Apicontent

A. Theme and Background.

1. As was mentioned in the background for first Samuel, both first and second Samuel are one book in the Jewish Bible. They were first separated by the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint about 250 BC.
2. Second Samuel continues the narrative of David after the death of King Saul. He is anointed King of Judah at Hebron, where he ruled for seven years and six months and then at Jerusalem, where he reigned over all of Judah and Israel for thirty-three years (vs. 5:5).
3. David is representative, although imperfect, of what theocratic rule will be under Christ upon His return. David kept the Lord’s commands all his life except in the case of Uriah the Hittite (1 Kings 15:5) which is recorded in chapter eleven.

B. Chapters one through four.

1. Chapter One. David learns of Saul’s death by means of a young man, an Amalekite, who claimed he ended Saul’s life as a mercy killing at Saul’s request. He brought his crown and armlet. David is anguished and has him killed, as he had claimed to kill God’s anointed. The rest of the chapter is David’s lamentation over Saul and Jonathan.
2. Chapter Two records that David is anointed King over Judah and Saul’s son, Ish-Bosheth is made King of Israel by Abner, commander of Saul’s army. Abner’s men and Joab’s men battle each other.
3. Chapter Three. There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. David’s house grew stronger while Saul’s house grew weaker (vs. 3:1). Ish-Bosheth angers Abner over the accusation that Abner slept with one of Saul’s concubines. Abner sends messengers to David seeking consolidation of the kingdom. David agrees on condition that his wife, Saul’s daughter Michal, who was given to another man be returned to him. Joab murders Abner and David morns his death.
4. Chapter Four. Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in both feet as a result of falling when his nurse fled in haste at the news of Saul’s and Jonathan’s death (vs. 4:4). Ish-Botheth is murdered while he was taking a noon day rest by two men who were captains of his raiding parties (vs. 4:5-6). They took Ish-Botheth’s head to David seeking reward for killing him. David has them killed for murdering a righteous man on his bed (vs. 4:12).

C. Chapter Five. David is anointed King over Israel thereby consolidating the united kingdom. David seizes Jerusalem and becomes greater and greater because the Lord was with him (vs. 5:10). Hiram, King of Tyre, sends building material and craftsmen who build David a house. After inquiring of the Lord, David defeats an army of the Philistines (vs. 5:19). An intriguing but small note is made in verse 5:21, where it says that David’s men carried off the idols of the Philistines who left them after the battle. This again shows how Israel still clung to idols.

D. Chapter Six.

1. David brings the Ark on a new cart from where it had been at Baale-judah. The Oxen stumble and Uzzah reaches out with his hand to steady it. “And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God” (vs. 6:7).
2. David then fears the Lord, and the Ark is placed in the home of Obed-edom for three months. When David learns that the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his household, he brings it up to the tent prepared for it.
3. As he brings it into the city of David, he leaps and dances with joy and inadvertently exposes himself. Michal sees him and rebukes him. The chapter concludes that she had no child un8l her death.

E. Chapter Seven. The prophet Nathan affirms the covenant with David that his house and his throne will be established forever (vs. 7:16-17). The chapter closes with David’s prayer of gratitude.

F. Chapter Eight records David’s victories and his officials.

G. Chapter Nine. David shows great kindness to Mephibosheth, the sole surviving son of Jonathan. He decrees that Mephibosheth will eat at his table.

H. Chapter Ten records David’s victories over the Ammonites and the Syrians.

I. Chapter Eleven is the sordid story of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the arrangement for the death of her husband.

1. The Bible records that it was Spring when kings go out to battle, but David remained in Jerusalem (vs. 11:1). That was David’s first mistake. Secondly, he looked upon Bathsheba while she was bathing from his rooftop advantage. He should have looked away immediately but, he lusted for her. Thirdly, he sent for her and laid with her and she became pregnant. He attempts to cover up his sin by sending for Uriah, her husband, in hopes he will have sex with his wife, and the implication would be that he is the father. But Uriah did not, as his fellow soldiers were camping in a field. Uriah was one of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Chronicles 11:41), or those who were especially valiant and trustworthy, which makes David’s sin even more heinous.
2. David sends him back with instructions to Joab to put him in the forefront of the fighting and then withdraw so that he would be killed. David then takes Bathsheba as his wife and a child is born.

J. Chapter Twelve.

1. Nathan’s rebukes of David for his sin by using a parable of a rich man who takes a little lamb of a poor man. David’s anger is kindled against the fictitious rich man and says that he deserves to die (vs. 12:5). Nathan proclaims words that pierce to the heart of David: “You are that man!” (vs. 12:7).
2. The Lord then tells David through Nathan “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife” (vs. 12:10).
3. David repents and Nathan tells him that he will not die, but because he has utterly scorned the Lord, the child born to him will die (vs. 12:14).
4. David prays and fasts in hope that the Lord will be gracious and allow the child live. But the child dies on the seventh day. David gives us a glimpse of eternity when he proclaims: “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me” (vs. 12:23b). The chapter concludes with the birth of Solomon to David and Bathsheba and the taking of the city Rabbah of the Ammonites.

K. Chapter 13 marks the beginning of God’s judgement upon David for his sin. One of his sons Amnon, rapes his half-sister Tamar, a sister of another son Absalom. After two years, Absalom murders Amnon and flees to Geshur for three years. But the spirit of David longed to go out to Absalom (vs. 13:39).

L. Chapter 14 records how Joab interceded for Absalom by means of a woman who pretended to have two sons, one of which killed the other setting up a situation similar to David. Absalom returns to Jerusalem but, he does not go into the presence of David for two years. Absalom begins to gain the approval of the people. He is described as handsome in appearance. He cuts his hair only once a year, which will be his eventual downfall. Joab again intercedes for Absalom and he is reconciled to David.

M. Chapter 15 describes Absalom’s conspiracy to seize the throne. David flees Jerusalem.

N. Chapter 16 relates how Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth met David with provisions. He tells David of Mephibosheth’s belief that since David has fled, that Israel will give Mephibosheth the kingdom of his father Saul. Due to Mephibosheth’s unfaithfulness for all David has done for him, David gives Ziba all that belonged to Mephibosheth. A man of Saul’s house named Shimi curses David from afar. Absalom pitches a tent on the roof of the palace and goes into David’s concubines that he had left to care for the palace. This was to make known to the people that he has made himself a stench to David and the hands of those aligned with him would be strengthened (vs. 15:21-22).

O. Chapter 17 describes how Absalom’s counselor Ahithophel gave advice for Absalom to pursue David while he was weary from his flight (vs.17:1-4). Initially, the advice seems good to Absalom and the elders of Israel. Absalom calls in a second opinion from Hushai, who disagrees with Ahithophel’s advice. He cautions him that David is a man of war and tells him to wait un8l all Israel is gathered to him. Absalom accepts Hushai’s advice “For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom” (vs. 17:14b). Ahithophel sees that his advice is rejected. He goes back to his home, places his affairs in order and hangs himself (vs. 17:23).

P. Chapter 18 tells of a great battle between Absalom’s men of Israel and David’s men of Judah. Absalom is riding on a mule and his hair gets entangled in the branches of a tree. Joab and his armor-bears kill him (vs. 18:14-15). David learns and weeps for his son Absalom.

Q. Chapter 19. David returns to Jerusalem and is met by Shimei, who had cursed him. He pleads with David to forgive him of that incident, and David pardons him. Mephibosheth also comes; he has not taken care of his feet or hair since David departed. He tells David that his servant Ziba deceived him by telling him that he was saddling a donkey so that he could go with David. David decides to divide the property of Mephibosheth between Ziba and Mephibosheth, but Mephibosheth says that Ziba can take it all, as he is glad that David has come home safely. The narrative continues with how Barzilai, an aged man, had provided provisions earlier to David. David invites him to come with him to Jerusalem, but Barzilai declines, as he is old and desires to die and be buried with his parents.

R. Chapter 20 records the rebellion of a man named Sheba, who led the men of Israel away from David. Joab and the army pursue him to a city named Abel. They threw up a siege ramp and were in the process of battering down the wall when a wise woman called out to Joab that they would give up Sheba, so that the city would not be destroyed. Joab agrees, and they throw out the head of Sheba and the city is spared.

S. Chapter 21. There was famine in Israel for three years. David inquires of the Lord and is told that there is bloodguilt on Saul’s house. This was because he put the Gibeonites to death who had been promised protection by Joshua. David asks them what should be done. They ask for seven sons of Saul and they are put to death. It should be noted that David did not inquire of the Lord what to do, but took the advice of the Gibeonites. The rest of the chapter records a war with the Philistines where David is victorious over them, including killing more of the descendants of the giants.

T. Chapters 22 and 23 are David’s song of deliverance and his last words. Chapter 23 also is a record of David’s mighty men.

U. Chapter 24 is the conclusion of 2 Samuel, and describes how the Lord was angry against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel and Judah (vs. 24:1). Compare this account with the parallel one in 1 Chronicles 21:1 where it says that “Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.” The Lord gives David three choices of judgement through the prophet Gad. David chooses three days of Pestilence: “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man” (vs. 24:14). Seventy thousand men die but Jerusalem is spared. The chapter closes with the account of David purchasing from Araunah his threshing floor to erect an altar to the Lord. Araunah offers to give David the property, but David says: “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing” (vs. 24:24). This threshing floor became the site on which the temple was later built.

V. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it On.

1. Uzzah was killed by God “for his error” in steadying the cart with the ark on it. The ark was to be moved by means of rods through the rings on the corners of the ark on the shoulders of the priests (Exodus 25:14). David and Uzzah were apparently unaware of this requirement. The ark was holy and was to be treated with the utmost respect as it represented God Himself. Although both David and Uzzah had good intentions regarding the ark, God sent a powerful message in this incident as He is to be treated with awe and respect. Under the new covenant of the blood of Christ, we have the boldness to approach His throne (Hebrews 4:16). Yet, we must not allow this boldness to reduce our awe of a holy God. Have you treated the holiness of God with a lack of respect in the past? Do you see this tendency present in worship music or other aspects of a church service?
2. The story of David and Bathsheba has important lessons for men especially. Some have attempted to place an accusation of entrapment against Bathsheba. But careful reading of the text reveals that David rose from his bed to walk on the roof of the king’s house. Bathsheba could not have known the 8ming of this; she was bathing on the rooftop where relief was commonly found from the heat of the day. All blame must be placed upon David as a powerful individual who exercised his lustful will upon the wife of one of his faithful mighty men. What lessons can we learn from David’s sin? Have you fallen into sin in the past by being somewhere where you shouldn’t? Have you attempted to hide your sin by covering it up? David experienced God’s justice and discipline from this incident. Have you had the experience of receiving God’s justice and discipline over your sin?
3. David accepts the request of the Gibeonites regarding how to end the famine (chapter 21). He did not consult the Lord. Have you ever taken the advice of others in a matter instead of consulting the Lord?
4. David refused the offer of a gift of the threshing floor of Araunah as “I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing”. How do you think your offerings to the Lord are viewed by Him? Do your offerings cost you nothing?

A. Theme and Background.

1. Like First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings are one book in the Jewish Scriptures. They too were first divided by the Septuagint about 250 BC. Although the writer is unknown, it is Traditionally assigned to Jeremiah.
2. First and Second Kings continue the narrative begun in First and Second Samuel. Together, these four historical books record the rise of the Kingdom of Israel from its beginnings under the scattered rule of Judges to a unified kingdom under King Saul and then on to its greatest glory, extent and prosperity under King David and King Solomon. It ends with a divided kingdom and apostacy of the northern tribes.
3. Together, these books show the inability of man to rule himself and the result of worship of false gods.

B. Chapters One and Two record the death of King David and the coronation of King Solomon.

1. Chapter One.

1. The chapter opens with the aged David being unable to keep warm. The kingdom is searched and a beautiful young woman named Abishag was found to minister to him but, he did not have sexual relations with her. Adonijah, a half-brother of Solomon, sets himself up as king and gathers Joab, the commander of the army and Abiathar, the priest who helped him.
2. Bathsheba comes to the king while Abishag is ministering to David and informs him that Adonijah has seized the kingdom in violation of David’s promise to her to make Solomon king after him. Nathan the prophet, and Zadok the priest are instructed to have Solomon ride on David’s mule and anoint him king, causing the city to be in an uproar (vs, 1:44-45).
3. Adonijah hears the uproar and is informed that Solomon has been anointed king. He flees in terror to the altar and lays hold of the horns, signifying a plea that he would not be put to death. Solomon hears of this and says: “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die” (vs. 1:52). He then tells Adonijah to go to his own house.

2. Chapter Two.

1. David calls Solomon to him, as he knows he is about to die and instructs him saying: “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel’” (vs. 2:2-4).
2. He then tells Solomon to deal with Joab, the commander of the army who killed two commanders of Israel, avenging in a time of peace for blood that had been shed in a time of war (vs. 2:5). He also tells him to act according to his wisdom but, to not let Joab’s grey hair go down to Sheol in peace. David also remembers with kindness Barzillai, who brought provisions to David when he was fleeing Absalom. He then addresses Shimei who cursed David when he was fleeing, but came and met David at the Jordan upon David’s return. David promised not to kill him and David acknowledges Solomon’s wisdom in dealing with him.
3. David dies and is buried in the city of David and Solomon’s reign as king is fully established (vs. 2:10-11).
4. The balance of the chapter deals with how justice was dealt to those who rebelled against David.

1. Adonijah goes to Bathsheba and asks her to request of David that Abishag, the woman who kept David warm, be given to him as a wife. This seems a harmless request but when Solomon hears of it, he has Adonijah put to death (vs, 2:25). The reason lies with the custom of conquering kings to take a defeated king’s concubines as his own, thereby cementing the victory. We see this happening when Absolom seized the throne in Second Samuel 16:22. Adonijah’s request shows that he still desired the kingship.
2. Solomon removes Abiathar the priest because he supported Adonijah. He did not kill him because he carried the ark and shared in David’s affliction (vs. 2:26). His removal from the priesthood fulfilled the word of the Lord concerning the house of Eli (vs. 2: 27).
3. When Joab hears of Adonijah’s death, he flees and lays hands on the horns of the altar as he had supported Adonijah in his rebellion. Solomon hears of it and has him put to death (vs. 2:34).
4. Shimei is told to build a house in Jerusalem, but if he leaves Jerusalem he will die (vs. 2:37). Shimei obeys this command at first, but after three years, he leaves Jerusalem to chase down two of his servants. Solomon hears of it and when Shimei returns, has him put to death (vs. 2:46).
5. The chapter closes with the words: “So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon”.

C. Chapter Three.

1. Solomon makes an alliance with the Pharaoh of Egypt by marrying his daughter. Intermarrying with other people than the people of Israel was prohibited by the Lord in Deuteronomy 7:3-4 “for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.” This would be a pattern that Solomon would have throughout his kingship, as he eventually accumulated 700 wives and 300 concubines (vs. 1Kings 11:3). Indeed, “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God” (vs. 1 Kings 11:4).
2. “Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places” (vs. 3:3). The passage goes on to say that “the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar” (vs. 3:4). The high places were commonly used by the pagan people of that area for worship of their false gods. Solomon apparently appropriated the high places for worship of the true God. Gibeon was where the tent and tabernacle were located (2 Chronicles 1:2-6) so this was appropriate. However, later in his life, his many wives and concubines persuaded him to use the high places for worship of their false gods.
3. In a dream, the Lord asks him what He should give him. Solomon asks for wisdom to govern the people, which pleases God in that he did not ask for selfish things. There is a curious verse in this passage where Solomon says: “I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in” (vs. 3:7b). It shows Solomon’s humility, but scholars have compared the chronology of David and Solomon and determined that he was probably in his early 20s.
4. The chapter concludes with a famous narrative showing Solomon’s wisdom. Two prostitutes come to him with the story of how one of them laid on her baby and smothered it and then exchanges the dead baby with the live one while the mother of the live baby slept. Both claimed the live baby as theirs. Solomon asks for a sword so that he supposedly would divide the baby in half and give each mother equal parts. The false mother agrees and the genuine mother, desiring that the baby live, tells him to give it to the false mother. Solomon gives the baby to the genuine mother which when “all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice” (vs. 3:28).

D. Chapter Four lists Solomon’s officers and gives details of his wealth and the extent of his kingdom. “Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy. Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life” (vs 4:20-21). The chapter closes with an affirmation of Solomon’s wisdom: “And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom (vs. 4:34).

E. Chapter Five narrates the preparations for building the temple. Solomon contacts Hiram, King of Tyre, as he was a close friend of David’s and had built a house for him in Jerusalem. They reach an agreement where both Hiram and Solomon would partner on the construction project. Details of the arrangement are given.

F. Chapter Six gives details of the construction of the temple. It took seven years to complete (vs. 6:38b).

G. Chapter Seven details the construction of Solomon’s house. He brings Hiram, a skilled craftsman in bronze for the casting of various furnishings of the temple. The chapter closes with mention of the gold vessels that were made for the temple.

H. Chapter Eight. The Ark is brought into the newly constructed temple along with the other holy things from the tent. The glory of the Lord fills the house of the Lord. Solomon prays a lengthy prayer of blessing and dedication. In his prayer, he acknowledges that the temple cannot contain God: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! (vs. 8:27). The chapter closes with Solomon’s sacrifices to the Lord and a great feast for the people.

I. Chapter Nine.

1. The Lord again appears to Solomon and reaffirms His promise to David that “you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel” (vs. 9:5b). But then He warns Solomon that if the people go and serve other gods that He will cut off Israel from the land and the temple will become a heap of ruins (vs. 9:6-9).
2. The chapter goes on to tell of Solomon’s other acts. There is one interesting narrative about Solomon giving King Hiram, who was instrumental in providing the materials and skilled labor to build both Solomon’s house and the temple. Solomon gives Hiram twenty cities in Galilee (vs. 9:11). When Hiram goes to see the cities, Solomon had given him, he is displeased and says “What kind of cities are these that you have given me, my brother?”. The narrative goes on to say that they are called “Cabul”, meaning “worthless” to this day (vs. 9:13). Some Bible commentators have noted that since these cities were land locked, they were of little value to Hiram’s sea faring people, the Phoenicians. It may also be the case that they were still inhabited by the pagan Canaanite people. Galilee, of course, is where Jesus grew up and we are reminded that even in His day, the area was despised “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). In the 1860s, Mark Twain toured the Holy Land and, as part of his journey, went through Galilee. He describes some of the villages he went through, which could have been the same ones given to Hiram. He wrote of Magdala: “not a beautiful place… thoroughly ugly, and cramped, squalid, uncomfortable, and filthy, just the style of cities that have adorned the country since Adam’s time”. And of Tiberias: “Its people are best examined at a distance. They are particularly uncomely … squalor and poverty are the pride of Tiberias.” Hiram apparently gave the gifts back to Solomon since, as we read in 2 Chronicles 8:2, that Solomon rebuilt the cities and settled the people of Israel in them.

J. Chapter Ten.

1. The Queen of Sheba “heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions” (vs. 10:1). There has been much speculation regarding this story of the unnamed Queen and where exactly Sheba is located. Many scholars locate it in the south Arabian kingdom of Saba, presently modern-day Yemen and Ethiopia.
2. Solomon answers all her questions and “there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her” (vs. 10:3). She was so awe struck at all of Solomon’s wisdom and riches that “there was no more breath in her” (vs. 10:5b). They exchange many riches as gifts and she departs to her own country with her servants (vs. 10:13).
3. There is an extra-biblical tradition that Solomon and the Queen had sexual relations resulting in the birth of Menelik I from which Ethiopian Jews trace their ancestry. One of the legends of the Ark of the Covenant, is that a copy was made at the direction of the Queen through Solomon and that either it or the original was carried back to Sheba. Ethiopian Christians believe that the genuine Ark is in a chapel in the small town of Aksum and has been guarded for 3,000 years by a succession of virgin monks who are forbidden to set foot outside the chapel until they die. This is only one of several legends regarding the Ark which disappeared prior to the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BC. The last documented mention of the location of the Ark in the Bible is in 2 Chronicles 35:3 where King Josiah, who reigned from 640 to 609 BC, instructs the Levites to put the Ark in the temple. No explanation is given as to why it was originally moved from the temple.

K. Chapter Eleven.

1. Solomon married many foreign wives in violation of God’s commandment: “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods” (vs. 11:2b). He did evil in the sight of the Lord by going after the false gods and making high places of worship for them.
2. The Lord was angry with Solomon and told him that he would tear the kingdom away from him and give it to another. But he would not do it for the sake of David but would tear it from Solomon’s son. However, he would leave one tribe (Judah) for the sake of David and Jerusalem (vs. 11:11-13).
3. The balance of the chapter relates how advisories were raised up against Solomon due to his failure to follow the Lord. One of these was a man named Jeroboam who the prophet Ahijah prophesied that he would rule over ten tribes torn from Solomon’s kingdom. Solomon desired to kill Jeroboam but he flees to Egypt and is given refuge by the Pharoh. The chapter concludes with Solomon’s death and his son Rehoboam ruling in his place.

L. Chapter Twelve.

1. All of Israel, including Jeroboam, came to Shechem to make Solomon’s son Rehoboam king. Rehoboam is told that his father made his yoke heavy upon them but that would serve him if he would lighten the load (vs. 12:4). Rehoboam asks for three days to consider during which he consults with the older men who had advised Solomon as well as the younger men he grew up with. He rejects the advice of the older men who advised him to be a servant to the people and speak good words to them, but takes the advice of his contemporaries who advise him to increase the load and to discipline them with scorpions (vs. 12:14). This was a turn of affairs brought on by the Lord to fulfill the prophecy given to Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah (vs. 12:15).
2. Israel rebels at these harsh words, and all but the tribe of Judah divide themselves from Rehoboam’s kingdom. They make Jeroboam king.
3. Jeroboam fears that the people will turn back to the House of David when they go up for the annual sacrifices to the Lord. So, he sins by making two calves of gold and places them in Dan and Bethel telling the people that these are the gods that brought them out of Egypt. He also makes temples on the high places and appoints priests who are not Levites (vs. 12:25-30).

M. Chapter thirteen.

1. Jeroboam is standing by one of the altars at Bethel to make sacrifices when a man of God from Judah confronts him. He prophecies in regards to the altar, that a man born to the House of David named Josiah, will “sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who make offerings on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.” He gives a sign that the altar will be torn down and the ashes of the sacrifices poured out (vs. 13:2-3).
2. Jeroboam orders him seized, but the hand that he reaches out towards the man of God dries up. Jeroboam begs the man of God to restore his hand. The altar is torn down, and the ashes poured out confirming the word of the Lord to Jeroboam. Jeroboam begs the man to have the Lord restore his hand, which he does. Jeroboam asks the man of God to come back with him to his house for a reward, but the man refuses saying that the Lord commanded him not to eat or drink but return by the way he came (vs. 13:4-10).
3. An old prophet hears of the events and goes after the man of God. He lies to the man and tells him that he is a prophet also and that the Lord told him that an angel told him that the man of God should back with him to his house to eat bread and drink water. The man of God, thinking that this is a new revelation, does so (vs, 13:11-19).
4. While eating and drinking at the old prophet’s table, a word from the Lord came to the old prophet that due to the man of God’s disobedience, his body would not come to the tomb of his fathers. The man of God starts back to Judah and a lion kills him. When the old prophet hears of this, he retrieves the body and buries it in his own tomb (vs. 13:26-31).
5. The chapter concludes with Jeroboam continuing to sin by making priests from all the people for the high places. “And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth” (vs. 13:33-34).

N. Chapter Fourteen.

1. Jeroboam’s son becomes sick and he asks his wife to disguise herself and go to the prophet Ahijah at Shiloh and inquire of him regarding the child. The prophet was old and his eyes were dim. The Lord tells him that the child will die as soon as she enters her city. He further tells her that because of Jeroboam’s sin of following other gods, the Lord will bring harm upon his house and will give Israel up because of his sin. Jeroboam reigns a total of twenty-two years and he dies leaving his son, Nadab as king.
2. The balance of the chapter is a narrative of Rehoboam, son of Solomon, who reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem. But Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord by building high places and doing all of the abominations of the people that Israel drove out of the Good Land including having male cult prostitutes. In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak, king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and takes away the temple treasures, including the gold shields Solomon had made. Rehoboam replaces them with bronze shields (vs. 25-27). There is continual war between Jeroboam and Rehoboam. The chapter concludes with Jeroboam’s death.

M. Chapter Fifteen. The narrative describes who were the kings of Judah and Israel immediately after the deaths of Jeroboam and Rehoboam.

1. In Judah: Adijam reigns for three years but he does evil. “Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son (Asa) after him, and establishing Jerusalem, because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (vs. 15:4-5). Asa does good, removing the idols and cult prostitutes and removes the queen mother because she made an abominable image of Asherah, although the high places were not taken away (vs. 15:13-14). His heart was true to the Lord all his days (vs. 15:14). Judah and Israel were constantly at war.
2. In Israel: Nadab, son of Jeroboam reigned for two years doing evil in the sight of the Lord and was assassinated by Baasha of the house of Issachar, who killed all of Jeroboam’s house according to the prophecy of Ahijah. This was for the sins of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin which angered the Lord (vs. 15:27-30). Baasha reigns for twenty-four years doing evil in the sight of the Lord.

O. Chapter Sixteen details what happened to four kings of Israel who came after Baasha.

1. Baasha’s son Elah reigns for two years doing evil. When he was drinking himself drunk, he is assassinated by Zimri, the commander of his chariots (vs. 16:9-10). Zimri kills all of the house of Baasha for the evil he did against the Lord.
2. Zimri reigns for only seven days and dies when he burns the kings house over him (vs. 16:18).
3. He is replaced by Omri after a struggle with Tibni over the kingship. Omri does more evil than all who went before him. He dies and is replaced by Ahab, his son (vs. 25-28).
4. Ahab reigns for twenty-two years in Samaria doing evil more than all the kings of Israel before him, provoking the anger of the Lord. He erects an idol Baal and worships him and takes for his wife the infamous Jezebel, daughter of the king of the Sidonians (vs. 16:29-33). The chapter closes with “Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun” (vs. 16:34).

P. Chapter Seventeen begins the narrative of the interaction between Elijah and Ahab. Elijah predicts a drought and then hides by the brook Cherith east of the Jordon. He drinks water from the brook and ravens bring him bread and meat. When the brook dries up, the Lord directs him to go to Zarephath where a widow housed him, and where her jar of flour and jug of oil did not empty until the day that the Lord sent rain upon the earth. The widow’s son dies but Elijah prays to the Lord and the son is raised. The chapter closes with “And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth” (vs. 17:24).

Q. Chapter Eighteen.

1. Elijah is told by the Lord to show himself to Ahab and He will bring rain upon the earth. When they meet, Elijah tells Ahab to gather Israel and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 450 prophets Asherah who eat at Jezabel’s table to him at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him” (vs. 18:21).
2. Elijah presents a challenge to the false prophets of preparing two bulls and seeing who will call down fire upon the bulls to determine who is the true God. The false prophets call upon Baal and cut themselves but nothing happens. Elijah mocks them: “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened” (vs. 18:27).
3. Elijah builds an altar to the Lord of twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. He places wood and the bull upon the altar. He made a trench around the altar and pours four jars of water three times on the bull, the wood thereby filling the trench. He calls upon God: “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back” (vs. 18:36-37).
4. Then fire from the Lord came down and consumed the bull, the wood and licked up all the water in the trench. When the people saw this, they fell on their faces and said “The Lord He is God” (vs. 18:39). Elijah tells them to seize the prophets of Baal and they are taken down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered.
5. Elijah tells Ahab to eat and drink for he hears the sound of rushing rain. He tells his servant to look towards the sea, but there was nothing. He does this seven times and a small cloud appears and there was a great rain (vs. 18:41-44). The hand of the Lord was upon Elijah, and he runs ahead of Ahad’s chariot to the entrance of Jezreel (vs. 18:46).

R. Chapter Nineteen.

1. When Jezebel hears what Elijah has done to the prophets of Baal, she vows to kill him. Elijah flees to the wilderness one day’s journey and lies down asking the Lord to take his life “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers” (vs. 19:4b). He lies down and sleeps. An angel awakens him and gives him a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. The angel tells him to eat and drink and in the strength of that food, he goes forty days and nights to a cave at the mount of God, Horeb (vs. 19:6-8).
2. The Lord comes to him at the cave and says: What are you doing here, Elijah?” (vs. 19:9b). Elijah complains that he is the only one left and that they seek to take his life. The Lord has him stand upon the mount. He comes to him three times. First as a strong wind that broke rocks in pieces. Secondly as an earthquake, thirdly as a fire, but the Lord was not in any of these. Lastly, He comes as a low whisper, and Elijah recognizes that this is the Lord. The Lord instructs him to return to Damascus and anoint Hazael king of Syria, Jehu, son of Nimshi, king over Israel and Elisha as the prophet who will replace Elijah. He further tells Elijah that He has seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed to Baal (vs. 19:11-18).
3. The chapter concludes with the call of Elisha as his assistant.

S. Chapter Twenty details Ahab’s successful battles with Ben-hadad.

T. Chapter Twenty-one recounts the story of Naboth who had a vineyard near Ahab’s palace.

1. Ahab desires it but Naboth refuses to sell it to him it as it was the inheritance of his fathers. Jezebel finds two worthless fellows who bring charges that Naboth cursed God and the king. The leaders of the city take him outside the city and stone him to death.
2. God instructs Elijah to confront Ahab in the vineyard where he has gone to take possession of it. He tells Ahab that his house will become desolate due to his doing evil in the sight of the Lord. He also proclaims that the dogs will eat Jezebel within the walls of the city (vs. 20:22-24).
3. At these words, Ahab repents and the Lord tells Elijah: “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house” (vs. 21:29).

U. Chapter Twenty-Two details the cooperation between King Jehoshaphat of Judah and Ahab to battle Syria.

1. Jehoshaphat wants to inquire of a prophet as to the success of the war. False prophets predict a glorious victory, but Jehoshaphat is not convinced. Micaiah, who never prophesizes anything good about Ahab is summoned who recounts that “the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has declared disaster for you” (vs, 22:23).
2. They decide to go to battle and Ahab is killed by an archer who shoots at random. Ahab dies, his blood in the floor of the chariot is washed by a pool where the dogs lick up the blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it according to the word of the Lord (vs. 22:38).
3. The balance of the chapter lists Jehoshaphat reigning in Judah for 25 years making peace with the king of Israel. He walked in the way of Asa, his father doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord but the high places were not taken away and the people still made sacrifices on the high places (vs. 22:41-44). Ahaziah reigned after Ahab’s death over Israel for two years doing evil in the sight of the Lord, serving Baal and worshiping him provoking the Lord’s anger (vs. 22:51-53).

V. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Solomon begins his reign wisely and follows the Lord. However, marries the daughter of Pharaoh violating the law of Moses of not marrying foreign women. He marries 700 wives and has concubines of people of foreign nations which turn his heart away from the Lord. Have you started wisely in following the Lord? What might be something that could turn your heart away from Him?
2. In spite of Solomon’s sin, the Lord honors His promise to David of always having a member of the House of David on the throne of Israel. Even during the Babylonian captivity, archeological findings have uncovered clay records that show the king of Judah, Jeconiah, was provided rations. The genealogy of Matthew chapter one lists Jeconiah and Zerubbabel who returned to Judah when the captives were released. The genealogy continues unbroken down to Jesus who will sit on the throne of David at His second coming (Vs. Luke 1:32-33). What does God’s promise to David cause you to think about the promises given to you and the people of God? Find someone to share this with.
3. The account of Solomon giving the king of Tyre worthless cities brings up the question of what are you giving to the Lord. Are you giving Him second best? Not only what is left over from your checking account but also of your time and energy?
4. The incident of the old prophet and the man of God in chapter thirteen is worth looking at for application. The old prophet presents himself as a prophet of God and contradicts what the man of God was told which was to return without eating or drinking anything. What would you do if someone came to you with “a word from the Lord” and it violated something in Scripture or that you knew to be true?
5. Elijah is given three events: a strong wind, an earthquake and fire. But the Lord comes to him as a low whisper. Do you expect the Lord to come to you in some sort of powerful means? Or are you listening to his “low whisper”?

A. Background and Theme. Second Kings continues the narrative of the kings of Israel and Judah and ends with the overthrow of Israel and Judah and deportation to Assyria and Babylon. Both kingdoms rebelled against God and turned to false gods and idols, incurring God’s righteous wrath.

1. All the kings of Israel are evil in that they encouraged worship of false gods, culminating in its destruction by the Assyrians, beginning about 740 BC by King Pul (1 Chronicles 5:26). He captured and took into exile the tribes of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh who were located east of the Jordan River. In 722 BC, the capital city of Israel Samaria was overthrown by King Shalmaneser V after a three-year siege (2 Kings 17:5-6) who carried away the Israelites to Assyria. In 701 BC, Sennacherib marched into Judah destroying many cities but was unable to take Jerusalem due to the Lord’s intervention (2 Chronicles 32:22).
2. The few good kings of Judah were not enough to stop its decline into idolatry. King Nebuchadnezzar overthrew Jerusalem in several conquests ultimately destroying the city in 586 BC. This began the 70-year Babylonian captivity foretold by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:12).
3. The book reveals that God will punish His people when they rebel and turn their backs upon Him. The book also demonstrates that true prophets of God speak for Him and their predictions come true.

B. Chapter one describes how the son of Ahab, Ahaziah, who replaced Ahab as king, fell through a lattice and was gravely injured. He attempts to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron if he will recover. An angel of the Lord goes to Elijah and instructs him to tell the messengers of Ahaziah that because he is inquiring of a false god, that he will not recover, but will die (vs. 1:4). Ahaziah realizes that the man is Elijah and he sends three successive parties of 50 men under a captain to bring him to his presence. The first two groups are destroyed by fire from heaven after arrogantly ordering Elijah to come with them. The final captain humbles himself and pleads that Elijah go with him. Elijah agrees and tells Ahaziah that he will die because he desired to inquire of a false god. Ahaziah dies and Jehoram becomes king as Ahaziah had no son (Vs. 1:17).

C. Chapter two describes Elijah taken up alive by a whirlwind into heaven (Vs. 2:11). Elisha succeeds Elijah as prophet. As he was traveling to Bethel, a group of young men jeered him saying “go up you baldhead”. Elisha curses them and two she-bears come out of the woods and maul 42 of them. Elisha returns to Samaria via Mount Carmel (Vs. 2:23-25).

D. Chapter three describes a war between Israel and Moab that also included an alliance with Judah.

E. Chapter four gives details about three miracles that Elisha performed. The first was the miraculous multiplication of oil for a widow who had a large debt to pay and faced the enslavement of her children. Elisha told her to gather pots from her neighbors and miraculously, oil filled all the pots which were sold to pay her debt. The second was a Shunammite woman who was childless. Elisha told her that she would have a son. The son later died and Elisha raised him from the dead. The third miracle was the purification of a deadly stew.

F. Chapter five is the story of Naaman who was a leper.

1. He was a mighty man of valor and commander of the Syrian army. He had high favor with the king of Syria, as he had brought many victories to Syria. In his household was an Israeli slave girl who told Naaman’s wife of the prophet Elisha. Naaman comes to Elisha who tells him to wash seven times in the Jordon. At first, this angers Naaman, but he is persuaded by one of his servants to do as the prophet instructs him. He is healed and then returns and confesses: “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel” (vs. 5:15b).
2. He offers Elisha gifts but, Elisha refuses the gifts. Naaman asks for two mule loads of dirt to take back to Syria. He asks that he be pardoned when he goes in with his master to the false god Rimmon and bow to him (vs. 5:18). Many Bible teachers postulate that the dirt he takes back will be used to create a space for Naaman to worship the true God of Israel. Elisha’s servant Gehazi sins by running after Naaman and requesting gifts under the guise that two sons of the prophets have come. Elisha knows of his greed and deceit and Gehazi’s punishment is that he receives the disease of leprosy.

G. Chapters six and seven.

1. The chapter begins with an iron axe head that is made to float which had fallen into the Jordan.
2. The king of Syria plotted against Israel, but Elisha is given the information of his intentions by the Lord and relays it to the king of Israel. The king of Syria believes it is a traitor in their midst, but one of his servants tells him: “Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom” (Vs. 6:12b). The king of Syria attempts to capture Elisha and surrounds the city of Dothan at night where Elisha resides. Elisha’s servant rises the next morning and is terrified at the sight of the great army of Syria. Elisha prays to the Lord to open the young man’s eyes, and he sees that there were horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (Vs. 6:17). Elisha prays and the Lord strikes the Syrian army with blindness. He then leads them to Samaria where the king of Israel asks if he should strike them down. Elisha tells him instead to hold a great feast, which he does, and the army goes back to Syria and does not make raids into Israel for some time.
3. Later, Ben-hadad, king of Syria, mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria (Vs. 6:24). This causes a great famine in the city where two women fought over the intent to eat their sons. One woman boiled her son and they ate it but the other woman hid hers. This came to the attention of the king of Israel and he is greatly distressed. He vows to kill Elisha and sends a messenger to do so.
4. Elisha tells the messenger that the next day there will be an abundance of food but that he will see it but not eat of it (Vs. 7:1-2). Four lepers who were at the gate determined that there was no recourse but to go out to the camp of the Syrians who would either kill them or feed them. When they go, they find that the Lord had made the Syrians hear the noise of a great army. The Syrians fled, leaving all their provisions. The lepers go back and tell the king who set his messenger at the gate. When the people found out that the Syrians had fled, they trampled the messenger in their haste to get the food in the Syrian camp. He died fulfilling the prophecy of Elisha (Vs. 7:17).

H. Chapter eight. The chapter opens with a narrative about the same Shunammite woman for whom Elisha raised her son. The chapter continues with how the king of Syria, Ben-hadad was killed by Hazael who replaced him as king. The chapter concludes with a narrative of the two kings of Israel and Judah who shared the same name (Jehoram/Joram). Joram is a shortened form of Jehoram. The two names are used of the same person in this chapter (see 8:16 and 8:24). They also were brothers-in-law making it even more complicated. The first Jehoram/Joram, was the son of King Jehoshaphat who ruled in the southern kingdom of Judah from 853 to 841 BC. The other King Jehoram/Joram, was the son of the wicked King Ahab who ruled in the northern kingdom of Israel from 852 to 841 BC.

1. Elisha tells the Shunammite woman to leave Israel with her household as a seven-year famine is coming. She does so and when she returns, she goes to the king to have her property restored. Gehazi, Elisha’s servant is relating to the king all of the miraculous things Elisha has done, including raising the dead. Just at that moment, the Shunammite woman, whose son Elisha had raised comes in. When the king hears of the miracle, he orders her property restored to her (Vs. 8:6).
2. Elisha comes to Damascus where Ben-hadad, the king of Syria lay sick. The king asks Hazael to go to him with gifts and ask if he will recover. Elisha tells him to inform the king that he will recover but that the Lord has revealed to him that he will actually die (Vs. 8:10). Elisha looks at Hazael and begins to weep. He tells Hazael that he will become king of Syria and will commit many atrocities against Israel (8:12). Hazael returns to the king and tells him that he will recover. But, the next day, he takes a wet bed cloth and puts it over the king’s face until he dies. He then becomes king in his place.
3. Jehoram/Joram begins to reign in Judah. He does evil, no doubt, because his wife is the daughter of Ahab (Vs. 8:18). But God does not destroy him for the sake of his promise to David to keep his house intact (Vs. 8:19).
4. Edom revolts and Jehoram/Joram, king of Israel, attempts to quash the rebellion by invading Edom. The invasion is a failure and JehoramtiJoram escapes, returning to Judah. He dies and is replaced by his son Ahaziah (Vs. 8:24). Ahaziah rules for only one year, and he did evil. He and Jehoram/Joram, king of Israel, unite to fight against Hazael king of Syria. Jehoram/Joram is wounded by the Syrians and returns to Jezreel to be healed where he is visited by Ahaziah (Vs. 8:28-29).

I. Chapter nine.

1. Elisha instructs a son of a prophet to go to Jehu and anoint him king of Israel. He does so and the commanders of the Israel army support him. Jehu then rides to Jezreel where Joram, king of Israel was recovering from his wounds. He kills him and throws his body in the vineyard; the same vineyard where Ahab had taken it from Naboth bringing the Lord’s pronouncement that He would repay Ahab for his sins.
2. Jehu also kills Ahaziah who had come down to visit Joram. Jehu goes into Jezreel where he has three eunuchs throw Jezebel from a window and she dies. Dogs eat her flesh leaving only her skull and the palms of her hands fulfilling the word of Elijah (Vs. 9:36).

J. Chapter ten.

1. Jehu consolidates his kingship by killing all of the house of Ahab, including his seventy sons, his great men and close friends (Vs. 10:11). He wipes out all the priests of Baal and has the pillar of Baal burned (Vs. 10:25-27).
2. But Jehu did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, by having the people worship the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. The Lord tells him: “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel” (Vs. 10:30).
3. The chapter concludes by saying: “In those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel. Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel: from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, that is, Gilead and Bashan (Vs. 10:32-33). Jehu dies, he is buried in Samaria and Jehoahaz, his son, reigns in his place. He had reigned 28 years in Samaria (Vs. 10:35-36).

K. Chapter Eleven.

1. When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she destroys all the royal family and takes possession of the throne. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom (Vs. 11:1-2). Joash remains hidden for six years.
2. Jehoiada the priest, brings in the captains of the guards and shows him the boy. They are instructed to guard him and allow no one to approach him. Jehoiada brings the boy out and crowns him king to the shouts of “Long live the King”. Athaliah hears of the tumult and cries “treason”. She is killed and was the only woman to rule Judah or Israel.
3. Jehoiada makes a covenant between the Lord, the people and the king that they should be his people (Vs. 11:17). The people go into the house of Baal and tear down his altars and images. Joash was seven years old when he began to reign (Vs. 11:21).

L. Chapter twelve.

1. Joash reigned forty years and did right all his days because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. However, the high places were not taken away and the people continued to make sacrifices and offerings there (Vs. 12:1-3).
2. He issues orders to repair the house of the Lord. Hazael, king of Syria, plans to attack Jerusalem. Joash gives him the gifts of his fathers, and his own, as well as all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the King’s house. Hazael goes back to Syria (Vs. 12:17-18). But Joash’s servants make a conspiracy and kill him (Vs. 12:20).

M. Chapter thirteen.

1. Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, begins his reign of 17 years. He does evil and because of this, the Lord gives Israel continually into the hands of the kings of Syria. Jehoahaz seeks the Lord’s favor and He gives them relief from the Syrians. However, Israel does not change from their idolatry. Jehoahaz dies and his son, Jehoash reigns in his place for sixteen years.
2. Elisha dies (during the reign of Joash) and is buried. As a man was being buried, a marauding band of Moabites is seen. The man is hastily thrown into Elisha’s grave. The man revives as soon as his body touches the bones of Elisha and he stands up (Vs. 13:20-21).

N. Chapter fourteen.

1. The chapter begins with the beginning of the reign of Amaziah, the son of Joash, who was twenty-five and who reigned for twenty-nine years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not to the extent of King David. The people still sacrificed to idols and the high places were not removed (Vs. 14:3-4).
2. He became proud and challenged Jehoash, king of Israel to battle. Judah was defeated and Jehoash captured Jerusalem, broke down part of the wall, took plunder of gold, silver and some of the vessels of the temple as well as captured Amaziah. Amaziah later fled to Lachish where conspirators from Jerusalem found and killed him placing his son Azariah on the throne.
3. The chapter concludes with the reign of Jeroboam II who was evil and reigned forty-one years. It was bitter times and there was no one to help Israel. “But the LORD had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash” (Vs. 14:27).

O. Chapter fifteen.

1. Azariah, the son of Amaziah began to reign in Judah after the death of his father. He was sixteen years old and reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. He did what was right in the Lords eyes but, the people still worshiped and made sacrifices on the high places. The Lord “touched him” and he became a leper and lived in a separate house until his death (Vs 15:5), His son Jotham then reigned in his place.
2. The chapter then describes a series of evil kings of Israel, most of whom had short reigns. One particular note is made of Menahem who overthrew Shallum, who reigned for only one month. Menahem sacked one of the territories because they did not “open to him” including ripping open the women who were pregnant (Vs. 15:16).
3. The chapter concludes with Jotham, king of Judah who was twenty-five when he began his reign of sixteen years. He did what was right in the Lord’s eyes but, the people still made sacrifices on the high places. In those days, the Lord began to send the kings of Syria against Judah (Vs. 15:37). Jotham dies and his son, Ahaz begins to reign in his place.

P. Chapter sixteen describes the reign of Ahaz who was twenty at the beginning of his sixteen-year reign in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the Lord’s eyes. He made a treaty with Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria to rescue Judah from the Syrians. He gave the treasures of the temple and his own house to Tiglath-Pileser who marched against Syria and took Damascus and its people captive. Ahaz went to Damascus to meet with Tiglath-Pileser and saw an altar which he had copied by Uriah the high priest. He replaced the bronze altar in front of the temple in Jerusalem with the copy of the one in Damascus. He also made alterations to other fixtures in the outer court of the temple. He died and Hezekiah, his son reigned in his place.

Q. Chapter seventeen.

1. Hoshea the son of Elah, began his reign of nine years in Israel. He did evil but not to the extent of the Israeli kings before him. But Shalmaneser king of Assyria, came up against Israel and put Hoshea in prison. He besieged Sameria for three years and carried off its inhabitants to Assyria. He then placed inhabitants of various countries that Assyria had conquered into the cities of Samaria.
2. The chapter includes a lengthy discussion of the sins of the people of Israel as to why the Lord allowed these things to happen. Their sins included false worship, sacrifice of their children, divination and use of omens.
3. The people that Assyria had resettled in Samaria worshiped their gods and the Lord sent lions among them which killed many. The king of Assyria was told of this and he sent a priest of Israel there who attempted to instruct them in the way of the Lord. But the people would not listen but did according to their former manner (Vs. 17:40).

R. Chapter eighteen.

1. This chapter focuses on King Hezekiah who was twenty-five when he began his reign of twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. The Word describes him as one who did all that was right in the eyes of the Lord. He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. “For he held fast to the LORD. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments the LORD commanded to Moses” (Vs. 18:5-6).
2. In the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib, king of Assyria invaded Judah and conquered all the for7fied ci7es. Hezekiah attempted to pay tribute to him but, Sennacherib sent his emissaries and a great army against Jerusalem. They mocked the representatives of Hezekiah who then went to the king with torn clothing in anguish.

S. Chapter nineteen.

1. The narrative continues with Hezekiah also going with torn clothes in anguish to the house of the Lord. His servants consult Isaiah who tells them “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the LORD: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land’” (Vs. 19:5b-7).
2. The servants of Sennacherib send a letter to Hezekiah mocking the Lord and telling Hezikiah not to trust in God. Hezekiah goes into the temple and spreads the letter before the Lord pleading with Him for deliverance so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that “You, O Lord are God alone” (Vs. 19:19).
3. Isaiah sends word to Hezikiah that the Lord has heard his prayer. The chapter closes with an angel of the Lord killing 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. Sennacherib returns home to Nineveh where he is assassinated by two of his sons while he is worshipping his god.

T. Chapter twenty.

1. Hezekiah becomes sick and Isaiah initially tells him that he will die. Hezekiah prays to the Lord telling Him of his faithfulness to Him. Isaiah is stopped by the Lord before he exits the middle court and instructed to return and tell Hezekiah that his prayers have been answered and that He will spare Jerusalem from the Assyrians for His namesake and for David’s sake and give Hezekiah fiVeen more years of life. Hezekiah asks for a sign be given to him to prove that this is true. He is given a choice of having the sun’s shadow go down ten steps or go backward ten steps. Hezekiah chooses ten backwards steps as it would be more difficult. The shadow goes backward ten steps and Hezekiah recovers from his illness.
2. The king of Babylon sends envoys and presents to Hezekiah as he heard that he had been sick. Hezekiah shows the envoys all the treasures of the storehouses. Isaiah hears of this and chastises Hezekiah for his foolishness in revealing all of this. He then tells Hezekiah that all of these treasures will be carried away to Babylon as well as some of his sons who will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Hezekiah is comforted by the thought that all of this will happen after he dies and that he will have security and peace. Hezekiah dies and is replaced by his son Manasseh.

U. Chapter twenty-one.

1. Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign. He reigned fifty-five years and did evil in the sight of the Lord. He rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah had destroyed, built altars for Baal, made his son pass through fire, used mediums and necromancers and other detestable things. Due to his evil, the Lord said “And I will forsake the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies” (Vs. 20:14).
2. Manasseh dies and his son Amon ascends to the throne at age twenty-two. He also does evil in the sight of the Lord and his servants conspire against him and kill him after two years. The people of the land kill those who had conspired against Amon and make his son Josiah king.

V. Chapter twenty-two.

1. Josiah was eight years old when he began his thirty-one-year reign in Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He began repairs of the temple and Hilkiah discovered a scroll of the law who gave it to Shaphan, the kings secretary who read it to the King. When the King heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes in anguish as he heard of the wrath of the Lord due to Jerusalem for all that they had done in disobedience to Him.
2. Hilkiah, Shaphan and others consulted a prophetess who told them that the Lord will bring His wrath against Jerusalem but since Josiah humbled himself that he would die without seeing the disaster that would come upon Jerusalem.

W. Chapter twenty-three.

1. Josiah summons the elders of Jerusalem and Judah and reads to them from the book of the covenant found during repairs of the temple. “And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant” (Vs. 23:3).
2. Josiah embarks on an intense campaign to rid Judea and the cities of Samaria of all the evil things that had accumulated since the time of Solomon. He also reinstated the observance of the Passover which had not been kept since the days of the Judges. “Still the LORD did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. 27 And the LORD said, “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there” (Vs. 23:26-27).
3. Pharaoh Neco of Egypt came up to the king of Assyria at the river Euphrates. The Pharaoh killed Josiah at Megiddo and Josiah’s servants brought him back to Jerusalem and buried him and Jehoahaz was made king in his place.
4. Jehoahaz was twenty-three when he became king and ruled for only three months doing evil before Pharaoh Neco had him imprisoned. Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim, Josiah’s son king changing his name to Jehoiakim. Jehoahaz was taken back to Egypt where he died. Jehoiakim was twenty-three years old when he began his reign for eleven years doing evil in the sight of the Lord.

X. Chapter twenty-four.

1. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon captured Jerusalem in the eighth year of the reign of Jehoiakim taking him, his wives, servants and palace officials plus the treasures of the temple back to Babylon making his uncle Mattaniah king in his place after changing his name to Zedekiah.
2. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king ruling eleven years in Jerusalem doing evil in the sight of the Lord. He then rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.

Y. Chapter twenty-five.

1. In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem with all his army and besieged it. The siege was so severe that by the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, all the food in the city was gone. A breach was made in the wall and Zedekiah fled with his army. But the Chaldean’s overtook him and brough him before Nebuchadnezzar who killed his sons before him, put out his eyes and brought him captive to Babylon.
2. The great houses of Jerusalem were burned, the pillars of bronze of the temple were taken to Babylon. The high priest and sixty men including some officials that were left in the city were taken to Nebuchadnezzar who had them killed. He then appointed Gedaliah governor. Gedaliah was later killed by Ishmael, of the royal family. They then fled to Egypt as they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
3. The chapter and book close with Jehoiachin, who was the rightful king of Judah, being freed from prison by Evil-Merodach, the then king of Babylon in the first year of his reign. Jehoiachin is given a place at the kings table and a regular allowance as long as he lived. This latter biblical passage was confirmed by excavations in Babylon where clay tablets were discovered in a warehouse of that period confirming the rations given to Jehoiachin. Jehoiachin (Jechoniah) is reference in Matthew chapter one as an ancestor of Jesus fulfilling God’s promise to David that his house would not perish until Messiah would come.

Z. Discussion Questions and Application.

1. Not all of God’s promises are pleasant. His covenants with the Jews depended upon their faithfulness to Him as their only God. What can we learn from the Jewish history that led to the destruction and captivity of Israel and Judea?
2. Which of the Ten Commandments was the chief reason that brought God’s wrath upon Israel and Judea?
3. The destruction of the northern nation of Israel comprised of ten tribes has given rise to the popular term “the ten lost tribes of Israel”. However, in Micah 2:12a, the Lord says “I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold”. The phrase “all of you, O Jacob” means all of the ten tribes. Archeological excavations around Jerusalem have revealed that during the reign of Hezekiah, refugees from the ten tribes of Israel came to Jerusalem where they received shelter from Assyria’s destruction. The gathering of the remnant of Jacob has occurred since the Nation of Israel was reborn in 1948. This is an unprecedented event in history where a people lost its geographical home yet was restored almost 2,000 years later. What does this do to your faith in God’s promises?

Overview and Summary. The two books were originally one book in the Jewish Scriptures but it is one consistent narrative. It contains much of the same content as the books of Samuel and Kings which precede it in our modern Bibles. In the Jewish Scripture, it is the last book as it summarizes all the other books. It begins with Adam in First Chronicles and ends with the return of the Jews after the Babylonian exile in Second Chronicles. It was written looking to the past with a retelling of the story of David and Solomon and other kings as a means of looking to the future and hope for a coming Messiah and the hope for a new temple. The author is not known. Because it repeats so much material, we will summarize the chapters here.

A. The first nine chapters of First Chronicles provide a lengthy record of genealogies from Adam to David. The storyline of the Old Testament is given by naming key figures in this narrative. The book chronicles two lines: that of King David, which will lead to the coming Messiah and that of the High Priest, who will serve in the coming temple.

B. Then come twenty chapters all about David. The material is familiar from the book of Samuel. However, the negative aspects of David’s life where he is portrayed as weak and immoral are not included such as his being pursued by King Saul, as well as his adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of her husband. What is left presents David in a positive light including new material, where David makes preparations for the building of the temple. This is to make David an image of the coming future Messiah. Jeremiah prophesied: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness’” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). First Chronicles ends with David dying: “full of days, riches and honor” and Solomon reigning in his place (Vs. 29:28).

C. After the death of David, Second Chronicles focuses on the kings that lived in Jerusalem. The kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel are excluded. This is to present the kings within the line of David that will lead to the Messiah. The author highlights those kings of Judah that were obedient to God, resulting in God’s blessing. The unfaithful actions of other kings are presented that led Judah into idolatry, and sin leading up to the Jew’s exile.

D. Second Chronicles ends with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians (Vs. 36:17-21). But the final words of the book are a quote from King Cyrus of the Persians: “ Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up’” (Vs. 36:22-23).

E. Discussion questions, application and passing it on.

1. First and Second Chronicles looks back to see God’s promises and narratives in order to give hope to the Jews of the coming Messiah. Can you look back on your life to see God’s interaction with you? Does this give you hope for the fulfillment of God’s promises for the future?
2. Develop a short narrative of your personal history culminating in your rebirth and how you see hope in the future return of Jesus. Purpose to share this narrative with someone in the near future.

A. Overview. In our modern bibles, these two books are separate. But originally, they were one book entitled Ezra in the Hebrew bible written by one author. For this reason, we will summarize the two books together here. The books cover the history of God’s people from the fall of Babylon in 586 BC to the Persians under Cyrus II “The Great” in 539 BC to the second half of the fifth century BC. They tell of successive missions from Babylon to Jerusalem by three key leaders: Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah and their efforts to rebuild the altar the temple, and the walls of Jerusalem.

B. Ezra Chapter One. The first three verses of Ezra chapter one are amazing, showing how God used a pagan ruler for His purposes. “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem” (Vs. 1:1-3). Cyrus also has the temple vessels brought out that Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, had taken when he conquered Jerusalem. They are counted out to Sheshbazzar, the Persian name for Zerubbabel described as “the Prince of Judah”. Zerubbabel is a direct descendant of King David and is in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter one.

C. Ezra Chapters Two and Three. Zerubbabel leads over 40,000 men plus servants and livestock back to Jerusalem, where they rebuild the altar, begin burnt offerings upon it, keep the Feast of Booths, and lay the foundation of the temple. There was much rejoicing. But the older ones among them who had seen the previous temple in all its glory, wept at remembrance of it.

D. Ezra Chapter Four. The people of the land, who had been resettled there by the king of the Assyrians, come to Zerubbabel and other leaders and offer to help. But their offer is rejected by Zerubbabel who says: “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us” (vs. 4:3b). The people of the land make the Jews afraid and frustrate the building work all the days of Cyrus. At the beginning of the reign of Artaxerxes (Xerxes I) (c. 486 BC), they write a letter to him telling of Jerusalem’s rebellious past. Xerxes puts an end to the building project until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia (c. 420 BC) (Vs. 4:24). As a side note, Xerxes I is believed to be Ahasuerus of the book of Esther.

E. Ezra Chapters Five and Six. A letter was written from Tattenai, the governor of the province to Darius regarding the renewed efforts of Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple. Darius ordered a search of the records and the scroll of Cyrus was discovered authorizing the building work. Darius decrees that the work continue and the cost be paid from revenues collected from the province “that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons” (Vs. 6:10). The temple was completed within 3-1/2 years in 516 BC and the Passover was celebrated (Vs. 6:19).

F. Ezra Chapters Seven through Ten. God uses another Persian King, Artaxerxes I Longimanus (c. 465-425 BC) to finance and send Ezra and other Jews to Jerusalem. Ezra was a scribe, skilled in the Law of Moses. He goes with a mission to teach the Law to God’s people, initiate spiritual reforms, and lead spiritual revival in Jerusalem. He finds that the people were not serving the Lord with gladness, but had intermarried with the people of the land in violation of Mosaic Law. He tears his garments and his hair in despair and initiates divorce among those who had done so. Many of those who had taken foreign wives confessed their sin and put their foreign wives away.

G. Nehemiah Chapter One. Nehemiah hears of the desolation of the Jews who have returned to Jerusalem. The walls are broken down and the gates are destroyed by fire. He fasted and prayed a passionate outpouring, confessing the sins of the people and of his own house. He is cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I Longimanus. As a side note, this sending of Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem is what most scholars believe starts the 69 week of years time frame in the prophecy of Daniel 9:25. We will cover the prophecy of 70 weeks in the Book of Daniel.

H. Chapter Two. Nehemiah is serving wine to the King and he notices that Nehemiah’s countenance is sad. The King asks and Nehemiah tells him that it is the sadness of his heart over the condition of the city of Jerusalem, of his father’s graves and of the gates of the city. The King asks what he is requesting. Nehemiah makes a silent prayer to God and asks the King for permission to go to Jerusalem and rebuild it. The King grants him to go, along with letters to the governors to provide building materials. When Nehemiah arrives, he makes a secret inspection of the walls and the gates and finds them in a state of high disrepair. He tells the ones who are to do the work, of his plan and they cry out “let us rise up and build”, and they strengthen their hands for the work (Vs. 2:18b). But the inhabitants of the land jeer and despise them.

I. Chapter Three describes the assignment of work on the wall by families and clans.

J. Chapter Four. Opposition to the work by the inhabitants requires the Jews to work fully armed and ready to defend Jerusalem. They work from dawn until the stars come out and sleep in their clothes.

K. Chapter Five. Nehemiah corrects a pitiful situation where the nobles extracted harsh tax from the people which had created famine. He requires they return lands back to the people. He personally supports 150 men at his own table at his expense.

L. Chapter Six. The Jew’s enemies attempt to do harm to Nehemiah, but he sees through their plot. The wall is finished in 52 days.

M. Chapter Seven. The gates are finished but the people within the city were few and no houses had been rebuilt.

N. Chapter Eight. Ezra reads from the Law, and the Feast of Booths is initiated.

O. Chapter Nine. The people confess their sins and recount their history. The chapter ends with the people making a covenant to obey God.

P. Chapter Ten begins with a list of people who signed the covenant. Details of the covenant are given including separation of intermarriage with the people of the land, the sacrifices, and keeping the Sabbath.

Q. Chapter Eleven notes that the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, and the others cast lots for the one in ten who would also live there. The rest of the people lived on their land in the various surrounding villages.

R. Chapter Twelve lists the priests and Levites. The wall is dedicated.

S. Chapter Thirteen gives Nehemiah’s final reforms. He had gone back to Babylon to serve the King. When he returns, he finds that many of the practices of the Law that had been put in place were neglected. Also, a relative of the priest was given a chamber in the temple and was storing up riches for himself. Nehemiah cleanses the temple and restores what had been neglected. The chapter and the book close with a plea from Nehemiah to the Lord to remember him for good.

T. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it On.

1. Some Bible teachers have wondered if the returning Jews had accepted the initial offer of the inhabitants of the land to assist in the rebuilding of the temple, if this would have created a better relationship with them and avoided the continuous conflict that plagued the work from then on. The people of the land were the Samaritans, and were the result of the intermarriage of people brought in by the Assyrians after the conquest of Israel with the remnant of the Jews left behind. They were considered an impure people down into New Testament times, and the Jews had nothing to do with them. However, Jesus had compassion upon the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar as recorded in John 4:4-42. Due to her testimony and the fact that Jesus stayed two days there, a number of Samaritans became believers. Since Jesus accepted the Samaritans, it is possible that conflict could have been avoided. Consider your own prejudices, are there any things that you hold that could be frustrating the Lord’s work though you?
2. Ezra enacted a decree of divorce between those who had intermarried with the Samaritans. Ezra was passionate for adherence to the Mosaic Law which prohibited intermarriage with the people of Canaan, as they would turn the Jews hearts away from God to their gods (Deut. 7:3-4). This indeed happened and resulted in idolatry and the eventual destruction of Israel and the captivity of Judah in Babylon. However, in the offer of the people of the land to help in the building of the temple they say: “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here” (Ezra 4:2b). They worshipped the same God. Consider that God never told Ezra to enact a decree of divorce. In Malachi 2:16 God says that He “hates divorce”. Have you ever made a “law” of your own based upon what you believe is God’s Word which could be in error?
3. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah record how God brought the exiles back to the land, how the altar, temple and walls were restored, but that the people’s hearts had not changed. Ezekiel 36:26 says: “ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” How has this promise been fulfilled in your life? Or has it? Share your experience with someone soon.

Overview and Summary. The book of Job is considered by many scholars to be one of, or perhaps, even the oldest book of the Hebrew Bible. The writer of the book is not named. Speculation attributes it to Moses, Solomon or even Job himself. The date of the writing would be determined by the author. If the author was Moses, the date would be about 1440 BC. If Solomon, it would be about 950 BC. The date that Job lived is not known. The story of Job is set in a land called “Uz” which also is not known, but may be located in what is now modern-day Syria, Jordan or Arabia. The book shows us that Satan can only do that which God allows him to do. It also reveals that we cannot know the answer to why there is suffering. But in God’s answer to Job, it assures us of God’s sovereignty, and we can rest in the assurance that His plans for His people are good and not for evil and to give us a future and hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

A. Chapter One.

1. We are introduced to Job, who is not an Israelite, but is described as one who is blameless and upright, and who feared God and turned away from evil (Vs. 1:1). He is a very wealthy man with thousands of sheep and camels, and seven sons and daughters. The narrative then moves to the heavenly realm, where the “sons of God”, who are angelic beings, present themselves to God. Among them is Satan, in Hebrew called the “accuser” or “adversary”. God tells Satan of Job, who He describes as a blameless and upright man. Satan reasons that God’s protection and blessing of Job is why Job is a righteous man. He proposes a test for Job, “But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face” (Vs. 1:11).
2. God agrees to the test and says all that Job has is in Satan’s hand except against his person. Within one day, Satan takes all of Job’s possessions and his children die when a wind destroys the house in which they were feasting. Job shaves his head, tears his robes and declares: “’The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD’”. “In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong” (Vs. 1:21b-22).

B. Chapter Two.

1. Satan again appears before God. God once again who says to him: “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason” (Vs. 2:3b). Satan asks God to allow him to touch his bone and flesh, and says that Job will curse God. God allows this but does not allow him to take his life. Satan inflicts Job with sores over his entire body. Job’s wife tells him: “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But Job said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Vs. 2:9-10).
2. Job’s three friends: Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar hear of Job’s distress and come to comfort him. They do not even recognize him due to his distressed condition. For seven days, they sit on the ground with him without saying a word.

C. Chapters Three through Thirty-Seven.

1. Job speaks first, then each of his three friends respond, with Job answering each of them in turn. This section of the book focuses on three questions: 1: Is God truly just in character? 2: Does God run the universe on the strict principal of justice? And 3: If the answer to the first two questions is yes, then how is Job’s suffering explained? Job and his three friends are operating out of a concept that everything in the universe should operate out of a strict principle of justice. That good and right actions result in good things and reward from God. But if you are an evil person, then bad things will happen to you.
2. Job maintains that he is innocent, that this is not punishment, which is true. He concludes that God is unjust. His friends argue that God is just and that He runs the world according to justice. Therefore, Job must have sinned. Job at this point is all over the place emotionally. He asserts his innocence and demands that God show up (Vs. 31:35).
3. A fourth friend, Elihu, begins to speak. He had withheld his opinion until now as he was younger. But now, he burns with anger at Job because of his self-justification and the other friends because they had no answer for Job. He also comes from an assumption that God is just and that He operates the world according to justice. However, he adds a slightly different approach, in that God uses suffering as a warning to avoid future sin or to build character and to teach valuable lessons. Elihu does not know why Job is suffering, but, asserts that Job is wrong to accuse God of being unjust. Job does not respond to him and the dialogue closes.

D. Chapters Thirty-Eight through Forty-One.

1. At this point, God shows up in a whirlwind. He responds to Job’s accusation that He is incompetent to run the universe. He takes Him through a series of questions, asking him where was he when God created the universe and laid its foundations, or were present in various natural environments of the earth. God then presents questions as to Job’s knowledge of the habits of various animals.
2. God talks about the Behemoth and the power of his legs, his tail stiff like a cedar. Bible scholars once thought this was a description of the hippopotamus, but now many believe that this description of “the first of the works of God” (Vs. 40:19) is a description of an extinct dinosaur, which would give credence to the theory that man and dinosaurs once coexisted on the earth. God then talks about a creature called the Leviathan, which may have been an extinct giant sea creature. But it also seems to be a description of a dragon-like creature that breathes fire (Vs. 41:21). It is an unusual fact that many cultures have legends of fire breathing dragons giving some evidence to their former existence.

E. Chapter Forty-Two.

1. Job confesses and repents: “I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” (Vs. 42:3b). He also says: “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore, I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Vs. 42:5).
2. God then rebukes Job’s three friends, and instructs them to sacrifice seven bulls and seven rams and have Job pray for them. It is interesting that God does not include Elihu in his rebuke.
3. The book concludes with God restoring to Job double of what had been lost. He also gives Job seven sons and three daughters. Since God restored the same number of sons and daughters as before rather than double, it shows that man’s soul is eternal as the total of sons and daughters are double counting those who had died. Job lives another 140 years, seeing his sons to the fourth generation. He dies an old man full of days (Vs. 42:17).

F. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. God is sovereign and is all-knowing; He knew what the outcome would be of Satan’s bringing all the suffering upon Job. What application might you have in Job’s story regarding suffering?
2. Psalm 18:30 tells us that God’s way is perfect. But when we look at the world, that is not what we see. For example, the 2004 tsunami caused by a 9.5 earthquake near an Indonesian island group was estimated to be the equivalent to the release of 23,000 Hiroshima atomic bombs. It caused over 230,000 deaths in multiple countries. From God’s response to Job, how would you explain this event and the suffering it caused to someone?
3. That evil exists in the world is a strong argument that atheists use to try and disprove the existence of God. Evil can be caused by bad choices made by men using their free will. But other so-called “acts of God” are more difficult to explain such as the example in question number two. How can what Job learned be applied to your own questions about evil in the world or why bad things sometimes happen to good people?
4. What might be the reason that God does not include Elihu in His rebuke or require him to offer sacrifices and have Job pray for him?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. Psalms is the longest book in the bible, consisting of 150 songs, hymns and prayers written over 1,000 years of Israel’s history. There are several different authors, such as King David, who wrote seventy-three of the Psalms. There are poems of Asaph, the Sons of Korah and others, including even Moses and Solomon. But a large number, 49 are anonymous. The oldest Psalm is that attributed to Moses (Psalm 90). The latest is most likely number 137, written when the Hebrews were held captive by the Babylonians from 536 to 538 BC. We will spend some more discussion on that particular Psalm later in this lesson.
2. The subject matter is diverse, covering a variety of topics such as worship, thanksgiving, God, creation, war, sin and evil, wisdom, judgement, justice and the Messiah to come. The book of Psalms is a collection that was used in temple worship that that focused on praise and worship to God. The early Christian church also used the Psalms for daily prayer and worship. We have evidence of this in our New Testament where the believers would gather in homes.
   “Be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” (Ephesians 5:18b-19a)
   “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)
   “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” (James 5:13)
3. Since the book of Psalms is the longest book in our Bibles, we will only give a brief summary of some of the key passages from some of the Psalms.

B. Psalm 2 speaks of the coming Kingdom of Christ: “The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession” (Vs.2:7b-8).

C. Psalm 3 was written by David when he fled from his son Absalom: “But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the liger of my head” (Vs. 3:3).

D. Psalm 8 is one of praise to God by David: “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens” (Vs. 8:1).

E. Psalm 9 recounts God’s wonderful deeds by David: “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High” (Vs. 9:1-2).

F. Psalm 14 is a lamentation by David over the failure of man to recognize God and their corruption: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good” (Vs. 14:1).

G. Psalm 19 is one of praise by David: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork (Vs. 19:1). “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Vs. 19:7).

H. Psalm 22 was a cry of David in distress but contains prophetic words pertaining to the crucifixion of Christ: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Vs. 22:1a). “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast” (Vs. 22:14). “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Vs. 22:18).

I. Psalm 23 is the familiar assurance that God is our Shepherd written by David the shepherd: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Vs. 23:4).

J. Psalm 51 was written by David after his sin of adultery and murder was exposed by Nathan the prophet: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” (Vs. 51:1-2).

K. Psalm 82 is a very insightful glimpse into God’s organization of angelic beings and His rebuke of them: ”God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: ‘How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?’” (Vs. 82:1-2). “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince’” (Vs. 82:6-7).

L. Psalm 90 is the one psalm attributed to Moses: “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Vs. 90:1-2).

M. Psalm 119 is the longest psalm with 176 verses. Here is just one verse that has been encouragement to many in their daily walk: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Vs. 119:105).

N. Psalm 136 tells of God’s steadfast love: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Vs. 136:1).

O. Psalm 137 is what is called an imprecatory psalm in that it speaks of violence against the enemies of the Israelites.

1. Many have walked away from the Christian faith due to not understanding this psalm within the context in which it was written. Jerusalem had fallen to the Babylonians, who took them captive to Babylon, and to the Edomites who looted the city. Destruction of the city and abuse of the captives was violent. Imprecate means “to pray against”. The captives were told to “sing us a song of Zion” (Vs.137:1) which added further humiliation to them.
2. The psalm ends with the cry for revenge: “O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us! Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!” (Vs. 137:8-9). This psalm was written during a period of harsh emotion brought on by God’s judgement of the Israelites due to their idolatry and sin. But critics point to this passage, which comes after psalm 136 affirming God’s love, as something that does not fit in what they think divinely inspired Scripture should be.
3. We have to interpret this psalm within its historical context as well as the entire counsel of Scripture. Romans 12:17-19 says: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord”.

P. Psalm 150 ends the book of psalms with praise: “Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!” (Vs. 150:1-2).

Q. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. The Psalms are reflective of Israel over many years of its history and interaction with God. Do you see how they could be incorporated into your personal or corporate time of worship?
2. Psalm 22 contains prophecy about Christ’s crucifixion. Consider using this one in your personal witnessing to an unbeliever.
3. Are you able to respond to an atheist or critic of the Bible about what they may bring up regarding Psalm 137?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. Proverbs is one of what is called the wisdom books of the Bible, along with Job and Ecclesiastes. Knowledge is the accumulation of facts, information or awareness of particular subject, whereas wisdom is judgement or insight based upon knowledge that gives means to act, process or apply knowledge to given situations. Someone can have a large accumulation of knowledge, but lack wisdom. Proverbs was written by King Solomon, reported to be the wisest man of his time, and others. It was compiled into book form about 900 BC.
2. The book contains hundreds of individual proverbs that can give us wisdom in making decisions about life, in all kinds of situations pertaining to such things as marriage, sex, debt, alcohol, eating, work habits, relationships and many other subjects. As with Psalms, it is a lengthy book, so we will give only a very brief summary here.

B. Chapter 1 opens with the following: “To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Vs. 1:1-7). The chapter concludes with a personification of wisdom as a woman who calls out to those who would not listen or chose fear of the Lord, but with the admonition: “whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster” (Vs. 1:33).

C. Chapter 3 contains a very often quoted verse: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Vs. 3:5-6).

D. Chapter 5 is a strong warning against adultery, and reminds men: “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth” (Vs. 5:18).

E. Chapter 6 gives practical warnings and a key verse: “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers” (Vs. 6:16-19).

F. Chapter 12 opens with an encouragement to receive discipline and valid criticism: “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid” (Vs. 12:1).

G. Chapter 14 contains a warning about going a direction that seems right but without discernment: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Vs. 14:12).

H. Chapter 15 opens with good advice of how to respond in an angry situation: “A so[ answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Vs. 15:1).

I. Chapter 16 includes an often-quoted proverb: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Vs. 16:18).

J. Chapter 18 gives sound advice about not giving an answer before listening to what is presented: “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame” (Vs.18:13).

K. Chapter 22 contains the often-quoted verse about how to raise children: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Vs. 22:6). As a side note, this is not a promise. Some children raised correctly will depart from God’s ways. But it is a general principle that if followed, will result in adult sons and daughters that will live righteously.

L. Chapter 25 concludes with a word about self-control: “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and le[ without walls” (Vs. 25:28).

M. Chapter 30 was written by a man named Agur, about whom we know nothing, and he is not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. Here is a key verse: “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in” (Vs. 30:5).

N. Chapter 31. The book of Proverbs closes with proverbs written by King Lemuel, also about whom we know nothing. The chapter closes with the well-known description of an excellent wife. Here is a key verse: “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (Vs.31:30).

O. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. King Solomon was indeed wise. But he made mistakes that eventually would bring his once vast kingdom into destruction after his death. His kingdom was divided during the reign of his son into two nations, Israel and Judah. First Israel was conquered by the Assyrians. Then Judah was carried captive into Babylon for 70 years. From what you have learned about Solomon in previous lessons, what were Solomon’s mistakes and why did he violate his own wisdom by doing this?
2. Read through the book of proverbs frequently. The wisdom there is from God but, as was noted with the verse about training up a child (22:6), the proverbs are not promises. How should we use these proverbs in our daily lives?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. Reading the book of Ecclesiastes can be a confusing and despairing experience without a perspective of what it is intended to show us. In short, it provides us with a picture of what life is to someone outside of Christ. Such a person, as with the case of the “preacher” or “teacher”, as the Hebrew word “Qoheleth” is translated in 1:1, who is our guide throughout most of the book, finds no meaning to life although he investigates several ways to do so. He finds that all things are “vain”, translated from the Hebrew word “hebel”, meaning like smoke or vapor, or something that is fleeting or elusive. It is used five times in 1:2 and 29 times in other verses in Ecclesiastes.
2. Ecclesiastes is attributed to King Solomon, although there is no certainty for that. If so, it would have been penned sometime during the close of his reign about 935 BC. It is one of the “wisdom” books that include Job and Proverbs. Whereas Proverbs tells us that if we follow God’s principles, life will most likely be good for us, Ecclesiastes presents a darker possibility that this may not be so. The teacher makes note of this in 7:15: “In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing”. But in the end, the conclusion is reached as expressed by 12:13-14: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil”.

B. Chapter 1 introduces us to the “teacher” or “preacher” by someone else (Vs. 1:1). We do not know who that person is, but he reappears at the close of chapter twelve. We are told that the teacher is the “son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Vs. 1:1) which seems to pinpoint King Solomon. The writer is probably using a literary method of someone who can draw a conclusion at the end by introducing someone else in verse two who relates their journey of seeking meaning to life throughout the rest of the book. The teacher tells us that all is vain “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind” (Vs. 1:14).

C. Chapter 2 tells us that the teacher tried to find meaning in self-indulgence through wine, building projects, agriculture, accumulation of slaves, animals, possessions, concubines and music. “Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun” (Vs. 2:11). He continues to use the phrase “under the sun” to describe life in this world.

D. Chapter 3 presents the well-known verses about there is a time for everything (Vs. 3:1-8). He also tells us: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Vs.3:11). This is the first clue that the teacher will come to the conclusion that we will not find satisfaction in this life except in God in eternity.

E. Chapter 4 includes a lamentation about evil in the world: “Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun” (Vs. 4:1-3).

F. Chapter 5 touches on the vanity of money: “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity” (Vs. 5:10).

G. Chapter 6 begins with a lament about life and not enjoying what has been obtained: “There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil” (Vs. 6:1-2).

H. Chapter 7 is a confirmation of Romans 3:23: “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Vs. 7:20).

I. Chapter 8 tells us why justice is not effective in stopping crime: “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil” (Vs. 8:11). But it does add: “Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God” (Vs. 8:12-13).

J. Chapter 9 presents the fact that death comes to all. We are advised as to what we should do now: “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going” (Vs.9:9-10).

K. Chapter 10 is a collection of various proverb sayings.

L. Chapter 11 points towards the eventual judgement of God: “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment” (Vs. 11:9).

M. Chapter 12 concludes the book of Ecclesiastes with the closing comments by the one who introduced us to the teacher in chapter one: “The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth” (Vs. 12:11). He closes by pointing us to eternity where God will judge every deed and every secret thing whether good or evil (Vs. 12:14).

N. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Ecclesiastes provides the Christian with insights into a life lived apart from God. Seeking after “all things under the sun” will result in emptiness and despair. If there is no God, then there is no purpose or direction. A life without God is unfair, cruel, frustrating and utterly meaningless. How could you use Ecclesiastes to present the gospel of grace in Christ?
2. There are practical helps in Ecclesiastes to cause us to pause in all of our strife and our toil such as to “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love” and the fact that God has “placed eternity in our hearts”. How does this help us understand and deal with the setbacks that Christians will experience in this life? For the Christian, is this life truly vain? How would you respond to the teacher to counter his observations?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. The book of Isaiah was written by the prophet Isaiah (Vs. 1:1). Reputable Bible teachers agree that there is only one author of Isaiah and that is the prophet Isaiah himself. In the late eighteenth century, some liberal scholars developed what is called the Deutero-Isaiah theory in an attempt to explain the detailed prophecies contained in chapters 40 through 66. They claim that Isaiah wrote only the first 39 chapters and that his disciples wrote 40 through 66 after the prophecies had been fulfilled. They attempt to use some literary style differences of chapters 1-39 compared with 40-66. However, when we look at references to Isaiah in the New Testament, Jesus and the Apostles clearly reference only one Isaiah. For example, in Mark 7:6-7, Jesus mentions Isaiah and quotes from Isaiah 29:13. He also quotes from Isaiah 42:1-4 in Matthew 12:17. John quotes from both sections in John chapter 12:38-40. He quotes from Isaiah 53:1 in John 12:38 and uses the term “For again Isaiah said” to quote from Isaiah 6:9-10 in John 2:39. Additionally, Isaiah uses similar words throughout the book, and he reveals his familiarity with Israel but not with Babylon, where his disciples supposedly wrote the final chapters. Jewish tradition attributes the author to the Prophet Isaiah. The Bible is silent as to Isaiah’s death. Jewish tradition says that he was sawn in half by the evil king Manasseh. This seems to match Hebrews 11:37, where it says some were sawn in two.
2. Acceptance of the Deutero-Isaiah theory has led some believers to doubt the authenticity of Scripture. But for the reasons above, we can clearly affirm that Isaiah wrote the book of Isaiah between 739 and 681 BC. The book can logically be divided into those same two sections. The first 39 chapters deal primarily with Isaiah’s prophecy and admonition to Judah calling for her repentance from sin and idolatry. God is Holy (Isaiah 6:3) and cannot let sin go unpunished. His judgement is portrayed as a devouring fire (Vs. 30:30). The nations of Assyria and Babylon will be used as tools of His judgement. But chapters 40 through 66 speak of a bright future when Messiah comes and establishes His kingdom.
3. Isaiah is the longest of the prophetic books. It is one of what are called the major prophets, not because of necessarily importance, but because of length. For this reason, we will summarize the book by looking at some key verses.

B. Chapter 1 presents Judah as an utterly corrupt nation: “Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged” (Vs. 1:4).

C. Chapter 2 gives a preview of what will be promised in chapters 40 through 66. “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: ‘“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths’” (Vs. 2:2-3). Also: “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: ‘“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths”’ (Vs. 2:4).

D. Chapter 6. Isaiah has a vision of God on His throne. He responds to God’s call: ‘“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”’ Then I said, “Here I am! Send me”’ (Vs. 6:8).

E. Chapter 7. Isaiah is sent by the Lord to King Ahaz. The king is troubled about word that Syria and Israel will attack him. Isaiah is told to tell him that their plans will “not stand and it will not come to pass” (Vs. 7:7). The Lord tells Ahaz to ask of him a sign, but Ahaz is afraid to do so. The Lord then gives him a sign: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Vs. 7:14). This is a prophecy of Christ’s birth. Bible critics point out that the word “virgin: in Hebrew is “almah” which could mean virgin or just a young maiden of child-bearing age. This could leave some room for doubt. But when the Septuagint was translated from the Hebrew to the Greek in the third century BC, the Hebrew scholars used the specific Greek word for virgin which is “Parthenos”. However, the best proof that Isaiah meant “virgin” is that birth of a child by a young maiden in itself would not be “a sign”. That the birth of Jesus to the virgin Mary was a miracle, and was definitely a sign. The virgin birth is a cornerstone of the tenets of the Christian faith.

F. Chapter 9 contains the most powerful verse pertaining to the Trinity in Bible: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Vs. 9:6). In this passage, you have Jesus (child, son, Prince of Peace). You have the Holy Spirit (Wonderful Counselor) and God (Mighty God, Everlasting Father). You also have a prophecy of His coming kingdom (the government shall be upon his shoulder).

G. Chapter 11 opens with a prophecy of the coming Messiah: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD” (Vs. 11:1-2). Many scholars link this passage with the book of Revelation where the seven spirits of God are mentioned: (1:4-5; 3:1; 4:5 and 5:6).

H. Chapter 12 is an affirmation of the strength of the Lord and a song of praise: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation” (Vs. 12:2).

I. Chapter 14 includes a prophecy against Satan: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God, I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit” (Vs. 14:12-15).

J. In chapter 26, some see a hint of the rapture of the church before the wrath of God is poured out during the Tribulation: “Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by. For behold, the LORD is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain” (Vs. 26:20-21).

K. Chapter 35 is a prophecy of the redeemed returning to the land under the lordship of the Messiah: “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Vs. 35:10).

L. Chapters 36 and 37 recount the king of Assyria, Sennacherib’s conquest of Samaria and most of Judah. His messengers taunt the servants of King Hezekiah. Assyria has previously destroyed all the other cities of Samaria and Judah. Hezekiah takes the written message from Sennacherib and spreads it before the Lord in the temple. He cries out to the Lord in a plea to save Jerusalem (Vs. 37:14-20). The Lord hears his prayer and says: “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the LORD. For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David” (Vs. 37:33-35). Sennacherib’s army of 185,000 is destroyed by an angel of the Lord and he returns to Nineveh where he is assassinated by two of his sons (Vs. 37:36-38).

M. Chapter 38 is an account of Hezekiah’s sickness and his prayer to the Lord. The Lord promises to give him 15 more years of life, and the sign to confirm this promise is having the shadow of the sun go back ten steps (Vs, 38:1-8).

N. Chapter 39 recounts how the king of Babylon sent envoys to Hezekiah as he had heard that he was sick. Hezekiah receives them, but shows them all the riches of his treasure house and storehouses. Isaiah finds out about it and tells Hezekiah that all of that will be taken to Babylon, including his sons. Hezekiah is content that none of that would happen in his lifetime.

O. Chapter 40 begins the second section of the book pointing to the complete restoration of Israel and Judah under the Messiah: “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken’” (Vs. 40:3-5).

P. Chapter 44 affirms that there is no God but the Lord: “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god’” (Vs. 44:6). The chapter also addresses the folly of idolatry (Vs. 44:9-20).

Q. Chapter 45 includes one of the most profound prophecies in Scripture. It names the conqueror of Babylon, King Cyrus, and calls him “His anointed”. It describes how Babylon will be taken (Vs. 45:1-6). This was written by Isaiah about 150 years before the prophecy was fulfilled. It is one of the reasons that skeptics proposed the Deutero-Isaiah theory due to its precision.

R. Chapter 46 affirms God’s sovereignty and that He exists outside the realm and limitations of time and space: “’remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose’” (Vs. 46:9-10).

S. Chapter 53 contains the prophetic word of the suffering Messiah, Jesus, upon whom our sins were laid: “Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Vs. 53:4-6).

T. Chapter 55 includes an exhortation to seek the Lord: “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Vs. 55:6-9).

U. Chapter 61 opens with the passage that Jesus partially read from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue in His hometown (Luke 4:18-19). Here is the complete passage as it appears in verses Isaiah 61:1-2: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn”. Jesus stopped after “the year of the Lord’s favor” and did not read “and the day of vengeance of our God”. Jesus then rolled up the scroll, handed it to the attendant and sat down. He then said: “today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Vs. Luke 4:21b). Jesus was declaring that He was the long-awaited Messiah, but his mission at His first coming was not to execute “the day of vengeance of our God”. He went on to speak, and initially, the response was favorable. But as he continued to speak about God sending Elijha to a gentile widow and Naaman the Syrian being healed of leprosy, they became enraged and attempted to throw Him off the cliff that their town was built upon (Vs. Luke 4:22-30).

V. Chapter 62 includes affirmation that Jerusalem will be a light to the nations and salvation in the Messiah: “Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.’ And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken” (Vs. 62:11-12).

W. Chapter 63 foretells the vengeance of God in Christ upon His return: “Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? ‘It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save’” And also: “’For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come’” (Vs. 63:1;4).

X. Chapter 65 is a description of the eternal kingdom of Christ and links with Revelation chapter 21: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind (Vs. 65:17).

Y. Chapter 66 closes the book of Isaiah with words about the final judgement and glory of the Lord. It also hints of the restoration of Israel as a nation in one day on May 14, 1948: Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?” (Vs. 66:8a).

Z. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Are you able to use what you have learned in this lesson to counter any arguments you may hear about the Deutero-Isaiah theory?
2. The virgin birth and the Trinity are crucial to the understanding of the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. From this lesson, are you able to use the information given to defend these doctrines?
3. Archeological excavations have found what is called the “Assyrian destruction layer” in every Location of a biblical town in existence at the time of King Hezekiah except for Jerusalem. That is due to the Lord’s promise to spare Jerusalem from destruction at that time for his “servant David”. Does this promise and the dramatic evidence to that, increase your faith in God’s other promises?
4. Can you present the gospel to a Jew or another unbeliever using Isaiah chapter 53?
5. Why is the wrath of God important in presenting the gospel?
6. Are you able to use the prophecies in Chapters 45 and 53 to present the gospel?