Thankfully, there weren’t only kings and priests, but prophets, too, who kept on speaking for God.
The volumes we call 1 and 2 Kings are the third and fourth parts of a narrative beginning in 1 and 2 Samuel. They continue the saga of the kings who ruled over Israel from the dying days of David to the demise of the Jewish monarchy itself. The two books of the Kings span a period of approximately 450 years (c. 1012–562 BC). They present two vital features. One is the root cause of the impending decline. Solomon’s divided heart leads directly to the tragedy of a divided nation. The second outstanding feature is not the palace but the temple. The book of 1 Kings describes the construction of that temple under Solomon, whereas 2 Kings portrays its destruction by the Babylonians. The focus will shift from the Lord’s name being exalted in Jerusalem to what the Lord Jesus termed “the times of the Gentiles” (Lk 21:24), with the rise of the Assyrian empire, used to chasten and capture the 10-tribed Israel, then the rise of the Babylonians, who besieged and enslaved Judah. Let’s recall the benefits of studying about the kings. First, in our time, with growing instability in world governments, we find hope by remembering that ultimately God is on the throne. In spite of all their weaknesses, these kings still point to the soon-coming King of kings, God’s perfect choice to lead us into that eternal empire that will fill the whole universe with His glory. Second, we can find personal benefits because, from childhood, we struggle with a desire to be “king of the castle” and rule our own lives. The bad choices made by these kings and the overriding grace of God both remind us of the importance of yielding our wills to the Lord Jesus, the only One who knows the path we should take through this desert world.