1 Kings 15:1-16:28 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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2 Kings of Judah and 5 Kings of Israel
Comments for Study 13

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Memory Verse: 15:11
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Outline

MAPS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH
A MAP OF THE DIVISION OF CANAAN
A MAP OF JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE
OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS TIMELINE
A LIST OF ISRAEL'S KINGS AND PROPHETS
A TIMELINE OF ISRAEL'S HISTORY

I. For David's Sake Abijah Reigned (15:1-8)

>1. Who was the next king of Judah? (1-2)

* 1 Kings 15:1-2 "In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother's name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom."

* 1 Chronicles 13 also record Abijah's reign of Judah. The constant war between Abijah and Jeroboam, king of Israel the northern tribes is better documented there.

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* Israel did not calculated a king's ascension and reign as other nations. After Israel and Judah split Judah kept calculating to "old way" and Israel switched and started calculating the way other nations did around them. Read The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings by Edwin Richard Thiele for more understanding on how Israel and Judah calculated the dates of their king's ascension and reign.

>How is his life defined? (3)

* 1 Kings 15:3 "He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been."

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>2. Why did the Lord keep David's line on the throne? (4)

* 1 Kings 15:4 "Nevertheless, for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong."

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>Why? (5)

* 1 Kings 15:5 "For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life--except in the case of Uriah the Hittite."

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>What does "gave him a lamp" mean?

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>What does Jesus say about us? (Matt. 5:14-16)

* Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

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>3. How was relations between their northern brothers? (6-8)

* 1 Kings 15:6-8 "There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout [Abijah's] lifetime. As for the other events of Abijah's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king."

* 2 Chron. 11:20 to 2 Chron. 14:1 records more about Abijah's life.

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II. Asa King of Judah (15:9-24)

>4. Who was Asa?

* 1 Kings 15:9-10 "In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother's name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom."

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>Consider how living by faith would have been hard for him? (11-12, 14-15)

* 1 Kings 15:11-12 "Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done. He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his fathers had made. "

* 1 Kings 15:14-15 "Although he did not remove the high places, Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. He brought into the temple of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated."

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>Would his family been supportive? (13)

* 1 Kings 15:13 "He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down and burned it in the Kidron Valley."

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>5. Who was his adversary and what is ironic about this?

* 1 Kings 15:16-17 "There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah."

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>What did Asa do with the nations treasury?

* 1 Kings 15:18 "Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the LORD's temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus."

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>What did he want and why was this wrong?

* 1 Kings 15:19 "Let there be a treaty between me and you," he said, "as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me."

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>6. What tribes of Israel fell to Aram?

* 1 Kings 15:20 "Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali."

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>How did the king of Israel respond?

* 1 Kings 15:21 "When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah."

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>Had Asa achieved his goal and at what cost?

* 1 Kings 15:22 "Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah--no one was exempt--and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa built up Geba in Benjamin, and also Mizpah."

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>7. What else can be learned of King Asa from 2 Chron. 14:1-16:14?

* 1 Kings 15:23-24 "As for all the other events of Asa's reign, all his achievements, all he did and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased. Then Asa rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king."

* 2 Chron. 14:1 to 2 Chron. 16:14 records more of Asa's reign.

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>How is he like those who do not have faith in God while growing up in a culture of religion?

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III. Israel's Kings do Evil (15:25-16:28)

>8. Meanwhile what kind of king ruled in the northern tribes? (25-26)

* 1 Kings 15:25-26 "Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, walking in the ways of his father and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit."

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>What kind of man followed him?

* 1 Kings 15:27-28 "Baasha son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it. 28 Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king."

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>9. What happened to Jeroboam's family?

* 1 Kings 15:29-31 "As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam's whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the LORD given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite-- because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger. As for the other events of Nadab's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?"

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>10. What is repeated from verses 16-17 and what is it like when brothers always fight?

* 1 Kings 15:32-34 "There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, walking in the ways of Jeroboam and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit."

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>11. Summarize the kings listed in chapter 16. Did Israel get what they wanted and expected?

* 1 Kings 16:1-28

* Wanted yes. Expected no.

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