We begin the divided kingdom.

Many find it difficult to read 1st and 2nd Kings b/c it goes back and forth between the northern kingdom (10 tribes) and the southern kingdom (2 tribes). But there is a pattern. The author will start with a king in one of the two kingdoms and tell the events of his entire reign. Let’s suppose a king (king A) reigns 20 years. If at the end of his reign a new king has not begun to reign in the other kingdom, then the author will go to the next king after king A and give the events of his reign. But if at the end of the reign of king A a new king has begun to reign in the other kingdom, then the author will skip to the other kingdom and give the events of that king to his death. The process continues in this manner.

For example: 1 Kings 15:8 Asa became king of the southern kingdom. The author then gives all the events of the 40 year reign of Asa to his death (1 Kings 15:24). But during his reign, in the 2nd year of his reign, Nadab the son of Jereboam became king over the northern kingdom and reigned over Israel 2 years. Then Baasha reigned over Israel 24 years. Ela then became king over Israel and reigned 2 years. Then Zimri became king over Israel and reigned 7 days. Then Omri became king of Israel and reigned 12 years. Then Ahab became king over Israel and reigned 22 years. 1 Kings 16:29 says that Ahab became king in the 38th year of the 40 year reign of Asa king of Judah. Notice that the author has covered the reign of 5 consecutive kings of Israel who reigned over Israel during Asa’s 40 year reign. He then gives the events of the next king of Israel, Ahab, up to his death (1 Kings 22:40) which extends 20 years past the reign of Asa in Judah. BTW that means that 1 Kings 16-22 are all about the reign of Ahab. 1 Kings 22:40 mentions that Ahaziah becomes king of Israel after Ahab dies but doesn’t give the events of Ahaziah’s reign yet. Instead, during the 22 year reign of Ahab a new king, Jehoshaphat, arose in Judah in the 4th year of Ahab’s reign and reigned 25 years. So at the death of Ahab the author skips from the northern kingdom and reign of Ahab over to the southern kingdom and the reign of Jehoshaphat. During Jehoshaphat’s 25 year reign, in the 17th year of his reign at the death of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Israel so the author at the death of Jehoshaphat will skip back to the northern kingdom and give the events of the 2 year reign of Ahaziah up to the death of Ahaziah (2 Kings 1:17). So now you are even more confused, right? I do think this is the pattern used in 1st and 2nd kings to cover all the kings of the two divided kingdoms. I hope that helps. When I am studying or teaching just the kings of Judah, I always use 2 Chronicles 10-36 b/c that only covers kings of Judah consecutively and not the kings of Israel, so it is not as confusing as using 1 and 2 Kings. It will mention kings of Israel when they are involved in the reigns of any of the kings of Judah, but it does not cover the reigns of any of the kings of Israel like 1 and 2 Kings does.

So in our continued reading of 1 and 2 Kings, let’s use this pattern to go back and forth between the 2 kingdoms.

Judah #1 Rehoboam 1Kings 12-14 Reigned 17 years.

Judah #2 Abijam 1 Kings 15:1-7 Reigned 3 years. He did evil but for the sake of David God kept the kingly line going.

Judah #3 Asa 1 Kings 15:8-24 Reigned 41 years.

Israel #2 Nadab. 1 Kings 15:25-27 Reigned 2 years. Assassinated by Baasha who killed all of the rest of Jereboam’s household..

Israel #3 Baasha. 1 Kings 15:28-16:7 Reigned 24 years.

Israel #4 Elah. 1 Kings 16:6-14 Reigned 2 years. Zimri assassinated Elah and killed all of his household.

Israel #5 Zimri. 1 Kings 16:9-20 Reigned 7 days. Zimri also killed all of the rest of Baasha’s household. Committed suicide by burning himself in a house.

Israel #6 Omri. 1 Kings 16:15-28 Reigned 12 years. Built the city of Samaria to be the capital of the northern kingdom.

Israel #7 Ahab. 1 Kings 16:28-22:40 Reigned 22 years. Worshipped Baal and Asherah.

1 Kings 17 begins the work of Elijah the prophet. We will number and record the miracles of Elijah;

Elijah Miracle #1: He predicted a famine to last 3 1/2 years. James 5:17-18 mentions this. Ravens fed Elijah at a brook.

Elijah Miracle #2: Flour and oil for the widow at Zarepheth. She was about to prepare her last flour and oil for her and her son to eat and then die, but by faith gave it to Elijah. He gave her flour and oil during the famine. Luke 4:25-27 mentions this widow.

Elijah Miracle #3: Raised son of the widow when he died. He stretched out on him 3 times and he came to life.

1 Kings 18 begins with the prophet Obadiah who hid 100 prophets from Jezebel who had killed prophets of the Lord. Elijah got him to arrange a meeting for him and Ahab, which Obadiah reluctantly did. Elijah met with Ahab and challenged his prophets to a test on Mt Carmel . 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah, all verses Elijah the true prophet of God.

Elijah Miracle #4: The defeat of the prophets of Baal and Asherah at Mt Carmel. They tried all day to call down fire from their false gods to consume the altar and Ellijah mocked them. Elijah then drenched the altar 3 times and called down fire that consumed the offering and the the altar. He then had the 450 prophets of Baal killed.

Elijah Miracle #5: He prayed and ended the drought. James 5:17-28

1 Kings 19 Elijah’s depression. Jezebel was furious when she heard that Elijah had milled 450 of her prophets of Baal. She swore to kill Elijah within one day. Elijah is obviously depressed. He goes to Mt Horeb (Mt Sinai) for 40 days and nights. Twice God asked him, “19:“What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁰ He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”” As He did with Moses, the Lord passsed by but he was not in the violent wind, earthquake, or fire. Instead he was in a gentle breeze. God then told him to quit feeling sorry for himself and get back to his work as a prophet, to anoint Hazael of Syria (who would kill many in Israel), Jehu (who would kill Ahab and Jezebel), and Elisha (who would take Elijah’s place). He also told him that he was not alone in serving God, that He still had 7,000 who had not bowed to Baal. That’s not a lot percentage wise of the Israelites, but God has always been in the remnant business.

Life Lesson: Do you struggle with depression and self pity? Do you ever feel like you are the only one trying your best to do God’s will? Does it bother you when the wicked seem to have the upper hand in our society? Does it bother you when God doesn’t react to evil in some forceful way (the wind, the earthquake, the fire) but instead He just gently continues to work among men? Does it bother you when evil leaders and dictators all around the world kill God’s people and nothing happens to them? Are you running from your problems or staying and fighting, trusting in God? If so, maybe you need to go to an isolated place (like Mt Horeb) and spend some time meditating on God’s power and working, renewing your courage to get back in the fight. Get back to work using your gift to serve the Lord and let the Lord take care of vengeance.