1 Kings

The books of the Kings, as the title indicates, deal with the kings of the nation, Israel and Judah.  The first book of the Kings opens with the glorious reign of Solomon (the temple built), but by the middle of the book, the kingdom is divided under his son Rehoboam.  The trouble in both the northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms was the constant rejection of God and embracing of idolatry (false religion).  There were no faithful kings in Israel, and only six in Judah (Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Uzziah, Jotham, and Josiah). 

The book of 2 Kings ends with the captivity of Judah by Babylon.  The object of these books is to show the rise and fall of the Hebrew kingdom according to the people’s acceptance or rejection of their God.

Outine:

I. The Kingdom United (1 Kings 1-11)

A. Solomon’s wealth and wisdom (1-4)      

B. Solomon’s temple (5-9)

C. Solomon’s sins (10-11)

Il. The Kingdom Divided (1 Kings 12-22)

A. Division of the kingdom, Rehoboam and Jeroboam (12-14)

B. Kings over Judah (15:1-24)

C. Kings over Israel (15:25-16)

D. Elijah and Ahab (17-22)

III. The Kingdom Taken Captive (Il Kings 1-25)

A. Israel headed toward captivity (l -17)

B. Judah headed toward captivity (18-25)