?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Eight

Omri, Ahab, and Jehoshaphat

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Jehoshaphat (25 Years)

Israel Omri (12 years) Ahab (22 years)

In our study today, we attempt to observe the timeline as best we can and will consider two of Israel's evil kings first, and then look at the life of one of Judah's best kings, Jehoshaphat. As we continue through our study, I will try as best I can to keep the timeline in mind as I organize our notes.

Kings of

Israel

Omri (1 Kings 16:16-23, 25-27; Micah 6:16)  First king of the fourth dynasty in Israel.  He was made king by the people who rebelled against Zimri  An evil king. Up to this point, he was the worst of all.  Reigned for 12 years.

The rise of Omri to the throne of Israel was more a matter of being at the right place at the right time rather than about his being a great leader of men. When Zimri presumed to be king after his assassination of Elah, the people did not take kindly to Zimri as he expected, and they made Omri their leader and followed him into battle against Zimri at Tirzah (1 Kings 16:16-17). A tense beginning. Omri's claim to the throne was not universally accepted, however, at least not at the beginning. Half of the kingdom wanted Tibni the son of Ginath to be king, and half followed Omri (1 Kings 16:21). However, the supporters of Omri prevailed, and Tibni died (likely by assassination) and Omni ruled free of any further opposition (vs. 22). Omri began to reign in the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah and ruled for twelve years. He reigned for six years in Tirzah, the traditional capital of previous kings, but then he built the city of and moved his government there (1 Kings 16:23-24). 43

Omri is sparsely mentioned in the scriptures. However, he clearly had a powerful and negative impact on Israel's history. Omri does have the unique distinction of being specifically mentioned in the annals of kings outside of the Bible story. The Moabite Stone mentions Omri and his capture of the land of Medeba which belonged to the Moabites. Also, the annals of Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria state that Omri was the first king of Israel to pay him tribute. Omri is mentioned later in the history of the divided kingdom as his many descendants weave their way in and out of the story (2 Kings 8:26; 2 Chronicles 22:2). The lasting influence of Omri can be seen in this mention found in the book of Micah: "For the statutes of Omri are kept; all the works of Ahab's house are done; and you walk in their counsels, that I may make you a desolation, and your inhabitants a hissing. Therefore you shall bear the reproach of My people" (Micah 6:16).

Ahab (1 Kings 16:29-22:40; :1-34)  Son of Omri  Reigned for 22 years  An evil king. The worst king in all of Israel's history.  Married Jezebel, who encouraged his wickedness.

Ahab began to reign after the death of his father Omri. Ahab became king in the thirty-eighth year of Asa of Judah (1 Kings 16:29). His reign was not the longest in history, but neither was it short enough, not by a mile. In his twenty- two years on the throne, Ahab cemented himself as one of the wickedest men ever to rule over a nation. Every wicked instinct that inhabited the hearts of God's people was expressed in the life and actions of this evil man. Not only did Ahab do more evil than any other king who had come before him, the text tells us that it was "a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat..." (1 Kings 16:31). Probably the thing that Ahab is known for the most is that he married a woman that was his equal in the realm of evildoing. The Bible says that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians (1 Kings 16:31). As the result of Jezebel's influence, Ahab worshipped Baal, the Canaanite deity, and he also built a temple and an altar for Baal in the capital city of Samaria (vs. 31-32). Ahab also built a grove devoted to the worship of various Canaanite gods (vs. 33). This provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger more than any king who came before him. The Bible mentions this little curiosity at the end of the chapter: "In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun" (1 Kings 16:34). If you will remember, when Joshua and his army destroyed Jericho, Joshua declared a curse upon anyone who would rebuild its walls. The man who attempted to do so would lay the foundation of the city with his firstborn son (Joshua 6:26). God intended for Jericho to never again be built, but during the reign of Ahab, God's will was not much considered, and Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt

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Jericho, and sacrificed his son under the foundation stones as a profane dedication. One cannot study the life of Ahab without examining his "partner in crime," Jezebel. Jezebel shared Ahab's lust for evil, and in fact, she seems to have eclipsed Ahab and his evil intentions. She was the driving force of some of Ahab's most wicked deeds. A notable account involved a "land-grab" which Jezebel orchestrated for Ahab. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which adjoined the palace of Ahab in Samaria, and Ahab wished to buy it (1 Kings 21:1-2). However, Naboth refused to sell his vineyard, because it was his family's inheritance (vs. 3). Naboth went into his palace and sulked because Naboth refused to sell him the land (vs. 4-6). When Jezebel heard the story, she told her king to cheer up, eat some food, and leave the procurement of Naboth's land to her (vs. 7). Jezebel wrote letters under Ahab's seal to the noblemen of the city proclaiming a public fast (vs. 8-9). Her plan was to assign Naboth the chief seat at fast and to have two false witnesses accuse Naboth of Blasphemy in that public setting (vs. 10). By this means, she succeeded in having Naboth stoned to death (vs. 11-13). Then, Jezebel casually sent word to her husband that Naboth was dead, and he could not confiscate his lands because he was the king (vs. 14-15). Jezebel also launched an all-out war against Elijah the prophet and other living prophets of God, because Elijah condemned the house of Ahab for the murder of Naboth (1 Kings 18:4). Elijah condemned not only Ahab, but also Jezebel. Elijah declared that God would cut off every male in Israel, both bond and free (1 Kings 21:21), and his house would cease to exist in Israel as the house of Baasha had (vs. 22). Further, Elijah declared that Jezebel would be killed violently, and dogs would eat her by the wall of Jezreel (vs. 23). Jezebel's end was every bit as violent as it was foretold. Jehu the prophet ordered her execution. He ordered eunuchs to throw her from the wall of Jezreel, and then had her corpse trampled by horses. When servants were sent to bury Jezebel, no more than her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands could be found (2 Kings 9:32-35). The reign of Ahab was one in which peace reigned for the first time between Israel and Judah. Jehoshaphat sought an alliance with Ahab through marriage (2 Chronicles 18:1; see also: 1 Kings 22:1-39). After a number of years of peace had passed, Jehoshaphat paid a state visit to Ahab, and Ahab used the opportunity to persuade Jehoshaphat to make an alliance and fight with him against Ramoth-Gilead, and Jehoshaphat agreed to help, since they were family (2 Chronicles 18:2-3). However, Jehoshaphat insisted that they seek the counsel of the Lord before the military campaign commenced (vs. 4). Ahab gathered together four hundred hand chosen prophets who gave their consent for the proposed war (vs. 5), but Jehoshaphat was suspicious. He asked if there was not a prophet of God who might give an opposing view, and Ahab said there was only Micaiah, the son of Imla, but Ahab opposed him, because Micaiah only prophesied evil concerning him (vs. 6-7). When they finally consulted him, Micaiah told the two kings that their joint campaign would end in disaster. Furthermore, the four hundred prophets were liars and deceivers (vs. 12-22).

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Micaiah foretold that Ahab would die in battle at Ramoth-Gilead (vs. 19). Ahab jailed Micaiah the prophet (vs. 26) and launched the attack on Ramoth-Gilead, but he did so in disguise in order to fool the enemy and survive the battle (vs. 29). An archer randomly shot an arrow in the heat of battle and it struck Ahab, morally wounding him (vs. 33). Ahab's life ended at sunset as he watched the battle rage between his forces and the Syrians (vs. 34). After he died in battle, his blood was washed out of his chariot, and dogs licked it up as the prophet had foretold (1 Kings 22:38; see also: 1 Kings 21:19).

Prophets to Ahab: Elijah and Micaiah the son of Imlah

Elijah: A courageous prophet of God who opposed the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel. He was hunted by a vengeful Jezebel. He foretold the violent death of Jezebel. Lesson #9 will focus on this prophet and his exploits.

Micaiah the son of Imlah: Micaiah was the messenger whose job it was to assure that Ahab died in battle at Ramoth- Gilead. When Ahab and Jehoshaphat sought his counsel in the coming war, he initially told them to launch the battle. However, the truth was that it was his duty to assure that Ahab died in battle as per God's plan (1 Kings 22:15-23).

Kings of Judah

Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:2-49; 2 Kings 3:1, 6-14; 8:16; :1-21:1)  The son of Asa and Azubah, daughter of Shilhi.  A good king. One of the best.  Continued the reformations begun by his father Asa.

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 Made peace with the king of Israel.

Jehoshaphat the son of good king Asa became king in the fourth year of Ahab in Israel (1 Kings 22:41; :31). He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he ruled for twenty-five years in Jerusalem (1 Kings 22:42). He was one of the better kings who ruled over Judah. He did not turn away from the good deeds that his father had done. He continued the reforms of his father, but he did not remove the high places, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings on them (vs.43). However, he ordered their destruction (2 Chronicles 17:6), but his orders were never fully carried out. He also sent Levites and priests throughout the land of Judah to teach the people the book of the Law (2 Chronicles 17:7-9). He also established a system of judges throughout the land of Judah whose job it was to foster justice and righteousness and adherence to the law among the people. He ordered his judges to act faithfully and with a loyal heart (2 Chronicles 19:5-11). Among Jehoshaphat's reforms were that he continued the campaign begun by his father to rid the land of the "perverted persons" who practiced homosexual prostitution in connection with idolatry (1 Kings 22:46). Jehoshaphat increased the boundaries of Israel's lands by annexing Edom for a time. In those days there was no king in Edom, but only a viceroy from Jehoshaphat's administration who ruled over the Edomites (1 Kings 22:47). Later, the Edomites would rebel against the authority of Jerusalem and establish their own king to rule over them (2 Kings 8:20). Jehoshaphat became very wealthy, receiving tribute from many (2 Chronicles 17:5, 11-12; 18:1). But, he also sought to increase Judah's wealth by building a navy to travel the sea to in search of gold, but his ships were wrecked at the shipyards of Ezion-Geber before they could sail in search of gold (1 Kings 22:48). The expedition was doomed before it got started because of Jehoshaphat's insistence upon maintaining his alliance with Israel, specifically Ahaziah (2 Chronicles 20:35-36) As we have just learned, one of the more notable events in the life of Jehoshaphat was that he sought peace between himself and Ahab of Israel. However, this was the one blemish on his record. Jehu the prophet informed him that God's wrath was stirred by Jehoshaphat's alliances with Ahab and other kings.

Prophet to Jehoshaphat: Jehu, the son of Hanani.

The prophet Jehu condemned Jehoshaphat for his continued alliances with wicked Israelite kings. He told Jehoshaphat that the "wrath of the Lord is upon you" (2 Chronicles 19:2). However, Jehu told him that God

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had noted the good that Jehoshaphat had done in reforming Judah's service to God (vs. 3). As a result, Jehoshaphat continued to reign and continued his program of reformation (vs. 4). Jehu recorded the "rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last" (2 Chronicles 20:34).

Questions:

1. Which dynasty in Israel began with Omri?

2. How did Omri become king?

3. Whom did half of the people of Israel follow for a time once Omri began to rule?

4. What kind of king was Omri? How did he compare to those who came before him?

5. How does the Bible describe the wickedness of Ahab?

6. What did he do that demonstrated his commitment to evil?

7. Of what people was Jezebel?

8. Give an example of how Jezebel manipulated Ahab.

9. What happened to Naboth the Jezreelite?

10. Against whom did Jezebel launch a war?

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11. Who foretold her death? How was she executed?

12. How does Jehoshaphat rank among Judah's kings concerning goodness?

13. What programs of his fathers did he continue?

14. Name some things that he accomplished.

15. Why did he build a navy?

16. What happened to his navy?

17. What was the relationship like between Jehoshaphat and the kings of Israel?

18. What did the prophet Jehu say about this?

19. Why was Jehoshaphat allowed to continue as king?

20. How did Ahab die? Which prophet of God saw it as his mission to assure Ahab died in battle. How did he hope to do it?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Nine

The Prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17:1-21:28; 2 Kings 1:1-2:15; 3:11; :12-15)

Timeline Of The Kings: (Kings who ruled during Elijah's day)

Judah Asa (41 years) Jehoshaphat (25 years) Jehoram (8 years)

Israel Omri (12 years) Ahab (22 years) Ahaziah (2 years)

Today we take a break from the kings for a brief study of the life and work of one of the Old Testament's more memorable prophets, Elijah. Elijah prophesied during the last years of Asa king of Judah, and during the reigns of Omri, Ahab, and Ahaziah of Israel. However, Elijah's primary target for his preaching was Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. Elijah described. Elijah looked the part of an Old Testament fire and brimstone preacher. He is described as very rough looking. When Ahaziah, the Son of Ahab was injured in a fall, he sent messengers to inquire of Baal about his chances for recovery. Along the way, the messengers met Elijah, whom they later described to Ahaziah as: "A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist" (2 Kings 1:8). This reminds us of how John the Baptist is described : "And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey" (Matthew 3:4). This is perfectly sensible as John is described in the New Testament as a latter-day Elijah (Matthew 17:10-12). John came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). Elijah's words were much more important than his looks, however. Elijah's first ever sermon was aimed squarely at Ahab and his wickedness. Elijah declared that a terrible drought would soon begin and it would only end when the prophet said that it would: "...As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word" (1 Kings 17:1). With these words, Elijah informed Ahab that the king would answer to God, and that Elijah would be God's mouthpiece. These words also made Elijah public enemy number one in Israel. His target was the king, and Ahab would surely "kill the messenger" if he could. Knowing these things to be true, God instructed Elijah to hide himself by the brook Cherith, which would supply him with water, and God would send ravens to feed him with bread and meat in the morning and in the evening (vs. 2-6). Miracles confirm Elijah's authority. Elijah's life is filled with important events and miracles as he battled the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel. Miracles early in the work of Elijah confirmed that the Lord was with him. The water of the brook dried up due to a drought Elijah was instructed to go to

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Zarephath where a widow woman would feed him (vs. 9). The woman was poor and had only enough food to prepare her and her son one last meal of bread, but Elijah promised that her flour would not be used up nor the oil fail until the rains returned. The woman obeyed Elijah, and true to Elijah's words, the woman's oil and flour never failed until the rains returned (vs. 12-16). In time the widow's son died suddenly and Elijah restored the boy to life (vs. 17-23). Elijah confronted Ahab. Finally, after three years of drought and famine, God commanded Elijah to present himself to King Ahab as the solution to the drought (1 Kings 18:1-2). Ahab had grown so desperate during the three years of drought and famine that he sent his servant Obadiah (not the prophet Obadiah) to search for springs of water around which patches of grass might be found to keep alive his horses and mules (vs. 5). As Obadiah searched for springs of water, he met Elijah who commanded him to summon Ahab (vs. 8). But, Obadiah declined to be the bearer of the news because Ahab's anger was so fierce that he would surely kill Obadiah (vs. 9). He told Elijah that Ahab had sent messengers throughout every nation and land looking for Elijah (vs. 10). Obadiah feared that after he informed Ahab of Elijah's presence that God would take Elijah away, leaving Obadiah to face the wrath of Ahab empty handed (vs. 11-12). Elijah assured Obadiah (who was responsible for hiding a hundred prophets of God from Jezebel in a cave, vs. 13), that he would certainly meet with Ahab face to face (vs. 14-16). When Ahab laid eyes on Elijah, he asked the famous question: "Is that you, O troubler of Israel?" (vs. 17) But Elijah responded with a fierce accusation and rebuke: "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" (vs. 18). Elijah is the personification of a true preacher of God's word. He knew the consequences that would come to him when he preached the truth to Ahab, but he did not shy away from preaching the words that Ahab needed to hear. Who in his right mind would dare call the king of Israel the "troubler of Israel?" Only a man who had a death wish would do so, or as in the case of Elijah - a man who feared God rather than men. The contest on Mount Carmel. Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel is one of the most famous stories in the Old Testament. It is certainly one of the most thrilling stories. Elijah commanded Ahab to gather all Israel together on Mount Carmel along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah "who eat at Jezebel's table" (1 Kings 18:19). Here is plain evidence of Elijah's courage and his strength. He intended to destroy the prophets of Baal and Asherah with all of Israel watching. He never feared failure for even a second. He knew that God would demonstrate to all of the people, in the most forceful way, that He alone is God. Elijah began by challenging the people to pick a side. He called on them to stop faltering "between two opinions. If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." Of course, the people kept silent (vs. 21), so Elijah continued and outlined the challenge that would settle once and for all who is God. He posed the challenge as one man against four hundred and fifty of Baal's prophets (vs. 22). Everything in the challenge of Elijah was meant to demonstrate the

51 truth that there is only one God. That Elijah alone fought against so many false prophets was met with equal strength by the nature of the challenge. Elijah instructed that two bulls be brought for sacrifice, and they would be cut in pieces and put on two altars (vs. 23). The prophets of Baal would be unhindered to do whatever they pleased, so long as they did not supply any fire to consume the offering. They were allowed to choose their favorite bull, and they were encouraged to call on their gods to consume the offering with fire. Elijah would do the same with the remaining bull, and the god who answered by fire would be proven to be the true God (vs. 24-25). Everything about this trial by fire was perfectly designed to destroy forever the notion that Baal or Asherah were actually gods. The prophets of Baal prepared their bull and began to call on Baal "...from morning to evening: 'O Baal hear us!'..." (vs. 26). All of the people assembled were forced to watch this pathetic display. The worshipers of Baal probably watched with interest certain that their god would answer by fire, but as the prophets called to Baal the text tells us: "but there was no voice; no one answered" (vs. 26b). The silence of Baal must have been deafening to the people! The prophets of Baal were not easily daunted by Baal's absence, so they began to leap around the altar, and then they cried aloud and cut themselves with knives and lances, and they prophesied all day until evening. But, at the end of all of their theatrics, the Bible text ominously intones: "...But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention" (vs. 28-29). The answer should have been obvious to all who were assembled on Mount Carmel that day: there was no real god named Baal. He was the invention of men. Elijah made certain that the people did not miss the importance of what they were seeing. He mocked the prophets of Baal. He urged them on, telling them to "cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened" (vs. 27). How could any worshiper of Baal not be moved by the complete silence of his so- called deity? Finally, it was Elijah's turn. At evening the prophets of Baal fell silent, so Elijah called all the people to him, and while they watched he repaired the altar of the Lord, building, it with twelve stones to represent the twelve tribes of Israel (vs. 31). Around the altar he dug a deep trench and put wood under the altar, and put the cut up bull on top of the altar, and then he had the whole altar, wood, and the bull saturated with four water pots full of water (vs. 32-33). Then he ordered a second and a third round of four water pots of water to be poured over the affair. The water filled up the trench he had dug (vs. 34-35). Elijah waited until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, and then simply called on God with an eloquent prayer to demonstrate to the apostates in Israel that He alone is God (vs. 36-37). The response of God was immediate. Fire from the Lord fell from heaven and consumed the burnt sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and the water in the trench (vs. 38). The battle was over in mere seconds. Elijah had demonstrated that there was no truth to the worship of Baal. He was a mere lifeless lump of stone. God, the creator, and the ruler of heaven and earth demonstrated in a way that no one could misunderstand that

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He alone was God. The people fell on their faces immediately and declared Jehovah to be God (vs. 39). Elijah ordered the people to seize the prophets of Baal and he executed them, all four hundred and fifty of them, by the Brook Kishon (vs. 40). Elijah's method of defeating the worship of Baal was courageous and it was complete. While we cannot execute popes and false teachers today, we must be complete in our efforts to expose their error. Those voices among God's people today who call for a kinder and gentler approach to those who preach false doctrine would not welcome Elijah into their pulpits. He showed no leniency toward these men who had corrupted the hearts of the people. Next, Elijah continued to prove the power of God. He instructed Ahab to look toward the sea and behold the rain (1 Kings 18:41-43). At first Ahab said there was no rain, but Elijah merely bowed in prayer, and instructed Ahab to keep looking. Ahab looked toward the sea seven times, and the seventh time Ahab reported that a small cloud had begun to rise out of the sea. Elijah told him to hurry home before the rains stopped him (vs. 44). Soon, the sky was black with clouds and the wind and rain were heavy (vs. 45). James refers to this event and reminds us that it had been three and a half years of drought before the rains came by the prayer of Elijah (James 5:17-18). Jezebel declared war on Elijah. One cannot help but wonder what kind of king Ahab might have been without Jezebel on his side. No doubt he would have continued to be wicked, but with Jezebel calling the shots in his kingdom, there was no chance of reaching this man and turning him fully back to God. Ahab reported what Elijah had done to Jezebel. He had been properly impressed by the obvious power of God over Baal and was shaken by the obliteration of the prophets of Baal. But, Jezebel did not bat an eye. Instead, she sent word to Elijah that by her hand Elijah would soon die: "So let the gods to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time" (1 Kings 19:1-2). Elijah fled from Jezebel. Please note: Elijah's reaction to Jezebel was entirely different than his reaction to Ahab. He boldly confronted Ahab, but he ran from Jezebel (vs. 3). What does that say about Ahab? It tells us for certain who was really in power in Israel: it was Jezebel! Elijah had no fear of the king, but he knew for certain that Jezebel was a woman of her word, and she would certainly seek him out and kill him if she could. The Lord strengthened Elijah. Elijah rested in his exile under a broom tree and asked God to let him die (vs. 4). However, as Elijah slept under the tree an angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him to arise and eat and prepare for a long journey (vs. 5-7). He was strengthened by the meal and was able to travel for forty days and nights until he came to Horeb, the mountain of God (vs. 8). Elijah hid in a cave in the mountain and the Lord asked why he hid himself. Elijah responded that he feared that he was the only prophet of God who remained, and Jezebel was determined to kill him (vs. 10). God told Elijah to leave the cave and stand on the mountain and observe (vs. 11). God showed Elijah three great demonstrations of power: a great strong wind that broke rocks in pieces, then a powerful earthquake, and finally a

53 consuming fire (vs. 11b). In each instance, Elijah was told that God was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. Then, Elijah heard a "still small voice" (vs. 12). Elijah got the point; he wrapped his face in his mantle in reverence (vs. 13). The power of God was always in God's words which were continually given to Elijah. Elijah had fallen prey to human fear of the power of Jezebel and Ahab, but God would not forsake His messenger. He simply needed to show courage and depend on the Lord and preach His word. Yet, he could not help being afraid for his life (vs. 14). Elijah appointed his successor. God instructed Elijah to go to Syria and make king over Syria, and then anoint Jehu the son of king over Israel to rule in Ahab's place, and then he must anoint Elisha to be prophet in his place (vs. 15-16). God assured Elijah that neither Ahab nor Jezebel would escape. Hazael in Syria would cut off their escape and kill them, and if Hazael failed, then Jehu would kill them, and if Jehu failed, Elisha would execute them (vs. 17). Elijah immediately sought out Elisha and anointed him to be his successor (vs. 19-21). A comforting reminder. Elijah believed that he was the only prophet of God who remained loyal to God, but this was not true. God told him: "Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him" (vs. 18). Elijah was not as alone as he thought, and the battle for the salvation of his people not as hopeless as he believed. Elijah declared the death of Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 21:17-24). Jezebel engineered the death of a good man, Naboth the Jezreelite, purely so that her husband could possess his vineyard which adjoined Ahab's property (vs. 1-16). This was the final straw of wickedness. God instructed Elijah to travel to Jezreel and declare the death of the wicked king and his wife. Their deaths would be violent and final. The dogs would eat Ahab, Jezebel, and everything that belonged to them. However, something unusual happened, Ahab heard the words of his own death and humbled himself before the Lord (vs. 27). Without the influence of his wife, he thought for himself and demonstrated at least a small shred of humility. As a result, God told Elijah that the calamity to Ahab's house would happen in the days of his son (vs. 28-29). After the death of Ahab, Elijah's work was not done. Ahaziah, Ahab's Son sent messengers to Elijah seeking his help, because he had fallen and was mortally wounded. However, when the messengers found Elijah, Elijah called upon God to destroy the messengers of Ahaziah twice (2 Kings 1-12). The third time Ahaziah sent fifty men to seek out Elijah, the captain of the fifty humbled himself and begged for his and his men's life, and they were spared (vs. 13-14). Elijah sent the messengers back to Ahaziah declaring that he would never again leave his bed, but would die (vs. 16-18). Elijah was taken up to heaven. Elijah's life was colorful and filled with stories of courage and faithfulness. He was loyal to God all of his days, and God did not allow him to die, but took him up to heaven in a whirlwind after he passed his mantle of authority to Elisha (2 Kings 2:1-12). One last message from Elijah. The final words from Elijah were not sent to a king of Israel, but to the king of Judah, Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat (2

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Chronicles 21:12-15). Jehoram departed from the path laid down by his good father Jehoshaphat and led his people to sin. Furthermore, Elijah said that Jehoram's conduct resembled Ahab's more than that of his own father. Elijah told Jehoram that he would die of a terrible internal disease, and his family would be made to suffer a terrible illness as well (vs. 14-15).

Questions:

1. Elijah was called the ______.

2. How does the Bible describe Elijah's appearance?

3. Who in the New Testament is compared to Elijah?

4. In what ways was this man like Elijah?

5. What was Elijah's temperament like?

6. Which king of Israel received most of Elijah's attention?

7. Whom did Elijah fear most, and why?

8. Which king of Judah received a letter of doom from Elijah?

9. Why was the contest on Mount Carmel so dramatic?

10. How did the contest prove beyond all doubt that there is only one God?

11. What did Elijah do with the prophets of Baal?

12. Whom did God tell Elijah to appoint king in Syria and Israel? Why?

13. Who would his successor be?

14. Why did Elijah not die?

15. How was Elijah received into heaven?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Ten

The Prophet Elisha 1 Kings 19:16 - 2 Kings 13:20

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Jehoshaphat (25 years) Jehoram Ahaziah (1 year)

Israel Ahaziah (2 years) Joram (12 years) Jehu (28 years)

Near the end of his life and after the defeat of the prophets of Baal, Elijah was commanded by God to appoint a new prophet and a new king to rule over Israel. He appointed Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah to be his successor, and Jehu the son of Nimshi to rule Israel (1 Kings 19:16). This was a difficult and dark time for Elijah in spite of the fact that the people had declared their loyalty to God and forsaken Baal. Israel's history was such that surely Elijah knew that it wouldn't be long until the people were back to their old ways courting idols. However, God assured Elijah that there were yet seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal (vs. 18). Elijah found Elisha working in the fields plowing behind a yoke of oxen (vs. 19). Elijah placed his mantle over the shoulders of Elisha indicating that Elisha was God's choice to succeed Elijah. Elisha willingly followed his new master, but first requested that he be allowed to say goodbye to his parents (vs. 20). This indicates that Elisha knew that the new task assigned to him would be a lifelong duty, not a temporary one. Elijah granted Elisha permission to visit his parents once more but assured him that it was God's call that had been placed upon Elisha; he was not merely Elijah's choice (vs. 20b). Elisha's work was markedly different than that of Elijah's. Elijah was a fire and brimstone preacher who concentrated on ridding Israel of idolatry through fiery sermons and near constant conflict with Ahab, Jezebel, and the prophets of Baal. Elisha's time as prophet is more characterized by miracles and demonstrations of the power of God than of preaching. However, while Elisha might be seen as a milder personality than Elijah, his influence on the nation of Israel was just as profound as his predecessor's. Elisha finished the work that God had given Elijah by appointing kings throughout the lands of Israel, Syria, and Judah and completely eradicating the family of Ahab and Jezebel.

Elisha's devotion

Elisha recognized the seriousness of the duty that had been placed on him and he demonstrated it in his final act related to his youth. Elijah slaughtered his oxen, boiled their flesh using the wood from the yoke that he used in plowing,

56 and made a feast for his people, and afterward he followed Elijah (vs. 21). By this act, Elisha severed himself from his past home and life, and devoted himself to the cause of preaching to Israel. Elisha's dedication to God and to his master Elijah is evident at the end of Elijah's earthly life. As the Lord prepared to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah instructed Elisha to remain in Gilgal while Elijah traveled to Bethel, but Elisha refused to leave his side (2 Kings 2:1-2). Elijah's actions were also colored with emotion. He knew very well that God was about to take Elijah, and he wanted to prolong his time with his master as long as he could. He was told by the "sons of the prophets" that soon Elijah would be taken to heaven, and Elisha said to them: "Yes, I know; keep silent" (vs. 3). Elijah then instructed Elisha to remain in Bethel while he went ahead to Jericho, but again, Elisha refused, and accompanied Elijah to Jericho (vs. 4-5). Finally, Elijah adamantly instructed Elisha to remain in Jericho as Elijah went across the Jordon as God commanded Him, but once more Elisha refused (vs. 6). At long last, the time was at hand, and Elijah must go where Elisha could not follow. The sons of the prophets appear to have been following from city to city in order to be witnesses of the awesome event. Now, fifty of them stood respectfully at a distance watching the events unfold (vs. 7). Elijah rolled up his mantle like a rod and struck the Jordan so that the waters divided, and he and Elisha crossed over on dry ground (vs. 8). The sons of the prophets would get to see the great Elijah taken to heaven in a whirlwind and a chariot of fire. Before he is parted from his student, however, Elijah granted Elisha permission to ask for anything that it was within Elijah's power to grant. Elisha asked in words heavy with sentiment, as well as fear and trembling for the task soon to be his: "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me" (vs. 9). This reminds us of Solomon's request for wisdom so that he could lead the people of Israel (1 Kings 3:7-9). Imagine how Elisha must have felt at this moment, knowing that soon the mantle of God's authority would fully rest on his shoulders. In his way, Elisha paid tribute to Elijah and was sweetly telling his master: "I am not half the man that you are." At the same time, he demonstrated his full understanding of the seriousness of the work that he would soon be called upon to do. Finally, the moment came, and Elijah was taken to heaven. When Elisha saw it he cried out: "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen" (vs. 12). When Elijah was finally gone, Elisha tore his garments in grief.

The many miracles of Elisha

Elisha's ministry was characterized by many and various miracles which demonstrated to the people the authority of God and Elisha's preaching. When the dramatic scene of Elijah's departure was over, Elisha took the mantle of Elijah, rolled it up as he had seen his master do, and struck the waters of the , which divided so that he could return to Israel on dry land (vs. 14). The fifty sons of the prophets witnessed this and understood the importance of this simple act. For Elisha, the full weight of prophetic

57 responsibility was now his to bear, but for the witnesses this was proof to them of where the authority now resided. They rushed forward, and bowed to Elisha (vs. 15). They volunteered to search the nearby mountains for the body of Elijah, but Elisha knew it was a fruitless search, because Elijah had been taken to heaven (vs. 16-18). Healing the impure water of Jericho. Elisha's first miracle involved the restoration of Jericho's water supply. The men of the city, knowing that Elisha now served as prophet in the place of Elijah presented to Elisha their problem. Life in Jericho was good, but their water supply was tainted, and the ground could not bear any crops (vs. 19). Elisha instructed them to bring him a new bowl filled with salt, and he poured the salt into the water (vs. 20-21). He pronounced the water clean and declared that the land would no longer be barren (vs. 21-22). Bears kill the taunting youth. One of the most memorable events in the early work of Elisha was the incident with the mocking youths which he encountered on the road to Bethel. As Elisha traveled from Jericho to Bethel he was confronted by some youths from the city who mocked him: "Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!" (2 Kings 2:23). The youths were taunting Elisha as an old fool who could not ascend with his master on the fiery chariot. Elisha cursed them and in that instant two female bears emerged from the woods and attacked the youths and mauled them (vs. 24). This incident is a little hard to read, and some might say that Elisha overreacted to simple taunting. However, it must be remembered that Elisha was God's chosen prophet. As the successor of Elijah, and he would be the man through whom God communicated His will to the people. The taunting youths, therefore, blasphemed God's prophet. As brutal as this response was, it demonstrated undeniably the authority of Elisha. Surely news of the attack of the bears on the youths would be broadcast around the land, and people would understand that this was not simply some man who presumed to wear the robe of Elijah. They would know that Elisha was indeed God's messenger. The vessels of oil. Elisha performed another notable miracle for a widow woman. Her husband had recently died and had left her with enormous debts, and the creditors were coming to take away her sons as slaves in payment of the debts (2 Kings 4:1-2). Elisha discovered that all the widow had on hand was a jar of oil (vs. 2). He instructed her to gather all of the vessels that she could find and to borrow empty vessels from her neighbors, as many as she could get (vs. 3). Then, he told her to pour oil into all of the vessels, and to keep filling vessels until they were all full (vs. 4). Once all of the vessels were full, the oil ceased flowing (vs. 6). Then Elisha told her to go and sell all of the oil and pay her debts with the proceeds (vs. 7). The Shunamite's son. In another case, there was a Shunamite woman who made preparations in her house for Elisha to eat and sleep whenever he traveled through the area (2 Kings 4:8-10). She told her husband that Elisha was a holy man and that they should make provisions for him (vs. 9-10). Elisha wanted to reward this woman for her kindness, but she told him that she dwelt among her own people and had all she needed (vs. 12-13). Elisha's servant

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Gehazi returned and gave the woman's answer, but he also told Elisha that the woman had no son and her husband was old (vs. 14). Soon, she would be without any means of support. Elisha then called the woman and told her that she would have a new son within a year's time (vs. 15-16). The woman indeed bore a son at the appointed time (vs. 17). However, the child soon died of a head illness, perhaps heat stroke from working in the sun with his father (vs. 19). Grieving, the woman laid the child on Elisha's upstairs bed and went to Mount Carmel in search for Elisha (vs.21-24). She compelled Elisha to return to her home, knowing the prophet could revive her son. Elisha lay upon the child and warmed his body (vs. 34). After a rest, Elisha repeated his actions, and the child sneezed seven times and revived (vs. 35). A stew in Gilgal. Later, a famine came upon the land of Gilgal, and Elisha instructed the sons of the prophets to make a stew for all of the people to eat (vs. 38-39). However, the cook used wild gourds to make up the bulk of the stew, and the people could not eat it because the soup was poisonous (vs. 40). Perhaps Elisha was unaware that the local plants were poisonous, but the people knew. However, Elisha put a little flour into the pot and declared it to be harmless (vs. 41). Elisha feeds one hundred men. In addition to the stew, Elisha compelled a man from Baal Shalisha to give up twenty loaves of barley bread and a sack of grain to the people so that they could eat (vs. 42). His servant doubted that so few loaves would satisfy the whole city, but Elisha told him they would have enough and there would be bread left over (vs. 43). The floating ax head. The sons of the prophets increased so much in numbers that they wished to have their own community in which to dwell, and they sought permission from Elisha to build themselves a new home (2 Kings 6:1-2). Elisha granted them permission to build their home and he accompanied them to the site (vs. 2-3). As one of the prophets cut down a tree his ax head flew off and sank into the Jordan. Elijah threw a stick into the water and the iron ax head floated to the surface (vs. 6). Naaman the leper. The most famous miracle of Elisha involved the cure provided for Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army (2 Kings 5:1). Naaman was an honorable man and a mighty man of valor (vs. 1), but he was also a leper. Leprosy was one of the most dreaded diseases of the ancient world. It was highly communicable, and it ravaged the skin and the body of its victims. This great man suffered a very common disease, and it threatened to destroy him. During one of Syria's battles, a young Jewish girl was captured and brought back to Syria to be Naaman's wife's servant (vs. 2). The servant girl told her mistress that the prophet Elisha could provide a cure for her husband's terrible disease (vs. 3). Naaman wasted no time gaining the permission of his king to send for Elisha, and the king readily sent for Elisha, even sending him a very large treasure to the king of Israel in exchange for Elisha's help in curing his commander (vs. 4-5). The letter was delivered by the hand of Naaman to the king of Israel (most likely Joram, Ahab's grandson) in hopes that he would send his prophet to heal

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Naaman (vs. 6). However, the king of Israel suspected a plot and a potential threat to overthrow the king (vs. 7). The king of Israel believed this to be a prelude to war, by the Syrian king asking him to do a thing he was incapable of doing, when he failed or declined to act, it would trigger war. However, Elisha urged the king to permit Naaman to come to him (vs. 8). The cure. Everyone who has ever studied God's plan of salvation knows what the cure was for Naaman's leprosy, and they also know how he reacted to the news. Elisha told Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River and he would be restored to health and be cleansed of his leprosy (vs. 9-10). However, Naaman became furious at the simple nature of the cure. He thought that the prophet would prescribe some elaborate cure, and so he refused to dip seven times (vs. 11-12). Thankfully, though, Naaman's servants were wiser than he. They asked why he would not gladly engage in a simple cure, if it were hopeful to provide the cure for him (vs. 13). At this rebuke, Naaman humbled himself before God and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan River as he was commanded by Elisha, and he was cleansed completely of his leprosy (vs. 14). This case study is a perfect parallel with the plan of salvation. Just as Naaman had to dip seven times in the Jordan River (no more and no less, and in no other river than the Jordan), so one must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe the gospel (John 8:24), repent of his sins (Acts 17:30), confess his faith (Romans 10:10), and be baptized (Acts 2:38). One cannot forsake any of these steps if he wishes to be cleansed of his sins.

Elisha thwarts Syria's attack on Israel

Elisha warned the king of Israel that the King of Syria intended to attack him (2 Kings 6:9-10). Later in the chapter, the king is named: Ben-Hadad (vs. 24). When the king of Syria heard that Israel had been warned and had retreated, he was filled with anger and sent a raiding force to capture Elisha (vs. 13-14). Ben-Hadad accused his own men of spying for Israel (vs. 11), but his servants said that Elisha the prophet told Israel's king, Joram, what Ben-Hadad spoke in his own bedroom (vs. 12). When the servant of Elisha saw the forces of the king of Syria on the horizon, he was stricken with fear (vs. 14). Elisha's servant reported the approaching horses and soldiers, Elisha prayed to God to reveal to his servant how safe they were, and the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounded Elisha (vs. 16-17). The Syrians were completely defeated without Israel having to firing of a single arrow. Elisha asked God to strike the Syrians blind, and then he led them into Samaria, where they were surrounded by the army of Israel (vs. 19-20). The King of Israel asked if he should kill them all (vs. 21), but Elisha told him to extend mercy to them and prepare a feast for the king of Syria and his forces (vs. 22-23). One would think that Elisha's actions would be heralded far and wide, and that the people would celebrate the peaceful resolution of the Syrian crisis, but it was not to be. Ben-Hadad, the Syrian king attacked Samaria and laid siege to it

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(vs. 24). His forces were overwhelming; he had thirty-two kings with him and their combined armies (1 Kings 20:1). The siege was long and costly. Scarcity of food increased until the head of a donkey sold for a premium price of eighty shekels of silver (vs. 25). Famine became so severe that cannibalism began to be common place (vs. 28-29; compare Leviticus 26:27-29; Deuteronomy 28:52- 57). The king of Israel blamed Elisha for the mess, and called for Elisha's death (vs. 31). However, the punishment upon Israel was from the Lord (vs. 32-33). Elisha proclaimed the end of the siege, but the elders of the city doubted him. Elisha said to the elders that by the next evening food would be so abundant within Samaria that sacks of grain would be sold for very little (2 Kings 7:1). However, King Joram's chief officer doubted that even with a deluge of rain that such a thing could be accomplished (vs. 2). Citizens of the city began to rebel against Elisha and plotted surrender to the Syrians. Four leprous men decided that after so much suffering, murder by the Syrians was better if it came sooner rather than waiting for the inevitable attack (vs. 4). At twilight the lepers entered the Syrian camp and found it empty. God had caused the Syrians to hear the sound of the fiery chariots and flee (vs. 5-7). The lepers plundered the camp of the Syrians until their consciences began to pain them, and they returned to Samaria and reported that the invaders were gone (vs. 8-10). Joram of Israel believed that the Syrians had set a trap to lure the people of God to their slaughter (vs. 11-12). He sent a small party of soldiers who were expendable in his eyes to see if the Syrians had indeed departed (vs. 13-14). They found along the road many garments and weapons which the Syrians discarded in their haste to escape from God's army (vs. 15). The people of Israel heard the news and raided the abandon camp of the Syrians and found so much grain that the price dropped to a shekel, just as Elisha predicted (vs. 16). The king's officer, who earlier had doubted Elisha's word was trampled to death in fulfillment of Elisha's rebuke that the man would see the miracle, but not eat any of the grain (vs. 17-20).

Elisha single-handedly reshaped the political face of the land of Israel and Judah. Remember that God had previously charged Elijah the prophet to appoint Elisha as his successor, who would be given the duty of appointing a new king in Syria and in Israel who would eliminate the house of Ahab (1 Kings 19:16-17). The following key events brought the results that God desired. Elisha foretold seven years of famine following the period of prosperity (2 Kings 8:1-6). Elisha warned the woman whose son he restored to life that a famine was coming and that she should find a secure place to live during those years (vs. 1). She fled to the land of Philistia and dwelt there with her household during the famine (vs. 2). About this time, the king of Israel was listening to his servant Gehazi tell of the exploits of Elisha, and one of the most incredible events was the restoration of the widow's son. Suddenly, this very same woman appeared at his door asking that she and her family be restored as a citizen of Israel, and the king readily restored all that was hers (vs. 4-7).

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Elisha fulfilled Elijah's duty to appoint Hazael king of Syria (2 Kings 8:7-15). Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria became sick and sent his servant Hazael with forty camel loads of treasure to Elisha to inquire whether or not he would recover. Elisha told Hazael to return to his master and tell him he would recover, but in truth, Elisha said that God had shown him the opposite (vs. 7-10). Then Elisha revealed that Hazael would rule as king after the death of Ben-Hadad (vs. 13). However, the news was not joyful and caused Elisha to weep, because of his foreknowledge that Hazael would be a cruel king and would have a murderous reign (vs. 12). The next day Hazael murdered Ben-Hadad and assumed the throne for himself (vs. 15). Elisha fulfilled Elijah's duty to appoint Jehu the king of Israel (2 Kings 9:1-13). This is the point in the story of Israel and Judah where things get tricky and it is hard to keep straight which king rules where. For a time, the son of a king of Judah rules over Israel. Jehu was the son of King Jehoshaphat of Judah (vs. 2). God intended for Jehu to wipe out the whole house of Ahab and Jezebel (vs. 6-10). The final king of that awful family line was Joram, he would die by an arrow shot from the bow of Jehu (vs. 22-24). Jehu ordered that the body of Joram to be thrown into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite (vs. 25). had forged an alliance with Joram, and was present when he was killed by Ahaziah. He fled in terror, but Jehu shot and killed him too, and had him buried in the City of David (vs. 27-29). The death of Jezebel (2 Kings 9:30-36). Jehu traveled to Jezreel and approached the house of Jezebel (vs. 30). He ordered eunuchs to throw Jezebel from the upper window of her house, and he used his horse to trample her body underfoot. There was nothing left of her to bury than her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands (vs. 35). Her body was eaten by dogs and was deposited by the dogs as dung on the field in Jezreel. There was no grave marker to acknowledge her life or death. All of this was accomplished the work of Elisha the prophet of God. Jehu killed the seventy sons of Ahab (2 Kings 10:1-11). Jehu saw his task through to its conclusion. He sent letters to the elders of Israel instructing them to appoint a new king to rule in Ahab's place, but they refused because they feared Jehu and pledged loyalty to him (vs. 1-5). Jehu sent a second letter to the elders instructing them to kill Ahab's sons and bring their heads to him in baskets (vs. 6-9). Jehu proclaimed that all of this was done in fulfillment of the will of the Lord as it was assigned to Elijah the prophet (vs. 10).

The death of Elisha (2 Kings 13:13-20). Elisha contracted an illness which would take his life, and the king of Israel, Joash, came to him weeping at the news (vs. 13-14). Elisha passed on one last prophecy before he died. He told Joash to shoot arrows out the window, and declared that by this sign Israel would defeat and destroy Syria (vs. 15-17). Elisha told him to shoot repeatedly into the ground, but Joash only shot three times. In anger, Elisha proclaimed that Israel would only defeat Syria three times (vs. 19). After this Elisha died and was buried (vs. 20).

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One final miracle (vs. 21). After the death of Elisha, there was a man of Israel who died and was being buried. The burial party saw a band of raiders, and stashed the man's body temporarily in the tomb of Elisha. As they lowered his body into the tomb, the man's corpse touched the bones of Elisha and the man revived and stood on his feet.

Questions:

1. What do we know about Elisha and his upbringing?

2. What was Elisha doing when Elijah bestowed his mantle on him?

3. What request did Elisha make of Elijah at the start? How did Elisha demonstrate his devotion to Elijah?

4. Describe how Elijah's life on earth ended.

5. What warning did the sons of the prophets give Elisha repeatedly?

6. Why did the sons of the prophets continue to follow and gather near Elijah and Elisha?

7. Why did the sons of the prophets bow to Elisha?

8. Why did Elisha condemn many youths to death? How did they die?

9. How did Elisha help a widow woman resolve her debts?

10. What did the Shunamite woman do for Elisha?

11. How did Elisha repay her kindness?

12. How did Elisha heal the poisonous stew?

13. What did Naaman ask of Elisha? What was he told to do?

14. Why did Naaman balk at Elisha?

15. How did Elisha complete Elijah's mission?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Eleven

Two Jehoram's: A Time Of Confusion

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Jehoram (8 years)

Israel Jehoram (12 years)

The current period of Bible history is difficult and confusing. The names of the kings in Israel and Judah are often the same, such as the case with the two Jehoram's, but there are also family ties between the two kingdoms. However, the confusion has more to do than simply with the interrelations of the people from the two kingdoms in the halls of power. The confusion and sin that permeated all of God's people on both sides of the border due to the sins of wicked men in power was profound.

Kings of

Israel

Jehoram: (2 Kings 1:17; 3:1-13; 8:16; 8:28-29, 9:14-24; 2 Chronicles 22:5-7)  The son of Ahab and Jezebel  Brother of his predecessor, Ahaziah  Evil king  Reigned for 12 years

Jehoram began to reign in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel for twelve years (2 Kings 3:1). The text specifically states that he "wrought evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father, and not like his mother" and he rejected the worship of Baal (vs. 2). However, he was by no means a good king bent on reform. Instead, Jehoram returned Israel to the worship of the golden calves which Jeroboam instituted in Israel (vs. 3). During Jehoram's reign, Mesha the king of Moab took advantage of what he presumed to be a vacuum of leadership and rebelled against Israel (2 Kings 3:5). However, there was still a king in Israel, and he was determined to retain the lands that were historically under Israel's control. Jehoram conducted a 64 census of the nation of Israel, and then mustered the fighting men into an army, and approached Jehoshaphat of Judah with a plan to band together and fight against Moab. Jehoshaphat, wanting to establish an alliance with the northern kingdom of Israel agreed to join with Jehoram because: "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses" (vs. 7; 1 Kings 22:4) Having secured the aid of the king of Judah, Jehoram next enlisted the aid of the king of Edom, who joined the fight, being a vassal nation under Judah's control (2 Kings 3:8-9). As they marched to battle, the combined armies proved to be too numerous for the meager supply of water that was to be found along the road to Moab (vs. 9). concluded that God had willed that the three kings perish together at the hands of Moab (vs. 10). However, Jehoshaphat recognized that the Lord's favor was to be had, and he sought the aid of Elisha, the prophet of Israel (vs. 11-12). Elisha had little desire to help Jehoram or any of his plans, and told him and his allies to seek out other prophets for aid (2 Kings 3:13). In fact, he bluntly stated: "As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you" (vs. 14). However, Jehoram prevailed on him, and Elisha consented and prophesied the victory of the alliance of kings over the Moabites. He instructed them to dig ditches, and they filled without rainwater so that the armies and their animals could drink (vs. 17). Elisha declared that as easily as this miracle was performed by the Lord, God would deliver the Moabites into the hands of the three kings and their forces (vs. 18-19). When morning broke, the Moabites came upon the water filled ditches and saw it in the morning sun and it looked to them like red blood (2 Kings 3:21-23). The king of Moab concluded that the alliance of kings had taken to fighting against one another and wiped one another out, and so he and his forces approached the site without caution, and the armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom rose and slaughtered the Moabites, and then plundered their cities (vs. 24-25). One of the more memorable events in the reign of king Jehoram was the incident with Naaman the Syrian commander who had leprosy. We studied this miracle in some depth in the previous lesson (2 Kings 5:1-14). Later, the king of Syria, Ben-Hadad, turned against king Jehoram and launched a series of attacks, and eventually laid siege to the city of Samaria. It was none other than the prophet Elisha who once again came to the aid of Jehoram, thwarting the attacks of the Syrians (2 Kings 6:8-33; 2 Kings 5:1-20). The downfall of Jehoram (2 Kings 8:28-29, 9:14-24; 2 Chronicles 22:5- 7). Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram of Judah joined forces with Jehoram of Israel to fight against Hazael of Syria, the successor of Ben-Hadad (2 Kings 8:28-29). In that battle, Jehoram was mortally wounded and returned to Jezreel to recover. While he was recuperating, Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat of Judah conspired to kill Jehoram and wipe out Ahab's family line. Jehoram called Ahaziah of Judah to his defense, and both men went out to meet Jehu in the fields of Naboth the Jezreelite, whose land Ahab had stolen, and it was there that Jehu executed both Jehoram and Ahaziah (2 Kings 9:11-29). Jehu's actions were not the actions of a rebel, they were the instructions of God. God had appointed him through Elisha

65 to be the next king of Israel, even though he was the son of Jehoshaphat of Judah (2 Kings 9:1-10).

Kings of Judah

Jehoram: (1 Kings 22:50; 2 Kings 8:16, 17, 25; 2 Chronicles 21:1-24)  Son of Jehoshaphat  Son-in-law of Ahab  Evil king  He reigned during the days of Elijah the prophet

Jehoram was the son of good king Jehoshaphat, but he was much more like Jeroboam of Israel. The Bible tells us that he was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for eight years (2 Kings 8:17; 2 Chronicles 21:1). Jehoshaphat had a number of choices of sons to succeed him, as Jehoshaphat had six other sons: Azaraiah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah II, Michael, and Shephatiah (2 Chronicles 21:2). Each of these sons was given cities in the kingdom and wealth, but he reserved the rule of the kingdom for his oldest son, Jehoram (vs. 3). Unfortunately, there is also this sad description of his time as king: "And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the Lord" (2 Kings 8:18). When Jehoram ascended to the throne, he assassinated all of his brothers and his nephews in order to remove any challenge to his throne (2 Chronicles 21:4). This is tragic. Judah's history should have been characterized by good leaders throughout, but unfortunately, this was not to be. Often the best of kings sired sons who overturned all of the good that their fathers accomplished. That Jehoram married into the family of Ahab probably cemented the wicked nature of his rule. This girl, Athaliah, had been raised in the house headed not only by Ahab, but also by the wicked Jezebel. Nothing more is said about Jehoram's wife, but it is certain that she had as much negative influence over Jehoram as Jezebel had over Ahab. History tells us that intermarriage between nations and kingdoms was commonplace, and the hope was always that such marriages would result in peaceful alliances, but they rarely succeed in bringing the desired peace and prosperity. In the case of Israel and Judah, anyone who married into the family of Ahab was not the better for it. Such an unholy alliance would surely result in

66 disaster. Jehoram followed the example of the kings of Israel in the deepest of depravity. Specifically, he built high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Judah to commit fornication in honor of false gods (2 Chronicles 21:11. 13). The only notable event recorded concerning Jehoram's reign is that the Edomites raised a successful revolution against the rule of Judah. Jehoram tried to put down the Edomite rebellion, but he was unsuccessful (2 Kings 8 20-22; 2 Chronicles 21:8-11). Elijah the prophet wrote a stinging letter to Jehoram condemning him for his wicked leadership in which he catalogued his many sins against God (2 Chronicles 21:12-13). He promised that God would not remove him from the throne of Judah for the sake of David (vs. 12), but he also assured Jehoram that he would not escape personal punishment. Jehoram had murdered brothers who were better men than him in his lust for power (vs. 13), and as a result, Jehoram's family would be smitten with a plague, and Jehoram himself would die of a terrible, wasting bowel disease (vs. 14-15). Also, in his weakened state, God stirred up the Philistines, Arabians, and the Ethiopians who plundered Judah and the king's house (vs. 17). Finally, after two full years of suffering from his sickness, his "bowels fell out" and he died (vs. 19). How pathetic is the story of Jehoram! He was the son of one of the best kings who ever ruled over Judah, and he was the direct descendant of David. He was chosen specifically by his own father to lead the people, and yet he could not bring himself to rule with the same dignity as either of his predecessors. All that he ever did was lose. He lost himself when he followed the ways of Ahab of Israel, he lost control of Edom, he lost his household wealth, he lost his health, and then he lost his life. After such a miserable reign, the people did not celebrate his life, but let him pass from history and their lives without honor: "And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of His fathers" (vs. 19b). Jehoram's epitaph: "Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired...." (vs. 20).

Questions:

1. Who was in power in Judah when Jehoram of Israel began to reign as king?

2. How many years did Jehoram rule?

3. How did he differ from his father Ahab?

4. Whose wickedness did Jehoram follow?

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5. Why did he seek an alliance with Jehoshaphat, and why did Jehoshaphat agree to the alliance?

6. Whom did Jehoram aid in Syria and why did he do it?

7. How did the king of Syria respond to the kindness done to him?

8. What was Elisha's attitude about the alliance of Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and the king of Edom?

9. Who was in power when Jehoram of Judah began to reign?

10. How was he related to King Jehoram of Israel?

11. Was Jehoram a good man like his father Jehoshaphat?

12. What evil deed did Jehoram do in order to cement his sole rule over Judah?

13. How did Jehoram of Judah die?

14. What is his epitaph? Did his nation mourn for him?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twelve

Years Of Upheaval In the North and South

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Ahaziah (1 year) {Athaliah} Jehoash (40 years) Amaziah (29 years)

Israel Jehu (28 years) Jehoahaz (17 years) Jehoash (16 years)

Kings of Judah

Ahaziah (2 Kings 8, 9; 2 Chronicles 21)  Son of Jehoram and Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel.  The youngest son of Jehoram.  An evil king who followed the influence of his mother and behaved like Ahab of Israel  His assassination is mentioned in the Tel Dan Stele dating from the 9th Century B.C. which records the exploits of Hazael of Syria. In it Hazael takes credit for killing both Jehoram and Ahaziah, while the Bible says Jehu did it.

Ahaziah is a minor king in the lineage of David. He began to rule in the eleventh year of Jehoram, son of Ahab (2 Kings 9:29). He ruled for just one year, and his primary Biblical notice was his parentage, as the son of Jehu and Athaliah (2 Kings 8:26), and his brief entry into the war between Israel and Syria on the side of Jehoram of Israel (vs. 28). Jehoram was wounded in battle and fled the battle field to recuperate at Jezreel (vs. 29; 2 Kings 9:15). Ahaziah visited him there (2 Kings 9:16). There is a minor discrepancy in the Bible about the age of Ahaziah when he assumed the throne. Second Kings tells us he was 22 years old (2 Kings 8:26), but Second Chronicles tell us he was 42 (see: 2 Chronicles 22:2). Why the discrepancy? Most scholars believe that the younger age is correct, and the older reference was probably nothing more than a copyist's mistake that was retained in the ancient manuscripts. Later, both the wounded Jehoram and Ahaziah traveled to meet Jehu, the leader of the coup against Jehoram to seek peace on the property of Naboth the 69

Jezreelite (2 Kings 9:21-22). However, Jehu declared his intention to destroy Jezebel and the house of Ahab and to take the thrown of Israel for himself (vs. 22-23). Jehu shot Jehoram in the back and pierced his heart, and ordered Jehoram's body to be thrown onto the ground and left there (vs. 24-25). Jehu then pursued Ahaziah as he fled from the slaughter, and shot him (vs. 27). Ahaziah fled to Megiddo where he died (vs. 27b; 2 Chronicles 21:18- 19). However, his body was taken to Jerusalem and buried there (vs. 28).

Athaliah (2 Kings 8:18; 11:1ff; 2 Chronicles 21)  Mother of Ahaziah, usurped power when her son died.  Ruled for six years as Queen regent (2 Kings 11:3).  Murdered all of her son's heirs in order to take power for herself (2 Kings 11:1).

Athaliah is not mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus, because she was not of the royal bloodline of David. She was the daughter of Ahab (2 Kings 8:18; 2 Chronicles 21:6). There is no particular praise or notice given of Athaliah beyond her ruthless grab for power. In a strange Irony, there was a man from Judah, of the family of Jehoshaphat reigning in Israel after the death of Ahaziah, and a woman from the family of Omri ruled in Jerusalem. Jehu had destroyed her entire family, the dynasty of Omri and Ahab on the side of Israel, and she destroyed the all of the possible claimants to the throne on Judah's side, usurping the throne for six years. Athaliah was executed in a coup which deposed her and installed a legitimate king in Judah (2 Chronicles 22:12-15)

Joash/Jehoash (2 Kings 11-12; 2 Chronicles 22-24)  Son of Ahaziah of Judah  7 years old when he took power.  Reigned for 40 years  A good and then evil king

Joash survived the massacre perpetrated by his own grandmother against his family, because his mother, Ahaziah's sister, hid him from Athaliah. He was hidden away during the six years that Athaliah ruled over Judah (2 Chronicles 22:10-12). In a rare twist of politics, Joash was descended from the kings of Judah, but also from the house of Omri through his mother. Joash assumed the throne in a coup instigated by the priests, led by Jehoiada, the high priest. Jehoiada devised a plan by which Ahaziah's remaining heir would be constantly surrounded by priests for protection until he could be crowned king and officially assume power (:1-11; 2 Kings 11:17- 21). Athaliah's time was at an end, and when she confronted the priests, Jehoiada ordered her arrest and execution outside the city of Jerusalem at the Horse Gate (vs. 12-15).

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Jehoiada immediately instituted changes which would aid the new king in his duties to lead the people in God's service. He ordered the destruction of the temple of Baal (vs. 16-17), and he appointed the priests to superintend the temple and its services (vs. 18). He established rules which would keep any unclean persons out of the temple (vs. 19), and then he officially set up Joash on the throne (vs. 21). Joash is known as a generally good king. The Bible text tells us that he did what was right and followed the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest (:2; cp: 2 Kings 12:1-16). Among his first acts as king was to order the repair of the house of the Lord (vs. 4). He ordered the priests and the Levites to go to all the cities of Judah and collect taxes to be spent in the restoration of the temple (vs. 5). The priests and Levites did not act quickly enough for Joash, so he ordered a new plan implemented. He had a chest set up at the entrance to the temple gate, and made a proclamation that all Judah must bring an offering to Jerusalem in order that the temple could be restored (vs. 6-9). This plan succeeded. Each day the chest was emptied and accounted and refilled day after day (vs. 10-11). There was enough money and to spare for the necessary work. After the work was completed, the remainder of the money was used to build new articles for the services of the temple (vs. 14). Jehoiada the priest died at the age of one hundred and thirty years (2 Chronicles 24:15). In a truly sad (but not unexpected) turn of events, after Jehoiada's death, the leaders of Judah sought permission from the king to return to the worship of idols (vs. 17-18). It seems obvious from the wording of the text that Joash sanctioned their return to idolatry. What had begun as a reign of restoration and reformation after a bleak seven years under Athaliah soon fell apart. The old maxim was shown to be true once again: as long as a strong leader was alive, God's people remained faithful, but once the strong leader died, the people returned to sin. It was at this time that God began to send prophets among the people to command them to repent of their sins (2 Chronicles 24:19). Zechariah the son of Jehoiada began to preach repentance, and for his trouble he was stoned to death by the command of the king in the court of the temple (vs. 20-21). He forgot the kindness of Jehoiada the priest toward him, and murdered Jehoiada's son (vs. 22). God's punishment of Joash was swift and devastating. God allowed Jerusalem to be sacked by a small company of soldiers from the army of Syria (2 Chronicles 24:24; 2 Kings 12:17). The text tells us that "the Lord delivered a very great army (Judah's army) into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash." Joash impotently tried to bribe Hazael, king of Syria with gold and treasure taken from the temple (vs. 23; 2 Kings 12:18). Joash was left severely wounded after the battle abated, and in his weakened condition he was killed by his own servants (vs. 25; 2 Kings 12:20-21). Because of his rebellion against God, he was not buried in the tomb of the kings in Jerusalem, but was buried in shame outside the city (vs. 25b). Amaziah his son reigned in his place (2 Chronicles 24:27)

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Prophet to Judah: Eliezer the son of Dodavah

The only prophet in Judah around this time is one named Eliezer, son of Dodavah, who rebuked King Jehoshaphat for aligning himself with Ahaziah of Israel. Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah built ships in a plan to gain wealth in : " But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying: 'Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.' Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish" (2 Chronicles 20:37)

In the absence of any other evidence, we might conclude that Eliezer continued as prophet during the reigns of Jehoram, Azariah, Athaliah, and Joash.

Kings of

Israel

Jehu (2 Kings 9-10; 2 Chronicles 22:8-9)  Son of Jehoshaphat.  Appointed by God through Elisha the prophet to be king over the North.  10th king in Israel, although he was from the South.  First king of the 5th dynasty in Israel.  His mission was to wipe out the house of Ahab and Jezebel  He became a wicked king. After assuming the throne, he followed the ways of Ahab.  Jehu reigned 28 years.

The reign of Jehu is unusual in many respects, not the least of which is the fact that he was not citizen of the Northern Kingdom. He was not a son of Ahab. Instead, he was the son of Jehoshaphat of Judah. Jehoshaphat had made efforts at conciliation with his brethren in the North, to disastrous results.

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Now, his son Jehu becomes king in the north. God's intention in this move was to eliminate the sin of Ahab and Jezebel by genocide of their entire family, and to install a king who would lead the North in righteousness. Unfortunately, the long term success of the plan was a failure, because Jehu became a king who ruled like his predecessors. The rule of Jehu bore all of the earmarks of divine approval, and from that standpoint alone, it should have succeeded. God had previously instructed Elijah that it was his duty to eventually appoint Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi as king over Israel (1 Kings 19:16). However, it was Elijah's successor, Elisha who completed the plan. After the death of Ahab, Elisha instructed his servant to find Jehu and take him to a private room and anoint him king (2 Kings 9:1-3). Elisha also instructed the young man to flee as soon as he had accomplished his task, doubtless due to the murderous anger of Jezebel, who would not take kindly to this move (vs. 3b). When the Elisha's servant anointed Jehu to be king, he gave him his marching orders: "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord at the hand of Jezebel" (vs. 6-7). It was God's intention that the whole house of Ahab perish (vs. 8-9). Further, the dogs would eat Jezebel (vs. 10). The death of Jezebel (2 Kings 9:30-36). Jehu traveled to Jezreel and approached the house of Jezebel (vs. 30). He ordered eunuchs to throw Jezebel from the upper window of her house, and he used his horse to trample her body underfoot. There was nothing left of her to bury than her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands (vs. 35). Her body was eaten by dogs and was deposited by the dogs as dung on the field in Jezreel. There was no grave marker to acknowledge her life or death. All of this was accomplished the work of Elisha the prophet of God. Jehu killed the seventy sons of Ahab (2 Kings 10:1-11). Jehu saw his task through to its conclusion. He sent letters to the elders of Israel instructing them to appoint a new king to rule in Ahab's place, but they refused because they feared Jehu and pledged loyalty to him (vs. 1-5). Jehu sent a second letter to the elders instructing them to kill Ahab's sons and bring their heads to him in baskets (vs. 6-9). Jehu proclaimed that all of this was done in fulfillment of the will of the Lord as it was assigned to Elijah the prophet (vs. 10). After the execution of Ahab's family, Jehu turned himself to ruling as his predecessors had done in Israel, and was condemned by God. Hosea foretold the defeat of the house of Jehu and that God would "Break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel" (Hosea 1:4-5).

Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13:1-9)  Son of Jehu  11th king of Israel.  2nd king of the fifth dynasty.  Reigned for 17 years in Samaria.

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 A minor king who continued in the sins of Jeroboam

Jehoahaz was a minor king of very little accomplishment. He did evil in the sight of the Lord and followed the sins of Jeroboam (2 Kings 13:2). Throughout his reign, Israel was subject to Hazael and then Ben-Hadad kings of Syria (vs. 3). Jehoahaz pleaded to the Lord for mercy, and God delivered Israel from the Syrians (vs. 4-5). However, Israel did not repent of its sin, but continued to worship idols in Samaria (vs. 6). As punishment, God left a meager army of which would be unable to defend Israel against any further attack (vs. 7).

Jehoash/Joash (2 Kings 13:10-19, 22-25; 14:1-16; 2 Chronicles 14:8-17).  Son of Jehoahaz  12th king of Israel.  3rd king of the fifth dynasty.  Reigned for 16 years.  He began to reign in the 37th year of Joash of Judah.

Jehoash did evil in the sight of the Lord and did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, but walked in them (2 Kings 13:11). His reign was characterized by constant warfare against Syria, and eventually against Judah. Although he was a wicked king, there is at least this deviation from his wicked ways that occurred at the beginning of his reign: he visited a sick and dying Elisha wept for him (vs. 14-15). Elisha instructed him to fire an arrow out of the window toward the east, and declared that God would deliver Israel from Syria's control (vs. 17). Elisha instructed him to continue firing arrows at the ground below, but Joash stopped after only three arrows (vs. 18). Elisha rebuked him for stopping without a command from the prophet, and proclaimed that Joash would only succeed three times in battle against Syria (vs. 19). The history of Jehoash's reign was one of near constant warfare with Syria. True to Elisha's word, Jehoash was successful in battle three times and recaptured the cities of Israel (vs. 25). Jehoash was also forced into battle against Amaziah the son of Jehoash of Judah. Once Amaziah took power in the south, he sought to defeat the Northern Kingdom in battle, but Jehoash of Israel wasn't interested. He had all the trouble he needed form the Syrians. He responded to Amaziah's challenge with a parable meant to chastise Amaziah for being too lifted up with the defeat of Edom (vs. 8-10). Unfortunately, Amaziah wouldn't heed the warning and attacked Israel. The two armies of brethren fought at Beth-Shemesh in Judah, and Judah was soundly defeated by Jehoash and his army (vs. 11-12). In retaliation, Jehoash invaded Judah and sacked Jerusalem, and raided the temple, stealing treasure and hostages (vs. 14).

Prophet to Israel: Elisha (for details refer back to the lesson on Elisha the prophet)

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Questions:

1. Who was the successor of Jehoram of Judah?

2. Where is he mentioned in extra-biblical records?

3. How was he related to the kings of Israel?

4. What discrepancy exists concerning this king between the records of Kings and Chronicles?

5. How did Athaliah come to rule Judah? What act did she undertake to assure her control of the throne?

6. How was Athaliah's reign ended?

7. How did Joash of Judah come to be on the throne after the reign of Athaliah?

8. Which priest installed him as king?

9. What did this priest do which would aid the new king rule righteously?

10. What did Joash do right, and how did he sin? What was his punishment?

11. Who was the prophet of God during this time?

12. How did Jehu come to rule in Israel? Who was his father?

13. What was his primary mission as assigned to him by Elisha? How did he accomplish it?

14. Did Jehu remain faithful to His charge?

15. What kind of king was Jehoahaz? What was he known for?

16. Whom did Jehoash visit and weep for?

17. Whom did he defeat in an ill-advised battle?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Thirteen

The Prophet Obadiah

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Jehoram (849-841 B.C.) Ahaziah (841) Athaliah (842-836)

Israel Ahaziah (850-849 B.C.) Jehoram (849-842) Jehu (842-815)

Date of Obadiah's work: About 845 B.C.

The date given above for Obadiah is unsettled, but is the time commonly believed to be when Obadiah lived and preached. Some Bible scholars place Obadiah nearer to Malachi, but others place him near the beginning of the writing prophet. Here is a quote that is useful: “The most varying opinions have been held. While some regard him as the earliest, or among the earliest, of the minor prophets, others place him after the destruction of Jerusalem in the time of Captivity...The interval between the various dates amounts to six hundred years” (The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 14). One key to dating the book of Obadiah is verse eleven which speaks of a past event in which Jerusalem was attacked by a foreign invader. This verse narrows our choice down to several dates. Jerusalem was plundered more than once, and on the occasion in question, Edom was guilty of standing “on the other side” and “gazing” at the calamity without lending assistance to Judah (vs. 11- 12). Instead, Edom assisted the destroyers (vs. 14). The invasion of verse eleven may be one of the following:

 In the fifth year of king Rehoboam of Judah, Shishak of Egypt plundered Jerusalem (1Kings 14:25-26; 2 Chronicles 12:2ff).  Later, during the reign of Jehoram, the Philistines and Arabians plundered Jerusalem and the king’s house, and carried away Jehoram’s wives and children, except for his son Jehoahaz (2 Chronicles 21:16-17).  On still another occasion, Joash, king of Israel sacked Jerusalem and broke down its gate and plundered the temple (2 Kings 14:8ff; :17-24).  Finally, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians when Judah was carried into Captivity.

The invasion of verse eleven probably refers to the invasion of the Philistines and Arabians during the days of Jehoram of Judah. The Babylonian conquest happened much later, and Obadiah never mentioned the deportation of 76 the Jews to . Surely he would have mentioned such an important event had it happened before he wrote his book.

Who was Obadiah?

Frankly, we do not know anything about him beyond what is written in his book. Some of the prophets give us information about themselves and about their lives, but Obadiah does not. There were several people in the Old Testament who were named Obadiah. For example, there was the Obadiah who hid one hundred prophets in caves, fifty to a cave, to keep them safe from Jezebel (1Kings 18:1-19). He was a steward in the house of Ahab and not the man who wrote the book. Other men named Obadiah are mentioned in the following passages: 1 Chronicles 3:21; 7:3; 8:38; 9:44; 12:9; 27:19; :12; Ezra 8:9; Nehemiah 10:5; 12:25.

Theme of the book of Obadiah:

The theme of Obadiah’s book is the destruction of Edom. Edom would fall because of its pride, and because of its violence against “Jacob” (Israel).

The conflict between Israel and Edom:

The Edomites were the descendants of Esau and which meant that Edom and Israel were family. Yet, violence and enmity always existed between the two nations. Edom occupied the mountainous region of Mt. Seir which lies in the mountainous region south of the . They managed to build for themselves a powerful fortress in the mountains and had become arrogant and defiant as a result. They felt they were invincible. The relationship between Israel and Edom was always combative. This can be traced all the way back to the relationship between Jacob and Esau, who were brothers. While Jacob and Esau were still in Rebekah’s womb, the Lord foretold that two nations would descend from the two boys. The elder would serve the younger (Genesis 25:22-23). Later, Esau foolishly sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentil stew. Esau ultimately lost his rightful blessing from Isaac as a result of his own shortsightedness, and because of the treachery and guile of Jacob (Genesis 25:29-34). Since that time, enmity existed between the two men and then between the nations that would be their descendants. When Israel sought safe passage from Kadesh through the land of Edom (Mount Seir - Genesis 36:8), the king of Edom refused them safe passage (Numbers 20:14-21). As the generations progressed, confrontations continued. Israel warred with Edom when Saul was king (1Samuel 14:47), and the conflict continued under David’s rule (2 Samuel 8:13-14). Edom joined the Moabites and Ammonites in an attack upon Judea (2 Chronicles 20:22). Amaziah attacked Edom’s mountain fortresses and killed 20,000 Edomites (2 Kings 14:7). Eventually, Judah conquered Edom, but years later Edom rebelled and gained their independence (2 Kings 8 20-22; 2 Chronicles 21:8-11)

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Outline of the book of Obadiah:

A. God’s Judgment Against Edom (vs. 1-9) [Note: vs. 15 - “You shall be cut off forever.”] 1. Edom will be destroyed. “I will make you small among the nations; you will be greatly despised.” (vs. 1-2) 2. Pride and arrogance are the causes of Edom’s fall (vs. 3-4). 3. Edom’s destruction will be complete (vs. 5-6). 4. Even Edom’s allies will forsake her (vs. 7). 5. Edom’s wisdom and power will not be enough to save her (vs. 8-9). B. Edom’s Crimes Against Israel (vs. 10-14) 1. Edom stood by and encouraged Jerusalem’s defeat (vs. 11). 2. “You should not....” Edom was condemned for refusing Israel help in Israel’s distress (vs. 12-13). 3. Edom was guilty of aiding Israel’s enemy by blocking Israel’s escape routes (vs. 14). C. Israel’s Final Triumph (vs. 17-21) 1. “On Mount Zion there shall be deliverance,...” (vs. 17). 2. Israel will “devour” Edom (vs. 18). 3. Foreign nations will overrun Edom and possess it (vs. 19- 20). 4. The Kingdom of God will be established on Mount Zion (vs. 21)

Questions:

1. True or false: Edom would be made great among the nations?

2. Where did Edom dwell?

3. What had deceived Edom?

4. What two things did Obadiah use to describe how highly Edom had exalted itself?

5. Who would bring Edom down to destruction?

6. Who would turn against and deceive Edom?

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7. What role would wise men and mighty men play in Edom when the nation's destruction came upon it?

8. Why would Edom be shamed and cut off forever?

9. Did Edom intercede for Israel when foreigners took Jerusalem captive?

10. What was Edom's attitude when Israel was destroyed?

11. What did Edom do to those of Israel who tried to escape their calamity?

12. What would happen to Edom because of its sins? (vs. 15)

13. Where will deliverance be?

14. ______shall be a fire, ______a flame, but ______shall be stubble.

15. Who would possess the mountains of Esau?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Fourteen

The Prophet Joel

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Joash (835-814 B.C.)

Israel Jehu (841-815 B.C.)

Date of Joel's work: About 830 B.C.

Assigning a date to Joel's book is a best guess scenario. There is not enough concrete evidence to know with certainty when Joel lived or when he wrote his book. Like Obadiah, Joel is placed by different Bible scholars from the beginning of the prophetic age (around 900 B.C.) to the end (around 400 B.C.). However, a date many have settled upon, and which we will use is: 830 B.C. One of the most convincing reasons for rejecting a later date is that Joel mentions the enemies of Judah as: Tyre and Sidon (3:4), Egypt (3:19), and Edom (3:19), earlier enemies, but not Assyria or Babylon, later enemies. Joel also mentions the Greeks and their harassment of Judah (3:6). They were not a world power until later in history. They were just a loose federation of city-states until the time of Philip of Macedon (382 – 336 B.C.) and Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C). But, the Greeks began their efforts to centralize and grow much earlier in history. History tells us that Greeks traveled to Judah as early as 1600 B.C.

Personal information about Joel:

Joel the prophet was the son of a man named Pethuel (1:1). This is the only insight we have into Joel’s background. We are told nothing of his home or his occupation. He is sometimes referred to as the “Prophet of Pentecost.”

Message of the book of Joel:

Repent or perish! The book of Joel concerns itself with a message Divine judgment against Judah. Joel warns the nation that God will soon punish Judah for its sins with a terrible disaster. The disaster would be a plague of locusts and a consuming drought which would devastate the land. This event is called: “the day of the Lord” (1:15; 2:1). This phrase is often used by the prophets to describe punishment from God for sin (see: Isaiah 2:12; 13:6, 9; Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 30:3; Amos 5:18, 20). The locust plague would bring utter destruction to the land. The locusts

80 are described in Joel as if they are a crack military unit marching with overwhelming numbers and precision all over the land of Judah, and ravaging everything in its path. The military references simply emphasize the utter destruction that would be left in the wake of the locust plague. Joel's language is graphic: "What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten, and what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten" (1:4). The locusts are said to have the fangs of a fierce lion (1:6). This would be an event that would be told for many generations as a warning against rebellion (1:3). That a drought accompanied the locust plague is clear. The priests would mourn, the farmers would be ashamed, because the whole land would be ravaged, and the vines and the fruit trees would be withered and dried up (1:11- 12). However, Joel is not only a message of doom; it is also a message of hope. This is a notable characteristic of the writing prophets. They promised punishment was coming for the people's sins, but they also promised God's mercy if they would repent. Joel called upon the priests and ministers of the temple to gird themselves and wail and lament (1:13). They were to consecrate a fast and a sacred assembly in which the people should repent before God (1:14). If the nation would repent, God promised to “restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you” (2:25). The promised restoration would come with the kingdom of Jesus Christ. In addition to speaking directly to the people of Judah, Joel looks across the centuries to the events of Pentecost. The apostle Peter applied the comments of Joel about the pouring out of the Spirit to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (see: Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21).

Outline of the book of Joel:

A. The Land Of Israel Is Devastated [A Foreshadow of the day of judgment to be executed against Judah] (1:11-20). 1. The land is laid waste (1:1-12) a. The desolation of the land is a lesson to be told throughout the generations (vs. 2-3) b. Ravaging locusts bring the devastation (1:4) c. The destruction brought by the locusts is all consuming (1:5-12). 2. Cry out to the Lord because of the calamity, because the day of Jehovah is coming (1:13-20). a. The priests should lead the people to repentance (1:13-14). b. The day of the Lord is at hand (1:15-20). B. The Day of the Lord (2:1-11). 1. Sound the alarm! The day of the Lord is at hand (2:1). 2. The land will be devastated by locusts (2:2-10).

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3. The army’s (the locust plague) terrible conquest of the land is by God’s design (2:11). C. There is still hope for God's people (2:12-32). 1. Repent and turn to God with all your heart. “Rend your heart, and not your garments” (2:13). 2. Upon Judah’s repentance God would pity His people and restore the fruitfulness of the land (2:18-20). 3. The outpouring of the Spirit and the remnant saved in Zion (2:28-32; see: Acts 2:16-21) D. Judah's enemies will be judged in the Valley Of Jehoshaphat, while Judah is blessed (3:1-21) 1. The captives of Judah will return from captivity (3:1) 2. On account of Israel, God's heritage, the nations will be judged in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (2:2-3). 3. Tyre and Sidon and the Philistines, because they had robbed Jerusalem and sold God's people to the Greeks. God would likewise sell the Philistines to the Sabeans (2:4-8) 4. The nations are warned to prepare for war (2:9-12). 5. The harvest of judgment is ripe (2:13). 6. Multitudes will gather in the "valley of decision" and face God's judgment, while God shelter's his people (2:14-17). 7. Egypt and Edom would face their doom and become a desolation, but Judah would flow with milk and new wine (2:18-21).

Questions:

Chapter One:

1. Who was the father of the prophet Joel?

2. What were the elders and inhabitants of the land asked to do with Joel’s message?

3. Name the three different types of locust that ravaged the land.

4. What beast is used by Joel to describe the ferocity of the locust swarms?

5. “Lament like a ______girded with ______for the ______of her youth.”

6. Whom did Joel instruct to call the people to a period of mourning?

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7. Name three calamities brought upon the land (vs. 4, 12, 20).

Chapter Two:

1. Had the likes of the destroying “people” ever been seen before or since?

2. The land before the “army” of locusts was like the Garden of Eden. How was the land described after the plague of locusts?

3. What did Joel mean when he instructed Israel to rend their hearts and not their garments?

4. If Judah repented fully, would they remain a reproach among the nations?

5. What would occur in the land if Israel were to repent?

6. Where in the New Testament did an apostle quote a large section of chapter two? What was the application that he made of Joel's words?

Chapter three:

1. Where would the judgment of the nations take place?

2. What three nations are mentioned specifically as enemies of God’ people?

3. To which nation had Judah and Jerusalem been sold?

4. The Valley of Jehoshaphat is also called the Valley of ______.

5. The Lord would roar from ______, and utter His voice from ______.

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Fifteen

The Beginning Of Israel's Decline

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Amaziah (29 years) Uzziah (52 years)

Israel Jeroboam II (4 years) Zechariah (6 months) Shallum (1 Month)

At this point in our study we enter the final era in the history of the Northern Kingdom. Beginning with Jeroboam II there is a rapid succession of kings who rule for a very short time each. The longest reign is Pekah's at just twenty years. It is during this period that the writing prophets ramp up their work among the two nations of God's people. Soon we will study about Jonah, Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, and Micah.

Kings of Judah

Amaziah (2 Kings 14:1-22; 2 Chronicles 25:1-28)  Son of Jehoash (Joash)  He was 25 when he took power  Ruled for 29 years in Jerusalem  For 24 years Uzziah his son was co-regent

Amaziah was a very aggressive and warlike king. He is most noted for pursuing the Edomites to bring them back under subjection to Judah after their successful revolution during the days of Jehoram. He was a good king who eventually went bad. The Bible tells us that Amaziah did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not like David. Instead, he was faithful in the same way that his father Joash had been (2 Kings 14:3). Amaziah did remove the high places of idolatry and the people continued to burn incense and offer sacrifices there (vs. 4). Amaziah's first official act as king was to execute all of the rebels who had murdered his father Jehoash (vs. 5). However, he extended mercy to the rebel's

84 children in keeping with the law of Moses which did not permit the killing of a man's children for the man's crimes (vs. 6; Deuteronomy 24:16). On the battlefield, Amaziah was very successful. He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and conquered Sela, which was later known as Petra (vs. 7). Amaziah built up a massive army for the purpose of defeating Edom. He mustered fighting men from all the families in Judah who were over twenty years of age, and the number came to three hundred thousand soldiers (2 Chronicles 25:5). In addition to these forces, Amaziah also hired one hundred thousand mercenary soldiers from Israel for one hundred talents of silver (vs. 6). A man of God warned Amaziah to leave the mercenaries from Israel out of the battle with Edom, because God was not on the side of Israel or anyone from Ephraim, and as a result, Judah would fall in battle (vs. 7). However, if Amaziah would fight Edom with only his forces from Judah, God would grant Judah victory in battle. Amaziah killed ten thousand Edomites in battle and then captured ten thousand prisoners and cast them down from their mountain fortress, killing them (2 Chronicles 25:11-13). After the battle, Amaziah took the gods of Edom from Mt. Seir and set them up in Jerusalem to be his gods, and he bowed before the idols and burned incense to them (2 Chronicles 25:14). God was angry with Amaziah and sent a prophet to him to rebuke him for his apostasy and to warn him of his destruction (vs. 15-16). Next, Amaziah set his sights on dethroning Jehoash, the king of Israel in battle (2 Kings 14:8). Jehoash refused to be baited into an unnecessary war, and he rebuked Amaziah's pride which had grown after his defeat of Edom (vs. 9-10). Jehoash warned Amaziah that he seemed bound and determined to lead Judah into a war that they could not win (vs. 10). However, Amaziah refused to let the matter drop and he continued to attempt to stir up a war with Jehoash until Jehoash finally engaged Amaziah in battle at Beth Shemesh in Judah (vs. 11). The army of Israel routed the army of Judah causing Judah's army to break and retreat (vs. 12). Amaziah was captured by Jehoash who then raided and plundered Jerusalem of the gold and silver articles that were in the temple and took the treasure and his hostages back to Samaria (vs. 13-14). Jehoash died soon after his defeat of Amaziah (vs. 15-16), and Amaziah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash (vs. 17-18), until he was deposed in Jerusalem. Amaziah fled for his life to Lachish, but was captured and killed there (vs. 19-20). The people installed Amaziah's sixteen year old son in his place as king (vs. 21-22).

Uzziah: (2 Kings 14:21-22; 15:1-7; :1-23)  He began to reign in the 27th year of Jeroboam II of Israel  He was sixteen years old when he was made king  He reigned for 52 years in Jerusalem  He was co-regent with Amaziah for the first twenty-four years of his reign until his father was killed.

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Uzziah is a unique case in the roster of kings of Judah. He ruled for 52 years in total, and half of his time he was co-regent with his father Amaziah, but there is very little recorded about his exploits as king in the Bible. His record appears in just thirty-two verses in three chapters of the scriptures. The text tells us that he did what was right in the sight of the Lord according as his father Amaziah had done (2 Kings 15:3; 2 Chronicles 26:4). Please note that it was not David to whom he was compared. This gives us a hint about the kind of faithfulness that he exhibited. Like his father, Uzziah did not tear down the high places of idolatry allowing the people to continue to offer sacrifices there (2 Kings 15:4). However, he sought God all the days of Zechariah, and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper (2 Chronicles 26:5). His first act as king was to build Elath (also spelled Eloth) and restore it to Judah (2 Kings 14:22; 2 Chronicles 26:2). Elath was an important seaport on the Red Sea that was once controlled by the Edomites. Control of Elath was considered vital to the region. Uzziah fought against and defeated the Philistines. He broke down the wall of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod (2 Chronicles 26:6). These were chief Philistine cities located near the territory controlled by Judah. With the help of God Uzziah also fought against the Arabians who had encroached onto Judah's territory, and he received tribute from the Ammonites to his east (vs. 7-8). His fame stretched all the way into Egypt (vs. 8). Uzziah's standing army was raised to the level of 307,500 soldiers in addition to 2,600 officers (vs. 11-13). He outfitted his massive army with the latest military technology, and even had devices of war invented to give his men tactical advantage in sieges against the walls of Jerusalem (vs. 14-15). In addition to his military prowess, Uzziah focused his energies on necessary public works projects. He fortified the city of Jerusalem with several towers at key corners along the wall of the city (vs. 9). He also built towers in the desert and dug water wells throughout the land for the purpose of improving agriculture (vs. 10). Sadly, Uzziah is a cautionary tale as much as he is a tale of success. The bible tells us that when he was strong, his heart was lifted up and he sinned by entering the temple to burn incense on the altar of incense (vs. 16). Azariah the priest rebuked him for his actions (vs. 18), but Uzziah reacted to his rebuke with anger, and while he railed at the priest in anger, leprosy broke out on Uzziah's forehead (vs. 19). The priest immediately isolated Uzziah, and this great king who served for five decades as king, spent the rest of his life a leper and cut off from the house of the Lord (vs. 21).

The prophets of Judah:

An unnamed prophet. There was an unnamed prophet who warned Amaziah to leave the Israelite mercenaries out of battle with Edom (2 Chronicles 25:7).

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Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest. An adviser to both Joash and later Uzziah (2 Chronicles 24:2; 26:5)

Isaiah. Isaiah the prophet began to preach during the days of Uzziah (Isaiah 1:1). Isaiah would become known as the "messianic prophet" because of his many references to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Micah. Micah the prophet was a contemporary of Isaiah, although he began his work after the days of Uzziah. Micah and Isaiah are often compared because of the similarity of their topics. The book of Micah is sometimes called the "Little Isaiah" for this reason.

Kings of

Israel

Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:23-29)  The fourteenth king of Israel, and the fourth king of the fifth dynasty  He began to reign in the fifteenth year of Amaziah of Judah  He was the son of Joash of Israel  He reigned for forty-one years in Samaria  A massive earthquake occurred throughout the region during the reign of Jeroboam (Amos 1:1)  His reign is considered the pinnacle of Israel's time as a kingdom. After Jeroboam, the kingdom slides quickly toward doom at the hands of the Assyrians.

Jeroboam II was as evil as his namesake. The Bible tells us that he did evil in the sight of the Lord and did not depart form the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat (2 Kings 14:24). Several important things were going on in the world during the days of Jeroboam. Most important of all of these was the rise of the Assyrian nation in the region as a superpower. The Assyrian empire was relatively short-lived, but it was explosive in its military conquest. The Assyrians were fierce warriors,

87 aggressive in their military campaigns to conquer and expand their holdings. One of Assyria's greatest strengths was its brutal and fierce fighting. The Assyrian army would not only defeat an opposing army, they would capture and blind enemy kings and parade them in Nineveh, the Assyrian capital. The soldiers would pile up the corpses of defeated soldiers in the middle of roads as a warning to all who passed by of the power of Assyria. The Assyrians were truly a fearsome enemy. It was during the days of Jeroboam II that Jonah the prophet lived and preached. According to our text, Jeroboam restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the Sea of Arabah, "according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai who was from Gath Hepher" (vs. 25). In a lesson coming up we will examine the writings of Jonah. Jeroboam was an evil king, but in spite of this fact, God was merciful toward Israel, when He saw the affliction of Israel and that they had no helper. God determined to save Israel by the hands of Jeroboam (vs. 27). Unfortunately, the worst thing that can happen during a time of prosperity and national expansion happened to Israel. Decadence and materialism became commonplace. The rich became richer, and the poor, poorer. Beginning with Jeroboam's reign, the prophets became more vocal about the excesses of wealth and luxury which now characterized the people of Israel. The prophets Hosea and Amos both condemned Israel's attraction to foreign deities and their devotion to wealth and luxury. Hosea railed against Israel for committing harlotry in departing from the Lord (Hosea 1:2). He condemned the people for giving thanks to Baal for the blessings that they enjoyed (Hosea 2:8). Amos condemned the rich "cows of Bashan" who oppressed the poor during Jeroboam's days (Amos 4:1).

Zechariah (2 Kings 15:8-12)  Zechariah began to reign in the thirty-eighth year of Azariah of Judah  He was the son of Jeroboam  He was the fifteenth king of Israel and the fifth of the fifth dynasty  He was and evil king and was assassinated after only seven months

Nothing notable is recorded about Zechariah. He ruled Israel for only seven months and was assassinated by Shallum the son of Jabesh. The only notable thing about Zechariah is that he was the last king of the dynasty of Jehu, who had wiped out the dynasty of Ahab.

Shallum (2 Kings 15:13-16)  Began to rule in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah of Judah  Only king of the sixth dynasty  Son of Jabesh  An evil king

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Practically nothing is known about Shallum. He came to power by assassinating his predecessor, and he was himself assassinated by Menahem after only one month in office in Samaria

Prophets of Israel

Jonah. Jonah is known for his refusal to preach to Nineveh. God created a big fish to swallow Jonah and compel him to preach to obey. God spares penitent Nineveh (chs. 3-4).

Hosea. Hosea is most remembered for God's command for him to take a wife of harlotry (Hosea 1:2). Through Hosea god illustrated the harlotry of Israel when the kings embraced idols.

Amos. Amos was another prophet who railed against the nation of Israel. While Hosea attacked the sin of idolatry, Amos attacked the materialism of the people. While the nation was at its zenith in power, land, and wealth, it was at its most morally and spiritually bankrupt.

Questions:

1. How old was Amaziah when he became king? How long did he reign?

2. Who was his co-regent?

3. What was Amaziah's first act as king?

4. Why did he extend mercy to certain men?

5. Whom did God forbid Amaziah to use in battle against Edom? Why?

6. What was Jehoash's attitude about Amaziah's threats?

7. How old was Uzziah when he began to reign as king in Judah? How long did he reign?

8. Who was the primary enemy of Uzziah?

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9. Name some of Uzziah's many accomplishments.

10. How did Uzziah die? Why?

11. Which famous prophet preached during Uzziah's day?

12. How long did Jeroboam II rule in Israel? What kind of king was he?

13. Which nation grew to power during his reign who would later destroy Israel?

14. How did Israel fare during Jeroboam's day?

15. What historical event happened in Jeroboam's day that is mentioned by Amos?

16. Which prophet foretold the greatness of Jeroboam?

17. Which two prophets preached about the corruption of Jeroboam's kingdom?

18. How long did Zechariah reign?

19. How did he lose power?

20. Who was his successor? How long did he reign?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Sixteen

The Prophet Jonah

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Amaziah (796-767 B.C. ) Uzziah (783-741 B.C.)

Israel Jeroboam II (792-753 B.C.)

Date: 785-780 (During the reign of Jeroboam II: 792-753 B.C.)

Dating the book of Jonah is easier than dating the two previous prophets we have studied, Obadiah and Joel. The book of Jonah is commonly assigned the date of 785-780 B.C. In assigning a date to the book we must associate the prophet with Jeroboam II of Israel, who reigned from 792-753 B.C. Jonah predicted the rapid expansion of Israel under Jeroboam's rule (see: 2 Kings 14:23-25). Unfortunately, Jonah himself does not give us any help in dating his book, and the account in 2 Kings 14 does not tell us how early or late in Jeroboam’s reign Jonah prophesied; nor does the passage tell us whether Jonah was old or young when he preached to Nineveh. For these reasons it is difficult to pin the date of the book to a specific year, but we can be reasonably comfortable with giving Jonah the above date. This was a time of political prosperity but spiritual wickedness in Israel. Jeroboam II “restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of Arabah,” and this came to pass “according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai,...” (2 Kings 14:25). Despite the fact that God had foretold, through Jonah, the prosperity of Israel under his reign, Jeroboam II “did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin” (2 Kings 14:24).

Personal information about Jonah:

Nothing else is recorded in the Bible about Jonah’s background than what we read in 2 Kings 14:25. Jonah was the son of a man named Amittai, the prophet, and Jonah was from a town called Gath-Hepher. The location of Gath- Hepher is believed to have been three or four miles northeast of Nazareth.

Theme of the Book of Jonah:

The principle message of the book of Jonah is: God's mercy to Nineveh.

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Jonah’s book is a historical narrative account of God’s dealings with Jonah, and of God’s mercy that He extended to penitent Nineveh. The book of Jonah is different from the writings of the other “minor” prophets in that it contains very little prophecy. In fact, Jonah’s message was simply: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (3:4). He was instructed by God to “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me” (1:2; 3:4). Though it contains this prophecy of doom, Jonah’s book is more concerned with the sequence of events which would take place very soon. Jonah had no desire to see the enemies of Israel repent. He knew that God is a “gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving- kindness. One who relents from doing harm” (4:1-2). Jonah wanted very much for Nineveh to be destroyed, so he took the first ship sailing in the opposite direction, to Tarshish, to flee his responsibility to God (1:3). Through a series of extraordinary circumstances brought upon Jonah by God (the raging storm and the great fish), the prophet realized it was in his best interest to obey God and go preach to Nineveh (2:1-4). Jonah’s preaching was remarkably successful. Chapter three tells that “the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them” (3:5). Even the king of Nineveh repented and issued a decree for all the people to follow suit (3:6-9). God saw their works and “relented of the disaster that he had said he would bring upon them, and He did not do it” (3:10).

Three interpretations of Jonah:

 The allegorical view: Some believe the story of Jonah is too far-fetched to be an actual record of historical events. These people maintain that Jonah’s book is simply an allegory of Israel’s captivity, repentance, and restoration to Palestine (The Minor Prophets, Homer Hailey, p. 63). [Note: An allegory is “The expression by means of symbolic figures and actions, of truths about human existence.” — Webster].  The mythical view: The book of Jonah is just a big “fish story.” It is just a fanciful legend.  The historical view: The story of Jonah is an historically accurate account. All of the events, including the storm and the great fish actually happened.

The historical view is the only possible interpretation of Jonah. This view must be held as correct, because Jesus believed that Jonah was a historical character and the events described in the book were historically accurate. He referred to Jonah’s experiences to describe His death, burial, and resurrection (:39-41; :29-32). How can one believe in Jesus and not believe in Jonah. If one maintains that the events in Jonah’s book are fictional, then the resurrection of Jesus is fictional. If the resurrection of Jesus is fictional then our faith “is futile” and we are “still in our sins” (1Corinthians 15:17). There

92 is a lot riding on our acceptance of miracles such as the Jonah story as actual fact! There is a profound danger attached to making Jonah a work of fiction. People argue that Jonah's story is just too fantastic to be taken as actual events. If this is our approach to Jonah, are we going to call every miraculous event in the Bible a work of fiction? This is certainly the view of some people. The ancient Sadducees did not believe in miraculous power, and a great many people today do not either.

Outline of the Book of Jonah:

A. Jonah flees from God and his mission (Chapter 1). 1. God commissions Jonah to preach repentance to Nineveh, the chief city of Assyria (1:1-2). 2. Rather than obey, Jonah flees from the presence of the Lord (1:3). 3. Because of Jonah, the ship is caught in a terrible storm that threatens to destroy the ship and all who are on board. Jonah is thrown overboard at his own request and the sea is calmed (1:4-16). 4. God prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. He spent three days and nights in its belly (1:17). B. Jonah prays for and receives God's mercy (Chapter 2). 1. Jonah likened his condition to being in Sheol (2:2). 2. Jonah was cast into the sea, and sank below the depths. He likened his experience to being cast out of God's sight (2:3). 3. Yet, Jonah knew that God would redeem him if he looked again towards God's temple (2:4). 4. Inside the belly of the great fish, Jonah went down to the moorings of the mountains (2:5-6). 5. At his darkest hour, and in the depths of his despair, Jonah remembered God and repented of his sin, promising faithfulness (2:7-9). 6. The Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry ground (2:10). C. Jonah repents and preaches to Nineveh (Chapter 3). 1. After the great storm and the fish episode, God commands Jonah again to go and preach to Nineveh. Finally, Jonah obeyed (3:1-4). 2. The Ninevites believe God and repent (3:5-9). a. The people repented upon hearing Jonah’s message of doom (3:5). b. The king of Nineveh repented and published a decree that all men must repent (3:6-9). 3. The Lord relented of the destruction that He had forecast for Nineveh (3:10).

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D. Jonah is angered that God would spare the wicked Ninevites (Chapter 4). 1. He never wanted to obey God’s command to preach to Nineveh, because he knew God would spare them if they repented (4:1-3). 2. The Lord rebuked Jonah for his defiance (4:4-11). a. “Is it right for you to be angry?” (4:4) b. Jonah sat outside of the city and pouted, waiting to see what would become of Nineveh (4:5). c. God taught Jonah about God’s right to spare whom He pleased. God used the lesson of the gourd for this purpose (4:6-9). d. “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow... And should I not pity Nineveh...?” (4:10-11)

Questions:

Chapter One:

1. Jonah was the son of ______.

2. Why was Jonah instructed to go and cry against Nineveh?

3. During the storm on the sea, where did the mariners find Jonah?

4. To what city did Jonah try to flee?

5. How did the mariners determine Jonah to be the cause of the storm?

6. What did Jonah tell the mariners to do in order to calm the storm?

7. How long was Jonah in the belly of the great fish?

Chapter two:

1. “Out of the ______of ______I ______and you ______my voice.”

2. To what would Jonah look again?

3. “The ______closed ______me; ______were wrapped ______head.”

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4. How far did Jonah sink into the sea?

5. What caused the great fish to vomit Jonah onto dry ground?

6. At what point did Jonah remember the Lord and pray to Him?

Chapter three:

1. What message was Jonah to preach to the great city, Nineveh?

2. How great a journey was Nineveh from one end to the other?

3. How long would God spare Nineveh before He destroyed it?

4. How did the people of Nineveh respond to Jonah’s preaching.

5. True or false: When the king of Nineveh heard of Jonah’s message, he ordered the arrest of the prophet.

6. What was the decree that the king of Nineveh published throughout the land?

7. What caused God to relent from the disaster that He had said he would bring upon Nineveh?

Chapter four:

1. What was Jonah's attitude about the possibility of Nineveh repenting?

2. “...I know ______are a ______and ______God, slow to ______and ______in ______, one who relents from ______harm.”

3. What did Jonah go outside the city to see?

4. What point was God making to Jonah by creating and then destroying the gourd?

5. What reason did God give for extending mercy to Nineveh?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Seventeen

The Prophet Amos

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Uzziah (783 - 741 B.C.)

Israel Jeroboam II (792 - 753 B.C.)

Date: About 755 B.C.

Amos prophesied during the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah (2Kings 15:1- 7), and Jeroboam II, king of Israel (792-753 B.C.; 2Kings 14:23-29). This was a period of great prosperity for both nations. However, it turned out to be the “calm before the storm” for Israel. Soon Assyria would begin its move toward becoming a world power under the rule of Tiglath-Pilesar III, who came to power in 745 B.C.

Personal Information about Amos:

Amos was a citizen of the southern kingdom of Judah, but he preached to the northern kingdom of Israel. Amos was from a small town called Tekoa which was situated in a rugged area about five or six miles south of Bethlehem. Tekoa was one of the cities for defense in Judah that were built by Rehoboam (2 Chron- icles 11:5-6). Amos was not a full-time prophet, but was employed as a herdsman of a rare type of sheep, and possibly cattle, and he was a “tender of sycamore fruit” (7:14-15). Based on this information, we can be sure that Amos never had any intention of preaching God's word. In fact, he says as much: "...I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet..." (7:14). Amos was a common man with a common job, in which he surely took great pride, but God had a greater purpose in mind for him. Leon J. Wood tells us the following information about Amos' job: “A task of the people who tended these trees was to make an incision in the fruit when it was about an inch long, a few days before harvesting, to cause the fruit to ripen more quickly. If this was not done, the fig would not ripen properly and on being picked would contain a quantity of watery juice. The value of sycamore figs was sufficient in ancient time for King David to appoint a special overseer for harvesting them (1Chronicles 27:28)," (Leon J. Wood, “The Prophets Of Israel”).

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Amos must have been a man of unique character who was full of courage, because God called him to preach while other full-time prophets were living (most notably Hosea). Perhaps God viewed this man of the earth to have the necessary skills and determination to face down the wicked king and people of the North who were steeped in the sins which accompany luxurious living and idolatry. God sent Amos with an unpopular message, and Jeroboam's priest tried to head off Amos before he approached the king. Amaziah, rebuffed Amos with these words: “Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, and there prophesy. But never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the royal residence” (7:12-13). Common men tend to be very direct in their language. As you will see when you read the book, Amos was blunt! They are also unaffected by the trappings of wealth, because they don't have any. They can clearly see the abuses of the rich upon the poor. Clearly, Amos was the right man for the job.

Amos' message:

The book of Amos is a message of divine judgment against Israel, because of their spiritual and social corruption. Jonah had foretold Israel’s good fortune under king Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:23-25). Unfortunately, prosperity tends to cause people to forget God and the importance of righteous living. Wealth also tends to cause people to forget about the needs of other people who are poor. People who live in the lap of luxury find it much harder to see the plight of the less fortunate than they would if they were less wealthy. The rich people in Israel had become so caught up in their easy lives and prosperity that the goal of their lives was to get even richer if they could. They pursued this agenda at the expense of the poor. The social evils in Israel described: Amos was as blunt as any common man of the earth would be. He boldly railed against the rich and the excesses of their lives that were the product of their wealth.  (3:15) - The rich owned costly winter and summer houses.  (4:1) - Wealthy women urged their husbands to bring them luxuries, even if it was necessary to oppress the poor in the process.  (5:11-12) - The rich exacted heavy taxes on the poor and took bribes from them. The spiritual wickedness in Israel: The people were abundant in outward displays of religious service (4:4-5), but they were lacking in spirituality. They were content to make these outward displays as long as it didn’t interfere with robbing the poor (8:5-6).

Outline of Amos:

A. Judgment Of The Nations (1:13-2:16). 1. Judgment of the neighboring nations: (Syria); Gaza; Tyre (Phoenicia); Edom; Ammon; Moab (1:3-2:3). 2. Judgment of Judah (2:4-5).

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3. Judgment of Israel (2:6-16). B. The Sins And Punishment Of Israel (3:1-6:14). 1. The punishment of Israel is certain (3:1-15). 2. Israel’s social and religious sins (4:1-5). 3. Reminder of Israel’s past punishments, and a warning of the judgment at hand (4:6-13). 4. Lamentation for Israel and a warning of Captivity (chapters 5-6). C. Five Visions Of The Coming Judgment (7:1-9:10). 1. First vision: Locust plague (7:1-3). 2. Second vision: Consuming fire (7:4-6). 3. Third vision: The plumbline (7:7-9). 4. Amos confronts the king: Encounter with Amaziah (7:10-17). 5. Fourth vision: The basket of summer fruit (8:1-14). 6. Fifth vision: The destruction of the temple (9:1-10). D. The restoration of Israel: The Messianic Promise (9:11-15).

Questions:

Chapter One:

1. Where was Amos' hometown located? What is significant about this?

2. Which kings ruled Israel and Judah at this time?

3. What did Jonah prophesy about this time?

4. From where does the Lord roar and utter His voice?

5. Name the five nations, or the cities that represent the nations, which the Lord pronounced judgment upon, and tell the reason each was being judged. a. b. c. d. e.

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Chapter Two:

1. Of what was the nation of Moab guilty?

2. Of what was the nation of Judah guilty?

3. Of what was Israel guilty? (vs. 6-8)

4. Who had the Lord destroyed that He compared to cedars and oaks?

5. What shall the most courageous men of might do in this day of judgment?

Chapter three:

1. “Can ______walk ______they be ______?”

2. What did Amos mean when he said that God never does anything without the prophets? Why do Mormons cite this statement?

3. Out of what land had the Lord delivered Israel?

4. Who would sap Israel’s strength and plunder her palaces?

Chapter Four:

1. Israel’s wealthy women were called the “cows (kine) of Bashan.” Of what were these women guilty?

2. How often did the Israelites bring their tithes?

3. The Lord said He had punished Israel many times in the past. Name some of the things God had sent upon them as punishment for their sins. (vs. 6-11)

4. By whom did God swear that these things would come to pass?

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Chapter Five:

1. Name two constellations that are mentioned in chapter five.

2. What imagery did Amos use to describe the inevitability of doom that would come to Israel?

4. Explain why God was not satisfied with Israel's holy days and feasts.

5. Where would the Lord send them into captivity?

Chapter Six:

1. “Woe to them who are at ______in ______, and ______in the mountain of ______.”

2. Why did Amos mention David?

3. Who is Jacob, which God abhors?

4. What would God raise up against Israel? What would happen?

Chapter Seven:

1. What three visions did the Lord show Amos that are recorded in Chapter seven?

2. What did Amaziah accuse Amos of doing against the king?

3. What was Amos’ job before God called him to preach against Israel?

4. Why was Amaziah so hostile toward Amos?

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Chapter Eight:

1. What vision is recorded in chapter eight?

2. What would become of the songs in the temple in the day of judgement against Israel?

3. What kind of famine would the Lord send upon the land?

4. At what time would the Lord make the sun go down?

5. Who would faint for thirst in that day?

Chapter Nine:

1. Where did Amos see the Lord standing? What was it that the Lord said?

2. Would some people try to escape the Lord by hiding on the top of Mount Carmel?

3. From what foreign land had the Lord brought up Israel?

4. What would the Lord ultimately raise up that had been damaged?

5. Would Israel someday possess the remnant of Edom?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Eighteen

The Prophet Hosea

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Uzziah (783-741 B.C.) Jotham (750-735) Ahaz (735-715) Hezekiah (715-686)

Israel Jeroboam II (792-753 B.C.)

Date: 750 B.C.-725 B.C.

Hosea identifies the time of his work in chapter one verse one. He prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel. He prophesied during the latter part of the history of the northern kingdom, Israel. This was a turbulent political time in Israel with kings changing power quickly - several due to assassination: Zechariah (2 Kings 14:29 - 5:12), Shallum (2 Kings 15:14), and Pekahiah (2 Kings 15:25). Hosea was a contemporary of Amos, although he prophesied for a much longer time than Amos

Personal information about Hosea:

Hosea was the son of Beeri. Beyond this simple statement, Hosea gives us no real information about his background or his station in life. Some have assumed that because of the sympathetic tone of the prophet’s words he could have been a resident of the northern kingdom.

Spiritual and social conditions in Israel during the days of Hosea:

During the time that Hosea prophesied, Israel was in a state of spiritual and moral decline. Amos confronted the same problems in Israel. At this time, idolatry was so commonplace that there was no pure worship of God in the land. Also, the state of comfort and affluence that came with the reign of Jeroboam II brought about social injustices in Israel. Following Jeroboam’s reign, the nation continued to crumble. Worship of Idols was mixed with the worship of the one true God (2:12-13; 4:11-13). The people were more concerned with ritualism than with righteousness. Knowledge of God in Israel was at its lowest ebb (4:1, 6). A single statement accurately sums up the condition of the children of Israel in Hosea’s day: “By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint, with bloodshed after bloodshed” (4:3)

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Theme of the book of Hosea:

The book of Hosea is an expression of God’s love for his people, His grief for their rebellion, and His justice in their judgment. The harlotry of Israel: God instructed Hosea to take a woman of harlotry as his wife. Hosea complied and married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. Gomer was unfaithful to Hosea, and Hosea’s unhappy life with Gomer is an object lesson of the relationship between God and Israel. Israel committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord - “...Go take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord” (1:2; see also: 2:2-13*). God's boundless love and patience for Israel: Despite Israel’s brazen harlotry in serving idols and in rebelling against God in general, God loved Israel and desired her repentance. God loved Israel as a father loves a child and tenderly cared for his needs (11:1-4). Upon Israel’s repentance God would heal their backsliding and love them freely (14:1-9). God’s love for Israel is without question, but his justice in promising the nation’s punishment is equally clear (5:1-15; 8:1-10:15).

Four views of Hosea's marriage to Gomer: (Taken from: The Prophets Of Israel by: Leon J. Wood, pp. 278-279).

 View #1: Some think that the marriage never really happened; the account is to be understood as a mere vision or else a symbolism of the relation of God and unfaithful Israel. The thinking is that God would not have commanded a prophet to marry an unchaste person, especially when this had been expressly forbidden to priests (Leviticus 21:7, 14).  View #2: A second view is that the marriage did occur and that Gomer was already an unchaste person, possibly a temple prostitute at the time. The thinking is that this is the most natural way to understand the story and one is simply avoiding a logical conclusion if he takes the story in any other way.  View #3: A third view, held less widely, is that religious infidelity is intended in the story. Gomer became unchaste in the sense that she became a worshipper of false gods, like Israelites generally in Hosea’s day.  View #4: A fourth view is that the marriage did occur, but that Gomer was yet pure at the time of the marriage and became adulterous later.

Outline of the book of Hosea:

A. A Parallel: Hosea and Gomer - God and Israel (1:1-3:5). 1. Introduction: Hosea’s personal information and the time of his work. a. The son of Beeri.

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b. Hosea prophesied during the reigns of: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. c. Jeroboam II was in power in Israel during Hosea’s work. 2. Hosea’s marriage to Gomer was commanded by God as symbolic of God’s relationship to unfaithful Israel (1:1-9). a. The marriage ordered and contracted (1:2-3). b. The children of Hosea and Gomer given names with symbolic significance (1:3-9). 1) Jezreel — “God scatters” (1:4). 2) Lo-Ruhammah — “No mercy” (1:6). 3) Lo-Ammi — “Not my people” (1:9). 3. The restoration of Israel promised (1:10-11). 4. Israel’s unfaithfulness is condemned (2:1-13). 5. Hosea receives Gomer again as his wife. Israel will seek the Lord in the latter days (3:1-5). B. The Adultery Of Israel And The Faithfulness Of God (4:1-14:9). 1. The spiritual adultery of Israel described in detail (4:1-6:3). a. Specific sins: 1) Israel is condemned for rejecting knowledge of the word of God (4:1-10). a) “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land” (4:2). b) Sin touches sin: Israel lives in flagrant violation of the law of God (4:2). c) The priests were negligent in their duties, so the people were uninformed and condemned (4:6). d) The people and the priests increased in number and in sin (4:7). 2) Idolatry (4:11-19). a) The people ask counsel from wooden idols (4:12). b) The people offer sacrifices to false gods on the mountain tops (4:13). c) The women commit sexual immorality in the rites of pagan worship (4:13-14). d) Israel is stubborn, joined to idols, and has leaders who dearly love dishonor (4:18). b. A Stern warning to Israel of the judgment to come (5:1-14). c. A fervent plea for Israel’s repentance (5:15-6:3). 2. The willfulness of Israel’s transgressions (6:4-8:14). a. Israel willfully violated the covenant (6:4-11). b. Israel refused to return to faithfulness (7:1-16).

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c. Israel willfully served foreign idols (8:1-14). 3. A Promise of coming judgment for sins (9:1-10:15). a. Banishment from Canaan (9:1-9). b. Punishment by barrenness (9:10-17). c. Punishment of Israel’s sin by conquest and captivity (10:1-15). 4. God’s undying love for Israel is expressed in His grief for Israel’s sins, and in His regret at the need to punish Israel. Continued promise of Israel’s ultimate restoration (11:1- 13:16). a. God loves Israel as a father loves his child (11:1-3). b. The much loved child of the Father is bent on backsliding and will be punished with Assyrian domination (11:5-7). c. God takes no joy in punishing Israel (11:8-11). d. Israel’s sins and impending judgment described in further detail (12:1-13:16). 5. Promise of final, ultimate restoration of Israel (14:1-9).

Questions:

Chapter One:

1. What do we know about Hosea's background history?

2. Who ruled in Judah during Hosea's preaching work? Who ruled in Israel?

3. Why did God instruct Hosea to take a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry? Name Hosea's wife.

4. Name Hosea's children, and tell what their names mean. a. b. c.

Chapter Two:

1. Why would God not have mercy on the harlot’s children?

2. What will the harlot say when she cannot overtake and find the lovers she pursues?

3. Who gave the harlot grain, new wine, oil, silver and gold that she offered to Baal?

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Chapter Three:

1. What was the price of an adulterous woman?

2. Would the children of Israel ever again return to the Lord?

Chapter Four:

1. “______is no ______nor ______nor ______of God in ______.”

2. What does God say about Israel and knowledge?

3. What enslaved the heart of Israel?

4. What is the drink of Ephraim?

Chapter Five:

1. How would God pour out his wrath on Judah?

2. Did Ephraim and Israel frame their doings toward turning to God?

3. How would Ephraim be left in the "day of rebuke"?

4. When would Ephraim and Judah diligently seek the Lord?

Chapter Six:

1. What did Hosea promise that the Lord would do to those He had torn?

2. What would happen on the second day and on the third day?

3. To what does God compare the faithfulness of Ephraim and Judah?

4. Explain Hosea's reference to Shechem.

Chapter Seven:

1. Who had mixed himself among the peoples?

2. Who was made glad with the wickedness and lies of the people of Israel?

3. Did Ephraim seek aid from Egypt and Assyria? Was this right or wrong in God's sight? Explain.

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Chapter Eight:

1. Did God acknowledge the kings and princes that Israel had established?

2. From what did Israel make idols?

3. To what Gentile nation had Israel gone?

4. For what did Ephraim make altars?

Chapter Nine:

1. What would Ephraim eat in Assyria?

2. “The days of ______are come; the days of ______are come.”

3. If women of Ephraim were to bear children, would God bless the fruit of their womb?

4. When God cast Israel away, what would they become?

Chapter Ten:

1. “He shall break down their ______; He shall spoil their ______.”

2. Why did Israel say, “We have no king?”

3. To whom would the idolatrous calf of Beth Aven be given?

4. Was Judah as sinful as the house of Israel?

Chapter Eleven:

1. Did Ephraim know that it was God who healed them?

2. What was it that Israel was bent on doing? What does "bent on" mean here?

3. Explain how Judah compared to Israel.

Chapter Twelve:

1. For what would the Lord punish Jacob?

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2. Did Jacob prevail when he struggled with the angel?

3. What would the Lord make Israel to dwell in?

4. What was sacrificed in Gilgal?

Chapter Thirteen:

1. In what way did Ephraim offend?

2. God was with Israel in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in the land of drought. What happened when Israel had pasture and was filled?

3. From what would God ransom and redeem Israel?

Chapter Fourteen:

1. When Israel returned to God, what should they say to Him?

2. God promised to heal their ______and to ______them ______.

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Nineteen

The Fall of Israel

Timeline Of The Kings:

Israel Menahem (752-742 B.C.) Pekahiah (742-740 B.C.) Pekah (740-732 B.C.) Hoshea (732-712)

Judah Jotham (740-732 B.C.) Ahaz (732-716 B.C.)

Kings of Israel

Menahem (2 Kings 15:17-22)  First king of the 8th dynasty in Israel.  He began to reign in the 39th year of Uzziah of Judah. He ruled for ten years.  An evil king, following the ways of Jeroboam.  During Menahem's reign the Assyrians begin to threaten Israel. Pul, aka: Tiglath-Pilesar III, the first of several prominent Assyrian kings is first mentioned.

Menahem refused to accept the rule of Shallum who had murdered his predecessor and assumed power. Menahem took it upon himself to kill Shallum and take the throne for himself. The kings of Israel from this point onward do not rule for very long, as the kingdom descended completely into lawlessness. The only really notable event in the ten years that Menahem ruled Israel was the rise of Assyria as a major power in the world. By this time, Assyria was spreading across the land and taking over weaker nations. One of Assyria's greatest kings, known as Pul or Tiglath-Pilesar III launched an attack against Israel. Menahem chose not to fight against Assyria, but instead paid tribute of a thousand talents of silver to Assyria so that the Assyrians could be placated (2 Kings 15:19). This strategy worked at least for a while, and the king of Assyria left Israel alone (vs. 20). However, the strategy was ultimately a failure. In order to raise the tribute money, Menahem taxed all of the wealthy people in Israel, requiring them to give fifty shekels of silver each for the momentary security of Israel. In just a few 109 years the Assyrians would return and conquer Israel and take everything in the nation away.

Pekahiah (2 Kings 15:23-26)  Pekahiah began to reign in the 50th year of Uzziah of Judah.  He reigned only two years in Samaria.  Second king of the 8th dynasty.  An evil king.

Nothing of note is recorded about Pekahiah, other than the usual: "...he did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin" (2 Kings 15:25). He was assassinated in the citadel (armory) of the king's house by an officer in his own guard named Pekah (vs. 25b).

Pekah (2 Kings 15:27-31; :5-6)  Pekah became king in the 52nd year of Uzziah of Judah.  He reigned for twenty years.  The only king of the 9th dynasty.  An evil king like his predecessors.  Assyria begins to carry away captives from Israel to Nineveh.

The kings at the end of Israel's history are minor rulers who merely presided over a dying nation. They continued to lead the people in wickedness, offering no guidance and righteous leadership. It seems that their only real purpose was to assume power for themselves rather than to govern God's people. Pekah's predecessor, Menahem had tried to forestall the aggression of Assyria by paying tribute to the Assyrian king, but after several years, that strategy collapsed, and now Assyria returned in force. Tiglath-Pilesar III captured several cities in Galilee and the land of Napthali, and took the people in those cities away to Assyria (2 Kings 15:29). The only other notable detail of Pekah's reign is that he defeated Judah in battle along with the king of Syria (2 Kings 15:37). Pekah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, "because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers" (2 Chronicles 28:6). Hoshea the son of Elah conspired against Pekah and killed him and took the throne for himself. Surely Hoshea thought he could save Israel, but in truth, he only presided over the final collapse of the nation.

Hoshea (2 Kings 17:1-6, 7-23)  Hoshea began to reign in the twelfth year of Ahaz of Judah.  Evil king.  He reigned for 9 years.  The final king of Israel's history and the only king of the 10th dynasty.

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Like all of the kings in Israel before him, Hoshea did evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 17:2). During his reign, a new king in Assyria, Shalmaneser invaded Israel and occupied it, making Hoshea his vassal (vs. 3). A vassal king is one who rules at the pleasure of a more powerful king. He is nothing more than a figure head and has to pay tribute to the king who rules over all. Hoshea tried to devise a plan to thwart the Assyrians by making a deal with the king of Egypt, named: So (vs. 4). Hoshea sent the tribute money that was due to Shalmaneser to the king of Egypt. When Shalmaneser discovered the plot he imprisoned Hoshea (vs. 4b). For the next three years Shalmaneser raided every corner of Israel and conquered all of the cities in the North (vs. 5-6). In the 9th year of Hosea's reign, Israel was finished (vs. 6). The next paragraph in our text serves as a summary of Israel's sorry history and the reason for its total loss. The inspired writer lists the many times that God helped Israel, and yet Israel rebelled through idolatry and rejection of the covenant that God had made with them centuries earlier (vs. 7-17). The final verse could surely have been inscribed on Israel's gravestone: "Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah alone" (vs. 18; see also: vs. 19-23).

Assyria resettles Samaria (2 Kings 17:24-41):

One of the most powerful tools of the Assyrians was the tactic of deportation. It was not enough to simply conquer a nation, the Assyrians wanted to demoralize them as well. What better way to do that than to remove the conquered people from their homeland and to resettle aliens in their precious lands. Nothing would have been more demoralizing to a people than to remove them from the only home they had ever known, destroying their nationalistic pride. Also, it would serve to bring any threat of rebellion and uprising under control, because the people deported would be scattered from one another in the foreign land. Later, the Babylonians would do the same thing to the people of Judah. This interesting text tells how that the Assyrian king resettled Samaria with people from other vanquished nations, Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim (vs. 24). However, the newcomers did not respect the God of Israel, and He sent lions among them to kill the people (vs. 25). The king of Assyria heard of this incident and sent a priest from Israel back to dwell in Bethel and teach the people how to fear the Lord (vs. 28). Ultimately, this failed and the people who now dwelled in the land continued to make gods for themselves (vs. 29ff). Isn't it ironic that a priest from Israel was sent to compel pagans to respect and fear the Lord? Perhaps this whole sorry end to Israel could have been avoided if the priests of God and kings of Israel had done their jobs all along and taught the people of Israel how to fear the Lord!

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Kings of

Judah

Jotham (2 Kings 15:32-38; 2 Chronicles 26:23-27:9)  25 years old when he began to reign as king.  Ruled for 16 years.  A good king.  A building king who built many cities in Judah, along with fortresses and towers.

King Jotham began to reign after the death of his father Uzziah, who died a leper. He was a good king who followed the example of his father Uzziah (:2). However, he also learned from his father's mistake and did not improperly enter the temple of the Lord (vs. 2b). Jotham was diligent in the pursuit of his duties as king. He busied himself with fortifying the nation and its outlying territories. He completed significant building projects around the city of Jerusalem, building the upper gate attached to the temple and built additions to the wall of Ophel (vs. 3). He expanded the settlements in Judah by building cities in the mountains, and by building fortifications in the forests (vs. 4). In warfare, king Jotham fought against the Ammonites, and enforced tribute from them (vs. 5). Jotham is noted in this special way: "So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God" (vs. 6). There is a marked distinction between men like Jotham and other kings. Those who failed, failed for pursuing the exact opposite philosophy as Jotham did. He put the Lord and his duty to the Lord first, and he succeeded for that reason. Other kings in Judah along with those in Israel failed because they put their own wishes and desires first.

Ahaz (2 Kings 16:1-20; 2 Chronicles 27:9-28:6)  A wicked king. He is specifically noted to have walked in the way of the kings of Israel.  God delivered him into the hands of the Syrians and Pekah of Israel.  During his day citizens of Judah were taken captive to Syria.  Enlisted the help of the Assyrians in war with Syria and Israel.  Built a profane altar copied from the design of the Syrians.

The history of Judah is more of a roller-coaster than the history of Israel. There were several good kings, and a handful of really good kings, but among the wicked kings, they were mostly wicked. Then, there are some like Ahaz who

112 seemed determined to compete with his northern cousins in wickedness. Here is how the text describes Ahaz: "But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed he made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree" (2 Kings 16:3-4). Chronicles adds this to his record: "For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made molded images for the Baals. He burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel" (2 Chronicles 28:2-3). Because of his sins, God allowed Rezin king of Syria and Pekah of Israel to successfully raid Judah and carry some of the people away captive to Syria. When Rezin attacked Jerusalem, Ahaz could not overcome him (2 Kings 16:5). Syrians and Edomites flooded into the land of Judah (vs. 6). Ahaz was truly cut from the cloth of the kings of the North. His solution to his dilemma was not to turn to God for salvation, but to entreat the king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser to help him. He took silver and gold from the house of the Lord and paid the Assyrian king for his help (vs. 7-8). Tiglath-Pileser did what Ahaz asked and captured Damascus and enslaved its people (vs. 9). Ahaz traveled to Damascus to celebrate with Tiglath-Pileser, and when he arrived, he saw the ornate altar of bronze dedicated to the Syrian gods, and he had the design of it copied in Jerusalem (vs. 10-11). When he returned to Jerusalem, Ahaz proceeded to make many offerings on it (vs. 12-13). Furthermore, Ahaz commanded the priest to make this new ornate bronze altar the primary altar on which all burnt offerings were to be made (vs. 15-16). In addition, Ahaz had all of the trappings of the temple which God had commanded built according to the pattern dismantled (vs. 17-18). Ahaz may as well have been named "Ahab" for all of the wickedness that he did.

Questions:

1. Which king in Israel was the first to feel the wrath of the Assyrians?

2. Which king was in power in Israel when the nation was finally conquered?

3. By what other name was Tiglath-Pilesar known?

4. Which Assyrian king completed the deportation of Israel?

5. Why did Menahem send tribute to Assyria?

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6. Where was Pekahiah assassinated? Who killed him?

7. Which king in Judah ruled for many years during which several minor kings ruled in Israel?

8. Who did Pekah fight against and defeat?

9. How did Pekah lose his power?

10. Who made Hoshea a vassal king?

11. What quote from the Bible accurately describes the reason for the downfall of Hoshea and Israel?

12. Describe the Assyrian practice of deportation. Why was it effective?

13. What made Jotham a successful king?

14. What were some of the abominations committed by Ahaz of Judah?

15. From whom did Ahaz seek help?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twenty

The Prophet Isaiah

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah

Israel Jeroboam II Zechariah Shallum Menahem Pekah Hoshea

The Prophet Isaiah was an eighth-century B.C. prophet. He was a contemporary of the Minor Prophet Micah. Isaiah and Micah share so much material in common that Micah is sometimes known as "little Isaiah." Some of Micah's material is almost the same wording, but in a much shorter book.

Date: 740 B.C. – 680 B.C.

It is difficult to date many of the prophets to precise dates, but when a prophet mentions kings as his contemporaries, then we can come up with a date that is at least reasonable. Isaiah gives us a few markers that might allow us to come up with a reasonable guess about the extent of years that he prophesied.

 First, Isaiah tells us the kings who ruled Judah during his work: "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah" (1:1). Uzziah reigned for 52 years, Jotham for 16 years, Ahaz for 16 years, and Hezekiah for 29 years. Isaiah said he was called to prophesy at the end of Uzziah's rein, specifically "in the year that king Uzziah died" (6:1).  Second, Isaiah recorded the death of of Assyria who died five years after King Hezekiah of Judah, who died in 686 B.C. (37:37- 38).  Third, we are told that Isaiah wrote a history of the "acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness." The text tells us that he wrote the deeds of Hezekiah given to him in a vision (:32).  All of this taken together indicates that Isaiah preached for roughly 60 years.

Some people believe that Isaiah lived beyond Hezekiah into the early years of Manasseh's reign as king in Judah. Those who hold this view argue that Isaiah could not have written about the end of Hezekiah's life if he had not lived to see it. However, this is a pointless argument. Isaiah was a prophet of God 115 who wrote about many things he did not personally witness. Also, there is the matter that 2 Chronicles 32:32 says he wrote what he was given in a vision.

Authorship

Isaiah wrote the book, but there is doubt among many Bible scholars that he wrote the whole book of Isaiah. It is generally agreed that Isaiah wrote chapters 1-39, but some believe a variety of authors are responsible for chapters 40-66. As always, these kinds of questions make for interesting mental exercises, but I fail to see what good they do. Whether Isaiah personally penned every word or if other inspired writers contributed to it, the truth is not changed. However, I am content to accept Isaiah as the writer of this great book. Nothing in the book of Isaiah hints at multiple writers; there are no mentions of co-authors and no claims exist elsewhere in the Old Testament to call into question Isaiah as the sole writer. Also, there is the fact that Isaiah is directly referenced or quoted some twenty-one times in the New Testament (Matthew 3:3, 4:14, 8:17; 12:17;13:14; 15:7; Mark 7:6; Luke 3:4, 4:17; John 1:23; 12:38, 39, 41; Acts 8:28, 30; 28:25; Romans 9:27, 29; 10:16, 20; 15:12). None of these speakers ever cast doubt on Isaiah being the author. If there was some reason to attribute other writers to the book, it seems that at least Jesus would have said so. Yet, he referred to Isaiah by name several times (Matthew 3:3, 4:14, et al). Also, Paul, the Jewish scholar would have had the education to know of additional writers, if there were any, but Paul referred time and again to "Isaiah" (Romans 9:27, 9:29, et al). Another mark of Isaiah's consistent authorship is that certain words and phrases appear throughout the book as if written by one man. For example, Isaiah consistently calls God: "The Holy One of Israel" throughout the book. This description appears twenty-five times in Isaiah including the following: 1:4, 5:19, 24; 10:20; 12:6; 41:14, 16, 20; 45:11; 54:5; 60:14, to mention just a few. Repeated or common language is what ties the books to an author. For example Paul spoke often of his traveling companions in his epistles, and John wrote about Jesus the son of God, about the Lamb of God, and about love throughout the books that bear his name. While not conclusive proof, these common phrases are strong evidence of their authorship.

Personal information about Isaiah

Isaiah tells us that his father was named Amoz, and that his preaching as aimed at Judah and Jerusalem during the days of several notable kings beginning with Uzziah. We have spent some time in recent lessons examining what was going on In Israel during this time, and we have seen the depth of corruption in the North during this time. However, things were not a lot better in Judah. There were some good kings in Judah, but many of them were very wicked, and could easily have presided over a nation as wicked as Israel was.

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Another bit of information about Isaiah is that he was a married man. Isaiah 8:3 states that Isaiah conceived a child with "the prophetess" who would be given a prophetic name: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, as a warning that God would defeat Syria and Israel through Assyrian invasion. Isaiah also had another son, an older boy, named Shear-Jashub (Isaiah 7:3). Why did Isaiah call his wife called "the prophetess"? He doesn't tell us. The best guess would be that she was the wife of "the prophet." Other than the tidbit about Amoz being his father, and about his wife, the prophetess, Isaiah tells us only about his call to be a prophet. This is contained in Isaiah 6:1-13. Isaiah was shown a vision of heaven and God on His throne. During this awesome scene, Isaiah volunteered to be God's mouthpiece to Jerusalem (vs. 8-9).

Isaiah's message: Sin's punishment and the Messiah's salvation

One of Isaiah's main jobs was to condemn the sins of the many nations of the earth. The prophet openly declares the sovereignty of God over all peoples. In the course of the first 39 chapters, Isaiah rakes all of the key nations with whom Judah had dealings over the coals of judgment. He returned again and again to this theme. Judah and Jerusalem (aka: Jacob; Israel is called "Ephraim"). Isaiah's primary target was Judah. He condemned their many sins openly, from the very beginning of his book (1:1). He spoke on themes that we have already addressed in our study of the kings and prophets. He condemned the immorality and materialism that polluted the nation (3:13-26). Jerusalem was filled with wealth and little compassion (2:7). Jerusalem had become a harlot with idols like Israel (1:21-23; 2:8-9; 45:16; 57:1-13). The people of Judah had accepted the false teachings of soothsayers and mediums (2:6). Isaiah warned the people about the coming destruction that Judah would face in the hands of the Babylonians (Isaiah 39:6-7). Isaiah saw firsthand the corruption of idolatry and materialism that had overtaken Israel and now threatened to doom Judah (2:6-9). Isaiah also foretold the doom of many Gentile nations. A surprisingly large portion of Isaiah is devoted to the fall of the Gentile nations. He condemned Assyria even though God was using Assyria as the "rod of God's anger" against Judah (Isaiah 10:5-10; 14:24-27; 30:27-33). Isaiah also condemned Edom (Isaiah 21:11-12; 34:5-15), Babylon (13:1-22; 14:3-23; 21:1- 10), Philistia (14:28-32), Moab (15:1-6:14), Syria (17:1-3), Israel (17:4), (18:1-7), Egypt (19:1-6), Arabia (21:13-16), and Tyre (23:1-18). Mercy would be available for all. One of the obvious and strong characteristics of Isaiah is his promise of God's mercy for those who would repent. This is a common message among the prophets. God's mercy would be shown to Judah in their eventual return to their homeland. They would be released by the Persian king, Cyrus, and would return home to rebuild Jerusalem (Isaiah 44:24-45:13).

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Isaiah promised the redemption of Israel and Judah in the Messiah (Isaiah 40-44). Moreover, God would save the Gentiles ("foreigners") who would turn to the Lord (2:1-4; 56:6-8; 60:1-22)

The Messianic prophet

Isaiah also foretold in great detail that Israel and Judah would be saved by the Son of God. Isaiah is often called the "Messianic prophet" because of the numerous references that Isaiah made to Jesus. Listed below are many of these Messianic prophecies and their New Testament fulfillment.

 Will be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; NT: Luke 1:26-31)  Will have a Galilean ministry (Isaiah 9:1,2; NT: Matthew 4:13-16)  Will be an heir to the throne of David (Isaiah 9:7; 11:1, 10; NT: Luke 1:32-33)  Will have His way prepared (Isaiah 40:3-5; NT: John 1:19-28)  Will be spat on and struck (Isaiah 50:6; NT: Matthew 26:67)  Will be exalted (Isaiah 52:13; NT: Philippians 2:9, 10)  Will be disfigured by suffering (Isaiah 52:14; 53:2; NT: Mark 15L15-19)  Will make a blood atonement (Isaiah 53:5; NT: 1Peter 1:2)  Will be widely rejected (Isaiah 53:1,3; NT: John 12:37, 38)  Will bear our sins and sorrows (Isaiah 53:4, 5; NT: Romans 4:25; 1Peter 2:24, 25)  Will be our substitute (Isaiah 53:6,8; NT: Romans 5:6, 8; 2 Corinthians 5:21)  Will voluntarily accept our guilt and punishment for sin (Isaiah 53:7,8; NT: John 1:29; Romans 6:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21)  Gentiles will seek Him (Isaiah 11:10; NT: John 12:20,21)  Will be silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7; NT: Luke 23:9)  Will save us who believe in Him (Isaiah 53:12; NT: John 3:16; Acts 16:31)  Will die with transgressors (Isaiah 53:12; NT: Mark 15:27, 28; Luke 22:37)  Will heal the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1,2; NT: Luke 4:18, 19)  God's Spirit will rest on Him (Isaiah 11:2; NT: Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; 4:1)  Will be buried in a rich man's tomb (Isaiah 53:9; NT: Matthew 27:57-60; John 19:38-42)  He will judge the earth with righteousness (Isaiah 11:4,5; NT: John 5:27; Luke 19:22; 2 Timothy 4:1,8)

Isaiah used some phrases throughout His book which tells us about His primary focus. Isaiah urgently called upon his people to repent of their sins and to trust in God. The people of Judah had committed some of the same sins as their brethren in the North. One of their greatest infractions was placing their trust in man-made gods and in the nations of the earth. For this reason, Isaiah

118 reminded the people that they should put their faith and trust in the "Lord of Hosts" and in "The Holy One of Israel." These descriptions of the Lord come up over and over again in Isaiah, and they each convey a very specific thing about God.  "The Lord of Hosts" is used by Isaiah 62 times, and is a description of God as Omnipotent. The word "hosts" often refers to armies, and to heavenly beings such as angels. Therefore, Isaiah was saying that God possessed all power over heaven and earth.  "The Holy One of Israel" appears 25 times in the book and is pretty self- explanatory. God alone is the holy God. He alone is worthy of worship and praise.

Outline of Isaiah

Isaiah can be divided into two basically equal halves. In the first half of the book (chapters 1-39), Isaiah describes the judgment of Judah and the nations of the region. In this section, Isaiah declares that God has all authority over Israel and Judah as well as the nations. In the second half of the book (chapters 40-66), Isaiah promises the people of Judah that God would redeem them. Although they would be carried into captivity, they would be freed eventually, and would be restored to their homeland. Moreover, God would someday bring salvation to the whole world through Jesus Christ.

A. Chapters 1-39 – The judgment of God upon Judah and the nations. 1. Messages of rebuke and promise (chs. 1–5) a. Judah was a "sinful nation...laden with iniquity..." (ch. 1) b. The future restoration of Judah foretold (chs. 2–4) 1) The kingdom of Christ foretold: The mountain of the Lord's house (2:1–5) 2) The punishment of Judah (2:6—4:1) 3) The restoration of Zion (4:2–6) f. Woe pronounced upon Judah and Jerusalem (ch. 5) 2. Interlude: The call of Isaiah (ch. 6) 3. Coming threats against Jerusalem (chs. 7–12) a. Ahaz warned about the alliance of Israel and Syria (ch.7:1-9) b. Prophecies of the government of the Messiah (8:1-9:7) 1) A virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, Immanuel (7:14). 2) A child to be born and the government would be upon His shoulder....Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. c. The judgment and doom of Samaria (9:8-10:4) d. The doom of Assyria, "God's Instrument" (10:5-34) e. The future peaceful rule of David's "Branch" (11:1-16) f. Songs of praise for redemption (ch. 12) 4. Judgment against the Nations (chs. 13–23)

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a. Assyria (13:1-14:27) b. Philistines (14:28–32) c. Moab (chs. 15–16) d. Israel (ch. 17) e. Cush (ch. 18) f. Egypt and Cush (chs. 19–20) g. Babylon (21:1–10) h. Edom (21:11–12) i. Arabia (21:13–17) j. Jerusalem (ch. 22) k. Tyre (ch. 23) 5. Judgment and restoration of Israel (chs. 24–27) a. Figurative descriptions of judgment for sin (chs. 24) b. Praise for God's deliverance (ch. 25-26) c. The restoration of Israel (27:2-13) 6. Six Woes: Five on the Unfaithful in Israel and One on Assyria (chs. 28– 33) a. Woe to Israel (Ephraim/Samaria) and Judah (ch. 28) 1) Prophecy of Christ: The chief-cornerstone (28:16) 2) Justice a measuring line (28:17) b. Woe to Jerusalem, the city where David dwelt (29:1–14) c. Woe to those who rely on foreign nations (29:15–24) d. Woe to the obstinate nation (ch. 30) e. Woe to those who trust in Egypt (chs. 31–32) f. Woe to Zion (33:1-13) g. Prophecy of Christ: Future restoration under the King (33:17-24) 6. Judgment and restoration revisited (chs. 34–35) a. The Destruction of the nations and the avenging of God’s people (ch. 34) b. The Future Blessings of Restored Zion (ch. 35) 7. Isaiah describes the history of the times and events to ensue (chs. 36– 39) a. Jerusalem preserved from the Assyrian Threat (chs. 36–37) 1) The siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib and the Assyrian army (ch. 36) 2) The Lord’s deliverance of Jerusalem (ch. 37) b. Hezekiah's life extended (ch. 38) c. Warning of the Babylonian captivity (ch. 39)

B. Words of comfort to Judah (chs. 40–66) 1. The Deliverance and Restoration of Israel (chs. 40–48) a. Victory in Jesus is foretold (40:1–26) 1) John the baptist, "the messenger" would prepare His way (40:3). 2) He is omnipotent, omniscient, and singular (40:10-20). 3) It is he who sits above the circle of the earth (40:22)

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b. God promises to fulfill His promise to Abraham (41:1-20) c. The foolishness of worshiping idols (41:21-28) d. The Elect One - Christ (42:10–25) e. God will redeem Judah from Babylon (43:1-28) f. Further meditation on the futility of idol worship (44:1-46:13) 1) The historical redemption of Judah from Babylon. Cyrus called by name (44:24-45:25) 2) The Lord’s Superiority over Babylon’s Gods (ch. 46) g. The fall of Babylon (ch. 47) h. The Lord’s exhortations to His people (ch. 48) 2. Jesus Christ (the Servant) and Israel’s Restoration (chs. 49–57) a. The Call and Mission of the Servant (49:1–13) b. God will remember Zion (49:14–26) c. The Servant is Israel's savior (ch. 50) d. The hope of the Servant is Zion's hope (51:1—52:12) f. The suffering Servant, Israel and Judah's Savior (52:12-53:12) g. Zion's sufferings and punishments will pass away (ch. 54) h. The future of Zion's redemption to include the Gentiles (55:1—56:8) i. The wickedness of the wicked detailed (56:9—57:21) 3. Everlasting Deliverance and Everlasting Judgment (chs. 58–66) a. False and true Worship (ch. 58) b. Zion’s confession and redemption (ch. 59) 1) The Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save (59:1) 2) Your sins have separated you from your God (59:1-2) c. The nations blessed with Israel (ch. 60) d. The promise of the gospel (ch. 61) 1) Good tidings to be preached (61:1) 2) The acceptable year of the Lord (61:2) 3) Comfort to all who mourn (61:2b) e. Zion’s restoration (62:1—63:6) f. Isaiah's penitent prayer for his people (63:7—64:12) g. The promise of the "New heavens and the new earth" (ch. 65) h. The Justice of God revisited: Worship and service must be true (ch. 66)

Questions:

1. Who were the kings in Judah during Isaiah's day?

2. Who ruled in Israel during this same period of time?

3. Roughly how long did Isaiah preach?

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4. Give some reasons why people doubt Isaiah wrote the whole book of Isaiah.

5. What marks lend weight to the idea that Isaiah did write the whole book?

6. Which nations did Isaiah condemn?

7. Which Assyrian king is mentioned by name in Isaiah?

8. Which Persian king is mentioned? What was his significance to Judah?

9. Why is Isaiah called the "Messianic prophet"?

10. Which of the Minor prophets is sometimes called: "little Isaiah"? Why?

11. What does the phrase: "The Lord of Hosts" mean?

12. What does the phrase: "The Holy One of Israel" mean?

13. In which chapter of Isaiah do we read about his "call" to be a prophet?

14. Who is David's "Branch"?

15. In which text from Isaiah do we read about Jesus the cornerstone?

16. Where is John the Baptist mentioned in Isaiah?

17. Which chapter details the suffering and death of Jesus?

18. Where in Isaiah are we told that our sins have separated us from God?

19. Where is the preaching of the gospel first mentioned?

20. What are the "New heavens and new earth"? Where in the New Testament is this cited and applied?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twenty-One

The Prophet Micah

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Jotham (750-735 B.C.) Ahaz (735-715 B.C.) Hezekiah (716-697 B.C.)

Israel (Israel is now in )

Date: 735-701 B.C.

Micah prophesied during the rule of: Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah kings of Judah. He was a contemporary of Isaiah, who preached during the days of these kings as well as Uzziah (Isaiah 1:1). Micah makes no mention of the kings of Israel, but he did speak of the fall of Israel which occurred in 721 B.C. so he obviously began to prophesy prior to the fall of Israel. That Micah began his work around the time of Israel's fall is supported by the fact that Jeremiah mentioned the prophet Micah preaching during the reign of Hezekiah (Jeremiah 26:18-19). Hezekiah reigned until about 690 B.C. Sennacherib of Assyria boasted against Hezekiah, claiming to have "shut up Hezekiah like a bird in a cage in Jerusalem" (From the clay prism of Sennacherib, written in cuneiform script). Micah noted that Assyria was a serious threat to Judah after the fall of Israel (see: 5:5-6). Assyria invaded Judah in 701 B.C., but was vanquished by God (2 Chronicles 32:1-23). These facts suggest the time period given above.

Personal information about Micah:

Micah tells us nothing more about himself than his hometown. He was from the town of Moresheth, believed to be Moresheth Gath (1:14), which was 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem. Micah was very hard on the wealthy and the leaders of the people, but he was sympathetic to the plight of the poor. For this reason, many have concluded that Micah was well acquainted with the poor conditions of rural life.

Conditions in Judah at this time:

During the days of Isaiah and Micah, the people of God were led by a string of kings among whom some were good and some were very evil. As a result, the spiritual condition of Judah fluctuated between temporary faithfulness and gross immorality, depending upon the leader who was in power.

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Uzziah reigned for 52 years, and he is described in 2 Kings 15:1-7 and 2 Chronicles 26 as a good king. As long as he sought Jehovah, God made him to prosper (2 Chronicles 26:5). Judah experienced a period of prosperity under Uzziah’s reign (much like Israel under the rule of Jeroboam II). Sadly, the usual social and spiritual injustices that accompany prosperity were prevalent in Judah in Micah’s time. Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was also a good king. Under his rule Judah warred with Ammon, and Jotham built many cities and fortresses (2 Chronicles 27:1-9). Unfortunately, though, Ahaz, Jotham’s son, was an evil king who promoted the worship of the Baals and Molech (2 Chronicles 28:2-4). Under the rule of Ahaz Judah was defeated by the Syrians and had confrontations with the Edomites, Philistines, and the Assyrians. Hezekiah, Ahaz’s son was one of the best kings in Judah’s history. Hezekiah cleaned up the temple and sanctified it. He also reinstituted the keeping of the Passover, and abolished idolatry from Judah’s borders (-31). It was during Hezekiah’s reign that Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invaded Jerusalem.

Theme of the book of Micah:

The theme of Micah’s book is two-fold: Micah prophesied of the judgment of both Israel and Judah: “The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth...concerning Samaria and Jerusalem” (vs. 1). Secondly, Micah gives much information about the Messiah and his rule (4:1-5:5). In Micah’s book we learn of God’s justice as well as His mercy. In chapter six, God displays his righteousness and justice by calling upon His people to charge Him with wrong- doing if they can (6:3). Of course, any charge would be baseless. Also, God’s standard of righteousness which he binds upon man is seen in his disgust with the people’s mistreatment of the downtrodden.

Similarities between Isaiah and Micah:

There is more to the similarities between Isaiah and Micah than simply that the two men were contemporaries. Much of their teaching is very similar. Here is a list of passages from Isaiah and Micah that discuss similar or identical thoughts:

 Micah 1:2 Isaiah 1:2  Micah 1:9-16 Isaiah 10:28-32  Micah 2:8-9 Isaiah 10:2  Micah 2:12 Isaiah 10:20-23  Micah 2:13 Isaiah 52:12  Micah 3:5-7 Isaiah 30:9-10  Micah 4:1-3 Isaiah 2:1-4  Micah 5:2 Isaiah 7:14  Micah 5:4 Isaiah 40:11  Micah 6:6-8 Isaiah 1:10-17

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 Micah 7:7 Isaiah 8:17  Micah 7:12 Isaiah 11:11

Outline of the book of Micah:

A. The introduction of Micah, his home, and his time (1:1). B. Proclamation of the judgment of Israel (Samaria) and Judah (1:2-3:12). 1. Both nations are to be punished (1:2-16). a. The Lord is coming out of His place to tread down the high places in Israel and in Judah (1:2-7). b. The prophet mourns the incurable wounds of his people (1:8-16). 2. The punishment of Israel and Judah is the result of their sins (2:1- 11). a. The rich and powerful devise and plot evil (2:1-5). b. Lying prophets are willingly accepted by the people (2:6-11). 3. The future restoration of a remnant of Israel (2:12-13). 4. The devastation wrought by evil rulers and prophets (3:1-12). a. Wicked rulers hate good and love evil (3:1-3). b. The Lord will not hear their cries for mercy because of the extensiveness of their evil (3:4). c. The prophets prophesy “smooth things” (3:5-7). d. In contrast: Micah was a true prophet (3:8). e. The complete moral and spiritual destitution of the leadership of Israel and Judah (3:9-12). C. The future rule of the Messiah (4:1-5:15). 1. The rule of the Messiah will be established in the latter days (4:1-5; see: Isaiah 2:1-4). a. The mountain of the Lords house (4:1). 1) Established in the latter days. 2) Exalted above the hills. b. Many peoples shall flow unto it (4:2). c. The law of the kingdom will go forth from Jerusalem (4:2). d. The Messiah will judge men (4:3). e. The Messiah’s kingdom will grow by peaceful means (4:3b). f. The Messiah will rule over a peaceful kingdom (4:4-5). 2. But, for the moment, God’s people must endure their punishment (4:9-5:1). 3. The coming and the work of the Messiah (5:2-15) a. He is to be born in Bethlehem at God’s appointed time (5:2-3). b. The Messiah will feed His flock (5:3). c. Assyria, Israel’s conqueror will be conquered (5:5-6). d. The new system of peace, security, and faithfulness of the remnant of Israel under the Messiah (5:7-15).

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D. God’s complaint against Israel (6:1-16). 1. God’s case against Israel (6:1-8). a. Israel’s ingratitude (6:1-5). b. Mercy and humility is greater than sacrifice (6:6-8). 2. Punishment for Israel’s injustice (6:9-16). E. Israel’s repentance and restoration (7:1-20). 1. Micah laments the condition of Israel (7:1-7). 2. National confession of sin (7:8-13). 3. An humble prayer for restoration and forgiveness of sin (7:14-20).

Questions:

1. What was the name of Micah’s home?

2. “And the ______shall be molten under ______, and the ______shall be cleft, as ______before the fire, and as the ______that are ______down a steep place.”

3. What would God make Samaria as?

4. Samaria’s idols were the hire of a ______.

5. What were the inhabitants of Lachish told to bind?

6. How did those who coveted fields take them?

7. Against what did the Lord say He was devising evil?

8. In chapter three the prophet addresses the ______of Jacob and the ______of the house of Israel.

9. These rulers hated ______and loved ______.

10. Why would the Lord not hear the rulers when they cried out to Him?

11. Who made the people stray away from God?

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12. The heads of the house of Jacob and the rulers of the house of Israel abhor ______and pervert ______.

13. In which text does Micah tell when would the mountain of the Lord’s house be established?

14. Who would flow to the mountain of the Lord’s house?

15. Which “major prophet” gives this same prophecy? Give the book, chapter, and verses.

16. “The One to be ruler in Israel” would come from where?

17. Against whom would Israel raise “seven shepherds and eight principal men”?

18. Assyria is called the land of ______.

19. Why, in chapter six, did the prophet mention Balaam?

20. What does the Lord require even more than sacrifice?

21. Who had God sent before Israel when He led them out of Egypt?

22. Could the people trust their friends and companions?

23. A man’s enemies are the ______of his own ______.

24. Why would Israel bear the indignation of the Lord?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twenty-Two

King Hezekiah, And His Reforms

Scripture reading: 2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chronicles 29-32; and Isaiah 36-39

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Hezekiah (716-687 B.C.) Manasseh (687-642 B.C.) Amon (642-640 B.C.)

Israel (Israel has been deported to Assyria)

Prophets Isaiah Micah

The Bible tells the story of a few kings who stood head and shoulders above their predecessors. Among those good kings is Hezekiah. Other kings had tried to institute reforms but their efforts were mere window dressing. Among other failures, they failed to remove the high places of idol worship. Now, we take up the study of Hezekiah, who was a true reformer. He led the people toward God and away from sin; previous kings had merely managed the sins of the people, and tried to keep them from getting worse. Hezekiah knew that sin needed to be completely abandoned, and the worship of one God must be embraced.

The condition of Judah in Hezekiah's day

Judah now stands alone in the land of Israel. The northern kingdom had been carried away to Assyria in 721 B.C., and now Judah would teeter on the edge of faithfulness and unfaithfulness for another century until the Babylonians attacked and destroyed Jerusalem and deported its citizens to Babylon in the days of Daniel. Judah had endured a series of kings who were sometimes good and sometimes evil, but a few of the kings were evil entirely. Some of the better kings attempted to lead Judah toward God, but their efforts often fell short of abolishing idolatry which polluted Judah and Jerusalem. Now we come to Hezekiah who is handed a kingdom broken by his own father, Ahaz, who plunged the nation headlong into sin for a decade and a half. Hezekiah was a king at the crossroads. Would he choose, as so many Kings had, to follow the ways of his wicked father, or would he decide to once and for all end Judah's rebellion against God? Hezekiah's story is one of the brightest spots in the history of the kings. He did what was right in God's sight. Perhaps Hezekiah was able to gather the information all around him and make

128 the wise decision to lead a true reformation. Consider this: He saw his father's wickedness, and he saw Israel's complete collapse; he also knew the Assyrians were soon to be at his own front door, and he heard the preaching of the prophets. Thankfully, Hezekiah was wise enough to heed all this information and lead Judah back to God.

Date: 716-687 B.C.

The Bible tells us that Hezekiah came to power in the "third year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel" and that he was twenty-five years old when he became king (2 Kings 18:1-2; 2 Chronicles 28:27-29:1). Both Isaiah and Micah mention Hezekiah as being in power during their time of preaching (Isaiah 1:1; Micah 1:1). Hezekiah's age at the time he became king of Judah may have played a big part in the kind of king he became. If he was twenty-five when he became king in 716 B.C., then he was already an adult of twenty when Israel fell to Assyria in 721 B.C. Also, as the son of the king (Ahaz), and being the first born and successor of the king, Hezekiah would have been fully aware of what was going on in the region. He would also have heard the preaching of prophets who warned God's people to repent, and he would have been aware of the corruption that his own father had brought upon the people of Judah. Surely, Hezekiah was able to put "two and two together" and understand what he must do if he wanted to be a successful king and to lead Judah to a different fate than their cousins in Israel. He would have to do things differently and lead the charge back to God.

The reforms of Hezekiah

The Bible tells us that Hezekiah was the greatest of the kings of Judah up to his time (2 Kings 18:5). There were twelve kings of Judah who came before him, and some of them were good kings, so this is quite a statement. To understand why this was an accurate description of Hezekiah, we understand the depths of sin to which the people of Judah had sunk during the days of Ahaz. What follows in the study of Hezekiah's reign is a truly staggering number of reforms. Everything that was sacred in Jerusalem had been defiled and neglected during the years when idolatry was practiced freely in Israel and Judah. Repudiation of idolatry. The people were so devoted to the practice of idolatry that they made an idol out of anything and everything that they deemed to have special importance. They had even begun to worship the brazen serpent that Moses commanded to be made in the fiery serpent episode (Numbers 21:5- 9). Hezekiah removed the sacred pillars, removed the wooden image, and broke in pieces the bronze serpent, because the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan (2 Kings 18:4). Repair of the temple. In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah set about restoring the worship of God to the purity that the Law of Moses required. He

129 repaired the doors of the house of the Lord (2 Chronicles 29:3). He gathered together the priests and Levites and commanded them to sanctify themselves and clean up the house of the Lord, removing trash from it (vs. 4-5). He was determined that the errors of the negligent priests of the past would come to an end (vs. 6-7). Hezekiah knew that negligence of God's law and His commandments and scriptural practices were the cause of God's wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem (vs. 8). He also correctly inferred that Jerusalem's past defeats in battle and their future captivity were the penalty for their negligence (vs. 9). Hezekiah knew that only complete rejection of the sins of their past would save Judah. He was determined to make a covenant with Israel to be faithful once more so that God's wrath would be turned away from them (vs. 10). He led whereas many of his predecessors had merely managed the people's sins. He called on the priests and Levites to no longer be negligent, but to minister to God and burn incense to Him (vs. 11). The temple of God was not only neglected regarding its proper use for worship, but it had fallen into severe disrepair. The text tells us that there was debris that littered the temple that had to be cleaned out (vs. 16). During the reign of Ahaz elements of idol worship had been brought into the temple and had replaced the proper furnishings of the temple; those were also removed and the proper furniture restored (vs. 18-19). Reinstitution of sacrifices and offerings. When the priests and Levites finished their work they reported to the King, and He commanded them to gather together the leaders of the people, and they spent the day from early morning in worship, praise, and dedication of the temple to God (vs. 26-30). King Hezekiah commanded that mass offerings and sacrifices be made while trumpeters sounded their trumpets. Sin offerings were also made for the people (vs. 20-24). Hezekiah's day long sacrifices and offerings only emphasize his understanding of how far down into sin the nation had sunk. Once those offerings were finished, he commanded the priests to sanctify themselves and bring thank offerings and burnt offerings to God. The number of sacrifices and offerings were truly impressive: 70 bulls, 100 rams, 200 lambs for burnt offerings (vs. 32). Consecration offerings were 6 bulls and 3,000 sheep (vs. 33). There were too few priests to handle all of the offerings, so the Levites helped them (vs. 34). There were also drink offerings for every burnt offering (vs. 35). Reinstitution of the Passover. Next, Hezekiah commanded that the Passover should be reinstituted. He made a proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba (in the south) to Dan (in the North) that all Israel should come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover in the prescribed manner (:1-5). Hezekiah sent runners throughout the land, commanding the people to come to the Passover, and to warn them not to neglect their duty any longer. If the people would repent of their sins and return to the Lord and dutiful service, they would receive the mercy of God (vs. 6-9). As a result, a very great assembly convened in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread once more (vs. 13).

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After the days of memorial were over, the people of Israel went throughout Israel and Judah breaking down the sacred pillars and wooden images which had been in place for many years (:1). Reformation of the priesthood. Finally, Hezekiah reorganized the priests and Levites into divisions and appointed them to tend to their duties faithfully (vs. 2). He also commanded the people to submit to their lawful duties to provide for the livelihood of the priests and the Levites so that they could attend to their duties without the hindrance of working (vs. 4-9). In order to store up all that the people brought for the support of the priests, Hezekiah commanded rooms to be built in the house of the Lord in which to store the goods (vs. 11).

Hezekiah and the Assyrian threat

Assyria was not finished conquering the world, and next set its sights on assimilating Judah. Sennacherib was the current ruler of the Assyrian Empire, and he invaded Judah and laid siege to the fortified cities in order to "win them over to himself" in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah's reign (2 Chronicles 32:1; 2 Kings 18:13; Isaiah 36:1). Hezekiah, along with kings of other nations who had been subjugated to Assyria, rebelled and refused to any longer pay tribute to Assyria following the death of Sargon II, king of Assyria (2 Kings 18:7). Sennacherib threatens Jerusalem. Sennacherib, the son and successor of Sargon, launched an all-out invasion of the land of the rebel nations in order to bring them back in line. Sennacherib invaded and attacked cities throughout Philistia and then Judah. In all, Sennacherib boasted in his annals of having conquered 46 cities of Judah. The fall of Lachish. One of Sennacherib's most decisive victories was at Lachish, one Judah's best fortified cities, which lay some 40 miles southwest of Jerusalem. The fall of Lachish was foretold by the prophet Micah: "O inhabitant of Lachish, Harness the chariot to the swift steeds (She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion), for the transgressions of Israel were found in you" (Micah 1:13). Sennacherib's army was overwhelming in its defeat of the city of Lachish, and it signaled the near destruction of Judah. The "Lachish Relief" was a monument in Nineveh dedicated to the defeat of Lachish. Carved into the wall are graphic images of the Assyrian's techniques in battle, the defeat of the Jewish army, and the humiliation of its captured and killed citizens. One of the images on the monument includes the following words:

"...Sennacherib King of the Universe, King of Assyria, sits on a throne and the spoils of Lachish are paraded before him."

To this day, the site of ancient Lachish shows the evidence of the terrible battle and fall of the city. The Assyrians attacked Lachish from two sides, dividing the attention and fighting ability of the Jewish army. On one side of the city, the Assyrians fought with Jewish soldiers with slings and arrows, while on the opposite side of the city, the Assyrians built a siege ramp leading up to Tel

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(hill) to the wall of the city. Once the ramp was built, the Assyrians attacked the walls with siege engines and battering rams. Sennacherib readies for the attack of Jerusalem. With the fall of Lachish complete, Sennacherib sent his Rabshakeh (Sennacherib's chief of his princes, or his second in command) with Assyrian forces to Jerusalem to confront Hezekiah. Once he arrived at the wall of Jerusalem, Rabshakeh harangued the inhabitants of the city with war propaganda. By now the citizens of Jerusalem were well aware of the Assyrian threat and had heard of the fall of the many cities around them, and surely waited for their own doom. Now, Sennacherib's messenger put fear in their hearts with tales of the fall of other cities, and by trying to convince them that Hezekiah was the real enemy, not Sennacherib. His words were frightening and effective: "Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: In what do you trust that you remain under siege in Jerusalem? Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst saying: 'The Lord our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria?'....Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand?...Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?" (2 Chronicles 32:10-14; 2 Kings 18:19-35; Isaiah 36:4-22). There is a very famous line that was recorded by Sennacherib in the annals of his battles and victories, that he had trapped Hezekiah like a bird in Jerusalem. It is found in the five-hundred line, six-sided clay prism called the "Taylor Prism" (named after its finder, Colonel Taylor in 1830) Concerning Hezekiah and the coming battle, Sennacherib said:

"As for Hezekiah the Judahite, who did not submit to my yoke: forty- six of his strong, walled cities, as well as the small towns in their area, which were without number, by levelling with battering-rams and by bringing up siege-engines, and by attacking and storming on foot, by mines, tunnels, and breeches, I besieged and took them. 200,150 people, great and small, male and female, horses, mules, asses, camels, cattle and sheep without number, I brought away from them and counted as spoil. (Hezekiah) himself, like a caged bird I shut up in Jerusalem, his royal city. I threw up earthworks against him— the one coming out of the city-gate, I turned back to his misery."

Hezekiah puts his trust in God. Hezekiah was rightly alarmed by the threats of Sennacherib and he shared the fear of his own people that the city and the nation were doomed to defeat. However, Hezekiah put his trust in the Lord rather than surrender to Assyria. When he received a letter from the Assyrian king threatening Jerusalem's destruction, Hezekiah spread it out on the ground

132 before the Lord and prayed to God for His deliverance of the nation (Isaiah 37:14-20). God saves Jerusalem. Isaiah the son of Amos wrote words of comfort and support for Hezekiah and promised that God would save Judah, and that the king of Assyria would not so much as fire an arrow into the city (Isaiah 37:21-35; 2 Kings 19:20-34). While the Assyrian army slept, an angel of the Lord went throughout the camp of the Assyrians and killed one hundred-eighty-five thousand soldiers, and Sennacherib returned in shame and defeat to Nineveh (Isaiah 37:36-37; 2 Kings 19:35-36). Hezekiah's leadership in preparation for war. Hezekiah trusted in God to save Jerusalem, but he also took the necessary steps that he could, as king, to save his people. When he saw that an attack by Assyria was inevitable, Hezekiah took steps to protect Jerusalem from destruction. He stopped up the springs and brook that ran through the land in order to deny water to Assyria when it came (vs. 3-4). He strengthened the parts of Jerusalem's wall that had fallen into disrepair; he also built a second wall around the city, repaired the Millo, and stepped up the production of weapons (vs. 5). Note: the identity of the "Millo" is uncertain. The Bible never really explains its purpose, but its description here hints that it was a rampart or redoubt of some kind that protected the City of David. Hezekiah's Tunnel (also called the Siloam Tunnel). Hezekiah built an aqueduct called the "Siloam Tunnel" to supply water to Jerusalem throughout the coming siege. The Bible describes its construction: "This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works" (2 Chronicles 32:30; 2 Kings 20:20). Workers build the tunnel working from two ends. Some workers began digging under the city and the wall from Gihon Spring and other workers began digging from the pool of Siloam. Diggers met in the middle. This conduit is still in service to this day, and it is considered an engineering marvel. Engineers of today marvel at the feat that Hezekiah accomplished in the building of the tunnel. It does not follow a straight course, and meanders on a seemingly random course through solid rock. How was it possible for workers to dig their way from opposite ends, traverse 1,599 feet at a 30% grade decline from spring to cistern, and end at the same spot? It is believed that workers followed a natural crack in the rock which revealed itself through dripping water. At the site where the workers met, someone carved in the rock a memorial to the event, which translated reads:

"...And this is the narrative of the tunneling: While [the stone-cutters were wielding] the picks, each toward his co-worker, the picks, ... and while there were still three cubits to tunnel through, the voice of a man was heard calling out to his co-worker, because there was a fissure in the rock, running from south [to north]. And on the (final) day of tunneling, each of the stonecutters was striking (the stone) forcefully so as to meet his co-worker, pick after pick. And then the water began to flow from the source to the

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pool, a distance of 1200 cubits. And 100 cubits was the height of the rock above the head of the stone-cutters" (The Siloam Inscription).

Hezekiah's foolishness

In spite of Hezekiah's goodness and the many ways that he showed his loyalty to God, he suffered from a bout of pride and foolishness. The incident of pride is recorded in 2 Chronicles 32:25 – "But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem." More detail is given a few verses later. After listing many of Hezekiah's accomplishments, the text tells us that Babylonian princes came to Jerusalem and met with Hezekiah about the defeat of the Assyrians (vs. 31). God "withdrew from him in order to test him that He might know all that was in his heart" (vs. 31b). It must be that he accepted some of the praise for himself, because God sent word to Hezekiah through Isaiah that he should get his affairs in order, because he would soon die (2 Kings 20:1; Isaiah 38:1). Hezekiah immediately prayed to God for forgiveness, and his life was extended by fifteen years (Isaiah 38:5). Proof of God's promise was provided in the form of a miracle. God would cause the shadow on the sundial to go backward ten degrees after sunset (Isaiah 38:7-8). Isaiah tells of Hezekiah's foolishness after his recovery from sickness. The king of Babylon, Baladan, sent his son, Merodach-Baladan to meet with Hezekiah. Babylon had staged its own successful rebellion against Assyria, and the king paid his respects to Hezekiah, having heard of his illness. During the visit, Hezekiah carelessly showed off all of Jerusalem's treasures, including his gold, silver, spices, precious ointment, and all of his armory (Isaiah 39:1-2). He foolishly exposed his kingdom to the new enemy in the world, and it would cost his people someday. Isaiah warned Hezekiah that someday the Babylonians would invade and take away all of his treasure along with all of his people (vs. 3- 7).

Questions:

1. How many chapters in the Bible are devoted to the story of Hezekiah?

2. Who were the prophets who preached during the days of Hezekiah?

3. What is the story of Israel, the Northern kingdom during this period?

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4. How was Hezekiah different than many of his predecessors on Judah's throne?

5. During what years did Hezekiah rule in Jerusalem?

6. How old was Hezekiah when he became king?

7. How were Hezekiah's reforms different than those of earlier kings of Judah?

8. What had become of the brazen serpent of Numbers 21? What does this tell us about the spiritual condition of Judah at the beginning of Hezekiah's reign?

9. In what condition was the temple when Hezekiah became king? How did it get this way?

10. What was one of the very first duties of the priests and Levites when they were sanctified into service?

11. How many offerings were given once the temple was repaired?

12. What did Hezekiah do in order to reintroduce the keeping of the Passover?

13. Why did the king of Assyria invade the land of Judah?

14. Who was the king who invaded Judah?

15. Which battle in Judah signified the eventual fall of the whole kingdom to Assyria?

16. How did Sennacherib refer to himself in his annals?

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17. Whom did Sennacherib send to frighten Jerusalem into submission?

18. How did Hezekiah respond when he was delivered a letter from the king of Assyria assuring him of his doom?

19. What is the famous quote from Sennacherib about the control he believed he had over Hezekiah?

20. How did God defeat the Assyrians?

21. What demonstrated Hezekiah's leadership in preparation for the coming war?

22. Describe the Siloam Tunnel. Why was it significant?

23. What caused God to extend Hezekiah's life by 15 years?

24. What foolish thing did Hezekiah do that provoked a rebuke from Isaiah?

25. What warning did this prompt from God?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twenty-Three

Manasseh, Amon, and Josiah Judah's Last Battle For Righteousness

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Manasseh (687-642 B.C.) Amon (642-640 B.C.) Josiah (640-609 B.C.)

Israel (Israel in Assyria)

Prophets (note: A few scholars believe Joel preached during this time) Jeremiah

Manasseh (Scriptures: 2 Kings 20:21-21:18; 2 Chronicles 32:33-33:20)  Fourteenth king of Judah after Rehoboam.  Father: Hezekiah  Mother:  Began to reign: 12 years of age  Reigned for: 55 years

Date: 687-642 B.C.

Manasseh's background

Manasseh could not have been more different than his father Hezekiah. When Hezekiah took the throne, he came to power after a period of steep decline into sin led by his father Ahaz. Hezekiah was determined to right all the wrongs in Judah that his father had instituted, and to lead the people's hearts back to God. Manasseh had a "golden opportunity" to continue the reforms of his father and establish the security of Judah for generations to come. Combined with the rule of his father, Judah could have enjoyed almost eighty-five years of peace and prosperity. Sadly, Manasseh was not cut from the same cloth as his father. He immediately reversed all of the reforms of his father, and plunged Judah back into the cesspool of sin and rebellion against the Lord.

Manasseh's wickedness.

Manasseh did evil according to the abominations of the nations in Canaan (2 Kings 21:2; :1-10). He rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah had destroyed (vs. 3). Me raised altars for Baal, and built wooden images (vs. 3). Please note, that Manasseh's wickedness mirrored that of Ahab in Israel (vs.

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3b). He built altars to worship the stars of heaven (vs. 5). Manasseh made his sons pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft, soothsaying, consulted mediums (vs. 6). In a truly shocking turn of events, Manasseh even built altars for idolatry inside the house of the Lord (vs. 4). He carved an image of Asherah and set it up in the house of the Lord (vs. 7). Whereas his father was determined to undo the sins of his own father, Manasseh showed by these acts how far he was willing to go to reverse the righteousness that Hezekiah had restored to the nation. The Bible text tells us that Manasseh shed innocent blood from one end of Jerusalem to the other (vs. 16). The sacrifice of children to Molech was surely part of the blood referred to here, but it also was the blood of persecution for any who would oppose his reign of terror. The Hebrew writer tells us that the history of Israel included some having been "sawn in two" for their faith (Hebrews 11:37). The Jewish Targum (the Targum was a rabbinic interpretation of the Hebrew scriptures in Aramaic) states that Isaiah fled from Manasseh's wrath, and hid inside a hollow tree; Manasseh ordered the tree to be sawn in half and Isaiah's blood gushed out.

Manasseh's leadership

The king is the chief of state in more than one way. He led them in military campaigns, but more importantly, he was supposed to lead them in morality. The people ignored all that God wanted them to do, and they ignored the greatness of their covenant with God (vs. 9). Manasseh seized upon their rebellious spirit and fed it. He seduced Judah to do more evil than the nations of Canaan (vs. 9b; 2 Chronicles 33:9).

Manasseh's repentance

The story of Manasseh is one of the darkest in all of the Old Testament. The people of Judah were marginally more faithful than their brethren in Israel. But, Manasseh was responsible for leading them to a pinnacle of wickedness that made Judah look no better than Israel under the leadership of Ahab. God punished Manasseh by allowing the Babylonians to take him away into captivity with hooks and fetters (2 Chronicles 33:11). While he was in captivity, he prayed to God and repented (vs. 12-13). God heard his prayer and restored him to his kingdom (vs. 13). When he returned, Manasseh undertook massive reforms, destroying the idols, their altars, and restoring the temple to a holy place for the worship of God (vs. 14-17).

Amon (2 Kings 21:18-25; 2 Chronicles 33:20-25)  Amon was the fifteenth king of Judah after the division.  Father: Manasseh

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 Mother: Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah (2 Kings 21:19; 2 Chronicles 33:21-23).  Began to reign: 22 years old.  Reigned for: 2 years .

Date: 642-640 B.C.

Amon's background.

His reign is described in very few words in the Bible. He deserves no more notoriety than that. His rule was like his father's, minus the last minute repentance. He walked in all the ways of his father, and reinstituted the idolatry that Manasseh had introduced (2 Kings 21:20-21). He forsook God in every way (vs. 22). Amon met an untimely end when his servants rose up and assassinated him (vs. 23). The people of the land executed the assassins and put Amon's son Josiah on the throne. It is unclear why they did so. Were the people interested in justice? That would not be there pattern. If anything, it seems they simply were enraged that Amon's servants had killed their wicked king. The people tended toward wickedness. They may have believed that Josiah would continue the pattern set by his father Amon. But, the story of Judah was about to take a turn. The repentance of Manasseh was good, and noble. But, it would seem, too late to cause real reform in Judah. Amon had spent his lifetime with a wicked father, and saw the legacy of wicked kings to be his desired path.

Josiah (1 Kings 13:2; 2 Kings 21:24-23:28; 1 Chronicles 3:14-15; 2 Chronicles 33:25-36:1)  Josiah was the sixteenth king of Judah after the kingdom divided.  Father: Amon  Mother: Jedidah (2 Kings 22:1)  Began to reign: 8 years old.  Reigned for: 31 years

Date: 640-609 B.C.

Background:

Josiah became king under the worst of circumstances. His great- grandfather Hezekiah had been one of the best rulers Judah ever had, but his father and grandfather had destroyed the nation of Judah once more. Now it was up to Judah to turn the nation back to God and save them from destruction if possible. For all of the good that Josiah accomplished, it would prove to be too little too late.

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Josiah's reforms. Josiah completely rejected the pattern set by his father and grandfather, and restored the proper worship of God to the land of Judah. In comparing kings, one might think Josiah was better than Hezekiah, but if so, then only because he took such a strong stand at such a young age, for such a righteous cause, in the face of such a bleak landscape of evil. Both men were reformers and did what was right in God's sight. The beginning. Josiah's reforms began in the 18th year of his reign. While construction was underway to repair the temple in Jerusalem, a copy of God's law was found by workers making repairs to the house of the Lord (2 Kings 22:1-8). Hilkiah the high priest found a copy of the Law of God and had it sent to the king (vs. 8). Shaphan the scribe read it to the king (vs. 19). When Josiah listened to the reading of the Law of God, he tore his garments in grief (vs.11). He commanded Hilkiah the priest to consult the Lord, because he knew that doom was forecast for Judah, because of the sins of the people (vs. 12-13). Huldah, the prophetess sent word to Josiah that the people of Judah were doomed for calamity because of their sins, but that because the king humbled himself before God, God heard his prayers, and Josiah would not witness the doom that was foretold (vs. 14-20). Josiah's reforms. Josiah, though young, was a wise man. He knew that the only answer for Judah's undone condition was to make whole-scale, nationwide reforms.  First, he had the law of God read in the hearing of all of the people (2 Kings 23:1-2). It is hard to imagine that the people of God had traveled so far down the road of sin that the law of God would be so strange to them. The Mosaic law required the law to be read every seven years, and this had clearly not been done for decades (Deuteronomy 31:9-13).  Then, the king stood in the presence of the nation and made a covenant with them and God to keep the words of the book of the Law (vs. 3). This had to be done periodically throughout Israel's history. It started at Mount Sinai when Moses delivered to the people the Law of Moses. They committed to it (Exodus 19:8). Later, after forty years wandering in the wilderness, Israel committed themselves again to God's Covenant (Deuteronomy 26:16-17). Now, after centuries of sin and backsliding, the people had to commit themselves to God once again.  He commanded the priests to remove from the house of God all of the articles of idolatry (vs. 4). This is one of the grossest examples of the sin of Judah. The very people who descended from David, and from whom the Christ would eventually arise were worshiping idols inside the temple of God. The Law of Moses specifically forbade idolatry (Exodus 20:3-5), and yet Israel continued to practice it in part or in whole. Worshiping on heathen altars inside the temple was about as bad as idolatry could get.  He removed the priests whom his predecessors had installed to execute false worship (vs. 5). The priests of God were specifically charged to keep themselves holy to the Lord (Exodus 28:36). Their garments signified their purity, and their cleansing rituals and offerings

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were to assure their purity. Yet, in the days of Manasseh and Amon, the true priests were replaced by wicked men who would promote idolatry among the people.  Josiah publicly defiled and destroyed the idols that Judah had used in false worship in order to set right the worship of the one true God. o He burned the wooden image that was in the house of God and ground it to ashes at the brook Kidron (vs. 6). This is reminiscent of what Moses did when he found the children of Israel worshiping a golden calf. He burned it to ashes and made the people drink the ashes in their water supply as punishment (Exodus 32:20). Josiah saw the wisdom in this graphic demonstration. It was not enough to merely take the idol down and remove it quietly; Josiah destroyed the people's chosen idol in a very public way, leaving no doubt about the sin of idolatry. o He defiled all of the high places and broke them down (vs. 8). A public demonstration was necessary so that the people would know that idolatry would no longer be permitted in any quarter in Jerusalem. Unlike many of his predecessors, Josiah knew that he must completely remove the places where idolatry took place if he hoped to save the people from themselves. o He defiled the idol Topheth in the valley of Hinnom (vs. 10). The idol of Topheth was Molech. The Topheth was an idyllic garden near Jerusalem where Molech worship originated. At one end of the valley was Hinnom. o He removed the horses that his predecessors had dedicated to the sun (vs. 11). Ancient cultures who worshiped the sun rode fine horses into the East each morning as the sun arose. This text implies that sculpted horses had been erected in Jerusalem in honor of the sun. o He removed the altars that were on the roof of the temple (vs. 12). What a despicable display this must have been to God. The Temple was built for His people to worship Him. Yet, they put altars to pagan gods on the roof. How can this not be seen as the epitome of hard-heartedness? They flaunted their idol worship in the most open place they could, on the roof of the most holy place of all in Jerusalem. o He defiled the high places on the east side of Jerusalem, which Solomon had built (vs. 13). This is an important point that must be noted. All of these abominations in Jerusalem can be traced back to Solomon. The wisest fool who ever ruled a kingdom. God granted Solomon great wisdom, and rather than rule God's people and set a precedent of righteousness that would never falter, Solomon turned to idol worship in order to please his many wives (1 Kings 11:3-8). The ramifications of sin cannot be underestimated. Solomon and Judah's history tell the whole tale. Many generations later,

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Solomon's descendant had to clean up the mess that one of his greatest ancestors set in motion. o He broke down the altar that was at Bethel, which Jeroboam had built (vs. 15). Josiah did not stop with tearing down the high places in Judah, he also removed the great monument to Israel's sin from Bethel. Jeroboam instituted calf worship in the North, and the nation never recovered from this destructive path of sin. o He burned the bones found in tombs that were dedicated to false gods (vs. 16). o He removed every shrine in Samaria (vs. 19). Here is the final statement that set Josiah apart from every other reforming king before him. Josiah understood that it was not enough to merely command the people to rededicate themselves to God and to renounce idolatry. He knew that every part of idolatry had to be removed from the land.  He executed the priests of the high places (vs. 20). After he undertook all of these reforms, Josiah instituted the keeping of the Passover. It is said that the first Passover after the restoration, was like none other than had been kept since the days of the Judges (vs. 21-23).

Questions:

1. How old was Manasseh when he became king and what were the conditions under which he came to power?

2. How long did Manasseh reign?

3. What golden opportunity did Manasseh squander? How did he squander it?

4. Which kind was Manasseh compared to?

5. What did Manasseh do with his sons?

6. What does Jewish tradition say Manasseh did to Isaiah?

7. What attitude among the Jews did Manasseh foster?

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8. What happened with Manasseh at the end of his life?

9. What kind of king was Amon?

10. How long did Amon reign?

11. How did his reign come to an end?

12. How does Josiah compare to the rest of the kings of Judah?

13. What one thing did Josiah understand about idolatry that most of his predecessors seemed not to know?

14. When and what event marked the beginning of Josiah's reforms?

15. What was the very first thing that Josiah did in making his reforms?

16. What did Josiah have removed from the house of God? What was on top of the temple?

17. Did Josiah merely remove the emblems of idolatry? Explain.

18. What was the "idol of Topheth"?

19. What were the "horses" that he removed?

20. What took Josiah to Bethel in Israel?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twenty-Four

The Prophet Zephaniah

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Josiah (640-609 B.C.)

Israel (No longer a nation following the deportation to Assyria)

Date: 630-625 B.C.

Zephaniah preached during king Josiah’s reign in Judah (1:1). Josiah reigned from 640-609 B.C. Zephaniah also prophesied prior to the fall of Assyria to Babylon which occurred in 612 B.C. (see: 2:13ff). Josiah was one of the best kings to have ruled Judah. He was the last great hope for moral and spiritual reform in Judah. Josiah, unlike his two predecessors: Manasseh and Amon, “turned not aside to the right hand or to the left” (34:2). He repaired the temple and cleansed Jerusalem and Judah of idolatry. When a copy of the law of God was found during the renovation of the temple, Josiah commanded that the law be read in the hearing of the people (2 Chronicles 34:14-15, 29-30). Once the reading of the Law was completed, Josiah instituted some of the most sweeping spiritual reforms in Judah’s history. Historical note: The northern kingdom of Israel has been in Assyrian captivity nearly one hundred years by the time of Zephaniah.

Personal information about Zephaniah

Zephaniah was the great-great-grandson of good king Hezekiah of Judah (1:1). Hezekiah, like Josiah, was a reformer king, and he was one of the better kings of Judah. This unique note about his heritage shows that Zephaniah was descended from royalty. The prophet tells us nothing more about himself or his background. That he speaks of Jerusalem as "this place" hints that he was a citizen of the capital city (1:4).

Zephaniah's theme

The book of Zephaniah is a general prophecy of Divine judgment. Zephaniah warns that the “great day of the Lord is near” (1:14). The day of the Lord is described in terms indicating complete devastation: “That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet and alarm,...” (1:15).

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Zephaniah's preaching is not limited to the nation of Judah. He also condemns the nations that surrounded Judah such as the Philistines (2:7), the Moabites and Ammonites (2:8-11), Ethiopia (2:12), and Assyria (2:13-14).

Outline of Zephaniah

A. A pronouncement of judgment upon Judah (1:1-18). 1. A statement of the times, and the heritage of the prophet (1:1). 2. Utter destruction predicted at the hand of the Lord (1:2-3). 3. Judah is the object of God’s anger because of idolatry (1:4-6). 4. “Be silent in the presence of the Lord God; for the day of the Lord is at hand.” Note: Judah is the sacrifice!!! (1:7). 5. The great day of the Lord is near (1:14). 6. Terms commonly used to describe a day of the Lord’s judgment: (1:15-16). a. A day of wrath b. Distress c. Devastation and desolation d. Darkness and gloominess e. Clouds and thick darkness f. A day of trumpet and alarm B. Now is the time to repent! (2:1-3). 1. Repent before the decree is issued, before the day passes like chaff, before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you! (2:2). 2. Seek the Lord in humility (2:3). C. The wicked nations of the earth will be judged (2:4-15). 1. The Philistine nation (2:4-7). 2. Moab and Ammon (2:8-11). 3. Ethiopia (2:12). 4. Assyria (2:13-15). D. Sin is the cause of Jerusalem’s doom (3:1-7). 1. Judah is rebellious and corrupt (3:1-2). 2. Judah’s spiritual and political leaders are corrupt (3:3-4). 3. God's righteousness will be manifested in the coming judgment of sinful Judah (3:5). E. The ray of hope for Judah: Zephaniah promises that God will restore the faithful remnant of the people of God (3:8-13). 1. There would be a general judgment of the nations (vs. 8). 2. There would be a restoration of the people and a "pure language" so that all may call on the name of the Lord (vs. 9). Note: This is surely a promise of the restoration of all nations under the gospel – the "pure language." 3. There would be forgiveness, removal of all shame, and humility in the holy mountain of the Lord (vs. 11).

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4. The Lord would leave in Jerusalem a meek and humble people (vs. 12-13). F. The faithful rejoice in God’s caring protection (3:14-20).

Questions:

Chapter one:

1. Zephaniah was the great-great grandson of which king in Judah?

2. Who was in power in Judah during the time of Zephaniah’s reign?

3. “Hold thy ______in the presence of the ______God: for the ______of the Lord is at ______.”

4. Why would God search Jerusalem with candles?

5. What terms does the prophet use to describe the great day of the Lord? (vs. 15-16)

7. What benefit will the rich enjoy more than the poor in the judgment?.

Chapter two:

1. Does Zephaniah offer a plea for repentance in chapter two? If so, give the verses.

2. How many different foreign nations are singled out for judgment in chapter 2:4-15.

3. Give the directional relationship of the condemned nations to the nation of Judah.

4. ______would be made dry like a wilderness.

5. The rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly said in her heart: ______.

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Chapter three:

1. The princes of Judah are ______lions; her judges are ______.

2. Did God’s judgment of the nations in the past cause His people to fear Him and receive His instruction?

3. “For then I will turn to the people a pure ______, and they may ______upon the name of the ______, to Him with one ______.”

4. Would the remnant of Israel do iniquity and speak lies?

5. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “______thou not,” and to Zion: “Let not ______hands be ______.”

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twenty-Five

The Prophet Nahum

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Josiah

Israel (No longer a nation)

Date: 630-612 B.C.

Nahum gives no concrete information that helps to pinpoint the date of his writing. However, the prophet records two significant historical events that serve as “boundary dates.” First, the thrust of the book of Nahum concerns the fall of Assyria, which occurred in 612 B.C. Since Nahum foretells this event, his book was obviously written sometime prior to Assyria’s destruction. Second, Nahum also tells of the past fall of No-Ammon (Thebes), which occurred in 663 B.C. Therefore, whatever the exact date of Nahum, we know the book was written after the fall of Thebes. These facts indicate that the book was written sometime between the “boundary dates” of 663 B.C. and 612 B.C. For this reason we have assigned the time-frame of 630B.C.-612 B.C. to Nahum.

Personal information about Nahum:

There is very little about Nahum that we know. His book doesn't tell us about his family, his occupation, or his personality. He is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. The only personal information that Nahum records about himself is that he is “...Nahum the Elkoshite” (1:1). Unfortunately, the exact location of the city of Elkosh is unknown, though many speculations as to its location have been made.

Theme of Nahum:

The book of Nahum is a prophecy of doom against Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria. The book of Jonah foretold the doom of the doom of Nineveh, but at the preaching of Jonah, the Ninevites repented. Now, however, the bloody nation would finally be conquered.

Assyria in Nahum's day:

During the time of the prophet Nahum, Assyria is near the end of its status as a world power. The book describes the complete overthrow of the once

148 mighty nation. According to Nahum, Assyria would charge mightily into battle, but would be handily defeated, because God is in control of the battle (2:1-13). The next world power, Babylon, along with Media, would be the vanquishing nation. As we have established previously in our study, Assyria was an extremely war-like nation. Tiglath-Pilesar III (745 B.C.-727 B.C.) was in power at the beginning of Assyria’s world conquest. His successor, (727 B.C.-722 B.C.) began the conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel, and his successor, Sargon II (722 B.C.-705 B.C.) completed the destruction of Israel and carried Israel into captivity. Sennacherib (705 B.C.-681 B.C.) attempted to destroy Jerusalem but was defeated by God in a single night. During this time of military supremacy, Assyria was a very proud and arrogant people. They relied totally upon their overwhelming military strength and blood-thirstiness to accomplish their goals of conquest. Their mutilation of conquered warriors was well known in the ancient world, as was the practice of deportation. Assyria literally rolled over every nation who dared oppose them. No regard whatsoever was given to the God of heaven. Notice the boastful claims of Sennacherib against God and the people of Judah, as the Assyrian army lays siege to the borders of Judah (2 Chronicles 32:1-19). During Assyria’s zenith of power, the nation was truly a “war-machine.” Every male of fighting age was a soldier. Those not of fighting age served the war effort in other ways. The king was the commander of the army, and the army consisted of the people whom he ruled. This quote adequately sums up the situation in Assyria: “No pains in fact were spared to make the army both in equipment and discipline an irresistible engine of war” (ISBE). In spite of all of this military power, and the fearsomeness of the nation, God promised the complete overthrow of Assyria through Nahum.

Outline of Nahum:

A. The proclamation of Nineveh's doom Note: This text also includes a meditation on the character of God: His wrath against sin, and His mercy to the penitent] (1:1-15). 1. God’s wrath and vengeance toward His enemies (1:1-6). a. God is slow to anger, but his anger is all consuming (1:2-3). b. Nature declares the power and fury of an angry God (1:3b-5). c. The fierceness of God’s wrath (1:6). 2. In contrast: The Goodness of God (1:7). 3. The corresponding severity of God (1:8). 4. Nineveh’s doom decreed by God (1:9-14). 5. There is hope for Judah (1:15).

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B. A detailed description of the impending destruction of Nineveh (2:1-13). 1. God warns of the impending conquests, and exhorts Nineveh to prepare for a winless battle (2:1). 2. God is in control of the fall of Nineveh (2:2). 3. The savage conditions of the battle (2:3-4). 4. Self-defense in the battle will be fruitless (2:5-7). 5. The formerly glorious and powerful city is plundered and laid waste (2:8-10). 6. The once powerful “lion” of Assyria is destroyed by God (2:11-13). C. The causes of Nineveh’s doom (3:1-19). 1. The continual slaughter inflicted by the Assyrians on vanquished foes is a cause of Nineveh’s destruction (3:1-4). 2. Nineveh would be made a spectacle (3:5-7). 3. The conquest of No-Ammon by Assyria is now a warning of the doom of Nineveh (3:8-11). 4. Nineveh is ripe for the picking (3:12-13). 5. Prepare for the coming invasion! (3:14-18). 6. The nations conquered by Assyria will rejoice at her fall (3:19).

Questions:

Chapter one:

1. Nahum describes himself as the ______.

2. “The Lord is ______to anger, and great in ______, and will not at all ______the wicked.”

3. Is the Lord a stronghold in the day of trouble; and does He know those who trust in Him?

4. God’s fury is poured out like ______, and the rocks are ______down by Him.

Chapter two:

1. “For the ______hath turned away the ______of ______Jacob, as the ______of Israel: for the emptiers have ______them out, and marred their ______branches.”

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2. “The gates of the ______shall be opened, and the ______shall be ______.”

3. Nineveh of old is described as a ______of ______.

Chapter three:

1. “Behold, I am ______, saith the ______of hosts;...”

2. Why would Nineveh would be set up as a “gazing stock.”

3. God compares the fall of Nineveh to Assyria’s own conquest of ______.

4. Who is described by the name: "No-Ammon"? Where were they situated?

5. True or false: Nineveh’s strongholds shall be like fig trees with the first- fruit figs.

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twenty-Six

The Prophet Habakkuk

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Josiah (640-609 B.C.) Jehoahaz (609 B.C.) Jehoiakim (609-598 B.C.)

Israel (No longer a nation)

Date: 612 B.C.-606 B.C.

Habakkuk tells us nothing outright concerning the time of his writing, so we must draw the best possible conclusion from the internal evidence of the book. First, we must begin with what we know for certain. The book of Habakkuk was written sometime prior to the Babylonian captivity of Judah, because God promises the conquest of Judah by Babylon to be a future event (1:5; 3:16). The Babylonian captivity was executed in three distinct deportations: 1st: 606 B.C. 2nd: 596/97 B.C.; and 3rd: 586 B.C. Therefore, Habakkuk was written no later than the date of the first deportation, 606 B.C. Second, it is likely that Habakkuk prophesied after the fall of Assyria. This is a safe assumption, because Babylon is shown to be the dominant world power, and Assyria is not mentioned as a threatening enemy. Assyria fell to the Babylonians and the Medes in 612 B.C.

Personal information about Habakkuk:

Habakkuk tells us nothing of a personal nature about himself. We have no information about the prophet’s background, home, or occupation. Nothing is mentioned about him elsewhere in scripture.

Theme of Habakkuk:

The book of Habakkuk is a declaration of the justice of God. The Lord shows Habakkuk that He will surely and ultimately punish wickedness. The prophet calls God’s justice into question, but God answers the challenge. He will punish the sins of Judah and Babylon. Habakkuk ends his book with a prayer of faith and a meditation upon the justice of God.

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The unique structure of Habakkuk:

The book of Habakkuk is unique among all of the writings of the “minor” prophets. Instead of a series of oracles of doom that are pronounced against a sinful nation, Habakkuk consists mainly of a dialogue between the prophet and God. Through this conversation, God reveals His plan to punish Judah and to destroy Babylon. The prophet questions God’s silence in the face of great evil that existed among the people of Judah (1:1-4). God answers the prophet and tells him that Judah will not go unpunished. He will use the Babylonian conquest to punish the people of Judah (1:5- 11). Next, Habakkuk questions God’s use of an even more wicked nation to punish His people (1:12-2:1). God answers that Babylon will be destroyed as well (2:2-20).

Outline of Habakkuk:

A. A conversation between God and Habakkuk concerning God’s justice (1:1-2:20). 1. Habakkuk's first question to God: How can a just God remain silent while wickedness permeates Judah? (1:1-4) a. How long shall I cry out and you will not hear? (1:2) b. Among Habakkuk’s people, iniquity, plundering, trouble, violence, and strife abounds (1:3). c. The law is powerless in the hands of an unjust and merciless people (1:4). 2. God's first reply: God is not blind to the sins of His people. He will raise up the Chaldeans as punishment for the sins of Judah. a. Look among the nations and be astounded at the work of God (1:5). b. The powerful, conquering Chaldeans will be God’s instrument of justice (1:6-10). c. The Babylonians are not only unstoppable, they are impudent, giving glory for victory to their deities, not to Jehovah (1:11). 3. Habakkuk's second question to God: How can a just God punish his sinful people with an even more sinful nation? (1:12-2:1) a. God is of pure eyes and cannot look upon evil (1:13). b. Why then does God hold His tongue when the wicked devours one more righteous than himself? (1:13b) c. Surely God’s solution is unjust! (1:14-16) 1) Nations are made like fish of the sea to be caught (1:14). 2) The Babylonians capture men with glee (1:15). 3) They do not give glory to God for their conquests (1:16).

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d. “Shall they therefore empty their net, and continue to slay nations without pity?” (1:17) 4. God's second reply: Babylon itself will be destroyed (2:2-20). a. Let there be no mistake, God has no pleasure in arrogant, proud Chaldea (2:2-4). b. Chaldea impudently conquers all who oppose them (2:5). c. Soon, Chaldea’s enemies will rise up and taunt them (2:6-8). d. Woe to Babyon: (2:9-20). 1) Woe to him who covets evil gain for his house (2:9-11). 2) Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed (2:12-14). 3) Woe to him who compels the vanquished to sin (2:15-17). 4) Woe to him who serves wooden or stone idols (2:18-20). B. The prophet’s prayer and meditation (3:1-19). 1. Habakkuk petitions God for mercy (3:2). 2. Habakkuk is able to readily observe the justice of God (3:3-15). 3. Habakkuk laments the coming invasion (3:16). 4. The prophet’s hymn of faith: “Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” (3:17-19)

Questions:

Chapter one:

1. Summarize the prophet Habakkuk’s first question to God. What prompts him to question the justice of God?

2. Who was God going to raise up to punish His sinful people? Which nation would this people become?

3. The horses of the Chaldeans are described as swifter than ______and more fierce than ______.

4. Did the conquering Chaldeans give glory to Jehovah for their victories?

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5. Summarize the prophet’s second question. What prompts him to once again question the justice of God?

6. Habakkuk describes God as “...of ______eyes than to ______, and canst not ______on ______:...”

Chapter two:

1. The Chaldean transgress by ______.

2. Summarize the declaration of God against Chaldea in verses 6-8. What would those nations the Chaldean heaped to himself rise up and do?

3. The word "woe" is pronounced in condemnation on the Chaldeans five times in chapter two. Give the reason for each woe. a. b. c. d. e.

4. The Chaldeans trusted in ______idols.

Chapter three:

1. Investigate: What is Shiggionoth? (vs. 1)

2. “O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was ______:”

3. God stood and ______the earth.

4. How did Habakkuk feel about the impending conquest of his people?

5. In what would Habakkuk rejoice?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twenty-Seven

The Final Kings Of Judah And Jerusalem's Fall

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Jehoahaz (609 B.C.) Eliakim/Jehoiakim (609-658 B.C.) /Jehoiachin/Coniah (598-587 B.C.) Zedekiah (597-586 B.C.)

Israel No longer a nation for more than a century

Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:30-34; :1-4)

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king but he reigned only three months in Jerusalem. Unlike his father Josiah, Jehoahaz was an evil king. There is nothing about Jehoahaz' reign other than that he did evil in God's sight. He did not win any military battles, nor did he improve the condition of his people. His short reign did not permit him to accomplish much. However, we can assume from what little description that we have of his three months in power that he would have led Judah away from the reforms of his father Josiah. Idolatry would certainly have been reestablished in the nation, and corruption would have soon infected the people once again. He was captured by Pharaoh Necho of Egypt and imprisoned in Hamath (2 Kings 23:32). Pharaoh appointed Josiah's son Eliakim to rule in place of Jehoahaz and renamed Eliakim Jehoiakim (vs. 34). Jehoahaz died in Egypt (vs. 34).

Jehoiakim (Eliakim) (2 Kings 23:34-24:6; 2 Chronicles 36:5-10; Jeremiah 1:3; 22:18, 24, 24:1; 25:1; 26:1, 21-23; 27:1, 20; 28:4; 35:1; 36:1-32; 37:1; 45:1; 46:2; 52:2; Daniel 1:1-2)

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. Like his brother Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim was an evil king (2 Kings 23:37). Jehoiakim was little more than a puppet king. The first mention of him is that he taxed his people in order to pay tribute to Pharaoh Necho (vs. 35). Jehoiakim is known in Jewish historical writings as having been an exceedingly immoral and cruel king. Rabbinic writings state that he was involved

156 in fornication with his own mother, daughter-in-law, and stepmother (Jehoiakim: Jewish Encyclopedia). His lack of respect for God and His laws is demonstrated in an incident recorded by Jeremiah. Jeremiah instructed a scribe to write words of condemnation against Israel, Jerusalem and the nations, and to have the words read in the house of the Lord, and to travel the land reading the document to the people in hopes that they would repent (Jeremiah 36:1-8). When the words of the great document were read to the king, Jehoiakim cut the scroll into several pieces and burned it in the fire in his chambers (vs. 20-23). Jeremiah had hoped that this last effort might sway the king and his people back to God, but instead, it was met by the king without any remorse or fear (vs. 24). The king responded to Jeremiah by ordering him and Baruch to be arrested, but the Lord hid them (vs. 26-27). God answered by ordering Jeremiah to write another scroll condemning Jehoiakim and informing him that Babylon will destroy the city and the land, and Jehoiakim's family line would be deposed from the throne of Judah (vs. 29-31). Jehoiakim is mentioned often by Jeremiah and also early in the book of Daniel. This king served as a sort of "tent-peg" in time for these two prophets. Jeremiah's constant reference to him was a device to mark the events of his work and prophesy in the time frame of Judah's downfall and captivity.

Jehoiachin (Jeconiah/Coniah) (2 Kings 24:6-16; 25:27-30; 2 Chronicles 36:9- 10; Jeremiah 22:24-30)

Jehoiachin is also known by his birth name Jeconiah as well as Coniah. He was the son of Jehoiakim. After the death of his wicked father, Jehoiachin took the throne but only ruled for three months and ten days (2 Chronicles 36:9). In spite of his young age, the scriptures tell us that he did evil in the sight of the Lord. It is hard to imagine how this could be so, but we must remember his family line. Gone were the memories of good King Josiah, and this boy's father and grandfather had set the precedent for a return to evil. Jehoiachin's rule was brief, however, because God had declared the end of Jehoiakim's family as well as the downfall of Judah, and that none of Jehoiakim's sons would rule over Israel (Jeremiah 22:28-30). Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon along with treasure from the temple (vs. 10). Nebuchadnezzar installed Jehoiachin's uncle, and his father's brother as vassal king in his place (2 Chronicles 36:10b). Thirty-seven years after being taken to Babylon, a new king, Evil- Merodach of Babylon released Jehoiachin from imprisonment, and treated him with kindness. He was given a prominent position among the other kings who had been brought as captives to Babylon, and he lived the remainder of his life in relative comfort (2 Kings 25:27-30). There is an interesting side note from history about these last kings of Judah, including Jehoiachin. In the late 19th century, an archaeological expedition uncovered some of the records of Nebuchadnezzar dating from the time of Jehoiachin listing some of the tribute brought from Jerusalem to Babylon:

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 One tablet reads: "10 (sila of oil) to the king of Judah, Yaukin; 2 1/2 sila (oil) to the offspring of Judah's king; 4 sila to eight men from Judea."  Another tablet reads: "1 1/2 sila (oil) for three carpenters from Arvad, 1/2 apiece; 11 1/2 sila for eight wood workers from Byblos ...; 3 1/2 sila for seven Greek craftsman, 1/2 sila apiece; 1/2 sila to the carpenter, Nabuetir; 10 sila to Ia-ku-u-ki-nu, the son of Judah's king[1]; 2 1/2 sila for the five sons of the Judean king."

Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17-20; 2 Chronicles 36:10-21; Jeremiah 37:1; 52:1-34)

Zedekiah was the last king who ruled over the fallen nation of Judah. He was nothing more than a vassal king for Nebuchadnezzar who conquered Jerusalem and had taken much of the population, and Zedekiah's predecessor to Babylon. He was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he sat on the throne for eleven years before the final destruction of Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 24:18; 2 Chronicles 36:11; Jeremiah 52:2), and he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar in the ninth year of his reign (2 Chronicles 36:13; Jeremiah 52:3-4). As a result of Zedekiah's rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to the city of Jerusalem from the ninth until the eleventh year of Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:1-27; Jeremiah 39:1; Jeremiah 52:5). The city wall was breached and the Babylonian's took the city and pursued the fleeing Zedekiah to the plains of Jericho (Jeremiah 52:7-9). The king was brought to Babylon and was condemned to prison. Nebuchadnezzar killed all of Zedekiah's sons, and then he put out Zedekiah's eyes, bound him in bronze fetters, and imprisoned him in Babylon until the day of his death (vs. 10-11). After the fall of Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar finally destroyed Jerusalem and burned the temple to the ground as well as the city and its houses (vs. 12- 13). He took away much of the remaining population of Judah and he removed all of the valuable implements and treasures from the temple (vs. 15-23). The deportation of the people did not happen all at once, as Jeremiah writes. He took 3,023 people in Nebuchadnezzar's seventh year (vs. 28); 832 people in his eighteenth year (vs. 29); 745 people in the twenty-third year (vs. 30). The total number of the captives taken to Jerusalem during these sieges came to four-thousand six hundred people (vs. 30b).

Questions:

1. How old was Jehoahaz when he became king of Judah?

2. How long did he reign?

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3. What kind of a king was he?

4. Who captured and imprisoned Jehoahaz?

5. Who succeeded Jehoahaz?

6. By what names was this man known?

7. What was his reputation among the Jewish historians?

8. How did Jehoiakim respond to the scroll of Jeremiah?

9. What curse did God place upon Jehoiakim?

10. By what two other names is Jehoiachin known?

11. What was the fate of his replacement, Jehoiachin?

12. Which king of Babylon treated Jehoiachin kindly in the end?

13. How long did Zedekiah rule Judah before the fall of Jerusalem?

14. What prompted Nebuchadnezzar to finally destroy Jerusalem?

15. What happened to Zedekiah?

16. How many people were taken from Judah to Babylon, and when were they taken?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twenty-Eight

The Prophet Jeremiah

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Josiah (640-609 B.C.) Jehoahaz (609) B.C. Jehoiakim (609-

658 B.C.) Jehoiachin (598-587 B.C.) Zedekiah (597-586 B.C.)

With this lesson we backtrack a little in time. For the sake of convenience and time, we skipped over the prophets Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel until after the final Kings of Judah were defeated by Babylon. Their books are much longer and detailed than those of the final Minor Prophets. However, these prophets were contemporary with the downfall of Judah.

Date: 626 – 587 B.C.

Jeremiah was active as a prophet of God throughout the reigns of the last five kings of Judah before the captivity to Babylon. According to his own record of the time, he began to prophesy in the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign (1:2). He then states that the word of the Lord continued to come to him throughout the days of king Zedekiah, the last of Judah's rulers, until the fifth month of the captivity (1:3).

Jeremiah's personal information

Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin (1:1). Jeremiah was just a youth when he was called to preach for God, yet he was a man of great courage and also of compassion. He is often called the weeping prophet. He wept for Jerusalem: "Oh that my head were waters, and a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people" (9:1; see also 13:17). Jeremiah was aware of the wickedness that characterized Jerusalem and in spite of his youth, he mourned for his people with the maturity of one much older than he. Anathoth was a small poor town (Isaiah 10:30) which was located a little over two miles northeast of Jerusalem. It was also the location of one of the quarries from which stones were hewn to build the temple of God in Jerusalem.

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Anathoth was one of the cities given to the Levites within the territory of the Benjamites (Joshua 21:18). Anathoth was also the hometown of David's loyal soldier, Jehu (1 Chronicles 12:3).

Jeremiah's call to be a prophet of God

Jeremiah says that "...the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations" (1:4-5). Jeremiah feared the job, and said so: "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth" (1:6). However, the Lord did not allow Jeremiah to neglect his duty. God promised to be with Jeremiah and to protect him from the belligerent people, and He would deliver Jeremiah and put His words in Jeremiah's mouth (1:7-9). Jeremiah's mission was vital, and it could not be neglected. It was his job to preach the coming judgment of the Lord on Jerusalem and the kingdoms of the land: "See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant"(1:10). Jeremiah was given a series of visions that indicated that God would soon destroy Jerusalem. He saw a branch of an almond tree, which indicated that God would soon perform His word against Jerusalem (1:11-12). Then Jeremiah saw a boiling pot facing away from the North, which indicated that Jerusalem's destruction would come from a strong nation from the north (1:13- 14). Not only would God punish Judah with an attack from a northern army, but he would gather all of the nations together to be judged at the gate of Jerusalem (1:15-16).

Jeremiah's work would be hard, but he could not quit

The prophets who preached during this time would face tremendous opposition from the people whom they were trying to save. However, God would protect him and would give him the strength to withstand the hatred of the wicked Jews: "For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land - against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you" (1:18-19). Compare this to what Ezekiel is told in Ezekiel 2:1-10. There, Ezekiel was told that the Jews are a rebellious house (vs. 5), and their words would be like briers and thorns and the people would be as mean as scorpions to him (vs. 6). However, whether or not they listened or refused to hear, they would know that a prophet had been among them (vs. 5). Jeremiah grew indignant about the hardship of his duties and determined that he would never speak for the Lord again, but the Lord did not relieve him of his duties: "Then I said, 'I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.' But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not" (Jeremiah 20:9). Incidentally, the

161 word "prophet" comes from the Hebrew word "nabhi" which means to bubble or percolate up. This is exactly what Jeremiah said happened to him. He could not restrain the word, but it erupted from him. It would not be held back.

God's case against Jerusalem

The prophet Jeremiah was told to "Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem" (2:1) and remind them that they had once been a kind and loyal bride to God. They had once been holy, but now disaster would come upon them (2:2). The prophet asked on behalf of God: "What injustice have your fathers found in me that they have gone far from me?..." (2:4-5). Jeremiah fiercely shamed the people for turning away from God to idols (2:4-37):  (vs. 4-7) – They followed idols, even though God had brought them out of Egypt, through a barren desert, and to a bountiful country.  (vs. 8) – The priests led the people to the worship of idols like Baal.  (vs. 11-13) – Jerusalem worshiped idols, forsaking God, the fountain of living waters and instead they have "hewn for themselves cisterns – broken cisterns that can hold no water."  (vs. 14-17) – Jerusalem, the freeborn would become a slave of those from a far land, and it would be that they brought this on themselves.  (vs. 18-19) – There will be no escape. It is useless to try to flee to Egypt or any other king for help. Now their backsliding would be punished, because they had done a bitter and evil thing by forsaking God.  (vs. 20-22) – Jerusalem had long been protected by God, and had long promised their loyalty to Him, but now Jerusalem was a degenerate plant of an alien vine. All of the strongest soap in the land could no longer cleanse them of their sin and forestall their destruction.  (vs. 23-25) – Jerusalem was oblivious to its error, and denied that it transgressed with Baal, yet the people were like wild animals in the time of mating, and would not be restrained from idolatry, and now they would be punished.  (vs. 26-28) – The foolishness of idolatry defined: "As the thief is ashamed when he is found out, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they and their kings and their princes, and their priests and their prophets, saying to a tree, 'You are my father,' and to a stone, 'You gave birth to me.' For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say, 'Arise and save us'. But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah."  (vs. 29-32) – God's anger and pain at rebellious Judah in a nutshell: Why do you plead with me after transgressing and rejecting Me and killing my prophets? You did not receive my chastening and correction. "You have forgotten Me days without number."

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Outline of Jeremiah:

A. Introduction (1:1-19) 1. Jeremiah tells us his background and establishes the historical setting for his work (1:1-3) a. The son of Hilkiah (1:1) b. From Anathoth (1:1b) c. Contemporary kings: Josiah, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah (1:2-3) 2. Jeremiah's call and message (1:4-19) a. "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you" (1:5) b. Jeremiah's youth not a factor in his effectiveness (1:6-8) c. The scope of Jeremiah's duties: "See I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant" (1:10). d. God's promised protection of Jeremiah: "do not be dismayed before their faces..." (1:17-19) B. God presents His case against Israel (2:1-6:30) 1. Israel has been a faithless spouse (2:1-3:5) a. God asks: What wrong have I done that you worship idols (2:5) b. God brought Israel into a bountiful land and they defiled it (2:7) c. The priests did not seek the Lord (2:8) d. Israel brought its punishment on itself, and sought to deflect it by fleeing to Egypt for safety (2:17-18). e. Israel was a harlot who would not return to God (3:1-5) 2. Israel must repent (3:6-4:4) a. Israel must acknowledge her iniquity (3:13) b. The backsliding children must return (3:14-25) 3. Blow the trumpet in Judah and take refuge from the coming invasion (4:5-18) a. A dry wind blows in from the wilderness (4:11). b. The invasion is coming like a raging storm of chariots and horses (4:13). c. Jerusalem must wash its heart from wickedness (4:14) 4. God laments the doom of his nation (4:19-31) 5. God's judgment on Judah is just (5:1-31) a. God had stricken His people, but they did not grieve (5:3) b. God would not long pardon his people for forsaking Him (5:7) c. God would bring a nation against Judah from afar (5:15) d. The people had a rebellious and defiant heart (5:23) e. Prophets prophesy falsely and priests rule by their own power, and the people loved it (5:30-31). 6. God declares war on Judah (6:1-30) a. Disaster would come from the North (6:1-5) b. The remnant of Israel would be thoroughly gleaned (6:9). c. There was only one hope of salvation, but Israel rejected it: "Stand in the way and see, and ask for the old paths, where the

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good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls...." (6:16) C. The spiritual sins of Judah are chronicled in detail (7:1-10:25) 1. Judah pretended loyalty to God by showing loyalty to the temple, while they committed abominations (7:1-8:17) a. They chanted: "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!" This was not genuine faithfulness (7:4). b. they made the house of the Lord a den of thieves (7:11) c. Truth has perished in Judah (7:28). d. They openly practice idolatry in the temple (7:30-31) e. Jerusalem was in perpetual backsliding (8:5). f. False prophets preached "Peace! Peace!" When there was no peace (8:11). g. No one blushed at sin anymore (8:12). 2. Jeremiah and God lament for Judah (8:18-9:26) a. "The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved" (8:20) b. "Is there no balm in Gilead, is there no physician there? Why is there no recovery for health of the daughter of my people?" (8:22) c. "Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people!" (9:1) d. God says: "I will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains, And for the dwelling places of the wilderness a lamentation, Because they are burned up, So that no one can pass through;..." (9:10) 3. Judah rejected God for idols (10:1-16) 4. Judah will go into exile (10:17-25) D. Jeremiah's describes his struggles as he preached (11:1-20:18) 1. God commissioned Jeremiah with the promise that he would face a rebellious people who would not hear him (11:1-17) 2. Jeremiah feared for his safety. He was like a docile lamb brought to slaughter (11:18-23) 3. Jeremiah questions God's plan and the Lord answers with a promise of certain doom for Judah (12:1-17) 4. God employs various symbols to convey the doom of Judah to Jeremiah (13:1-19:15) a. The symbol of the linen sash (13:1-11) b. The symbol of the wine bottles (13:12-14) c. God promises drought and famine for Judah (14:1-10) d. God refused to forestall His judgment because it was too late for mercy (14:19-15:9). e. Another sign: Jeremiah was not permitted to marry or have children, because of the severity of the coming judgment (16:1- 13)

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f. The days of restoration would come, however (16:14-21) g. The iron pen symbol: "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with the point of a diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars,..." (17:1) 1) The children of Israel continued to trust in their wooden images and their high places (17:2-4) 2) They trusted in men to save them (17:5-6) 3) They trusted in their own hearts: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (17:9). h. The Sabbath day symbol, a potential sign of the return of Judah's loyalty or complete rebellion (17:19-27) i. The potter and the clay symbol (18:1-11) j. The broken flask symbol (19:1-15) 5. Jeremiah endures suffering and questions his calling (19:7-20:18) a. "O Lord, You induced me and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; everyone mocks me" (20:7). b. "I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name." But the word of God was within Jeremiah like a burning fire that he could not restrain. He grew weary of holding it back (20:9). E. Jeremiah preaches to the rebellious nation of Judah (21:1-29:32) 1. Jeremiah preaches to the kings of the house of David (21:1-23:8) a. General condemnation of the wicked kings (21:11-14) b. Message to Josiah (22:11-23) c. To Jeconiah (22:24-30) 2. The prophecy of the branch of righteousness – Israel's salvation (23:1-8) 3. Jeremiah condemns false prophets and empty preaching (23:9-40) a. Both prophet and priest are profane (23:11) b. The prophets are horrible and commit adultery and walk in lies, strengthening the hand of evildoers (23:14) 4. The symbol of the two baskets of figs symbolizing that like figs, some of God's people remained good but because of the bad, the whole nation would be destroyed (24:1-10) 5. Seventy years prophecy: Jeremiah preaches that Judah will only suffer for 70 years in Babylon (25:1-14) 6. Jeremiah condemns the many false practices in Judah, indicting many of the kings (26:1-29:32) F. Jeremiah focuses on the future restoration of Israel and Judah (30:1-33:26) 1. God will restore the nation (30:1-24) 2. God will make a new covenant with Israel (31:1-40) 3. God will bring Israel back to the their homeland (32:1-44) 4. God will honor covenant to David (33:1-26)

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G. God Judges Judah (34:1-45:5) 1. God's faithfulness and Judah's infidelity (34:1-35:19) 2. Jehoiakim burns the scroll, and rejects God's word (36:1-32) 3. Jerusalem's last days (37:1-39:18) 4. Judah's futile rebellion against Babylon (40:1-41:18) 5. Judah's futile rebellion against God (42:1-45:5) H. Jeremiah preaches the doom of many nations (46:1-51:64) 1. The judgment of Egypt (46:1-28) 2. The judgment of The Philistines (47:1-7) 3. The judgment of Moab (48:1-47) 4. The judgment of Ammon (49:1-6) 5. The Judgment of Edom (49:7-23) 6. The judgment of Syria (49:23-27) 7. The judgment against Kedar and Hazor (49:28-33) 8. The judgment of Elam (49:34-39) 9. The judgment of Babylon (50:1-51:64) I. Jeremiah describes the final fall of Judah (52:1-34) 1. Jerusalem's fall and Zedekiah's blinding (52:1-11) 2. The destruction of the temple (52:12-23) 3. The exile of the people (52:24-30) 4. Jehoiachin released from prison (52:31-34)

Questions:

1. Name the kings who ruled during the preaching life of Jeremiah

2. Where was Jeremiah from? What is said about his family?

3. Why is Jeremiah called the weeping prophet?

4. When was Jeremiah called to be a prophet?

5. What was his reaction to the commission of God to preach to Judah?

6. What was the essence of his mission?

7. How did God describe the difficulty of the work that lay ahead of Jeremiah?

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8. What did Jeremiah mean when he said that Jerusalem had hewn for themselves cisterns that could hold no water?

9. Who was responsible for the coming punishment at the hands of Babylon?

10. How did Jeremiah demonstrate the foolishness of idolatry?

11. What did Jeremiah mean when he said Judah must "Stand in the way and see, and ask for the old paths..."?

12. What was wrong with the people of Judah placing great emphasis on the "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!"?

13. How did the prophets harm Judah?

14. What did the priests do that contributed to Judah's fall?

15. Why did Jeremiah lament that there was no balm in Gilead?

16. What is significant about the symbol of the iron pen?

17. How long would Judah suffer in Babylon?

18. How did Jehoiakim respond to the word of God?

19. How many different nations are condemned by Jeremiah?

20. What is the last event described in Jeremiah?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Twenty-Nine

The Prophet Ezekiel

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Jehoiachin (598-587 B.C.) Zedekiah (597-586 B.)

Israel

Date

Ezekiel lived during the days of the Babylonian captivity of Judah, which lasted for seventy years (606 B.C.-536 B.C.). The Northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered and deported to Assyria more than a century earlier (721 B.C.- 722 B.C.). Israel had terrible kings during their entire history, but Judah had a handful of good kings, like Hezekiah and Josiah, who led the people in the right way. However, for every good king in Judah there were two or three wicked kings who led the people into sin. As punishment for Judah's downward spiral into sin, God allowed the nation to be conquered by the Babylonians, and to be taken into exile. Ezekiel was a contemporary of Daniel and Jeremiah. Jeremiah was older than both Ezekiel and Daniel, who were around the same age. Jeremiah prophesied in Jerusalem, Daniel was one of the select young Jews who were brought to Babylon, and Ezekiel remained among the exiles at a place called Tel- Abib by the River Chebar (Ezekiel 3:15). The Bible does not give any personal information about Ezekiel except his fate in Babylon, his work as a prophet, and that he was a married man (24:15- 18). The Lord told him that his wife would die but Ezekiel was commanded not to mourn openly for her.

Content

The book of Ezekiel warns of the judgment of Judah and the nations. But it is also a message of hope for the future restoration of Israel.  The fall of Jerusalem (Chapters 1-24)  The fall of the nations (Chapters 25-32)  The restoration of Israel (Chapters 33-48)

Method of instruction

The book of Ezekiel is the most highly figurative book in the Old Testament. Ezekiel employed parables, allegories, and other symbolism in his 168 writings. He also became a living, breathing symbol of what would soon befall Judah.

 Symbolic acts: Ezekiel made to do several uncomfortable things as object lessons to symbolize the fall of Jerusalem. He was told to make a clay tablet with a picture of Jerusalem drawn on it. Then he was to build a mode of a siege wall, encampments, and battering rams against it. This symbolized the fall of Jerusalem. He was required to shave his head and do symbolic things with the hair. He had to lie on his right side and his left shifting as God instructed him over the course of a year. He also had to eat his food by weight. And worst of all, when his wife died, he could not mourn for her (see chapters 4-7).  Parables and allegories: God tells Ezekiel that Israel will be like the wood of a grape vine. It is not useful to build things with, and it is only good to fuel a fire. The point is that God would devour them like a vine is devoured by fire (15:1-8).  Visions: The dry bones renewed to life represented the restoration of Israel (37:1-14).

The courage of Ezekiel (2:1-3:27).

The sinfulness of the people can be seen in their reaction to Ezekiel's preaching. God told Ezekiel that He was· sending him to "the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord God.' As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse - for they are a rebellious house - yet they will know that a prophet has been among them" (vs. 3-5). No matter how he was treated by his people, God wanted Ezekiel to preach on (vs. 7). He would be greeted with briers and thorns and scorpions, and with angry words and looks (vs. 6), but still he must preach. God wanted Ezekiel to meet their rebellion with determination and courage. God said: "Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house" (3:8-9).

Ezekiel was God's watchmen over the people (3:16-27).

It was Ezekiel's job to give Jerusalem warnings from the mouth of God (vs. 17). If Ezekiel succumbed to the rebellion of the people and held back from preaching what they needed to hear, God would hold him accountable for their fall (vs. 18). But, if Ezekiel manfully preached the way God commanded him to preach, and the people still did not repent, then Ezekiel will have preserved his own soul (vs. 19).

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Theme: You shall know that I am the Lord

One phrase that is repeated over and over in the book of Ezekiel is "You shall know that I am the Lord." The phrase occurs in 27 verses in the book: 6:7, 13; 7:4, 9; 11:10, 12; 12:20; 13:9, 14, 21, 23; 14:8; 15:7; 16:52; 20:42, 44; 22:16; 23:49; 24:24; 25:5, 7; 35:4, 9, 12; 36:11; 37:6, 13. Everything that happened to Judah in its defeat to Babylon, the judgment of the nations, and Israel's eventual restoration to Jerusalem was proof that God is Lord over all.

When God punished Judah, they will know that God is the Lord:

 6:7 - "The slain shall fall in your midst, and you shall know that I am the Lord."  6:10 - "And they shall know that I am the Lord; I have not said in vain that I would bring this calamity upon them."  6:13 - "Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when their slain are among their idols all around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, under every green tree, and under every thick oak, wherever they offered sweet incense to all their idols."  6:14 - "So I will stretch out My hand against them and make the land desolate, yes, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblah, in all their dwelling places. Then they shall know that I am the Lord."

When God punished the Gentiles, they would know that God is the Lord:

 25:5 - "And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you shall know that I am the Lord."  25:6-7 - "For thus says the Lord God: "Because you clapped your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced in heart with all your disdain for the land of Israel, indeed, therefore, I will stretch out My hand against you, and give you as plunder to the nations; I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish from the countries; I will destroy you, and you shall know that I am the Lord."  25:11 - "And I will execute judgments upon Moab, and they shall know that I am the Lord."

When God restored Israel, they would know that God is the Lord:

 34:27 - "Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them."  36:11 - "I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the Lord."

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Outline of Ezekiel

A. Ezekiel is sent to preach to sinful Jerusalem and to declare her downfall and punishment (chs. 1-24) 1. The call of Ezekiel and his first prophecy (chs. 1-3) a. His first revelation: The vision of God's glory (ch. 1) b. Ezekiel's call (chs. 2-3) 1) He was among the captives in the land of Babylon by the river Chebar (see: 1:1-4) 2) He was being sent by God to a rebellious and vicious people who would hate him. They would be scorpions and briers (2:1-10) 3) He was given a scroll to eat representing the oracles of God. The scroll was sweet like hone in his mouth (3:1-3) 4) The people were impudent and hard-hearted (3:4-15) 5) Ezekiel was established as a watchman whose duty it was to warn the people (3:16-27) 2. Ezekiel is made to demonstrate the impending doom of Jerusalem through object lessons he portrays in himself (chs. 4-7) a. Ezekiel had to build a model of Jerusalem and lay siege to it (4:1-3) b. Ezekiel lay on his left side by the model and then on his right side for a many days (more than a year!) to represent the many years of punishment coming (4:4-8) c. During the mock siege Ezekiel was commanded to eat food by weight (indicating scarcity and deprivation of the people) (4:9-14) d. Ezekiel was required to bake his bread on cow dung (4:15- 17). e. Ezekiel was required to shave his head and beard, and weigh it and then burn some, scatter some to the wind, and bind some in a garment (5:1-4) f. With the prophecies of doom, there is also the promise of the remnant to be restored (chs. 5-7) 3. Ezekiel's second vision: Jerusalem's sin and the withdrawal of God's glory from His people and holy (chs. 8-11) a. Idolatry in the holy place condemned (ch. 8) b. Six executioners sent to kill man, woman, and child in the temple (ch. 9) c. God's glory departs from the Temple (10) d. God promises to spare a remnant of the faithful (ch. 11) 4. The doom of Jerusalem outlined (chs. 12-24) a. Warnings of divine judgment (chs. 12-19)

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1) Ezekiel commanded to portray the captivity with his own personal belongings in the sight of the people (12:1-16) 2) Condemnation of wicked prophets (ch. 13) 3) Idolatry will be punished (ch. 14) 4) Israel is an outcast vine (ch. 15) 5) God loved Jerusalem, but it had become an adulterous harlot (ch. 16) 6) Yet, God promises an everlasting covenant with Israel (16:60-63) 7) The riddle of the eagles and the vine (ch. 17) 8) "The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge" proverb explained (18:1-18) b. Babylon would be God's sword (ch. 21) c. Israel would be purified in a furnace (22:17-22) d. Israel's kings and priests condemned (22:23-31) e. The allegory of the two sisters: Oholah and Oholibah, who represent Israel and Judah (ch. 23) 1) Oholah – Samaria 2) Oholibah – Jerusalem f. The parable of the cooking pot (ch. 24) g. The object lesson of Ezekiel's dead wife – he was not allowed to mourn for her, symbolizing that Judah was to accept her punishment without weeping (24:15-27). B. Ezekiel prophesies doom against the nations (chs. 25-32) 1. Against Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia (ch. 25) 2. Against Tyre and Sidon (chs. 26-28) 3. Against Egypt (chs. 29-32) C. The glorious restoration of Israel under the Messiah (chs. 33-48) 1. The Fall of Jerusalem and the Promised Restoration of Israel (chs. 33-37) a. The Watchman and News of the Fall of Jerusalem (ch. 33) b. The Return of Israel to Their Own Land (chs. 34-37) 2. The fall of Gog and Magog, and the restoration of God's people (chs. 38-39) 3. The restoration of God's temple and kingdom (chs. 40-48) a. The new temple (chs. 40-43) b. The new worship (chs. 44-46) c. The new land (chs. 47-48)

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Questions:

1. Where was Ezekiel when he received his revelation from the Lord?

2. Which prophets were contemporaries of Ezekiel's during the Babylonian captivity?

3. How long was Judah in Babylonian captivity? Which prophet foretold the precise length of their stay there?

4. Where were Ezekiel's contemporaries located during this time?

5. What happened to Ezekiel's wife?

6. Describe what the attitude of the people would be like when Ezekiel preached to them.

7. With what would Ezekiel be greeted when he went to his people to preach?

8. What did God mean when He said He had made " ... your forehead strong against their foreheads. Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead;" ?

9. God made Ezekiel a ______for the children of Israel.

10. What would happen to Ezekiel if he bowed to pressure and he did not warn Israel of its sins?

11. What would happen if Ezekiel did his job, warned Israel, and they repented?

12. What would happen if he preached, and the people refused to repent?

13. What three methods does God use to give Ezekiel his revelation?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Thirty

The Prophet Daniel

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Jehoiakim (609-658 B.C.) Jeconiah/Jehoiachin (598-587 B.C.) Zedekiah (597-586 B.C.) Israel Israel no longer a nation

Date (605-536 B.C.)

Daniel lived during the Babylonian captivity. He was among the captives who were taken to Babylon during the reign of the last king to rule in Jerusalem Jehoiakim (Daniel 1:1). Two more kings would occupy minor positions as figure heads: Jeconiah, and Zedekiah. Daniel was a contemporary of the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Ezekiel was also among the captives in Babylon (Ezekiel 1:1-3)

History of the time

The deportation of the Jews to Babylon did not happen all at once. Instead, the Babylonians attacked and deported citizens from Jerusalem in three stages over several years, with different classes of people being deported each time. The first deportation happened in 606 B.C. (2 Chronicles 36:5-8). Daniel was among those taken in this first wave. The second deportation occurred in 597 B.C. (2 Chronicles 36:9-10). Then, finally, the last deportation occurred in 586 B.C (2 Chronicles 36:15-21). It was prophesied that the southern kingdom of Judah would be in captivity for only seventy years (Jeremiah 25:9-14; 29:10). The Jews were allowed to return home in the year 536 B.C. when Cyrus the Great released the captives. The Babylonian Empire fell to the Medes and Persians in 539 B.C. This was foretold by Isaiah (Isaiah 13:17). Isaiah also foretold that some of the nobles and princes who descended from Hezekiah would be taken in the siege and would be made "eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon" (Isaiah 39:5-8). Belshazzar was acting king of Babylon at the time, and Babylon fell in a single night (Daniel 5:30-31). The Cyrus Cylinder, which records Persian battles and victories, claims that Babylon fell without a battle. Belshazzar had been warned in a vision about the doom that he was soon to face, when handwriting appeared on a wall at a feast the king made to celebrate Babylon's greatness. The writing and its warning was interpreted by Daniel (Daniel 5:24-28).

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Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon also foresaw these events much earlier, but he didn't understand their significance (see: Daniel 2:1-45). This was the first time that Daniel revealed to the Babylonian king that he was a prophet of God. Daniel volunteered to tell the interpretation of the dream. The great image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream represented four kingdoms from history. Babylon was the head of gold, and the Medes and Persians were the chest and arms of silver. When the Persians were in power, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to release the Jews to return to their homeland (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; see also: Isaiah 44:28-45:1; Ezra 1:1:1-4). All in all, the Babylonian Captivity was as painless as national punishment would ever be for the Jews. The Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem beginning in 536 B.C. under the leadership of Zerubbabel. From the time of the first deportation in 606 B.C. until the release of the Jews in 536 B.C. was a span of 70 years exactly.

The character of Daniel

Daniel’s was a man of great faith who was admired by the king of Babylon. He was given special privileges by King Nebuchadnezzar when the Jews were taken to Babylon as captives. This special treatment that certain Babylonian youths received (Daniel 1:3-5) put Daniel in a position to demonstrate his moral excellence and wisdom. As a result, he rose to a position of prominence in Babylon. He and other choice men from among the Israelite captives were given a prime education in the ways of the Babylonians (1:4), and they were also provided a special portion of food and provisions that kings food (1:5). Daniel's moral excellence was very much on display when he steadfastly refusal to eat food that came from the king's table. Jews had God-given dietary restrictions, and Daniel refused to eat food that the Law of Moses deemed to be unclean (Daniel 1:8). Daniel’s understanding and his ability to interpret dreams distinguished him in the eyes of the king (5:12). This was a quality that not only distinguished him above his fellow Jews in the eyes of the king, but the king was sufficiently impressed with Daniel that he set him over the whole realm (6:3). The other governors and satraps hated Daniel because of the affection that the king had for him, and they hatched a plan to cause Daniel to fall out of favor with the king. A notable fact about Daniel's righteousness. Among all of the characters of the Old Testament, Abraham occupies a lofty place. There is absolutely nothing bad recorded about him. This is not to suggest that he never sinned, but rather that his character was excellent, and so the Bible records nothing negative about him. Other great men of the Bible also committed sins, but nothing of the kind is recorded of Daniel. Abraham lied and told the Egyptians Sarah was his sister (Genesis 12:13-17), and then he told the same lie later to Abimelech (Genesis 20:1-2); Moses disobeyed the Lord and was not allowed to enter Canaan (Numbers 20:8-12); and David committed adultery, deceit, and murder in the

175 matter of Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1ff). But, Daniel stands head and shoulders above them all.

Daniel's righteousness was on display

There are two great events in the life of Daniel which demonstrated his godly character. These events are surely what Hebrews refers to in Hebrews 11:32-33 – "Stopped the mouths of lions" and "quenched the violence of fire." The first of these is when Daniel and his three friends refused to eat food from the king's table (Daniel 1:8-9). Daniel was loyal to the Law of Moses which forbade the eating of certain kinds of food, because they had been declared unclean by God. You cannot help but marvel at Daniel's courage and his boldness, but also at his convictions in this great story. He was a captive in the land of a foreign king, and he had been given privileges that other Jews were not given. The food from the king's table had been given as hospitality, but Daniel was not afraid to refuse it. Such an act could have led to Daniel's execution! Even the chief of the eunuchs who had charge of the chosen captives feared this course of action (vs. 10). Daniel had no such fear, but proposed that he and his friends be given nothing but vegetables and water for their diet and to be compared to the rest of the youths after ten days (vs. 11-13). At the end of the appointed time Daniel and his friends were healthier than the ones who ate the king's food (vs. 14-16). Daniel's faith had prevailed. In the second great proof of Daniel's character, he was thrown into the den of lions (Daniel 6:1-24). King Darius was made one of three overseers over the governors and satraps of the kingdom (vs. 1-3). The jealous governors and satraps conspired against Daniel to entrap him and have him killed. They had to trap him, because they knew they could not find any wrongdoing in him (vs. 4-5). They proposed to the king that Darius sign a law stating that no one in the kingdom could worship any god other than the Persian king for 30 days. Anyone who did so would be cast into the lion's den (vs. 7-8). Darius agreed and signed the decree (vs. 9). Daniel's next actions are powerful and full of faith. When he knew the writing was signed, he went up to his room and opened his windows toward Jerusalem, and knelt down and prayed to God as his custom was from his youth (vs. 10). The king was trapped by his own law, and had to sentence Daniel, whom he favored, to death. However, God preserved Daniel's life (vs. 20-23). The plotting enemies of Daniel then met their fate in the lion's den (vs. 24). Another great demonstration of faith was shown by Daniel's three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego (Daniel 3:1-27). A decree had been issued by Nebuchadnezzar requiring a giant statue to be built which could be seen throughout the land. The law required all of the people to fall to their knees in worship of the image whenever music was played (vs. 1-6). Daniel's friends refused to worship the image and they were arrested and thrown into the fiery furnace in fulfillment of the law. However, God preserved their life. They were removed from the fiery furnace having suffered no harm at all.

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Daniel, the interpreter of dreams

One of the most important things about Daniel's life is that he was given the power to interpret dreams. This brought Daniel to special attention of the Babylonians and the Medes. There were two great occasions when Daniel's dream interpreting was particularly useful. (2:1-45) – Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about an image of a man whose body parts were composed of different materials. Nebuchadnezzar looked for a man among his magicians and astrologers who could tell him the dream and interpret it (vs. 1-4). He required the men to fulfill both parts: telling the dream and interpreting it on the penalty of death and loss of all property (vs. 5). The wise men of Babylon were unable to comply and so they were killed (vs. 10-13). However, Daniel was not killed because he asked for time to fulfill the king's order (vs. 24-25). Daniel informed Nebuchadnezzar that he had dreamed of a great image whose parts were of different materials, and that he saw a stone cut out of a mountain without hands, and it grew to encompass all other kingdoms (vs. 31- 36). Nebuchadnezzar also saw that the stone struck the image in its feet and destroyed it (vs. 35). Daniel told the king that the revelation of the dream to Daniel came from God, who "reveals secrets" (vs. 27-28). Its interpretation told of the rise and fall of four great kingdoms, and in the time of the fourth kingdom God would establish a kingdom which would never be destroyed (vs. 37-45)  The head of gold – The Babylonian Empire (600-536 B.C.). "You O King are the head of gold" (vs. 38). Here is a partial list of kings who ruled Babylon during the days of Daniel: o Nabopolassar (625-605 B.C.) o Nebuchadnezzar (604-562 B.C.) o Evil-Merodoch (561-560 B.C.) o Belshazzar (553-539 B.C.)  Chest and arms of silver – The Medo-Persian Empire (536-330 B.C.). It would be an inferior kingdom to that of Babylon. Some of the rulers important to the Bible story are as follows: o Cyrus II "The Great" (559-530 B.C.) – He released the Jews from Captivity (Isaiah 44:28-45:1; Ezra 1:1-4) o Cambyses II (530-522 B.C.) o Darius I (521-486 B.C.) – The enemies of the Jews appealed to Darius to urge him to stop the rebuilding of the temple and Jerusalem. However, Darius ordered that the work continue (Ezra 4:11-24; 6:11- 12) o Xerxes (586-465 B.C.) – Xerxes is known to the Bible as Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. o Artaxerxes I Longimanus "Long Hand" (464-424 B.C.) – It was during this king's reign that Ezra led captives back to Jerusalem from Babylon.

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 Belly and thighs of bronze – The Greek Empire (323-100 B.C.). There are two important kings associated with the Greek Empire: o Philip of Macedon (359-336 B.C.) – There would have been no Greek Empire without Philip of Macedon. Before his day Greece was just a loose affiliation of city states. He was appointed the first commander in chief of the combined forces of the "League of Corinth" which was established to a federation of Greek States for the purpose of defending Greeks against the Persians. He is the father of Alexander the Great who turned Greece into an Empire. o Alexander the Great (336-323 B.C.) – Son of Philip of Macedon. At only 20 years of Age he was made General of the entire Greek army. Alexander was ambitious, and he was determined that Greece would not remain a regional federation, but that it would conquer the world. He famously cut the Gordian Knot at Gordium. He did so because it had been foretold that whoever succeeded in untying the knot would rule all of Asia. This was his ambition, so he cut the knot in half, and claimed the prophesy was about him. Alexander led an army of 35,000 men across the Hellespont River, now known as the Dardanelles River, the boundary between Asia and Europe, in a war against the Persian Empire. He pursued the Persians and engaged in a number of battles until they were completely defeated at the Granicus River in Asia. Alexander conquered territory that ranged around the Mediterranean Sea, including Syria, Israel, and Egypt. In the territories that he conquered Alexander spread Greek culture. He appointed trusted Generals to rule the conquered lands. The Seleucid kings based in Antioch of Syria ruled the land from Syria to Judea. The Ptolemy's ruled Egypt. This Greekification of Israel led to the rise of the Pharisees among the Jews, as their predecessors (the Holy Ones) arose to combat Greek pollutions in Israel. It also led to the Maccabean Revolt (167-160 B.C.).  Feet and legs of iron and clay – The Roman Empire (34 B.C.-470 A.D.). It was during the "days of these kings" that the God of heaven established the kingdom of Jesus Christ. This is the most important part of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The rulers of the Roman Empire are many, and several emperors and minor kings and governors figured into the story of Jesus and the apostles. o Augustus Caesar (27 B.C.-14 A.D.) – It was during the days of Augustus that Jesus was born (Luke 2:1ff) o Tiberius (14-37 A.D.) – Tiberius was in power when John baptized Jesus and Jesus began to preach the gospel of the kingdom (Luke 3:1- 4). o Caligula (37-41 A.D.) –He was immoral and corrupt completely. Caligula was the first of the Emperors to be declared a living God. This would lead to the persecutions described in Revelation.

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o Claudius (41-54 A.D.) – Claudius was in power when famines dominated the land of Syria and Israel (see: Acts 11:28-30). It was Claudius who expelled Jews from Rome including Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:1-2). o Nero (54-68 A.D.) – Extremely corrupt emperor. He is famed for having set fire to Rome and blamed the Christians for it. o Vespasian (69-79 A.D.) – Vespasian was the emperor in power when Rome was destroyed in A.D. 70 (see: Matthew 24:1-34). o Titus (79-81 A.D.) – Before he was emperor, Titus was General of the Roman forces that was deployed to sack Jerusalem under the orders of Vespasian. o Domitian (51-96 A.D.) – Emperor Domitian was in power during the last days of the apostles. He and Nero before him spread terror among Christians. However, Domitian's wrath spread much farther than Nero's. It was in Domitian's day that the book of Revelation was written by John who was in exile on the Isle of Patmos. John wrote to encourage Christians to endure the persecutions and remain faithful to God in hopes of eternal life that Jesus supplied (Revelation 2:10).

On another occasion, Daniel was summoned to interpret something for a king. The King was Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar. Belshazzar had made a feast for a thousand of his lords (Daniel 5:1). In his drunken state, he called for the gold treasures that were captured by his father in Jerusalem to be brought to him so that he and his guests could drink form them (vs. 2). While they drank from the gold cups, Belshazzar and his guests praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, Iron, wood, and stone (vs. 4). At that moment, a man's hand appeared and wrote on a plaster wall (vs. 5). The king was terrified and demanded that the wise men and soothsayers of Babylon read and interpret the writing (vs. 6-7). The king flew into a rage, but his wife reminded him of about Daniel who had the spirit of God in him and had demonstrated the ability to interpret divine messages (vs. 10-12). Belshazzar offered to reward Daniel handsomely if he could indeed interpret the writing on the wall, but Daniel refused the king's reward; he would do it for free (vs. 14-17). Daniel reminded the king of the history surrounding Nebuchadnezzar's success as king and his defeat of the Jews. God had given Nebuchadnezzar the victory in Jerusalem (vs. 18). God permitted him to rule the world as he saw fit (vs. 19), but when he was lifted up with pride, God defeated him (vs. 20-21). Daniel went straight to the problem that Belshazzar now faced: unlike his father, Belshazzar had not humbled himself before God, although he knew what had happened to his father and why it had happened (vs. 22-23). Therefore, God had sent Belshazzar a message: Mene – "God has numbered your kingdom and finished it", Tekel – "You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting", Peres – "Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and the Persians" (vs. 25-28). Belshazzar finally humbled himself, but it was too late. He commanded that Daniel be given clothes of purple, and a gold chain for his neck, and he

179 proclaimed that Daniel should be elevated to the position of third ruler in the kingdom (vs. 29). But, that very night Belshazzar was killed and Darius the Mede became king (vs. 30-31). The "Head of gold" had been cut off, and now the chest and arms of silver, the Medes and Persians, would rule the world.

Jesus Christ in Daniel

One of the most important themes in the book of Daniel is Jesus. Roughly the first half of the book is devoted to prophecies about the times in which the Jews were living. But, the second half of the book deals with the future of Israel. The four beasts (Daniel 7:1-28). Daniel dreamed a dream during the reign of Belshazzar. He saw four beasts which rose up out of the sea. The first beast was like a lion that had eagle's wings (vs. 4), the second beast was like a bear that had three ribs in its mouth, and it was commanded to "arise, devour much flesh" (vs. 5), the third beast was like a leopard that had four wings like a bird and four heads, and it was given dominion (vs. 6), and then there was a fourth beast which was not identified and was very different from the other three. The fourth beast was "terrible" and "exceedingly strong" having iron teeth, and it destroyed all the other beasts. It had a horn with a mouth that spoke pompous words (vs. 7-8). The point of this dream is explained later in the chapter. What matters is not the fine detail of every one of the beasts, but what they represent. Daniel was told that "those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth" (vs. 17). This is the same message, with different detail that Nebuchadnezzar received in his dream in chapter two. The saints of God would receive a kingdom during the days of the fourth beast, although the saints would be persecuted by it (vs. 18, 21, 22, 25, 27). This fourth beast represents the Roman Empire and the kingdom that would be given to the saints is the church! The coronation of Jesus (7:9-14). Between the relating of Daniel's dream and its interpretation, there is a brief, but majestic and awe-inspiring scene in which the court of heaven is assembled, the Ancient of Days is seated on His throne, and the Son of man is crowned and given "dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed" (vs. 14). This scene is reminiscent of Isaiah's call to be a prophet of God. In both chapters we are shown the workings of heaven, and we get to marvel at the majesty of God and His plan. Other references to Jesus:  (9:25-26) – The Messiah, the Prince is foretold.  (9:27) – He will usher in a new covenant.  (10:1-9) – Jesus is pictured as a "glorious man." (cp: Revelation 1:12-14)  (12:1-3) – The Great Prince shall raise the saints from the dead and their fate depends upon their names being in "the book" (vs. 1; cp: Revelation 20:11-15).

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A note of warning. One of the mistakes that people make when they read Daniel, or any other book containing highly symbolic language, is they try to interpret figurative things and make them fit literal people or events in modern history. People who hold the doctrine of Premillennialism tie themselves and the scriptures into knots trying to make these passages apply to people and events in the 20th or 21st centuries. They are forever looking for the "rapture" "the battle of Armageddon" and "the Antichrist" in these prophetic scriptures. However, these tenets of Premillennialism are not Biblical; therefore the Bible says nothing about them. We must be careful, when we read the Bible, to let the scriptures speak for themselves and allow the texts to interpret themselves. We cannot force any meaning on a text without making it a pretext. Figurative numbers. The language of Daniel that gives people the most trouble is the numerology. The mention of "seventy weeks" (9:24), "seven weeks and sixty-two weeks" (9:25), "time and times and half a time" (7:25; 12:7, 14), "one thousand two hundred and ninety days" and "three hundred and thirty-five days" have become an obsession for some people. For Premillennialists, it is as if the rest of the book of Daniel and the rest of the prophets cease to exist in favor of these numbers. Many calculators and calendars have worn out trying to align all these mentions of time with modern world events, all to no effect. It is hard to find two Premillennialists who can agree on any historical application of these time periods. In the process of obsessing about dates and times, Premillennialists overlook the real point of the text: Jesus Christ is coming and will redeem Israel He will bring a New Covenant, and He will give His saints a kingdom. They are like people who cannot appreciate a painting because they obsess about the meaning of a few paint strokes in the texture of the painting. The abomination of desolation. Here is another sticking point for people who read Daniel. Premillennialists believe that all of the events pertaining to the end of time are predicted by the prophets and can be matched up to historical events. They desperately want to see signs that will precede the coming of the Lord in judgment. One of these is the "abomination of desolation" which Jesus said Daniel described (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20; Daniel 7:27; 11:31-33). The "abomination of desolation" is not Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, or any other dictator, past or present; it is the Roman army that would destroy Jerusalem in 70 A.D. That's what Daniel was foretelling. Premillennialists miss this fact, because they are looking to justify their fanciful and false doctrines. Daniel was shown and promised the salvation of God's people after many more upheavals in history have occurred. The Messiah was coming, and He would die for the sins of the world. This glorious, hopeful fact is the point of Daniel's dreams and visions in the second half of the book; not World War III or nuclear annihilation.

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Outline of Daniel

Part One: God, Daniel, The Babylonians, and the Medes and Persians

A. 1:1-21 – Daniel is determined to remain pure 1. (vs. 1-3) – Nebuchadnezzar invaded and captured Jerusalem in the days of Jehoiakim, king of Judah and carried the Jewish people to Babylon. 2. (vs. 4-21) – Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to eat foods from the king's table that would have violated Jewish dietary restrictions. They were tested for ten days on vegetables and water alone. At the end, they were healthier than the youths who ate the king's food. B. 2:1-49 – Nebuchadnezzar's dream 1. (vs. 1-12) – Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and instructed his magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers to tell him the dream and then to interpret it for him. They were unable to tell him the dream, because they were mere men (vs. 10). 2. (vs. 14-23) – Daniel consults with God who informed him that he would be able to fulfill the king's request, because God would be with Daniel. 3. (vs. 24-49) – Daniel tells the king the dream that the king had and then he interpreted it. a. (vs. 31-35) – Nebuchadnezzar saw a great image whose body was made of different materials. b. (vs. 36-45) – God was showing Nebuchadnezzar that his kingdom would fall to another kingdom which would give way to two more: The Medes and Persians, the Greeks, and then the Romans. c. (vs. 44-45) – The fourth kingdom would see the birth of an eternal kingdom, the church which would be ruled by Jesus. C. 3:1-30 – Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-Nego in the fiery furnace 1. (vs. 1-3) – Nebuchadnezzar built a 90 ft. high image of gold on the plain of Dura and called all of the dignitaries of the land to come to its dedication. 2. (vs. 4-7) – The law was pronounced by the king: When music played in the land, the people were required to fall down and worship the image. 3. (vs. 8-18) – The three friends refuse to worship the idol and are sentenced to death by Nebuchadnezzar. 4. (vs. 19-25) – Execution is carried out, the fire is heated hotter than normal, the men are bound in flammable clothing land are committed to the fire. 5. (vs. 26-30) – Nebuchadnezzar found the men alive and well in the midst of the fire, walking with one "like the son of God." D. 4:1-37 – Nebuchadnezzar's pride and fall

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1. (vs. 1-7) – Nebuchadnezzar had a second troubling dream and sought an answer among his astrologers and magicians, and found none. 2. (vs. 8-18) – The king tells his dream to Daniel. A great tree grew to heaven and filled all the earth, and provided shade and food for all. Yet it was chopped down, its leaves stripped, and its stump was left to be covered with the dew. 3. (vs. 19-33) – Daniel explained that Nebuchadnezzar's dream was about his greatness and his impending humiliation. 4. (vs. 28-33) – Nebuchadnezzar lifted up his heart in pride and was stricken by God and driven from his palace and lived among the beasts of the field and ate grass like an ox. 5. (vs. 34-37) – Nebuchadnezzar's mind returned to him and he repented and glorified God. E. 5:1-31 – Belshazzar and the handwriting on the wall 1. (vs. 1-3) – Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's son showed none of his father's humility and threw a great feast for his nobles in which guests ate on the gold utensils taken from Jerusalem. 2. (vs. 4-5) – While the partiers drank wine, a hand appeared and wrote a mysterious message on the wall. 3. (vs. 13-27) – Daniel was summoned and interpreted the writing to be a message from God about Belshazzar's defeat. 4. (vs. 28-31) – Belshazzar finally behaved humbly, and rewarded Daniel for his faithfulness. That very night Belshazzar was defeated and Darius the Mede ruled the kingdom after him. F. 6:1-28 – Daniel in the lion's den 1. (vs. 1-2) – Darius the Mede established 120 minor rulers to govern his kingdom, and over these he set three main governors, among whom Daniel was one. 2. (vs. 3) – Daniel distinguished himself above all of the other rulers of the kingdom. 3. (vs. 4-9) – The governors and satraps plotted Daniel's death. They concocted a plan by which the king was tricked into signing an irreversible edict banning the worship of any god other than the king for thirty days. 4. (vs. 10-17) – Daniel went into his dwelling, opened his windows, and in plain view, he worshiped the one true God. 5. (vs. 18-28) – The king was duty bound to execute Daniel in the lion's den. However God protected him and Daniel was saved. Daniel's enemies and their families were thrown to the lions instead. Darius issued an edict honoring the God of heaven (vs. 25-28).

Part Two: Daniel foretells the future redemption of Israel in the Messiah

A. 7:1-28 – Three Important visions 1. (vs. 1-8) – Four beasts, compare to the four materials of the image of Nebuchadnezzar (chapter 2)

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2. (vs. 9-12) – Daniel sees the "ancient of days." 3. (vs. 13-14) – One like unto the "Son of man" is crowned and given a kingdom, glory, and dominion. 4. (vs. 15-28) – Daniel is given the interpretation of the vision of the four beasts. They represent four kingdoms to come. B. 8:1-27 – The He-goat 1. (vs. 1-2) – Geographical detail of Daniel's environment and the setting of the vision. 2. (vs. 3-4) – He saw a male ram with two mismatched horns, one higher than the other. 3. (vs. 4) – The ram pushed all four directions of the world, conquering all. 4. (vs. 6-8) – A he-goat came from the west and fought against and defeated the ram. a. The goat ran without touching the ground. b. The male goat grew very great and it grew four horns which represented the four winds of heaven. c. This vision depicts the defeat of the Medes and Persians (the Ram), by the Greeks (the he-goat) led by Alexander the Great. C. 9:1-27 – Daniel's Prayer of penitence and the seventy weeks 1. (vs. 1-2) – Daniel states his understanding that the time of the fulfillment of Jeremiah's 70 year prophecy was near at hand. 2. (vs. 3-19) – Daniel bows in prayer before God and confesses the sins of the people and the nation's constant rebellion against God's laws. a. He glorifies God and confesses the shame of the people (vs. 7-8). b. He acknowledges that God was righteous in honoring the penalty due Israel's sins (vs. 13-14). c. He begs God for mercy and forgiveness of the people (vs. 16-19) 3. (vs. 20-27) – Daniel is given a vision and explanation by Gabriel about the coming of the Messianic age. a. (vs. 25) – God would finish his dealings with Israel under the Old Covenant and then the Messiah would come. 1) Jerusalem would be rebuilt. 2) It would become an important city again. 3) We know from the New Testament that Jesus would preach in its streets, and Peter would preach the first gospel sermon there. b. (vs. 26) – The Messiah would be cut off (die) for the people. c. (vs. 27) – There would be a new covenant (which began on Pentecost). d. (vs. 27b) – There would be an "abomination of desolation" (which the Jesus later interpreted as the Roman army that would destroy Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). D. 10:1-12:13 – The time of the end. He is shown the ultimate victory of the people of God in the Messiah.

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1. (10:1-9) – Daniel saw a vision of the victorious Son of God (cp: Revelation 1:12-14). 2. (10:10-21) – Daniel is comforted with an explanation of the political upheaval that will come with the fall of Persia and the rise of Greece. 3. (11:1-45) – A time of general warfare and political turmoil was coming as kingdoms rose and fell. 4. (12:1-3) – Daniel was promised that the people of God would be delivered and would be raised from the dead to receive everlasting life if their names are written in the book of life (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28- 29; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). 5. (12:4-13) – Daniel seals up the book until the time of its fulfillment.

Questions:

1. When did Daniel live?

2. Roughly when did he prophesy?

3. Where was he when these things were given to him by revelation?

4. What was the first thing that set Daniel and his friends apart from the general population of the Jews and Babylonians?

5. Describe Nebuchadnezzar's first dream. What was the point of the dream?

6. Name the four empires that he saw and what part of the image represented each kingdom.

7. How large was the statue of gold that Nebuchadnezzar built?

8. What were the people supposed to do when music played? What happened to Daniel's three friends?

9. Explain Nebuchadnezzar's second dream and its meaning. What happened to the king?

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10. What happened at Belshazzar's feast?

11. What did the handwriting on the wall mean?

12. Why did the governors and satraps plot against Daniel?

13. Why was the king bound to punish Daniel in the lion's den?

14. Describe the four beasts and their meaning.

15. Where in Daniel do we see the coronation of the Son of God?

16. Explain the vision of the ram and the he-goat.

17. What fantastical misinterpretations do people typically make about the final three chapters of Daniel?

18. What is the overall message that God is showing Daniel in these chapters?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Thirty-One

The Book of Esther

For the next couple of lessons we are going to break from the kings and prophets very briefly to consider three books that fall within the time period of the Babylonian Captivity of Judah: Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Each of these books adds to the events of this vast time period. Esther was a Jewish woman married to a Persian king, while Ezra and Nehemiah deal with the release of the Jews from Babylonian captivity, and the events that happened to them once they returned to Jerusalem after seventy-years absence.

Date: 479-465 B.C.

According to the dates of assigned to the events in Esther, she and Mordecai were among the Jewish people who remained behind in Babylon after the Jews returned to Jerusalem after the seventy years of Captivity officially ended. They had lived their whole lives in Babylon, and considered it their home. The Return of the Jews and the reconstruction of the Temple began in 536 B.C. (The captivity began in 606 B.C.). Therefore, Esther and Mordecai were in Babylon more than half a century after the return of the First Jews to Jerusalem.

The story of Esther

The book of Esther tells about the heroic Jewish maiden who managed to save the whole nation of Judah from extermination. She married king Ahasuerus of Persia, who is also known to history as Xerxes I. Some people believe she was married to Xerxes' son Artaxerxes, but the specific Persian name is not important. His name in the Bible is settled. Ahasuerus' kingdom was vast, stretching from India to Ethiopia (1:1). In the third year of his reign, he made a public feast and invited the most powerful nobles of the Medes and Persians to celebrate with him. At the feast, Ahasuerus showed off his great wealth for one hundred and eighty days (vs. 2-4). Queen Vashti made a feast for the women (vs. 9). After considerable imbibing of alcohol had occurred, the king ordered that his beautiful wife Vashti be brought to display her beauty to all of the noblemen of the kingdom (vs. 10-11), but Vashti refused to comply (vs. 12). The king's chief adviser counseled the king to divorce Vashti because she had not only disobeyed the direct order of the king, but she also had likely emboldened the women of the kingdom to disobey their husbands (vs. 15-18). He urged the king to depose Vashti from her place as Queen and let a search be conducted to find a new queen (vs. 19). The King liked the idea and so a letter was drafted and sent to each province of the kingdom in all the languages of the land, seeking

187 maidens to be brought to Shushan, the Citadel for consideration to be Ahasuerus's new wife (vs. 21-22). The main body of the story deals with the ascension of the Jewish maiden Hadassah (aka: Esther) to the position of Queen in the Persian court. Her cousin Mordecai (Esther was his uncle's daughter 2:7) saw to it that Esther was among the young maidens in the running for Ahasuerus' next Queen (2:8-9). Esther quickly won the favor of the eunuch in charge of the maidens, and she was given seven maidservants and was brought into the royal place and received the best dwelling in the "house of the women" (vs. 9). Esther did not reveal her people to anyone, because Mordecai counseled her not to (vs. 10). Esther and Mordecai were from the tribe of Benjamin (vs. 6). Esther, like all of the girls, was given a preparation period of twelve months before she was allowed to visit the king. When her appointed night came to visit the king, she won his heart and he loved her more than all of the other women, and immediately crowned her Queen instead of Vashti (vs. 15-18). Mordecai moved the fortunes of Esther along, and in doing so, he had a direct hand in providing for the salvation of his people. He was shrewd and diligent in his efforts to get Esther into the presence of Ahasuerus, and he advised her on how to behave. The text tells us that he was constantly hovering about inquiring into Esther's fortunes (vs. 11, 19). One day, while he was waiting for information about Esther, he overheard a plot by two of the king's eunuchs against the king's life (vs. 21). He alerted Esther of the plot and she told Ahasuerus (vs. 22). The two would-be assassins were hanged on a gallows (vs. 23). The king promoted a man named Haman to be chief over all the princes of the land (3:1). Haman received the obeisance of all of the king's servants, but Mordecai refused to do so (vs. 2). Haman could not tolerate such disrespect, and upon learning that Mordecai was a Jew, Haman sought to destroy all of the Jews throughout the kingdom (vs. 6). He approached the king to plant the notion that it was improper to allow the Jews, who would not properly reverence the king nor keep his laws, to live (vs. 8-9). The King signed a document giving Haman charge of the Jews to enforce their compliance to Persian law (vs. 10-12). A letter was written to every province in the Empire to be read to the people in order to enforce compliance (vs. 13-15). Mordecai heard the words of the proclamation and wept at it, and wherever in the provinces the new law was read, the Jews mourned and wept (4:1-3). Queen Esther suspected trouble when the law was issued, so she inquired about what was behind this sudden law to kill anyone who fell out of favor with the Persians (vs. 4-8). Mordecai sent the information back to Esther via the servant she had sent to him, and he included this dire warning: "Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (vs. 13-14). In other words, he told the queen that she

188 could not rest comfortably while her people were in such danger. He wanted her to see that she must do something to save the people. Esther enacted a plan which would ultimately expose Haman and his wicked plots. She sent word to the king that he and his adviser Haman were invited to a banquet that she had prepared for them (5:4-8). This turn of events thrilled Haman, and as he went along his way, joyfully, he came across Mordecai, Mordecai refused to bow to him (vs. 9). Haman went home and pouted, complaining to his wife that although he was so highly placed and honored in the kingdom, he drew no pleasure from it, because Mordecai the Jew refused to bow to him (vs. 10-13). His wife and friends urged Haman to build a gallows on which to execute Mordecai (vs. 14). The king learned of Mordecai's intervention in the plot against the king's life, and decided to reward him. He asked Haman what should be done for a man whom the king delights to honor (6:1-6). Haman assumed that the king was talking about rewarding him, and he urged the king to put a royal robe on the man and parade him around the city on a horse bearing a royal crest (vs. 7-9). Haman was put in charge of the festivities and bestowed all of the good fortune and honor on Mordecai the Jew (vs. 10). Haman quickly returned to his house in shame after honoring his enemy, Mordecai (vs. 11). His wife Zeresh predicted that Haman would fall before Mordecai (vs. 13). That night the king and Haman attended the feast provided for them by Queen Esther (7:1). On the second day of the feast, the king offered Esther any request up to half of his kingdom (vs. 2). She asked that her people be vindicated and saved from the plot against them (vs. 3-4). The King demanded to know the name of the man who would presume to destroy an entire nation because he hated one man (vs. 5). Esther then pointed to Haman as the evil man who plotted against her people (vs. 6). Haman begged for his life, but to no avail, and he was condemned to death on the very gallows that he planned to use for Mordecai (vs. 7-10). Esther finally revealed that Mordecai was her cousin and that he was responsible for uncovering the plot against the Jewish people. In response, the king gave Mordecai the signet ring of Haman and all of Haman's household (8:1- 2). Esther took advantage of the good will of the moment, and begged the king to issue a decree to revoke the letters written by Haman to the Persian provinces to destroy the Jews (vs. 5-6). The king did them one better; he authorized Mordecai to write the edict as he saw fit and to sign it with the king's signet ring, making whatever he wrote the law of the land. The letter that Mordecai wrote authorized Jews living in every province to destroy any of the forces or the people who would at all seek to kill the Jews, and also allowed the Jews to plunder their possessions (vs. 7-11). Every plot of Haman's failed miserably. He plotted to destroy the Jews for the sake of his hatred of Mordecai. However, Mordecai wore a royal robe of blue and white and a crown on his head (8:15), and the Jews celebrated and feasted rather than being wiped out (vs. 16-18). Finally, the Jews were allowed to pursue and destroy all of their enemies in all of the provinces of Persia (9:1-3). The king

189 further allowed the Jews to continue pursuing and killing their enemies until there were none left, and all of Haman's sons were hanged on the gallows (9:12-17). Mordecai became great in the kingdom (9:4), and Haman's corpse was disposed of. The Jews established a feast to memorialize their national salvation and sent presents to one another (vs. 18-23). They called the two day festival Purim (vs. 26).

The importance and contribution of Esther to the Bible

Feast of Purim. One of the most important contributions of the story of Esther to the Bible is that it marks the beginning of this festival among the Jews, which was in practice in the time of Christ and the apostles, and even to this day among Orthodox Jews. Today the Feast is marked by gift giving, charitable deeds, celebration, a ceremonial feast, and the public reading of the book of Esther, all of which began with the defeat of the wicked Haman and his conspirators (9:18-23). God's love for his people. Another important lesson is that although the Jews were captives in Babylon and then in Persia, God still loved them and cared for them. His love is evident in every verse of this beautiful book. This was as close as the Jews could have come to extinction. The Northern Kingdom was gone and had been for more than a century and a half by this time, and had Haman succeeded, the people of Judah would have ceased to exist. However, at every point, God provided the means for His people to be saved, through the efforts of Mordecai and Esther. The line of Jesus Christ was preserved. It is often noted that Esther is a rare book in the Bible in that it doesn't refer to the Messiah or doesn't seem to have any direct connection to the Bible's overall story of salvation. However, it most definitely fits this theme as well as any other book  Mordecai and Esther's actions preserved the Jewish people from whom Jesus arose. Had it not been for these two people, the line of David would have ended. Jerusalem was considered part of Persia at this time, and the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem would not have been safe had Haman's plot succeeded. He would have ordered the deaths of the people in Jerusalem as well.  The providence of God. The providence of God is seen just as clearly in this book as it was in the story of Joseph and his rise to power (Genesis 37-50). Nothing that happened on behalf of the Jews in the book of Esther was miraculous. Surely, the things that Mordecai planned and executed with the help of Esther would not have succeeded under any normal circumstances. Everything happened a little too perfectly for it all to be a matter of chance or the will of a strong-minded Jew named Mordecai. o Vashti just happened to refuse the King's command, and the King proved susceptible to the advice of his advisers to get rid of her for such a trivial thing as her refusing to be put on display for the king's friends to ogle.

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o What are the odds that of all of the maidens sent from the twenty-seven provinces of the Persian Empire, that one Jewish girl born in captivity would win the king's heart so easily, unless the hand of God was guiding things? o What are the odds that that young Jewish girl would receive special favor from the eunuch in charge of the young "brides-to- be" so that she rose quickly to the top? o Esther was leery of intervening for her people, because she knew no one could come unbidden into the presence of the king to demand an audience(4:11), but she did so anyway, and it worked. The king paid her unusual deference and kindness. o What are the odds that two Eunuchs would plot such an illegal act anywhere but under the greatest of privacy? What are the odds that someone so perfectly placed, as cousin of the Queen, would be nearby to hear the whole plot?

Questions:

1. When did the events in the book of Esther take place? What was happening in Jewish history at this time?

2. What other name is assigned to Ahasuerus, who became the husband of Esther?

3. What was the other name for Esther?

4. What was her relationship to Mordecai?

5. What led to the downfall of Vashti as queen?

6. What reason did Ahasuerus' advisers give him for getting rid of Vashti?

7. What did the eunuch in charge of the maidens do for Esther?

8. What plot did Mordecai uncover and how did he reveal it to Esther?

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9. What honor was given to Haman?

10. What destroyed Haman's ability to be happy with his success?

11. Why was Esther initially leery of approaching her husband the king with the plot against the Jews?

12. What event did Esther plan in order to expose Haman?

13. Explain the humiliation of Haman involving Mordecai.

14. What did the king do when the plot of Haman was revealed?

15. Describe the extent of the salvation of the Jewish people by Esther.

16. What is the Feast of Purim? What does it involve?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Thirty-Two

Ezra and Nehemiah

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Judah’s punishment in Babylon is at an end. No kings remain. Ezra and Nehemiah lead the nation.

Now we come to the return of the Jews to their homeland following their time in Babylon. Two books: Ezra and Nehemiah tell us of these days. In ancient times, the two books were combined into one volume, and we will consider them together, because they cover the same period of time. The basic history of these two books tells us about the difficulties that the Jewish leadership experienced when they led their people back to Jerusalem. One would expect the Jews to enthusiastically return as a whole nation, but this was not to be. Not only did the whole nation not return to Jerusalem, the ones who did were hardly changed from the people who left Jerusalem seventy years earlier. The Persian king Cyrus, and then later Artaxerxes released the Jews from captivity to return to Jerusalem. These kings gave the Jews every possible favor, and yet, it wasn’t very long after their arrival in Jerusalem that the Jews returned to their old way of rebellion.

A word about the kings of Medo-Persia: One of the most confusing things about this section of Jewish history is keeping the kings of Medo-Persia straight in your mind. The difficulty lies in the fact that the names are repeated with different kings. There is more than one Darius and Artaxerxes. The following is a list to help us keep the rulers straight.

Darius the Mede – (Daniel 6:30-31; 6:1; 9:1). Daniel prospered during the reign of this Darius (Daniel 6:28). The length of Darius’ reign is unknown. Cyrus the Persian – (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 4:5). This is the Cyrus who released the Jews from captivity (Isaiah 44:28-45:1; Ezra 1:1-3). Zerubbabel the governor and Jeshua the priest led the Jews home to Jerusalem. Cyrus ruled for three years. Ahasuerus (aka: Xerxes) – (Esther 3:7; 4:6) – Esther became queen of Persia during his reign. The enemies of the Jews wrote a letter to this king urging him to put a stop to the work of the Jews of rebuilding Jerusalem. Ahasuerus ruled for thirteen years. Artaxerxes I (Ezra 4:7-8, 11, 23) – The second king petitioned by the enemies of the Jews. He ordered the work halted, because historical records spoke of the Jews rebelling in times past against the Babylonians and refusing to pay tribute. Artaxerxes ruled for 41 years. Darius the Persian – (Ezra 5:1-2; 6:1-3, 7; Zechariah 7:1). The enemies of the Jews petitioned this king with another letter. However, Darius discovered that Cyrus had released the Jews many years earlier, so he ordered the enemies to cease their harassment of the Jews and to finance the work for them. Darius ruled for four years. Artaxerxes II (Nehemiah 5:14; Ezra 7:1-8) – This king allowed Ezra to lead another group of Jews back to Jerusalem. Artaxerxes ruled for thirty-two years.

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The

Ezra’s genealogy. Ezra was a direct descendant of Aaron, and served as priest among the Jews. Although he was born and raised in Babylon (Ezra 7:1-5) his direct ancestors go all the way back in Jewish history to Eleazar and Phineas, the son and grandson of Aaron (vs. 5). Although Ezra had only known life among the Jews in Babylon, he descended from those men who had served in the Temple in Jerusalem before it was destroyed. In fact, the Bible states that Ezra’s father Seraiah and his grandfather Azariah were among the very last priests to serve in the Temple before it was destroyed (1 Chronicles 6:14). Cyrus released the Jews. The book of Ezra begins with the edict of King Cyrus the Great of Persia, who released the Jews from captivity with the freedom to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the house of God in Israel (1:1-4). This event had been foretold many years earlier in the book of 2 Chronicles 36:22-23. It had also been foretold by Isaiah the prophet long before the Captivity had even begun, some one hundred and fifty years before Cyrus’ reign (Isaiah 44:28-45:1-4). Cyrus returned the gold treasures that had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezra 1:5-11). Zerubbabel led the first wave of returnees to Jerusalem. Zerubbabel played an important role in this period of the story. He is mentioned throughout Ezra, Nehemiah, and Haggai, and Zechariah. He was the son of Shealtiel, and his helper was Jeshua, the son of Jozadak (3:2). Haggai prophesied about Zerubbabel’s importance, calling him the “governor of Judah” and Jeshua the high priest (Haggai 2:1-3). It is likely that Zerubbabel was appointed by the Persians to govern the Jews while they were in Babylon. The number of people who left Babylon by families and tribes is recorded in Ezra 2:1-70. Surprisingly, only about 42,360 people returned to Jerusalem in this first wave of migration. Surely, after seventy years, the captives would have multiplied to a much larger number of people than this. Why then did so few return to the Jewish homeland? The answer is likely as simple as this: Jerusalem was not the homeland for many of the Jews any longer, at least in their estimation. It was certainly their ancestral home, but a great number of living captives were born and raised in Babylon. The appeal of returning to Jerusalem was not as great as you and I might expect it to be. Those born and raised in Babylon would likely have felt they were leaving home to go to a foreign land in Judea. The second wave of returning Jews. Ezra the priest led a second wave of the captives back to Jerusalem. He sought and received permission from Artaxerxes II to return with his people (7:11-26). Among those who returned with to Jerusalem were some of the children of Israel along with the priests and Levites (vs. 7). They arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of Artaxerxes (vs. 8). Artaxerxes makes it official and legal. The text of the letter written by Artaxerxes authorizing Ezra to lead his people back to Jerusalem is recorded in chapter seven, and it shows the broad latitude given to the Jews. Artaxerxes allowed Ezra to gather together all of the volunteers who wished to return to

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Jerusalem, and he allowed the Jews to carry with them treasure that was dedicated by the king to God, they were allowed to plunder gold and silver along the way as they traveled to Jerusalem, and the priests and Levites would not be taxed (vs. 12-26). The total number of Jews in this second wave is not given. However, in chapter eight the heads of families are given and with them the total number of males is listed. Added together, there were 1,636 males who returned with Ezra. This number does not account for wives, children, or servants.

Key events in the book of Ezra

The cooperation of the Persian kings. The release of the Jews from their punishment in Babylon was by the design of the Lord. As noted earlier, the scriptures had foretold everything that happened to the Jews, from their capture by Nebuchadnezzar to their release by Cyrus the Great. The Persians regarded their kings to be gods, so Cyrus’ edict was nothing short of the law of God to the Empire. However, after the Jews had worked for months rebuilding the temple, enemies in the lands sent letters to Persia questioning the wisdom of letting the Jews live freely in their homeland, troubling kings from Cyrus to Darius, to Ahasuerus (Xerxes), and Artaxerxes about the matter. The matter was resolved officially when Darius searched Persian court records to find that Cyrus had officially released the Jews. He ordered the enemies of the Jews to cease their opposition and to aid the Jews with treasure if needed. The kind treatment and support that the Jews received from their captors at every stage of their exile was remarkable. Zerubbabel and Jeshua led the Jewish people in the restoration of the keeping of the Law of Moses. Governor Zerubbabel saw his mandate very clearly. God wanted His people to repent of their sins and serve Him faithfully, and he induced Cyrus to give the Jews this chance to prove themselves (1:1-4). Therefore, he and the priest instituted a program which would restore the keeping of the Law of Moses among the people and the worship of God according to the Law. They built an altar and made burnt offerings on it (3:2), they made morning and evening daily burnt offerings in the number required by the Law (vs. 3), and they instituted the keeping of required feasts, such as the Feast of (vs. 4). All of this was done before the foundation of the temple had been laid (vs. 6). Work on the temple is begun. In the second month of the second year of the return to Jerusalem, work on the temple was finally instituted (3:8). A great solemn ceremony and day of worship accompanied the laying of the foundation of the temple (vs. 9-11). The people celebrated the building of the foundation, and those who were old men and remembered the glory of the first temple wept when they saw the foundation (vs. 12-13). Adversaries harass the Jews. There were inhabitants in the land who claimed that the Jews were operating on their land. They told the Jews that they wanted to help build the temple, because they had been relocated by Esarhaddon, king of Assyria to the land of Israel (4:1-2). They were historically

195 correct, because the Assyrians shuffled nations around the Empire. However, the Jews did not welcome their help (vs. 3), so the people of the land pursued legal means to try to stop the Jews from rebuilding the temple. They hired what amounted to lawyers and wrote a letter to Ahasuerus warning him that the Jews would cease paying tribute to the Persians if they were allowed to complete the rebuilding of Jerusalem (vs. 5-16). The King ordered a search of Persian annals and discovered that history indicated the Jews had indeed rebelled in times past. Therefore, he bowed to the influence of the enemies of the Jews by royal decree, work was stopped on the rebuilding project in Jerusalem. Once the letter was read, the enemies of the Jews were emboldened to forcibly stop them (4:23-24). Haggai and Zechariah now enter the picture (5:1-2). These two prophets of God were instrumental in getting the Jews back on track. They fiercely opposed the Jewish neglect and failure to rebuild the temple and the city of Jerusalem. They did not recognize the legal reasons imposed by Artaxerxes and the enemies of the northern lands who put a halt to the proceedings. As we will note soon when we cover the books of Haggai and Zechariah, they viewed the people as sinners for their neglect. Darius reauthorized the Jewish restoration of Jerusalem. More legal games followed the efforts of Haggai and Zechariah to get the Jews working again. Tattenai, the governor of the region once occupied by Israel wrote a letter to Darius, the newest Persian king (5:11-17). By now, a number of years had passed, and all record of Cyrus’ former edict had been sealed away from memory. However, Darius recognized the importance of the matter before him and he ordered that the annals of the Persians be searched in order to ascertain whether or not the rebuilding project of the Jews in Jerusalem was legal or not (6:1). Soon, the proper document was discovered, and Darius came to understand that truly King Cyrus had released the Jews from captivity and sent them back with official backing to rebuild their homeland (vs. 2). Then Darius wrote a carefully worded and blunt letter to Tattenai and the enemies of the Jews instructing them to cease their efforts to thwart the Jews. Moreover, he instructed them to lend any aid necessary to complete the work, and to fund the Jewish project from their own coffers (vs. 3-12). The temple is finally completed and dedicated. Tattenai and his people obeyed the king’s order and allowed the Jews to finish their work on the temple. Once the work was done, thanks to the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah and the aid of the Persian kings, the children of Israel celebrated the construction’s completion with many sacrifices and offerings (6:13-18). For the first time in nearly a century, the Jews celebrated the Passover in their holy city (vs. 19-22). The Jews intermarry with the people of the land. Here we discover that nothing had changed in the hearts of the people. The Jews were not permitted to marry among the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). The willful violation of this law centuries earlier when the Jews entered Canaan was a very important reason for the decline of Israel and Judah. There are many stories of the very threat that God foresaw being realized when Jews turned to idolatry (see: 1 Kings 11:1-8).

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Now, we find the returnees taking up the practice where their ancestors left off. It was reported to Ezra that the people, including some of the priests and Levites had polluted themselves by marrying foreign women (9:1-2). Ezra tore his garments in grief for his people’s return to sin and assembled the people together preached to them a scathing sermon condemning their sin (vs. 3-15). Ezra’s sermon was very effective. The people were grieved by their guilt and approached Ezra insisting that he aid them in their repentance and restoration to God. They approached him weeping very bitterly (10:1) and confessed to him their sin (vs. 2). They promised Ezra that they would agree to his actions on their behalf (vs. 3). Ezra imposed on the people that they must separate themselves from their pagan wives in order to be forgiven of their sin (vs. 10-11), and the people repented and put away their foreign wives and the children born to them (vs. 12-44).

The Book of Nehemiah

Nehemiah was cupbearer to King Artaxerxes (2:1). He was given permission by the king to return to Jerusalem in order to help complete the work of rebuilding Jerusalem. The book opens with Nehemiah making an inquiry about the welfare of the Jews who had previously returned to Jerusalem and how their work fared (1:1-2). He learned from his brother, Hanani, that the returning Jews were in distress and that the walls of Jerusalem remained broken down (vs. 3). Upon hearing this news, Nehemiah wept, mourned, and fasted with prayer (vs. 4). Nehemiah recognized that the sad condition of the temple and of his people was the fault of the Jews themselves, so he prayed to God and confessed the sins of the people (vs. 6-11). King Artaxerxes noted the distress in Nehemiah and questioned him about it (2:1-2). Nehemiah told the king about the plight of his people in Jerusalem, and the king granted Nehemiah’s request to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city (vs. 4-6). Nehemiah also asked for and was granted letters of authority from the king to the governors of Persia and Judea so that his mission would not be disrupted by the opponents who had been hounding the previous bands of Jews who had returned to Jerusalem (vs. 7-8).

Nehemiah spurs renewed enthusiasm in Jerusalem

Upon arriving at Jerusalem, Nehemiah undertook a late-night inspection of the city and the wall (vs. 11-15). He completed his mission without informing any of the Jewish leaders what he was doing. He appraised the situation of the Jews and the city with his own eyes, and then he approached the leadership of the Jews with his assessment (vs. 16-17). He proposed to them that they return to the work of rebuilding Jerusalem, and told them that they had the authority of God and the Persian king for the work to proceed (vs. 18). Unfortunately, the same old enemies remained vigilant in their determination to thwart the Jews. They rose up again and threatened Nehemiah

197 with charges that he was conspiring against King Artaxerxes and would be reported as such (vs. 19). However, Nehemiah was determined and he assured the enemy leaders Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab that the work would indeed continue and would not be disrupted, because God was with them. Under Nehemiah’s leadership and urging, the Jews returned enthusiastically to the work. Eliashib the High priest, and his family rebuilt and consecrated the Sheep Gate, and continued working on the wall (3:1). Various families took their places along the wall of Jerusalem and worked diligently, laying beams and hanging doors. The text describes the work as proceeding with men, including leaders and ordinary men, working shoulder to shoulder down the length of the wall, repairing its breeches and gates and doors (vs. 3- 32). Some of the people worked on the sections of the wall in front of their own dwellings (vs. 29, 30). Finally, the task of rebuilding Jerusalem was given its due attention, and with only the exception of the Tekoites who did not put their shoulders to the work (vs. 5), everyone, from the least to the greatest of the people joined in enthusiastically in the rebuilding of the city. The enemy Sanballat was shocked by the renewed vigor of the Jews compared to their former lethargy and inattention. He raged that the Jews seemed determined to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and to fortify themselves in a day (4:1-2). However, Tobiah, his co-conspirator mocked that whatever the Jews built so rapidly would crumble to the ground if a mere fox walked upon the stone wall (vs. 3). Nehemiah prayed that the Jews’ enemies would be plundered so that the work of God could continue unabated (vs. 4-5). He was confident and the work of the Jews progressed at a fast pace, because “the people had a mind to work” (vs. 6).

The Jews work amid renewed threats

The enemies who conspired with Sanballat and Tobiah renewed their determination to fight against the Jews and to stop their progress (4:7-8). However, Nehemiah rallied his people to continue working unabated, and to place guards to watch for attacks from the enemies day and night (vs. 9). However, the Jews began to register weaknesses to attack. The leaders of Judah reported that the strength of their laborers was faltering and the rubble was still too great (vs. 10). Moreover, the people feared a sneak attack, because the enemies had threatened such (vs. 11). They feared that as soon as they turned their backs, the enemies would rush in to destroy the people and their work (vs. 12). Nehemiah took the people’s concerns to heart, and positioned defenders behind the completed portions of the wall with swords, spears, and bows (vs. 13). He also urged the people to be afraid but to trust in the Lord to protect them in the fight if it should come (vs. 14). The enemies were thwarted by Nehemiah’s vigilance (vs. 15). From that time onward, Nehemiah instituted a system in which half the people worked while half the people stood at the ready with weapons,

198 ready to fight if Sanballat’s and Tobiah’s forces attacked (vs. 16). Furthermore, those who worked on the wall adopted a new technique: they worked with one hand and held a weapon in the other so that even while they worked, they were ready to fight (vs. 17-18). Nehemiah also instructed the people that since work was being done all along the length of the wall, the people should be alert for the trumpet blast that would warn of an attack, and in that event, all of the Jews should rally to defense (vs. 19-20). The work continued day and night, and no one rested even to change clothes (vs. 21-23).

Sin rears its head

In spite of Nehemiah’s remarkable success in rallying his people to the cause, the people’s self-interest eventually reared its head again. They had put their lives on hold in order to devote complete attention to rebuilding Jerusalem. However, their families continued to grow, and their family’s needs continued unabated. As a result, the poor had to mortgage their properties to redeem captive sons and daughters, to pay taxes, and to buy food for their families. The rich profited from the poor and took advantage of their circumstances by loaning them money at interest (5:1-5). Nehemiah was enraged when he heard these reports, and after careful thought, he rebuked the wealthy and the leaders of the Jews for exacting usury from their poorer brethren. He shamed them publicly for their wicked conduct and commanded the rich to restore what they had taken from the poor (vs. 6-11). The nobles promised to do as they were commanded, restore what they had unjustly taken, and promised to require nothing more from the poor (vs. 12). Nehemiah bound them to their word, and promised the curse of God against them should they return to their sinful and heartless practices (vs. 13). Nehemiah set the example for the people to follow. From the moment he was appointed governor of Judea, he did not eat the provisions that were due the office, nor did he burden the people with heavy taxes as his predecessors had done (vs. 15). Instead, he continued to work for the Lord, and from his own table he fed one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers along with those who came from surrounding nations to join in the work (vs. 16-19).

The enemies threaten Nehemiah

As the work of rebuilding the city neared its end, Sanballat and his allies tried another tactic. They had formerly been unsuccessful in thwarting Nehemiah, so they decided to pretend to seek peace. Messengers were sent to Nehemiah four times asking for Nehemiah to come to a meeting with Sanballat and company, but four times Nehemiah refused, stating that he was busy with God’s great work and saw no need to meet with hostile forces (6:1-4). The fifth messenger brought Nehemiah a letter alleging that Nehemiah had set himself in a position to be declared the King of Judea and that he had established a series of prophets whom he charged with the task of preaching that the people must bow to Nehemiah. Furthermore, the letter stated that this was

199 the report that would be sent to the king of Persia (vs. 5-7). Nehemiah, however, was not in the least intimidated by this tactic. He wrote back to the conspirators that he could see through their threats and that nothing they alleged was true, but were invented in their hearts (vs. 8). Nehemiah would not let the Jews be afraid nor take their hands from the work of God (vs. 9). Sanballat and Tobiah did not drop the matter, but employed a turncoat among the Jews to clandestinely meet with Nehemiah and warn them of the traitor’s pretended fears for Nehemiah (vs. 10). However, Nehemiah was again one step ahead of his enemies. He recognized the falsehood of the traitor and that the man had been hired to convince Nehemiah to abandon Jerusalem in fear (vs. 11-14). Finally, the work of rebuilding the wall was finished, but the plotting of Tobiah was not finished. The enemies of the Jews were discouraged by their ineffectiveness to thwart the Jews, but Tobiah sent a flurry of letters to the people of Judah over whom he had some measure of control, and convinced them to preach his goodness to Nehemiah, but Nehemiah was too wise for this and did not fall for it (vs. 15-19).

Life returns to the formerly fallen city

Upon completion of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, Nehemiah appointed men to guard the city from the citadel under the leadership of his brother Hanani (7:1- 2). He charged them to keep the doors of the city shut tightly through the night and only open them during the brightness of the day (vs. 3). This action assured that the citizens of Jerusalem would be secure. Next on Nehemiah’s agenda was the need to conduct a census of the people of Jerusalem. The city was very large, but due to the low population, the city seemed all but deserted (vs. 4). Nehemiah found a register of the people who followed Zerubbabel and Jeshua in the first wave of returnees, and the numbers of the people (vs. 5-69). The number of those recorded totaled 42,360. Added to this number were 7,337 male and female servants and 45 men and women singers (vs. 66-67). The archives also recorded the treasure that was donated to the coffers of Jerusalem (vs. 68-73).

The Law of God is read to the people

One of the most memorable portions of the book of Nehemiah is this one. The restoration of Jerusalem brought to a close the tumultuous years that began with the edict of Cyrus more than a century earlier. Now as Nehemiah returned the city of Jerusalem and its people to the life to which God promised to restore them, he gathered the people to hear the reading of the Law of God (Ezra 8:1-8). The priest, Ezra, and his fellow priests were positioned on a platform above the gathered people of Jerusalem, and they read from the Law of God distinctly, giving the sense and meaning of the words. The people bowed their heads with reverence and wept when they heard the words of God read again (vs. 9).

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Nehemiah exhorted the people to no longer weep, but to go forth and follow God, do good works, and enjoy the blessings of being God’s people (vs. 10). The priests dismissed the people and told them to rejoice in the day of the Lord (vs. 11-12).

Restoration of the people’s commitment to God

The people continued to consult the Law of God and to correct themselves according its teachings. For example, it was discovered by the reading of the Law that the people were required to keep the feast of Tabernacles, which they immediately obeyed and kept (vs. 13-18). Next, the people assembled in mourning and listened to the reading of the Law of God and confessed their sins and blessed the Lord (9:1-38). The people determined to write the words of former blessing into a document representing a covenant that would be ratified by the priests, the Levites, and the leaders of the people (9:36-38; 10:1-27). All of the people bound themselves to this covenant to be obedient to God and to keep his commandments and to honor the required offerings to Him (10:28-39).

The repopulation of Israel

Now that Jerusalem had been rebuilt and the people had committed themselves to follow God, the next phase of work involved repopulating the other cities in Israel. The people gathered together and lots were cast in order to choose who would move and who would stay in Jerusalem (11:1-2). The remainder of the chapter is devoted to listing those who would remain in Jerusalem and who would live in other cities (vs. 3-36). Nehemiah next dedicated the wall of Jerusalem and assigned priestly duties to the priests and the Levites (12:1-47). Finally, Nehemiah’s reforms were set in motion and recorded for posterity (13:1-30).

Outline of Ezra

A. First Return Under Zerubbabel: Rebuilding the “House of the Lord” (1:1-6:22) 1. The Edict of Cyrus (1:1-11) 2. Cyrus makes provision for the people (1:7-11) 3. The Exiles who chose to return to Jerusalem (2:1-70) 4. The total given: 42,360 (2:64-70) 5. The House of the Lord: Rebuilt and Dedicated (3:1-6:22) a. Workman appointed and paid (3:7-9) b. Worship restored (3:10-13) 6. Construction ceases (4:1-24)

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a. The enemies of Judah ask to help, but when denied by the Jews, they threaten retaliation (4:1-3) b. The people of the land appeal to Artaxerxes (4:4-24) 7. The enemies compose a letter to Artaxerxes (4:6-24) a. They warn the king of rebellion from Israel and loss of taxes (4:11-16) b. The king commands the work to cease (4:17-22) 8. Construction Resumes: The Second Year of Darius (5:1-2) a. Haggai and Zechariah prophesy doom (5:1) b. Zerubbabel and Jeshua resume building (5:2) 9. Further opposition of the enemies. They appeal to Darius, the new king of Persia (5:3-17) 10. Darius Passes A Decree to Finish Temple (6:1-12) a. Darius searches the annals of Cyrus (6:1) b. Cyrus’ records found and understood. Darius commands the enemies of the Jews to cease and desist their opposition (6:2-12) 11. Construction of the temple is completed (6:13-22) a. The Temple dedicated (6:16-18) b. The Passover observed (6:19-22) B. Ezra leads a new wave of returnees to Jerusalem (7:1-10:44) 1. The Leadership of Ezra: God’s Hand Upon Him (7:1-10) 2. The letter of Artaxerxes the King (7:11-28) a. Jews were given provisions and the treasures formerly taken from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (7:11-17) b. Ezra made governor of Judea (7:25-26) 3. The people who returned with Ezra (8:1-14) 4. Two Levitical families (8:15-20) 5. Fasting and prayer (8:21-23) 6. The consecration of the priests (8:28-30) 7. The people make a burnt offering (8:35) 8. Reformation of the people (9:1-10:44) a. Ezra confesses the people’s sins (9:1-15) b. The people confess their sin of marrying foreign women and determine to put them away in penitence (10:1-6) c. Ezra leads the people in their penitence (10:7-17) d. The people put away their foreign (10:16-44)

Outline of Nehemiah

A. Nehemiah becomes aware of the plight of the Jews in Jerusalem (1:1- 11) 1. Nehemiah learns that the people were in great distress and the city was still in ruins (vs. 1-3) 2. Nehemiah prays for his people (vs. 4-11)

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B. Nehemiah presents his burden to the King, Artaxerxes (2:1-20) 1. The king notices the burden on in the bearing of Nehemiah, his cupbearer (2:1-2) 2. Nehemiah presents his case to the king (vs. 3-5). 3. The king grants Nehemiah permission to go to his people in Jerusalem (vs. 6-10). 4. Nehemiah spends three days covertly scouting the city of Jerusalem by night and viewing the damage that remained to be repaired in the city (vs. 11-16). 5. Nehemiah reports to the city officials what his intentions were and exhorted them to return to the work of rebuilding the city (vs. 17- 20). C. The citizens of Jerusalem respond and join in the work shoulder to shoulder up and down the wall of the city (3:1-32). D. Enemies reassert their efforts to destroy the Jew’s mission (4:1-23) 1. Sanballat, Tobias, and the rest of the enemies mock the Jews (vs. 1-3). 2. They call on their false gods to destroy the Jews (4-5). 3. However, the Jews had a mind to work, and the work continued successfully (vs. 6-9). 4. Nehemiah devised a system which allowed half the people to work while half hid behind the wall with weapons to repel any attack (vs. 7-14) 5. Eventually, the Jews who built, worked with one hand and held weapons in the other (vs. 15-23). E. The people complain that the rich among them took advantage of the circumstances (5:1-13). 1. The people who had labored so hard were doubly oppressed, because they had to mortgage their properties in order to pay taxes and buy food, and redeem their enslaved loved ones (vs. 1-5). 2. Nehemiah angrily chastised the wealthy and commanded them to no longer take usury from the people (vs. 6-13). 3. Nehemiah set the proper example. He did not avail himself of the bounty that was due the governor of Judea, but rather fed many people from his own supplies (vs. 14-19). F. The enemies of the Jews try to intimidate Nehemiah by threatening to send false charges to the Persian king (6:1-14). G. The wall of Jerusalem is completed and Jewish life returns to normal (6:15-12:30) 1. The wall is completed (6:15-19). 2. Nehemiah searches the records for a census of the people (7:1-73) 3. The law of God is read before the assembled people (8:1-12) 4. The people keep the feast of tabernacles (8:12-18) 5. The people confess their sins in the form of a lengthy prayer (9:1- 35)

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6. The people draw up a covenant to obey God, and it is ratified and sealed by the heads of the families (9:35-10:39) 7. Lots are cast to decide who will live in Jerusalem and who will populate other cities in Israel (11:1-36). 8. Nehemiah dedicates the wall of Jerusalem to God (12:27-43) 9. Nehemiah assigns duties to the priests and the Levites in the temple (12:44-47). 10. Nehemiah reminds the people of the need to remain separate from the peoples of the land (13:1-3). 11. Nehemiah returns to Persia for a time, and during this time, evil Eliashib robs the treasury in Jerusalem (13:4-7). Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem and corrects the situation (vs. 8-9). 12. Nehemiah institutes a number of needed reforms including the support of the Levites and priests (13:10-27). 13. Nehemiah prays for God to remember his good works (13:28-30).

Questions:

1. Who was the king in Persia when the Jews were released to return to Jerusalem?

2. What was the essence of this king’s decree?

3. Where in the prophets is this man named? How many years before his birth was he named by the prophet?

4. How many Jews returned with Zerubbabel?

5. Why didn’t every Jew in Persia return to Jerusalem?

6. Who were the opponents who fought against the Jews under Zerubbabel’s leadership?

7. What argument did they make to king Ahasuerus?

8. Which king halted the work?

9. Why did Darius issue a decree to allow the Jews to return to the work of rebuilding the temple?

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10. Who led the second wave of Jews back to Jerusalem?

11. What sin did the people confess to Ezra?

12. What was Nehemiah’s job and which king did he serve?

13. What news set Nehemiah in motion to return to the Jews?

14. How did Nehemiah assess the condition of Jerusalem?

15. Name the enemies of the Jews at this time.

16. What plan did Nehemiah use in order to defend the workers rebuilding the wall?

17. Of what injustice did the people cry out to Nehemiah? How was it corrected?

18. What final attempt did the enemies make to threaten Nehemiah? How did he respond?

19. How did Ezra and the priests read the law to the people? How did the people respond?

20. What feast did the Jews keep?

21. Why did the people cast lots?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Thirty-Three

The Prophet Haggai

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Judah has returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and the holy city

We are nearing the end of our study of the Kings and the prophets. At this point we consider two prophets who have already been mentioned in previous lessons: Haggai and Zechariah. These two prophets were sent to preach to Judah the punishment that was coming if they did not return to the work of rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple. Both men preached the same message, but Haggai did so much more economically, in just two chapters compared to Zechariah’s fourteen chapters. Haggai bluntly condemned the Jews for neglecting the duty God had placed on them. Zechariah did not at all “mince words,” but he employed more figurative language and promises of the coming redemption of the Jews under the Messiah.

Date: 520 B.C.

Haggai helps us determine the exact year, month, and day that he received the word of the Lord. In the opening verse Haggai says, “In the second year of king Darius in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel...and to Joshua....” (1:1) Three other times in the book Haggai specifies a particular date upon which he received revelation from God: 2:1; 2:10; and 2:20. Each of the four prophecies in the book fall within the second year of king Darius. The Darius of Haggai’s book is not to be confused with Darius the Mede who reigned in conjunction with Cyrus the Persian a decade and a half earlier. Darius the Mede is the Darius which figured prominently in Daniel’s book. He succeeded Belshazzar (Daniel 5:31) and condemned Daniel to the lion’s den (Daniel 6:10-23). The Darius of Haggai’s book is also known as Darius I, or Darius the Great. The Jews continued to receive favor from Darius as they had from Cyrus the Great, and were allowed to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple. Darius the Great ruled from 522 B.C. to about 485 B.C. It was during his second year of power (520 B.C.) that Haggai received the Lord’s word.

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Personal information about Haggai:

Haggai gives no personal information about himself. He mentions neither his heritage, nor his occupation. He preached side by side with Zechariah, and is considered to be the older of the two prophets. Haggai hints that he may have been alive when the Jews were initially captured by Nebuchadnezzar, because he asks the people as one with experience: “Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory?” (2:3). While this is only speculation, if it is indeed the case, then Haggai was a very old preacher by this time. This might account for his blunt nature when compared with Zechariah. Both men preached the same truth, but Zechariah did so in much longer form. Haggai got right to the point and declared the sin of the people without much preamble.

Events that prompted Haggai to preach

Following the edict of Cyrus permitting the Jews to return to their homeland (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4), a large number of the Jews (42, 360; Ezra 2:64; 3:8) returned to Jerusalem and set to work rebuilding the temple. They laid the foundation, but were quickly sidetracked by interference from certain “adversaries” (Ezra 4:1ff). Ultimately, the Jews abandoned the entire project. For this reason, God sent Haggai and Zechariah to warn the Jews to return to the great work they had begun a number of years earlier. As a result of the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, the reconstruction of the temple was begun again under the leadership of Zerubbabel.

Theme of Haggai:

The principle message of the book is a chastening admonition for the Jews to return to the work of rebuilding the temple. Haggai warns his people to rebuild the temple or lose God’s blessings. We learn from Haggai that obedience brings God’s favor.

Outline of the book of Haggai:

A. God’s displeasure with the Jews for their neglect of building the temple (1:1-15). 1. A Divine rebuke for the Jew’s neglect of rebuilding the temple (1:2- 6). a. The people say: “The time has not come that the Lord’s house should be built” (1:2). b. “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” (1:4). c. The current suffering is due to disobedience (1:5-6). 2. “...build the temple that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the Lord.” (1:8)

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3. The current suffering of the people is due to the failure of the people to obey God and rebuild the temple (1:9-11). a. You looked for much, but came to little (1:9). b. The heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit (1:10). c. God caused the drought upon the land as punishment for the people’s disobedience (1:11). 4. The people listened to the warnings of the prophet and once more launched into the work under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua the son of Jehozadak (1:12-15). B. A word of comfort to those who will build the temple (2:1-9). 1. Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest are leaders of the work and the people (2:2). 2. The people are urged not to be discouraged in their work (2:3-9). a. The people who remembered considered the current condition of the temple a pitiful shadow of its former glorious self (2:3). b. God would be with the people as long as they obey His will (2:4-5). c. God will shake all the nations of the earth (2:7). d. The materials for rebuilding the temple belong to God (2:8). e. The glory of the latter temple will excel the glory of the former temple when it is completed. C. Disobedience brings suffering, but faithful obedience results in blessings from God (2:10-19). 1. The people are defiled because of their own sins (2:10-14). 2. The Lord punished the people, but they failed to learn from the chastening and repent (2:16-17). a. During the days of disobedience lack and need has increased (2:15-16). b. God struck the work of the people’s hands with blight and mildew and hail, yet they failed to repent (2:17). c. However, with the repentance of the people, God will again bless them (2:18-19). D. God will overthrow the nations. Zerubbabel exalted as leader of the people (2:20-23).

Questions:

1. Give the day, month, and year that the word of the Lord first came to Haggai the prophet.

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2. Were the people content to live in their paneled houses while the temple lay in ruins?

3. During the time of the people’s rebellion, while the temple lay in ruins, had the people prospered and thrived?

4. “Therefore, the ______over you is ______from the ______, and the earth is ______from her ______.”

5. Give the day, month, and year of the reign of Darius that the people returned to the work of rebuilding the temple.

6. Give the month and the day upon which the word of the Lord came to Haggai the second time.

7. How did the current condition of the temple compare to the former glory of the temple?

8. Give the day, month, and the year of the reign of Darius in which the word of the Lord came to Haggai the third time.

9. Upon which day of the month was Haggai given a special message regarding Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel being appointed leader (a signet ring) over the people?

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Thirty-Four

The Prophet Zechariah

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Contemporary with Haggai, Ezra, and Nehemiah. The Jews returned to Jerusalem.

Date: 520 B.C. - 518 B.C.

The prophet Zechariah and the prophet Haggai were contemporaries. They worked side by side in the same great cause. They preached during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah and the return of the Jews to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple. Their purpose was to rebuke and warn the Jews to return to the work which God had assigned them (see: Ezra 4:12). Zechariah tells us that the word of the Lord came to him in the eighth month of the second year of Darius (1:1). According to history, Darius reigned from 522 B.C. to 485 B.C. Hence, the second year of his reign would have been 520 B.C. Zechariah received another revelation on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month of Darius (1:7) and a third revelation came two years later in the fourth year of Darius on the fourth day of the ninth month (7:1). Few question the fact that chapters one through eight fall within the time period of 520 B.C.-518 B.C., but for a variety of reasons some scholars believe that chapters nine through fourteen were written later by a different author. However, since the text does not tell us for sure, we shall assume that Zechariah did write the entire book that bears his name during the given time frame.

Personal information about Zechariah:

Zechariah was the son of Berechiah, who was the son of Iddo the prophet (1:1). Nehemiah lists Zechariah as one of the priests “who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua (Nehemiah 12:1, 16; see also: Ezra 5:1; 6:14). Haggai is generally believed to be the older of the two prophets who prophesied to the people during the rebuilding of the temple.

Theme of the Book of Zechariah:

The primary message of Zechariah’s book is the same as Haggai’s message: Rebuild the temple, and obedience brings God’s blessings. However,

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Zechariah speaks in great detail of the glory of the future Messiah. The message of the prophet Haggai was simple and to-the-point: Rebuild the temple or lose God’s blessings (Haggai 1:1-11). His preaching worked. The people began again the work of rebuilding the temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua, just twenty four days after Haggai began to preach (Haggai 1:15). Zechariah joined Haggai in preaching this great theme. His purpose was to urge the people to join heartily in the work of rebuilding the temple. Zechariah’s preaching, coupled with Haggai’s, produced the desired results and the temple was completed in the sixth year of Darius (516 B.C.). The prophet also looked forward across the centuries to the coming of the Messiah.

Composition of the book of Zechariah:

The book of Zechariah is one of the longest, along with Hosea, of the twelve “minor” prophets, and it is by far the hardest to understand of the twelve books, because it includes many visions and figurative language. Zechariah describes eight “night visions” in the first six chapters. The Lord revealed His will to the prophet by means of these visions. Throughout the course of receiving these visions the prophet speaks with an angel who revealed the meaning of the visions. The book of Zechariah also contains an abundance of material that is unmistakably Messianic:

 “The Branch” (3:8; 6:12; see: Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15).  The King who comes riding upon an ass (9:9; see: Matthew 21:4-5; John 12:15).  Thirty pieces of silver thrown to the potter (11:12-13; see: Matthew 26:14- 16).  Look upon the one who is pierced (12:10; John 19:37).  The shepherd is stricken and the sheep are scattered (13:7; see: Matthew 26:31).

Outline of the book of Zechariah:

A. The prophet urges and encourages the people to join heartily in the work of rebuilding the temple (1:1-8:23). 1. Repent! “’Return to me...and I will return to you,’ says the Lord of hosts” (1:1-6). 2. Eight “Night visions” given to the prophet (1:7-6:15). a. Vision of the horseman among the myrtle trees (1:7-17). b. Vision of four horns and four craftsmen (1:18-21). c. Vision of the measuring line (2:1-13). d. Vision of Joshua the high priest (3:1-10). e. Vision of the golden lampstand and the olive trees (4:1-14).

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f. Vision of the flying scroll (5:1-4). g. Vision of the woman in the basket (5:5-11). h. Vision of the four chariots (6:1-8). 3. The crowning of Joshua the son of Jehozadak; symbolic of the rule of the “Branch” (6:9-15). 4. Instructions regarding fasting (7:1-8:23). B. The fate of the nations and the future rule of the Messiah (9:1-14:21). 1. The first prophecy (9:1-11:17). a. The nations will be vanquished (9:1-8). b. The king of the daughter of Zion (9:9-10). 1) A lowly and humble entrance (9:9). 2) His dominion shall be from sea to sea (9:10). c. God will restore Judah and Ephraim (9:11-10:12). d. Mourning over the destroyed land of Israel (11:1-3). e. Prophecy of the shepherds (11:4-7). 2. The second prophecy (12:1-14:21). a. Judah and Jerusalem will vanquish their enemies (12:1-9). b. Mourning for the One who was pierced (12:10-14). c. Idolatry eliminated (13:1-6). d. The shepherds stricken, the sheep scattered, and the remnant return (13:7-9).

Questions:

Chapter One:

1. Give the month and the year of the reign of Darius that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah.

2. Zechariah was the son of ______who was the son of ______.

3. On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, in the second year of Darius, Zechariah saw a vision of a man on a ______horse among the ______trees.

4. Behind the man on the red horse were horses of ______, ______, and ______.

5. What explanation did the man who stood among the myrtle trees give in answer to the prophet’s question: “O my Lord, what are these?”

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6. In the vision of the four horns, what did the angel say the horns had done to Judah?

Chapter two:

1. When the prophet lifted up his eyes, what did he see in the hand of the man?

2. Where was the man with the measuring line going, and what was his mission?

3. “Deliver ______, O Zion, that ______with the ______of ______.”

Chapter three:

1. Who was the high priest that Zechariah saw standing before the angel of the Lord?

2. Who was standing at the high priest’s right hand to oppose him?

3. How was the high priest clothed while standing before the angel?

4. With what was the high priest crowned? What did it represent?

5. Give other Bible texts which describe “The Branch”. Who is the Branch?

Chapter four:

1. Describe the vision Zechariah saw in chapter four. What did the vision represent?

2. Zerubbabel laid the foundations of the temple. Would he finish it?

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4. What was represented by the olive branches that emptied themselves through the golden pipes?

Chapter Five:

1. Zechariah saw a vision of a flying ______. What did the vision represent?

2. Give the dimensions of the object Zechariah saw.

3. Describe the second vision Zechariah saw in chapter five.

4. Where was the woman in the ephah carried by the women who had wings like a stork?

Chapter six:

1. Zechariah saw a vision of four ______.

2. He also saw two mountains made of ______.

3. Describe the horses in each of the chariots: a. b. c. d.

4. What did this vision represent?

5. Elaborate ______were to be fashioned of silver and gold and placed on the head of ______.

6. The Branch would rule on His ______and be ______upon His ______.

Chapter seven:

1. What question was asked of the priests?

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2. Did the people fast in full devotion to the Lord?

3. What message did the people refuse to hear by stopping their ears?

4. The people made their ______as adamant ______that they would not hear.

5. What was God’s punishment for His people’s refusal to hear?

Chapter eight:

1. Jerusalem would be called a city of ______.

2. The streets of the city would be full of ______and ______playing.

3. From where will God save His people?

4. During this time of restoration a man would speak ______with his neighbor, and execute the judgment of ______.

Chapter nine:

1. What would the Lord do unto Tyre, who had exalted herself?

2. ______shall not be inhabited.

3. Israel’s King would come riding upon an ______.

4. Where in the New Testament is this fulfilled in Christ?

Chapter ten:

1. What did the idols and diviners do for the people?

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2. How would Judah and Israel fare in battle?

3. The Lord would gather His people again from the land of ______and from ______.

Chapter Eleven:

1. When the Lord no longer pitied the inhabitants of the land He would deliver every man into his ______hand.

2. The people were to be as flocks fed for ______.

3. To what incident in the life and death of Christ does the above prophecy Pertain?

4. Give the scripture where we see this prophecy fulfilled.

Chapter twelve:

1. Jerusalem would be made a cup of ______when the people around them lay siege to Judah and Jerusalem.

2. What will the governors of Judah say in that day?

3. The house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem would mourn for the one they have ______. (show fulfillment)

Chapter thirteen:

1. In the day of the pierced one a ______shall be opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness.

2. What would he Lord cut off from the land in that day?

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3. In that day, how would the false prophets feel about the visions they had prophesied?

4. How is the shepherd whose sheep were scattered when he was struck with the sword?

Chapter fourteen:

1. On that day the Lord would stand on the mount of ______which is ______of Jerusalem.

2. Describe the manner of the plague that will strike all people who have fought against Jerusalem.

3. What would those who survive who had fought against Jerusalem do from year to year?

4. What would be the punishment of those who did not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts?

5. In that day every pot in Jerusalem shall be ______to the Lord.

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A Study Of The Kings And Prophets Lesson Thirty-Five

The Prophet Malachi

Timeline Of The Kings:

Judah Late contemporary with Haggai, Zechariah, and Nehemiah. The Jews returned to Jerusalem.

Date: 445 B.C.- 400 B.C.

The prophet Malachi was the last of the writing prophets sent by God to His people. Following Malachi’s work, a period of about four hundred years elapsed in which God was silent toward the Jews. This silence was shattered by “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3 ). Malachi doesn’t give us any clues about when he preached. However, he is generally put by most scholars at the end of the Old Testament. After Malachi, there was no more revelation until the coming of John the baptist, so there was roughly four hundred years of silence from God after Malachi. Consider the following points that suggest that Malachi was the final prophet:

A. Temple worship was in common practice (though in a half-hearted form — 1:7-10; 3:8). The temple was not completed until 516 B.C., so no temple activities took place prior to this time. B. Malachi doesn’t preach against the Jew’s neglect of rebuilding the temple like Haggai and Zechariah, so we can assume two things: 1. The temple was already completed by Malachi’s time. 2. Therefore, Malachi prophesied after Haggai and Zechariah (520 B.C.-516 B.C.). C. Malachi preached against the same sins confronted by Nehemiah. These sins are recorded at length in Nehemiah’s book. Therefore, even though Haggai and Zechariah had done their work and had gotten the Jews to repent and return to their work, Malachi shows that the work of warning the Jews was never finished. True to their pattern, the Jews seemed to always wander back into the same pattern of neglect over and over. 1. Neglectful priests — (Malachi 1:6-14; Nehemiah 13:4-9). 2. Failure of the people to pay tithes — (Malachi 3:8-10; Nehemiah 13:10-18).

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3. Intermarriage with foreign women — (Malachi 2:10-12; Nehemiah 13:23-28).

Personal information about Malachi

Malachi, unfortunately, gives no personal information about himself. He is mentioned by name only one time in the entire Bible, and that is by his own pen (1:1).

Theme of Malachi

Malachi rebuked the Jews’ for their heartless worship of God and their marital sins.

Outline of Malachi

A. God has always loved His people (1:1-5). 1. God loved Jacob and hated Esau (1:2-3). 2. Edom will build, and God will throw them down (1:4-5). B. A rebuke of the negligent and corrupt priests in Judah (1:6-2:9). 1. “Where is my honor?...Where is my reverence?” (1:6) 2. The priests offer less than the best in sacrifices (1:7-8). 3. More favorable sacrifice is offered by the heathens (1:9-11). 4. Blemished sacrifices were unacceptable to God (1:12-14). 5. Failure to hear the commandment of God brings a curse (2:1-2). 6. God’s covenant was with Levi (2:4-6). 7. The priests corrupted the covenant God made with Levi (2:7-9). a. The priests were designated to be the teachers of God’s law (2:7). b. By departing from the way, priests caused many to stumble at the law (2:8). C. The people sinned by intermarrying with foreign nations, and by engaging in divorce (2:10-17). 1. The Jews dealt treacherously with each other and with God by profaning God’s institution of marriage (2:10-11). 2. “The Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce” (2:16). D. The Messenger of the Lord (3:1-7). 1. “Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.” (3:1) 2. The Lord will then come suddenly to His temple (3:1). 3. He will sit in Judgment (3:2-5). 4. Return to me and I will return to you (3:7). E. Rebuke of the people (3:8-18). 1. The people robbed God by withholding tithes (3:8-10). 2. They complained against God (3:13-15). 3. Those who repent will be spared (3:16-18).

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F. The day of the Lord is coming (4:1-6).

Questions:

Chapter one:

1. God shows his favor for the children of Israel by pointing out the favor God showed to ______over ______.

2. Who received more honor among the people of Malachi’s day, God or men’s earthly fathers and masters?

3. How did the priests regard the name of God?

4. What kind of food did the priests offer on the altar?

5. Did God accept blind and lame animals as sacrifices to Himself?

6. Where in the books of the law are the people specifically forbidden to offer defiled sacrifices?

7. “But ye have ______it, in that ye say, the ______of the Lord is ______; and the ______thereof, even his ______, is ______.”

Chapter two:

1. The priests lips should keep ______.

2. From whose mouths should the people seek the law of God?

3. In what way had Judah dealt treacherously and committed an abomination against God?

4. What is God’s attitude toward divorce?

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5. With what words had the priests wearied God?

Chapter three:

1. How many messengers are mentioned in verses one and two?

2. Who is the messenger who will prepare the way before the Lord?

3. Who is the messenger who will come quickly to his temple, and who is the messenger of the covenant?

4. In the day of the Lord’s coming He will be like a ______fire and a ______soap.

5. Does the Lord change?

6. How had the people robbed God?

Chapter four:

1. On the day of the Lord’s coming what would become of the proud?

2. On that day what would be the fate of those who fear the Lord’s name?

3. Whose coming would precede the coming of the day of the Lord?

4. Who is Elijah of Malachi 4:5? Give scripture to prove your answer.

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