Step 6: The Kingdom

Introduction

Review: Steps of the Bible

The Beginning - creation - sin - new world after the flood - nations at the tower of Babel

4000 -2000BC

4004-1996BC

The Hebrew Fathers - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, 12 sons of Jacob/patriarchs

2000-1600BC

1996-1635BC

The Exodus - 120 years

1635-1451BC -approximately 185 years

The Promised Land - Israel conquers the land God promised them

1451-1428 approximately 23 years

The Judges

1427-1043 approximately 400 years - exact 385 years

The Kingdom

The Captivity

The Restoration

The Coming of Christ

The Great Commission

The Kingdom is by far the step that has the most written literature of all the steps. It includes most of 1 Samuel, all of 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakuk, Zephaniah. 23 of the 39 Old Testament books are in this step. It covers a period from 931 - 586BC, almost 350 years.

1. The United Kingdom (1043-931BC)

Explain

King Saul - the wasted life (approx. 40 years)

Decided to disobediently offer the a sacrifice when Samuel did not come as planned while there was a large pending Philistine attack of 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen. (1 Samuel 13)

1 Samuel 13:11–14 “11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.”

When things don’t go as planned, don’t disobey God’s Word.

Saul’s disobedience cost him the kingdom.

What do you do when your schedule is messed up. Things don’t go as planned. Is that your excuse to sin as it was Saul’s?

Psalm 106:3 “3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, And he that doeth righteousness at all times.”

Disobeyed God regarding wiping out the Amalekites. (1 Samuel 15)

1 Samuel 15:8–9 “8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.”

Kept King Agag alive.

Kept the best of the sheep, goats, and oxen

When it comes to obeying God, God will not tolerate disobedience.

1 Samuel 15:26–29 “26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. 27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. 28 And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.”

King David - the man after God’s own heart (approx. 40 years)

Shepherd and skillful harpist as a youth. (1 Samuel 16:16) Psalm 23 is his most beloved Psalm.

Killed the giant Goliath. (1 Samuel 17)

1 Samuel 17:47 “47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.”

Was a faithful soldier and set over the men of war. (1 Samuel 18:5)

Was in exile 2-3 years because jealous King Saul tried to kill him.

A model of honoring authority even when they were doing wrong.

Opportunity in the cave to kill Saul. (1 Samuel 24:6 “6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.”)

Opportunity when Saul was sleeping to kill. (1 Samuel 26)

King for roughly 40 years 1010-970BC.

Davidic Covenant given by the Lord promises an everlasting kingdom to David’s seed. This will be literally filled in Christ during the Millennium.

Ushered in the most peaceful period yet for Israel’s history for his Son Solomon.

King Solomon - the wisest man (approx. 40 years)

The wisest man 1 Kings 4:31

“31 For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.”

He built the temple.

He was foolish and disobedient to marry foreign women 1 Kings 11:1–3

“1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; 2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.”

Prophets/Seers

Samuel - lived for a portion of Saul’s reign.

Nathan - ministered to David and confronted David of his adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-14)

Gad - gave the choice between three judgements for numbering Israel (1 Samuel 24:1-14)

The prophets had to confront kings with sin. It takes courage to say to an authority, God’s Word says this. What you are doing is wrong. You need to repent. Galatians 6:1 “1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

2. The Divided Kingdom

Explain

The Kingdom splits because Solomon’s foolish son Rehoboam ignores the counsel of the wise older men in his life.

Proverbs 19:20 “20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.”

Proverbs 19:27 “27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction That causeth to err from the words of knowledge.”

Northern Kingdom beginning under King Jeroboam I has 19 kings all of which were bad

Southern Kingdom beginning under King Rehoboam has 20 kings of which 8 were good: Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Hezekiah, Josiah.

The Northern Kingdom - 19 bad kings

The first Northern King, Jeroboam - Introduced the 10 tribes of the Northern Kingdom to the false worship of two golden calves in Dan and Bethel

Acted in fear over faith. (1 Kings 11:31, 38; 12:26-29)

1 Kings 11:31 “31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:”

1 Kings 11:38 “38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.”

1 Kings 12:26–29 “26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: 27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. 28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.”

Emphasized Convenience over obedience (1 Kings 12:28)

1 Kings 12:28 “28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.”

Are you commited to the right, or do you do what is easiest.

Omri

Ahab - the worst ruler yet of Israel. (1 Kings 16:29-33)

The husband of notorious queen Jezebel of Sidon.

Promoted Baal worship in Israel

Jehu

Pekakiah

Pekah

The Southern Kingdom: 8 good kings Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Hezekiah, Josiah.

Rehoboam - remembered for rejecting the counsel of the old men.

Abiah

Asa - 1st good king

Joatham

Athaliah - wicked queen

Joash

Jehoshaphat - Jehoshaphat was a good king that compromised with evil King Ahab to go to battle with him.

Uzziah - struck with leprosy for taking upon himself to offer incense to the Lord. (2 Chronicles 26:18-20)

2 Chronicles 26:18–20 “18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God. 19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.”

Regardless of your authority you must obey the Law of God.

Ahaz

Hezekiah trusted the Lord more than all the kings of Israel. (2 Kings 18:5-6)

2 Kings 18:5–6 “5 He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. 6 For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses.”

Do you trust the Lord in the big details of life? Hezekiah trusted God to defeat the Assyrian army while besieged.

Manasseh - the worst and longest reigning king 52 years. He did later repent at the end of his life and was forgiven (2 Chronicles 33:11-13; Psalm 86:5).

2 Chronicles 33:11–13 “11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.”

This king had rebuilt altars to Baal, put idolatrous images in the Temple, and sacrificed his own children to Molech.

Psalm 86:5 “5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; And plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”

Josiah

Joram/Jotham

Jechoniah

3. The Prophets

Explain

A prophet is a person who both foretells and forthtells God’s message. In the Old Testament their message may be summarized: Repent, or judgement will come upon you!

Majors: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel

Minor: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah

Isaiah - the most poetic of the prophets.

Prophesies of the Messiah (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 42:1-9; 11:1-4; 49:1-12; 50:4-11; 52:13-53:12)

Jeremiah - the weeping prophet to a stubborn people along with the prophecy of a new covenant and hearts of flesh. (Jeremiah 31:31-33)

Jeremiah 31:31–33 “31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant With the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers In the day that I took them by the hand To bring them out of the land of Egypt; Which my covenant they brake, Although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, And write it in their hearts; And will be their God, And they shall be my people.”

Ezekiel - describes the Millennial Temple (Ezekiel 40-48)

Conclusion

God is not done with Israel although they have rebelled against him. He will restore them. Christian, God in like manner, is not finished with you either. Philippians 1:6 “6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”