Lord’s Day, Vol. 12. No. 29
Opening the First Book of Kings
The First Book of Kings records the history of the nation of Israel at the close of king David’s life (1 Kings 1), the transition to king Solomon (1 Kings 2), the reign of king Solomon with the building of the First Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 3-10), the fall of Solomon through intermarriage with foreign women and the entry of idolatry into Israel (1 King 11 cf. 1 Kings 3:1). This resulted in the chastisement of God with the kingdom rent into two after Solomon’s death, with the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and the division of Israel into the Northern Kingdom consisting of ten tribes led by Jeroboam and the Southern Kingdom consisting of Judah and Benjamin (1 Kings 12) by Rehoboam.
To Jereboam,the prophet Ahijah gave this prophecy – 1 Kings 11:31-36 (KJV) … Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
Thus, in the Book of 1 Kings, is recorded (1) The United Kingdom of Israel (1-11 cf. 1 Chron. and 2 Chron. 1-9) and (2) The Divided Kingdom (12-22 cf. 2 Chron. 10-36).
（1）The United Kingdom (1 Kings 1-11)
The book begins with David in his old age choosing Solomon to succeed him as king of the United Kingdom of Israel – “Now king David was old and stricken in years…” (1:1).
1 Kings 1:32-35; 2:10-12 (KJV) And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. … 2:10-12 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.
When Solomon began to rule, he loved the LORD and was granted by the LORD a wise and understanding heart (3:12) to rule Israel, together with riches and honour (3:13) on the condition that he would walk in His ways – 1 Kings 3:14 (KJV) And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
Solomon reigned wisely in Israel appointing eleven princes (4:1-6) and twelve officers (4:7-19) in the kingdom’s administration, the kingdom prospered – 1 Kings 4:20-21; 9:20-21 (KJV) Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry. And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life. … 1 Kings 9:20-21 (KJV) And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel, Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.
Solomon also built a navy of ships (9:26) to explore the great seas bringing him knowledge and wealth (9:27-28; 10:22) – 1 Kings 10:23-25 (KJV) So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
According to his father David’s instruction, Solomon built the First Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 5-9) – 1 Kings 6:1; 7:48-51 (KJV) And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. … 1 Kings 7:48-51 (KJV) And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was, And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold, And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple. So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.
The Temple was dedicated amidst much rejoicing in Israel with the ark of the covenant placed in the most holy place. As it was in the Tabernacle when Israel was in the wilderness, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD – 1 Kings 8:10-11 (KJV) And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
In the stipulation for kings in Israel given by Moses, Solomon failed in three areas – He multiplied horses and multiplied wives and concubines, and multiplied to himself silver and gold – Deuteronomy 17:16-17 (KJV) But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
1 Kings 10:26-29 (KJV) And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.
Also, 1 Kings 11:1-4 (KJV) But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the
LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
Idolatry crept insidiously into Israel through the foreign wives that Solomon brought to Israel. It was a snare that would finally destroy the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C. and the deportation of the Southern Kingdom to Babylon in 586 B.C. for 70 years. Psalm 137 describes their sorrow in the land of their captivity.
The LORD warned Solomon against going after other gods but he did not take heed. As a result, the kingdom would be rent into two after his death – 1 Kings 11:9-13 (KJV) And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
Appeal was made by Jeroboam, leader of the 10 northern tribes for Rebohoam the new king after Solomon toreduce the heavy taxes imposed upon the people – 1 Kings 12:1-4 (KJV) And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;) That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
Rehoboam hearkened not and made their yoke even more grievous. And the result was this – 1 Kings 12:16-19 (KJV) So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
1 Kings 12:25-33 (KJV) Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
(2) The Divided Kingdom (1 Kings 12-22）
The chastisement of God will come upon the nation henceforth till the nation would repent and return to Him. This is the ensuing account from 1 Kings 12 to the end of 2 Kings 25:30 with the destruction of the Northern Kingdom (2 Kings 17) and the Southern Kingdom’s deportation to Babylon (2 Kings 24-25). It was also the time when God raised prophets to rebuke His people. Elijah in the time of 1 King 17- 2 Kings 2 during the reign of the kings Ahab and Ahaziah of Israel, the 7th and 8th Northern kings. And Elisha in 2 Kings 19:16b was anointed by Elijah to continue the work of rebuking the wayward kings and people of Israel to turn themback to the LORD. Such is the lovingkindness and longsuffering of the LORD towards His wayward children.
The Northern Kingdom has 19 wicked kings who followed not the LORD. In 1 Kings were recorded (1) Jeroboam (11:26-14:20), (2) Nadab (15:25-28), (3) Baasha (15:27-6:7), (4) Elah (16:6-14), (5) Zimri (16:9-20), (6) Omri (16:15-28), (7) Ahab (16:28-22:40), (8) Ahaziah (16:28-2 Kings 1:18). The reign of the Southern Kingdom referred as Israel and Ephraim began in 931 B.C. and ended in 722 B.C. when the capital Samaria was captured by the Assyrians. There was not return from captivity. The Northern Kingdom lasted 210 years from 931 B.C. to 721 B.C.
The Southern Kingdom had 20 kings. The 7th was Queen Athaliah (2 Kings 11:2-20). In 1 Kings was the account of Rehoboam (11:42-14:31), Abijam (14:31-15:8), Asa (15:8-14) and Jehoshaphat (22:41-50). The reign of Rehoboam was from 931 B.C. known as Judah was deported to Babylon in 536 B.C for 70 years. The Southern Kingdom lasted 325 years from 931-606 B.C. the first deportation of the people to Babylon. The last ruler was Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17-2 Kings 25:7) with the destruction of the First Temple (2 Kings 25:8-21).
The in-route of mixed marriages and idolatry destroyed both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. The same snares threaten the well-being of people of God in the church. May the church take need to the Apostle Paul’s warning to flee immorality, idolatry and materialism in Colossians 3:5 (KJV) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee