1. We need to remember that 1st Kings and 2nd Kings once existed as a single text. 2. The author is known but many believe it may have been Jeremiah around 560 B.C.
3. The text reminds us that the Northern Kingdom never had a righteous king. Idol worship contined even though prophets such as Elisha taught otherwise. As punishment God sends the people into permanent dispersion.
4. The Southern Kingdom was a bit better with rightous events during the reign of Hezekiah and Josiah, however, God also sent the Southern Kingdom into exile.
5. God’s Kingdom plan was never in jeopardy simply because the Israelites were sent into exile. The promise of a kingdom existed in the Davidic line. A temporal kingdom and temple was never the goal.
6. The book centers on the ministry of Elisha in chapters 2-8.
7. Two major sieges of Jerusalem are discussed-----the first by Sennacherib of Assyria (701 B.C.) where God intervened (chapter 19). The second seige was by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon around 586 B.C. (chapter 25) which tells the story about the destruction of the city and Solomon’s temple.
8. There are three main sections of the text…..Elisha’s ministry (chapters 1-8); the later period of the divided monarchy (chapters 9-17); and the period of Judah alone (chapters 18-25).
9. The text can be confusing because details alternative between the Northern and Southern kingdoms.
10. Chapter 17 provides a theological reason for the fall of Israel, but does not tell us any military, political, or economic reasons.
11. The book evaluates people by just one criterion: did they do “right in the Lord’s eyes” or not?
12. Nearly three centuries are covered within 2nd Kings, so it confirms the worldview category of time and place….as history moves forward God’s plan moves forward as well.
13. The story of 2nd Kings is largely one of disloyalty, and God’s “educational program” meant teaching His people that He values faithfulness to Him above all else, even if that means exiling them.
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Great POst as always!!!
ReplyDeletemy 13 is up on
Working at Home Mom
What a wonderfully educational TT! I have to admit that parts of the Old Testament have often seemed hard to muddle through. I know that sounds terrible, but maybe I need to start finding a general outline of what's in the book. That way I'll have some background information before trying to read it. This was nicely done. Thanks for sharing this. Ta for now dahling!
ReplyDeleteI like Kings. And Judges. They are like stories. Judges 4 i smy all-time fave, probably.
ReplyDeleteHello..thanks for sharing about 2 Kings..
ReplyDeleteThe two sticks shall be one in my hand.
ReplyDeleteThe Stick of the North were the tribes placed into diversity and were pressed hard by the Prophets and many fled before the Judgment. Carthage and the Iberian Peninsula .. the Nations of Spain and Portugal .. Even Briton (BRT) covenant people and Parthia (PRT same as BRT) covenant people (King David Ruler) came into being from the Northern Stick. Parthia converted to Christianity .. started the Nations .. jerUSAlem.
Parthia fought Rome five times and beat them. They had light and heavy cavalry, the snaffle bit, the compound bow, supply trains to augment their armies and Acupuncture with batteries to perform painless surgery. Kiber Pass .. above ground seplicures .. rock and frozen soil .. Hebrew word in Afghanistan/Parthia BRT.
I am waiting for Adoni to put the two sticks together in his hand.