Author : 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
3. The Fall of Israel
a. Hezekiah (Judah, very good) – chapter 18-20
4. Isaiah, Judah’s Spiritual Revival
a. Manasseh (Judah, extremely wicked) – 21:1-18
b. Amon (Judah, wicked) – 21:19-26)
c. Josiah (Judah, very good) – 22:1-23:30)
5. Judah’s Last Spiritual Revival
a. Jehoahaz (Judah, wicked) – 23:31-34
6. Taken Captive to Egypt by Pharaoh Necho
a. Jehoiakim (Eliakim) Judah, wicked (23:35-24:7)
7. Taken Captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar – 2 Chronicles 36:6
a. Jehoiachin (Judah, wicked) – 24:8-16; 25:27-30
8. Taken Captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar
a. Zedekiah (Mattaniah) (Judah, wicked) – 24:17-25:21)
b. Taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, son killed before his eyes,
eyes put out, imprisoned in Babylon
9. The Fall of Judah
a. Gedaliah (governor) – 25:22-26
