What should we look for as we read through 1 and 2 Kings? Several themes are prominent:
First, 1 and 2 Kings records the history from the death of David to the fall of Jerusalem (971-562 BC). How did the kingdom go from being God’s chosen nation to a heap of rubble? 1 and 2 Kings explains how the kings constantly turned away from God. Moreover, after the Exile, a number of key features change in Israel:
New language: Aramaic
New name: Judeans = Jews
New theology: polytheism is gone
New way of life: more urban—less agricultural
New worship: the development of synagogues
Second, 1 and 2 Kings explains the turmoil of the kings, prophets, and priests. Archer writes, “The theme of these two books was to demonstrate on the basis of Israel’s history that the welfare of the nation ultimately depended upon the sincerity of its faithfulness to the covenant with Yahweh.”[] Ultimately, where these men failed, Jesus would succeed—being the perfect King, Prophet, and Priest.
Third, 1 and 2 Kings give us two perspectives on history: human and divine. From the human perspective, it looks like free moral agents are carrying out their business, but from the divine perspective, we see that God’s plan is being carried out. Thus we’ll read that a king killed another king out of his own free will, but then we’ll read, “This fulfilled the word of the Lord.”
Fourth, 1 and 2 Kings give us a picture of a divided nation. Israel had 45 kings in its history, but 42 of these kings reigned over a divided kingdom. Sometimes when nations split, they will come back together. Not so with Israel. Saul, David, and Solomon were the only kings to reign over a united monarchy.
James is an elder at Dwell Community Church, where he teaches classes in theology, apologetics, and weekly Bible studies.
