Coming into 1 Kings, we have behind us the background of the nation of Israel. From the creation to the call of Abraham, from the increase of the peoples in Egypt to the exodus, from the giving of the Law to the conquest of the Land, from rule by Judges to rule by Monarchy, we’ve seen the nation of Israel come into being.
At the end of 2 Samuel, Israel was ruled by King David, whom Jews now look back on as the best earthly king the nation ever had. Yet David’s rule was not the apex of the nation’s glory. It is under the rule of David’s son Solomon that the nation will reach the zenith of it’s splendor. It is also under Solomon that decline from that high point will begin.
We know there must be decline for in the time of Jesus, Israel is a nation occupied by a foreign power, Rome. How did that happen? What happened to the nation that was to be an example to the world of what it looked like to worship Yahweh? 1&2 Kings will tell us that story.
A brief outline of 1 Kings will look like this.
- Solomon’s reign (1-11)
- Division of Kingdom (12-14)
- Decline of Israel (15-16)
- Elijah (17-22)
There is a lot of history here, and many lessons worth learning. In many ways the book is the story of the decline of a nation. What I want us to focus on will involve that decline, but I want to primarily focus on the two main characters, Solomon and Elijah, and the contrasts between them.
These last several books have been stories of contrast between different characters. We saw most vividly the contrast between Saul and David.
Saul’s heart was concerned with what people thought, concerned with himself and his standing in the eyes of men. This led to arrogance and pride on his part.
David’s heart was humble before God. He was concerned with what God thought, not what man thought. He was concerned with his standing before God, not men.
As we look at 1 Kings, and the stories of Solomon and Elijah, we’ll contrast the two men’s responses to the surrounding culture. › Continue reading