Summary of 1 Kings

Summary of 1 Kings

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

1 Kings 1-2: Adonijah Fails to Be King/Solomon; King of Israel
1 Kings 3-4:  Solomon's Judgment/Solomon Reigns with Wisdom
1 Kings 5-6:  Stones and Timber for the Temple/Solomon Builds the Temple
1 Kings 7-8:  Solomon Builds Himself a House/The Ark of the Temple
1 Kings 9-10:  Promises of Blessings/Queen of Sheba Visits King Solomon
1 Kings 11-12:  Solomon Worships False Gods/The 10 Tribes Revolt
1 Kings 13-14:  Jeroboam is Healed by a Prophet from Judah/Prophecy of Ahijah and Jeroboam
1 Kings 15-16:  Abijam Reigns in Wickedness/Elah, Zimi, Omri and Ahas Reign in Wickedness
1 Kings 17-18:  Elijah Raises a Little Child from Death/Elijah Challenges the Prophets of Baal
1 Kings 19-20:  A Still Small Voice/Ben-hadad Makes War with Israel
1 Kings 21-22: Ahab Kills Naboth for His Vineyard/Micaiah Foretells the Death of Ahab

Summary:

                The book of 1st Kings is Narrative History and Prophecy. The author is anonymous; whoever, some suggest the prophet Jeremiah had his hand in writting the book. It was written about 560-538 B.C. The people mentioned most are David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Elijah, Ahab and Jezebel.

                If you had to catagorize and figure out what 1 Kings is teaching, I would say that the purpose is to learn and contrast between those who obey and those who disobey God, and the consequences good and bad that follow that decision. The book describes the rule of Solomon as the last king of Israel and then the dividing of the kingdom after his death. It includes a great prayer to the Lord in chapter 8. The writer of the books of the Kings describes the events of the Northern and Southern kingdoms after the division.

                In chapters 1-11: Solomon becomes kings, through violent means. After his father David dies, David instructs Solomon to "walk in His (God's) ways" (1st Kings 2:3). Solomon asks God for wisdom an God is pleased at this request and approves. Solomon begins a building, which includes the construction of the the Temple, which his father desired and prepared him to do. He began building the Temple 480 years after the Exodus from Egypt started. Seven years later, the Ark was brought to the temple, and the Glory of the Lord descended upon it, Solomon prays a powerful prayer and then offers sacrifices to the Lord. Solomon, although the wisest king ever, starts to do things that are not so wise and begins to worship false gods of his wives and is subdued by his lust for women, his downfall was looming and his death followed shortly after.

                In chapters 12-22: show the beginning of the end of the united kingdom of Israel, the nation, with difficult decisions, ends up making the wrong decision. Around 931 B.C. the kingdom splits in two: North and South. Rehoboam inherits the kingdom and is persistent about enforcing high taxes. The Northern tribes begin a revolt and Jeroboam is crowned king of Israel. Ten tribes became the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin became the Southern Kingdom of Judah. God raises up his prophet Elijah to warn the evil king Ahab to turn from idol worship and to return to God.