|
Introduction to Second Kings
Keith Sharp
A. History Covered
As
First Kings closes, Ahaziah, son of Ahab, has
ascended the throne of Israel.
It is apparent the house of Ahab must be destroyed, for, despite the work of
Elijah and the death of Ahab in fulfillment of the word of Micaiah, Ahaziah persists in
the sins of his father. Second Kings relates the history of Israel and Judah
from the reign of Ahaziah until the destruction of Judah by
Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC, a period of about 275 years.
Through
the ministries of the great prophets Elijah and Elisha,
the Lord exterminated the Baal and Ashtoreth
worship introduced by Ahab and destroyed even the house of Ahab (10:17,26-28). These brave prophets, as God's spokesmen,
represented the true strength of Israel (2:12). But Israel
remained idolatrous (10:29-31).
Because
of Jehoshaphat's compromising actions, Baal worship
was also brought into Judah
(8:16-18). The house of David was almost obliterated (11:1-2). But the priest
Jehoida eradicated the influence of the house of
Ahab and its attendant Baal worship from Judah (11:13-21).
Israel continued to reject God. They not only
continued the calf worship but brought in every form of abominable idolatry.
Not a single monarch of the northern kingdom served the Lord with a true
heart. Thus, God annihilated them by the Assyrians in 721 BC (17:5-18).
Judah eventually became even worse than her
northern sister (17:19; cf. Ezekiel 16:51). The only good kings of Judah
after Jehoshaphat were Amaziah, Uzziah (Azariah), Jotham, Hezekiah, and
Josiah. Eventually, Judah
too was taken into captivity, by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 606 - 586, for
her own wickedness (24:1-3; 25:1-21). Jerusalem
and the temple were destroyed (25:9-10).
B. Theme
The
theme of Second Kings Is the Decay and Captivity of Israel and
Judah (17:19-23; 24:3-4).
C. Outline
1. The Strength of Israel: The
Ministries of Elijah & Elisha - chapters 1 - 10
a. The End of Elijah's
Ministry - chapters 1 - 2
(1) Victory over Ahaziah - chapter 1
(2) Ascent to Heaven - chapter
2
b. The Ministry of Elisha - 2:13 - 8:15
(1) The Miracles of Elisha - 2:13 - 8:6
(2) Elisha
Anoints Hazael over Syria - 8:7-15
2. The Fall of Israel & Judah - 8:16 - 25:30
a. Joram
(Judah, wicked) - 8:16-24
b. Ahaziah
(Judah, wicked) - 8:25-29; 9:27-29
c. Jehu
(Israel,
wicked) (The Fall of the House of Ahab) - 9:1 - 10:36
d. Athaliah
(queen, Judah, extremely wicked) - 11:1-16
e. Jehoash
(Judah,
first good - then wicked) - 11:17 - 12:21
f. Jehoahaz
(Israel,
wicked) - 13:1-9
g. Jehoash
(Israel,
wicked) - 13:10-25
h. Amaziah
(Judah,
good) - 14:1-22
i. Jeroboam (Israel, wicked) - 14:23-29
j. Azariah
(Uzziah) (Judah, good) - 15:1-7
k. Zechariah (Israel,
wicked) - 15:8-12
l. Shallum
(Israel,
very wicked) - 15:13-16
m. Menahem
(Israel,
wicked) - 15:17-22
n. Pekahiah
(Israel,
wicked) - 15:23-26
o. Pekah
(Israel,
wicked) - 15:27-31
p. Jotham
(Judah,
good) - 15:32-38)
q. Ahaz
(Judah, very wicked) - chapter 16
r. Hoshea
(Israel,
bad, but not as bad as previous kings) - chapter 17
(The Fall of Israel)
s. Hezekiah (Judah, very
good) - chapters 18 - 20
(Isaiah, Judah's Spiritual Revival)
t. Manasseh (Judah,
extremely wicked) - 21:1-18
u. Amon
(Judah, wicked) - 21:19-26
v. Josiah (Judah, very
good) - 22:1 - 23:30
(Judah's
Last Spiritual Revival)
w. Jehoahaz
(Judah,
wicked) - 23:31-34)
(Taken Captive to Egypt by Pharaoh Necho)
x. Jehoiakim (Eliakim) (Judah,
wicked) - 23:35 - 24:7
(Taken Captive to Babylon
by Nebuchadnezzar - 2 Chronicles 36:6)
y. Jehoiachin
(Judah, wicked) - 24:8-16; 25:27-30
(Taken Captive to Babylon
by Nebuchadnezzar)
z. Zedekiah (Mattaniah) (Judah,
wicked) - 24:17 - 25:21(Taken Captive by Nebuchadnezzar, sons killed before
his eyes, eyes put out,
Imprisoned in Babylon)
(The Fall of Judah)
aa. Gedaliah (governor) - 25:22-26
_______________
~ ~ ~
|