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INTRODUCTION TO 1, 2 KINGSThe book of Joshua begins with the declaration, “Moses my servant is dead”(Josh. 1:2). The death of Moses signified a dramatic change for the people of God.Similarly, the book of 1 Kings begins with the announcement that Israel’s KingDavid was near the end of his life. David had reigned for about forty years. Whowould be his successor? And for those who ruled after David, what would theirreigns be like? What would happen to Israel? The books of 1 and 2 Kings answerthese questions and more. They look at the history of the people of God fromwhen they were at their highest point—wealthy and unified—to when they wereat their lowest level—disgraced and broken.Themes of 1, 2 KingsDevotion to God—Would God’s people be devoted to Him alone? David’ssuccessor, his son Solomon, began his reign demonstrating loyalty to God. Intime, though, Solomon began to follow the gods of his foreign wives. No longerwas he devoted to God alone. Throughout 1 and 2 Kings, this disloyalty to Godappeared again and again among the kings and people of Israel and Judah. Somepracticed syncretism, worshiping foreign gods and the Lord; others rejectedGod completely.Reliability of God’s Word—The books of 1 and 2 Kings show that Godremained true to His word. What He foretold came to pass. He told Solomon thekingdom would be divided, and it was (1 Kings 11:29-37; 12:1-24). Through Elijah,He announced a famine, and it occurred (1 Kings 17:1–18:1). God said He woulduproot His people from the land of their ancestors and scatter them beyond theEuphrates, and He did (1 Kings 14:15-16; 2 Kings 17:6). Everything God saidwould happen, indeed happened.God’s judgment—Because God was true to what He had said, He broughtjudgment on the disobedient. The Lord had chosen this people to live in this landto be a witness for Him. But when they turned their backs on God and embracedthe gods of surrounding peoples, God responded with judgment.The books of 1 and 2 Kings show how God was justified in bringing destructionon His people.God’s grace—These two books offer glimmers of grace. The way God workedin the lives of the widow at Zarephath and Naaman revealed that His graceextended to all people of every nation and race (1 Kings 17:7-16; 2 Kings 5:1-15a).Additionally, speaking through every prophet and seer, God continually calledIsrael and Judah to repent and turn to Him (2 Kings 17:13).8E x pl or e t h e B i bl e 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources

OUTLINES1 KINGSI. Final Days of King David (1:1–2:12) (2 Chron. 1)II. Solomon’s Reign over the United Kingdom (2:13–11:43)(2 Chron. 2–9)III. The Divided Kingdoms of Judah and Israel (12:1–22:53)(2 Chron. 10–20)2 KINGSI. The Divided Kingdom: From Israel’s Ahaziah to the Fallof Israel (1:1–17:41) (2 Chron. 21–28)II. The Kingdom of Judah: From King Hezekiah to theCaptivity (18:1–25:30) (2 Chron. 29–36)ON T HE C OV ERIn 1850, archaeologists excavated Sennacherib’spalace in Nineveh. Inside, they discovered a seriesof stone slabs measuring eight feet tall by eightyfeet long that lined the palace walls. Carved in theslabs were scenes depicting Sennacherib besiegingLachish, one of the largest Judean cities heconquered in 701 BC. The scenes showed Assyriansoldiers shooting arrows, taking cover behind theirshields, and entering the city by way of a siege rampthey had built (see 2 Kings 19:32; session 12).E x pl or e t h e B i bl e 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources9

1SESSION 1GrantedGod offers wisdom to those who ask Him.1 KINGS 3:4-15Some of our choices are life altering. Deciding to get a side order ofpeas instead of carrots, though, is not. Neither is choosing where topark at the store, what socks to wear, or whether to mow the yardtoday or tomorrow. But choosing whether to stay in school, whoto marry, where to live—these are decisions with life-changingramifications. God gave young King Solomon an opportunity to makea decision that would affect the course of his life. Solomon’s selectionmay seem surprising, but it has lessons for us today.If God promised you that He would fulfill one request, what might it beand why?10 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources

UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT1 KINGS 1:1–4:34 (2 CHRON. 1:1-17)For about forty years, David had served as Israel’s king. Plucked fromobscurity, he was God’s chosen man to follow Saul. But two factorsmarred David’s reign. First was his adulterous relationship withBathsheba and the resultant deaths of Uriah (Bathsheba’s husband)and David and Bathsheba’s son. The second was the constant conflictamong his children. Both Bathsheba and these sibling rivalries figureprominently at the beginning of 1 Kings.As 1 Kings opens, David was gravely ill; a young maiden wasbrought in to be his caregiver. Exploiting David’s weakened state, hisfourth son, Adonijah, made a play for the throne. Bathsheba heard ofAdonijah’s efforts and was determined instead that her son Solomonwould be Israel’s next king. She appealed to David, and he agreedSolomon would be the next king. As chapter 1 closes, Solomon hadbeen anointed king and showed mercy to his half-brother Adonijah bysparing his life.Chapter 2 records David’s dying instructions to Solomon. Beingobedient to God’s covenant would ensure success and security. Thiscall to obedience serves as a major theme of 1 and 2 Kings. Chapters3 and 4 highlight Solomon’s achievements. He married an Egyptianprincess, built the palace and temple in Jerusalem, and put able menin places of leadership. When God offered to give Solomon whatever hewished, the king asked for discernment. God granted him this, and allthe people benefited from Solomon’s wisdom.One verse sounds a distant drumbeat and foreshadows Solomon’sAchilles’s heel: “Solomon loved the Lord by walking in the statutesof his father David, but he also sacrificed and burned incense on thehigh places” (1 Kings 3:3). Would Solomon walk in righteousness ashis father had done? And what about the kings who would follow?As you read 1 Kings 3:4-15 in your Bible, underline the request Solomonmade of God. How does Solomon’s request help us understand theimportance of aligning our desires with God’s purposes in our prayers?Se s s ion 1 : G ra nt e d 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources11

EXPLORE THE TEXTGOD OFFERS (1 KINGS 3:4-5)4The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there because it was the mostfamous high place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on thataltar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream atnight. God said, “Ask. What should I give you?”VERSES 4-5Gibeon, located about five miles northwest of Jerusalem, was atan elevation of about 2,400 feet. The name reflects the height, asGibeon translates as “hill place.” Archaeological evidence indicatesthis Canaanite city dated as far back as about 3000 BC, had beena Canaanite fortress, and evidently had never been destroyed—atestimony to its importance and strength. The Canaanites’ paganworship typically took place on the hilltops that dotted the region.After his inaugural address (2 Chron. 1:2), Solomon traveled fromJerusalem to the high place at Gibeon. Although David had movedthe ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, the tabernacle and bronzealtar that Moses had constructed in the wilderness had been set upat Gibeon, making it a central place of Hebrew worship at that time(2 Sam. 6:17; 2 Chron. 1:3-5). In a lavish display of sincere worshipand devotion, Solomon sacrificed a thousand burnt offerings tothe Lord.BIBL E SK IL L: Read, reflect on, and react emotionally to a Bible verse.Read reflectively God’s invitation to Solomon in 1 Kings 3:5. SupposeGod appeared to you and offered you the chance to have one thing fromHim. Consider the many good things you could ask for. How would yourlife be different if it were fully aligned with God’s purpose?12E x pl or e t h e B i bl e P e r s on a l S t u dy G u i de 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources

God appeared to Solomon in a dream and presented him with anopen-ended offer: What should I give you? Solomon’s response wouldreveal his heart.How does our worship help prepare us to hear from God? What do ourprayer requests reveal about our hearts?SOLOMON ANSWERS (1 KINGS 3:6-9)6And Solomon replied, “You have shown great and faithful loveto your servant, my father David, because he walked before youin faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity. You have continuedthis great and faithful love for him by giving him a son to sit onhis throne, as it is today. 7 “Lord my God, you have now made yourservant king in my father David’s place. Yet I am just a youth withno experience in leadership. 8 Your servant is among your peopleyou have chosen, a people too many to be numbered or counted.9So give your servant a receptive heart to judge your people and todiscern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this greatpeople of yours?”VERSE 6Solomon began his reply by highlighting God’s character. He statedthat God had shown His great and faithful love. When the Lordappeared to Moses on Mount Sinai, He used the same term todescribe Himself: “The Lord . . . is a compassionate and gracious God,slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintainingfaithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion,and sin” (Ex. 34:6-7a).Solomon then connected God’s great and faithful love to his fatherDavid. God had shown David great and faithful love because he hadwalked in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity. God continuedto demonstrate His love for David by allowing his son Solomon to siton his throne. The fact that Solomon was on the throne of his fatherDavid was evidence of God’s continued faithfulness to His promises.(See 2 Sam. 7:12-13.)Se s s ion 1 : G ra nt e d 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources13

VERSES 7-8Solomon knew he was inadequate for the job. He was a servant, hewas just a youth, and he lacked experience in leadership. He was tofollow the great King David, his father, to rule God’s people. AlthoughSolomon was relatively young at this point, he was likely in his earlytwenties and old enough to be married and to have fathered a child.(See 1 Kings 11:42; 14:21.) Referring to his youth was Solomon’s wayof saying he still felt immature and unprepared for the challengebefore him.Solomon recognized that he was in this position of leadershipbecause the Lord had placed him there: you have now made yourservant king. He was affirming his dependency on God. As God hadbeen faithful to David, Solomon was depending on God to show Hiscontinued faithfulness. You can almost hear Solomon saying, “Oh God, Ido need you and need your help!” Solomon’s words are a reminder of thefamiliar adage, “God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.”VERSE 9Having affirmed God’s goodness and grace, Solomon was ready tomake his request in sincerity and humility. He asked for a receptiveheart. The Hebrew term carries the idea of a heart that both hearsand obeys. Solomon saw the advantage of such a heart—it wouldallow him to judge God’s people correctly and to discern what wasgood and what was evil.Second Chronicles uses a bit of different terminology to describeSolomon’s request: “Now grant me wisdom and knowledge so that Imay lead these people, for who can judge this great people of yours?”(2 Chron. 1:10). His request was simple yet profound. Solomon knewthat having wisdom, knowledge, and a receptive heart would givehim what he needed to judge God’s people. The Hebrew word for judgecarries the idea of governing, ruling, and executing judgment. He wasasking for the ability to administer justice as king and for God to givehim all that he might need to be able to lead the people of Israel.Notice throughout verses 6-9 Solomon’s repetitive use of thepronouns you and your. Solomon’s focus was not on himself but on theLord. Solomon knew the Lord had given him a God-sized task andthat success would come only because of God’s ability and strength,not because of his own.14E x pl or e t h e B i bl e P e r s on a l S t u dy G u i de 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources

Identify other examples in Scripture when people felt inadequate for thejob or task God had called them to do. Why might God call people who feelinadequate for the task?GOD PROVIDES (1 KINGS 3:10-15)10Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this. 11 SoGod said to him, “Because you have requested this and did not askfor long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies,but you asked discernment for yourself to administer justice,12I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise andunderstanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like youbefore and never will be again. 13 In addition, I will give you whatyou did not ask for: both riches and honor, so that no king will beyour equal during your entire life. 14 If you walk in my ways andkeep my statutes and commands just as your father David did, Iwill give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon woke up and realized ithad been a dream. He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark ofthe Lord’s covenant, and offered burnt offerings and fellowshipofferings. Then he held a feast for all his servants.VERSES 10-14God was pleased with Solomon’s request (v. 9). He also is pleasedwhen our prayer requests line up with His work and purpose for ourlives and world. Jesus taught His followers, “My Father is glorified bythis: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples” (John15:8). Our prayers should be that we bear much fruit and therebyshow that we are Christ followers.God was pleased both with what Solomon did not ask for andwith what he requested. Solomon’s request comes across as beingcompletely selfless.How can what a person doesn’t ask for when praying be just as telling aswhat is requested?Se s s ion 1 : G ra nt e d 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources15

DID YOU K NOW ?Jesus twice mentioned Solomon in His teaching: (1) in His teachingabout anxiety (Matt. 6:29; Luke 12:27), and (2) that the queen of Shebacame from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon’s teaching, yet“something greater than Solomon is here” (Matt. 12:42; Luke 11:31).Because God was pleased with Solomon’s request, He promised: Iwill therefore do what you have asked. The verses that follow showhow God would fulfill Solomon’s request and give the king even more.Describing what He would do, God three times pledged, I will giveyou (vv. 12,13,14).First, God promised to give Solomon a heart that was wise andunderstanding. Solomon wanted a receptive heart so he couldadminister justice as the ruler of God’s people. Instead of limitingHis gift—giving him common understanding—God promisedSolomon would become a virtual encyclopedia of knowledge.First Kings 4:29-30 describes his unsurpassed wisdom as beinggreater than the wisdom possessed by all other people.God was the source of allthe good things that wouldcome in Solomon’s life.The book of James describes God-given wisdom: “But the wisdomfrom above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, fullof mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense” (Jas. 3:17).In James we also find that God will give wisdom to those whoask: “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—whogives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given tohim” (Jas. 1:5).Second, God promised Solomon more riches and honor than anyother king. Solomon saw this promise fulfilled in his lifetime: “KingSolomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and in wisdom.The whole world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear thewisdom that God had put in his heart” (1 Kings 10:23-24).16E x pl or e t h e B i bl e P e r s on a l S t u dy G u i de 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources

God’s third promise had a provision. God promised Solomona long life if he would walk in obedience as his father, David,had done.God was the source of all the good things that would come inSolomon’s life—wisdom, understanding, wealth, honor, and lengthof days. Solomon reigned during what came to be called “Israel’sgolden age.” His kingship was marked by peace and prosperity. Godhad granted Solomon his desire and had given him even more thanhe asked for. This testifies of the lavish generosity of God.Does God always give us what we ask for? What might affect whether ornot we receive from God what we request?VERSE 15The events in these verses end as they began, with Solomon offeringworship to God. Rather than at Gibeon, though, he traveled the fivemiles back to Jerusalem and stood before the ark, which representedthe presence of God among His people. In his dream, he hadconversed with God and received God’s promises. In spite of the factthat promises had not yet been fulfilled, Solomon offered God praisenonetheless. Solomon knew God was worthy of worship, thus offeringHim praise and adoration was a priority in Solomon’s life.Herein is a slight distinction for believers—the difference ingiving God praise and giving thanks. We praise God for who He is,but we thank Him for what He has done.K E Y DOC TRINE: ManOnly the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship andenable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God. (See Psalm 8:3-6;1 Corinthians 1:26-29.)Se s s ion 1 : G ra nt e d 2021 Lifeway Christian Resources17

APPLY THE TEXT Worship is the first step toward God and His blessings. Life’s challenges point to our need for God’s wisdom. God answers prayers in ways that align with His purposesand heart.List the traits and characteristics of God that cause you the greatest awe.How can you affirm those traits in words of praise to Him? Write a prayerof praise here.Discuss as a group a potential God-sized task o

God's judgment was coming on Judah (2 Kings 22:14-20) Jeroboam [jer uh BOH uhm ]—Solomon's servant, first king of the Northern Kingdom, Israel; reigned 22 years (1 Kings 11:26-14:20) Jehu [JEE hyoo]—two different men are named Jehu in 1, 2 Kings: (1) king of the Northern Kingdom, Israel (2 Kings 9:1-10:36); (2) prophet who proclaimed