Our “survey” approach to the Old Testament has obviously become much broader as of late. We hope what we are giving you will be helpful and encouraging for you as you read through the OT. In the next few posts our plan is to give you an introduction to the books of the Kings and Chronicles.
·
Authorship
There isn’t much to say here as the Bible
does not tell us. Jewish tradition
suggests that Jeremiah was the author.
The language and expression is similar in Jeremiah and the Kings. There is some literal agreement (cf. 2 Kings
24 and Jer. 52). It was written after
the destruction of Jerusalem (between 561 and 538BC), and Jeremiah was
available at that time, even when he was taken to Egypt.
·
Sources
of material
The Bible does speak to this issue.
1 Kings 11:41 refers to the Book of the Acts of Solomon. Seventeen times Kings refers to the Book
of the Chronicles of Israel, and 15 times to the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. “Chronicles” in our Bible could refer to
Judah but not Israel. These books were contemporary court records. 1 Ki. 4:3 refers to a recorder for the
court.
On the question of “inspiration of Scripture”
this use of sources would mean that the Holy Spirit led the human author to
these records. The doctrine of
Inspiration states that the Holy Spirit carried the writers along in such a way
that what they wrote was free from error (2 Pet. 1:20-21).
·
Overview
(1 & 2 Kings were originally one book)
o
1015-975BC:
Solomon reigns over undivided kingdom (1 Kings 1-11).
o
975-722BC:
The divided kingdom, 2 nations side-by-side (1 Ki. 12 – 2 Ki. 17).
o
722-560BC:
The Kingdom of Judah by itself into 37 years of captivity (2 Ki. 18-25).
·
Purpose:
o Show how Israel prospered when obedient and
suffered when disobedient.
o Show God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His
promises to David in spite of Israel’s sins.
o Not just a civil history, but a religious and
theocratic view.
·
Relation
to other books:
o Kings are a continuation of Samuel.
o Kings and 2 Chronicles cover a similar time
period (1 Sam. & 1 Chron. cover David) but have significant differences.
§ Chr. has no history of the NK; Kings deals
more with the N than the S.
§ Chr. deals with Levites and temple ministry;
Kings with political history.
·
Outline:
o
1 Ki.
1-2: commencement of Solomon’s reign, consolidation of his power.
o
1 Ki.
3-11: development of Solomon’s government.
o
1 Ki.
12-16:28: the early enmity between Judah and Israel.
o
1 Ki.
16:29-2 Ki. 10: friendship & intermarriage between royal houses of Israel
and Judah.
o
2 Ki.
11-17: renewal of hostilities between Judah and Israel.
o
2 Ki.
18-25: history of Judah to the Babylonian captivity.
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