S.S.S. Study Kings and Prophets
Family School at Faith Baptist Church
Week 5
Brief overview of the divided kingdom (part 2)
Fast track through some of the highlights of the divided kingdom before the captivities.
2nd Kings 4 the shulamite woman's faith and Elisha raising her son from the dead.
2nd Kings 5 Naaman the leper healed by Elisha.
2nd Kings 6:11-17 Elisha and the fiery host of Heaven protecting Elisha.
V18-23 Elisha delivers the Syrian army to king Jehoram blind.
2nd Kings 6:24-7:20 Samaria besieged, the famine conditions in Samaria, the four lepers discovering the empty enemy camp, and the sound of chariots scaring away the enemy.
We find in 2nd Kings 3-9 a wonderful comparison to Gods plan of salvation, and saved life.
1. They were lepers - We are sinners neither have any hope in themselves, Ephesians 2:1.
2. They found grace - We are saved by grace, not works, Titus 3:5.
3. They realized they needed to share the news - We are told to share the news Mark 16:15.
4. Many others were saved by their witness - John 12:10-11. What a testimony!
2nd Kings 9-10 Jehu is anointed king of Israel and destroys all of Ahabs house and the worshipers of baal, but fails to keep himself pure and follow God completely.
2nd Kings 11:1-16 Athalia the mother the deceased king ahaziah trys to kill all heirs to the throne, and makes herself queen, but Jehosheba saves joash and six years later Athalia is killed and joash made king at seven years old.
The prophets Jonah and Amos both lived and ministered during the reign of Jeroboam 2 whose reign is found in 2nd Kings 14.
The prophet Hosea lived and ministered during the reigns of Jeroboam 2, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekaniah, Pekah, and Hoshea, from 2nd Kings 14-18.
The prophet Micah during Jotham (2nd Kings 15), Ahaz (2nd Kings 16), and Hezekiah's (2nd Kings 16-21, 2nd Chronicles 29-32) reigns.
The prophet Nahum during Manasseh and Amon (2nd Kings 21), and Josiah (2nd Kings 22-23, 2nd Chronicles 34-35)
Zephaniah, Isaiah, Habakkuk, and Jeremiah also lived and ministered during the years of the divided kingdom before the captivity of Judah. Jeremiah lived to see Judah fall after years of prophesying to them.
Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi are the three writing prophets who lived after the fall of both Israel and Judah.
All of this is very important so that we can better understand which books of prophesy were written during which times, in which places and circumstances, throughout all the prophets we see Gods enduring love, grace, and mercy giving the people many opportunities to repent, but also His just judgements and fierce wrath towards those who refuse.
Much can be learned from all of these kings and prophets, but for this study we will focus on one king and one prophet so that we may learn a small portion of the wealth of information given in these scriptures.
The King Josiah:
8 years old 2nd Chronicles 34:1-2 Josiah takes the throne. God can use anyone, Jeremiah 1:5-7
16 years old Verse 3 King Josiah begins to seek after the God of his father, Eph 6:4, Pro 22:6
20 years old Verses 3-7 King Josiah himself tears down the idols of the land, burnt the bones of the false priests on their altars and made the graven images into dust.
26 years old Verses 8-26 After cleansing the land King Josiah begins to rebuild the temple, and Gods word is found and read to him, hearing Gods word and realizing how far Judah had strayed from obeying God, Josiah rent his clothes, wept, and sought God. This reaction to sin is sought by God in Ezekiel chapter 9, all who did not sigh and cry for the abominations of the land were killed starting in the temple among the "religious people" where only Ezekiel was left alive.
Verses 27-28 God rewards Josiah's right response to His word by vowing to take Josiah out of the world before the judgment would fall on Judah, much like we are promised to be raptured out of this world before the Day of The Lord.
Jeremiah 1:10 this is the order for a nation strayed from the true God to idol worship, exactly what King Josiah did, also Josiah first sought after God himself before beginning this process.
The life of Josiah is a great example for us to follow, as a young man he sought God, as a young man he stood up to false religion, as a young man he sorrowed over the sin of the people and sought Gods will.
The Prophet Hosea:
The book of Hosea is almost entirely comprised of the messages God gave Hosea for the people, but the few things we learn about Hosea himself teach us very much.
Hosea 1:2-3 God commands Hosea to take a prostitute as a wife to symbolize Gods relationship with His people. In this small book we find nearly fifty times the words, harlot, adulteress, whoredom, lovers, backslidings, and various others with similar meanings. God uses some pretty awful terms to describe His people, Isaiah 64:6, but He still offers a right relationship and forgiveness in chapter 14 if they will just repent and follow Him. The New Testament says of a saved sinner in:
1st Corinthians 6:9-11 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
With our sin we have made ourselves filthy, yet God loves us still.
Notice Hosea does not complain when told to marry a prostitute, nor does he complain when God tells him to name his children names that mean terrible things.
Hosea with his wife, and God with us, show us that no matter the filthy sin, or unclean life of those we meet on the street, God is willing to offer salvation to all men 2nd Peter 3:9, the problem, we avoid those who we believe to be more dirty than us, the bible does say in 2nd Corinthians 6:17 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," but we must balance this warning with the call to preach in Mark 16:15, and the example God sets in Acts 10:34-35 of not respecting persons, (looking up to or down on any man because of his nationality, race, status, wealth, etc). Think hard the next time you laugh at someone for not knowing scripture, doing something wrong that "you don't struggle with" many people grow up without God and it is our job to show them Gods way, and Gods love not just our disapproval.
God telling Hosea to marry (another Israelite/child of God) Gomer was, I believe also a symbol to us of God, knowing what we were (Romans 5:8), choosing to enter into a covenant with us by the blood of His Son (Hebrews 13:20)
God help us to have the patience, mercy, and love of God.
S.S.S. Study Kings and Prophets
Family School at Faith Baptist Church
Week 5
Brief overview of the divided kingdom (part 2)
Student Study Guide/Notes:
1. What was Elisha and his servant protected from the Syrian army by?
2. In what way did God smite the Syrians who came for Elisha?
3. What four ways did the four lepers resemble salvation/saved life?
4. Who destroyed Baal out of Israel?
5. How old was Joash when he became king?
6. Which prophets lived during Jereboam 2's reign?
7. Which three writing prophets lived after the falls of both nations?
8. How old was Joash when he sought after the God of his father?
9. What was the name of Hosea's wife?
10. Why did God tell Hosea to marry her?
Memory Verses: Jeremiah 1:5-8 "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD."
Homework: Read one of the books of prophesy in the Old Testament, of your choosing, and write out notes on what is included in the book, key verses, key people, etc. (should be about 1 page)
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