Hosea 8-14

The northern kingdom of Israel is referred to as Ephraim, and they will be taken as slaves by the Assyrians. Even though Judah will later go into captivity in Babylon, God will bring them back to Israel after 70 years, however the return of Jews to Israel for many of Israel’s descendants will not occur until Israel is made a country again in May of 1948. In the last days the Lord will hear the cry of Israel, and will heal and restore them to Himself in Christ.

Hosea 1-7

Hosea prophesied in Israel for a long time, spanning from Uzziah to Hezekiah, who were kings in Judah, and also prophesying to the northern kingdom of Israel during the days of Jeroboam II, spanning a ministry time of almost 70 years. His name means “salvation”, and in the Hebrew it is the same as Joshua, as well as the Hebrew form of Jesus. Hosea prophesied to Israel in the north, while his contemporary Isaiah prophesied to Judah.

God tells Hosea to take a wife who is a harlot, and she bears three children who God names, indicating that each of their names are prophetic of his workings with Israel. Hosea’s wife (Gomer) represents Israel as the wife of God, who is repeatedly unfaithful, and she even sells herself back into prostitution after marrying Hosea, but he goes and buys her back, for her to be his wife alone. The Lord promises to bring a very long judgement upon Israel, which will last (for some) until the very last days, when they finally repent and return to the Lord forever, and accept Jesus as Israel’s Messiah.

2 Kings 14 | 2 Chronicles 25 | Jonah

In Judah, Amaziah, the son of Joash became king for 29 years, and he was largely a good and godly king, although his pride caused great problems in Judah when he needlessly went to battle with Jehoash in Israel. Jehoash defeated Amaziah, sacked Jerusalem, and took away much plunder.

In Israel, Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash became king, and reigned for 41 years. He was bad, but not as bad as some who had reigned before him. Jonah was a prophet of God in the days of Jeroboam, son of Jehoash. God sent him to preach to the Assyrians in their capital of Ninevah. He didn’t want to go to Ninevah, but God overcame his objections by taking him into a large fish for 3 days, and Jonah finally submitted to God’s will. He preached God’s judgement to the Assyrians, and they turned and repented before God, and He decided not to destroy them at that time. This greatly angered Jonah, who wanted them to be destroyed, yet God is ever ready to extend mercy upon all who humble themselves before Him.

2 Kings 12-13 | 2 Chronicles 24

Joash had become king in Judah at the age of 7 years old, who had been hidden in the temple by the high priest Jehoiada, and he reigned for 40 years. Throughout all the years that Jehoiada lived as high priest, Joash was a good king. However, when Jehoiada died (130 years old), Joash started to follow the council of wicked advisors, and he not only turned away from the Lord, but had the son of Jehoiada killed when he prophesied the word of God. God brought the Arameans against Judah and humbled and looted them, and the servants of Joash conspired to kill him. He started well, but finished poorly.

In northern Israel, the continuous reign of evil kings marched forward, with Jehoahaz succeeding Jehu, and then Jehoash succeeding him. Yet, Jehoahaz did seek the Lord’s help in the face of the Arameans, and his son enjoyed some victories over them in his days, just as Elisha had foretold in the days before he died.

Joel

We don’t know anything about the prophet Joel, other than the name of his father. It is generally believed that he prophesied in the same times as Elisha, but in Judah, whereas Elisha prophesied in the northern kingdom of Israel. There is much in this book that speaks of a future judgement of God upon the enemies of Israel and Judah, and the great and terrible Day of The Lord echoes much greater judgement than just in the days of Joel. There are aspects of this prophecy that can only refer to the Lord’s second coming, when He comes to judge the earth and establish His kingdom.

Peter quoted from Joel 2:28 on the day of Pentecost, where God had promised to pour out His Spirit on all mankind.

2 Kings 10-11 | 2 Chronicles 22:10-23:21

Jehu purged from Israel all of the descendants of Ahab, and also wiped out the worshippers of baal in the land, so God told him that his descendants would reign in Israel to the fourth generation. Yet, in spite of these things, Jehu followed after false gods and did not lead Israel in returning to God. In Judah, when it was realized that Ahaziah was dead, his mother tried to kill all of the royal descendants, but the infant Joash was protected, and raised by the priests in the temple for 6 years. She acted as queen during those 6 years, but when Joash was seven years old the chief priest took steps to make him king, and his grandmother Athaliah was executed for her treason. Joash became king in Judah at the age of 7 years old, and he reigned for 40 years.

2 Kings 8-9 | 2 Chronicles 21:4-22:9

In Israel Joram (or Jehoram), the son of Ahab was king, and when Jehoshaphat (king of Judah) died, his son Jehoram reigned in his place for 8 years. Then Ahaziah, the son of Jerhoram became king in Judah, however both he and his father were wicked kings in Judah, who were related to king Ahab by marriage.

In Israel, Jehu is anointed to be king by the prophet of God, and he executes the descendants of Ahab, and Jezebel is likewise killed in fulfillment of God’s promises regarding them. Jehu also killed Ahaziah, who had been king of Judah for one year following his father’s (Jehoram) death.

2 Kings 5-7

The Syrian general Naaman was afflicted with leprosy, and he went to Elisha in Samaria to be healed. Elisha didn’t even meet with Naaman, but sent his servant out to tell him to wash 7 times in the Jordan River to be cleansed. Naaman was seriously offended, but his servants convinced him to obey, and he was healed of his leprosy. Elisha refused to take anything in payment, but his servant Gehazi fell prey to greed, and went after Naaman to get some new clothes and a little bit of silver. For his transgression, the leprosy of Naaman fell upon him - what a tragic story of the futility of wealth!

The king of Syria sought to attack Israel, but God spoke multiple times through Elisha to warn the king of Israel. The Syrians sent an army to take and kill Elisha, but that didn’t work out as they had planned. They then laid siege against Israel, and there was no food left for people to eat, but Elisha prophesied of God’s victory over the Syrians, which came about as he said. In spite of king Jehoram’s wickedness, God remained faithful to Israel, and continually helped in providing and protecting them.

2 Kings 2-4

The time of Elijah’s prophetic ministry came to an end, and all the prophets knew that God was going to take him away on a particular day. His servant Elisha stuck to him like glue, and requested a double portion of Elijah’s spirit upon his departure. The mantle of Elijah fell to Elisha as he was being taken into heaven. God spoke through Elisha in mighty ways, and throughout his prophetic ministry there were twice the recorded miracles that Elijah had done. Israel and Judah go to war against the Edomites, and God miraculously provides water for their armies at the word of Elisha, and they realize a great victory over Edom.

A woman of Shunem kind of adopts Elisha, and provides a place for him to stay when he passes through their town. At the word of Elisha, she has a son in her old age, and then later raises the boy from the dead. At the end of 2 Kings 4 Elisha feeds a large number of people with only a small number of barley loaves, prefiguring at least one of Christ’s miracles.

1 Kings 22:41-53 | 2 Kings 1 | 2 Chronicles 19:1-21:3

After Ahab died, his son Ahaziah became king for 2 years, but he was wicked also. He was injured in an accident at home, and sought to inquire of the false god baal-zebub (lord of the flies), but God sent Elijah to reprimand Ahaziah, and confirm his imminent death. Ahaziah had no sons, so his brother Jerhoram became king in Israel.

King Jehoshaphat in Judah was faithful to the Lord throughout his reign of 25 years, except that the Lord rebuked him for helping the wicked kings of Israel (Ahab and his son). He instituted righteous laws and judges in the land, and taught the people to follow the Lord.

When the enemies of Judah came to make war against Jehoshaphat, his immediate response was to go to the Lord in prayer, which was a very powerful and effective prayer (2 Chronicles 20:6-13). The Lord responded by telling Jehoshaphat what He was going to do, and what the king and the people should do. The battle was fought and won by the Lord alone, and the people of Judah were 3 days in gathering the massive plunder.

The rest of Jehoshaphat’s reign was peaceful and prosperous, and his son Jehoram became king in his place when he died.

1 Kings 22:1-40 | 2 Chronicles 18

This is the story of the death of wicked king Ahab, who enlisted Jehoshaphat (king of Judah) to join him against the Syrians in battle. Jehoshaphat was a godly man, and he asked that they inquire of the Lord regarding this plan. All the false prophets in Israel encouraged Ahab to go, but the one prophet of God said that Ahab would die in the battle, and that it was from an evil and lying spirit that Ahab’s prophets spoke. All that the Lord’s prophet came to pass, and Ahab died, thus ending the reign of one of the most wicked kings in the history of Israel.

1 Kings 20-21

20 - In spite of wicked Ahab, the Lord brings about multiple victories over Ben-Hadad, and the Syrian armies who attempted to sack and enslave Israel. Yet, in his pride Ahab lets Ben-Hadad go free, and makes a peace treaty with Syria, so God declares a future judgement upon Ahab.

21 - Ahab and Jezebel conspire to murder Naboth, to steal his small plot of land that the king wanted, demonstrating again how completely twisted and wicked they both were. God sends the prophet to Ahab, telling him how He and Jezebel will die, and how his heritage will be completely wiped out. Yet, when Ahab humbles himself before God, the Lord shows him some mercy.

1 Kings 18-19

These two chapters represent a significant contrast in the heart of the prophet Elijah. In the first he boldly challenges king Ahab, all the false prophets of baal, and the people in Israel, demonstrating Who is God with fire from heaven. In the next chapter Jezebel threatens to kill Elijah, and he is terrified, and flees for his life. He runs 100 miles to the southern extreme of Israel, and the angel of the Lord provides him with food and drink, and then he goes deep into the Arabian desert, to the mountain of God at Horeb, where God spoke to Moses.

Elijah is complaining and whining to God about how much he has served Him, and how he is the only prophet of God who is left in the land. Yet, twice the Lord asks him “what are you doing here?”. God simply tells Elijah that there are 7,000 others in Israel who are faithful to Him, and then gives him instructions to go back and finish the work He had for him to do.

God was gracious and merciful to Elijah and his self-pity, but He essentially said “get over yourself, and go back to work for Me.”

1 Kings 15:25-16:34 | 2 Chronicles 17 | 1 Kings 17

In the northern kingdom Nadab reigned as king for 2 years in the place of his father Jeroboam, but Baasha conspired against him, and took the throne to be king in Israel for 24 years. Baasha was just as evil as Jeroboam, and God spoke through the prophet Jehu, saying that his sons would likewise die like those he killed of Jeroboam’s descendants. The son of Baasha (Elah) reigned for 2 years in Israel after his father died, but one of his army’s commanders (Zimri) killed him, however the people in Israel chose Omri to be their king (because Zimri murdered the king). Omri was likewise evil, and reigned for 12 years. Ahab, the son of Omri became king, and reigned with his wife Jezebel for 22 years in Israel, and proved to be more wicked than all the kings in Israel before him, including Jeroboam.

It was in the days of king Ahab that the prophet Elijah spoke the words of God to the king, and he prayed that it wouldn’t rain in Israel for 3 years, and it didn’t rain. Elijah was protected by God during the next 3 years of drought, and he ended up living with widow in Zarephath, which was a city in the country of Sidon, to the north of Israel. Through Elijah, God multiples the widow’s store of oil and flour during the years of the drought, and he raises her son from the dead. In Judah, Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa became king, and he was a godly leader like David. There was a revival in the land for God, and the king even sent priests throughout the land to teach the people about God’s laws.

1 Kings 15:1-24 | 2 Chronicles 13-16

After Rehoboam died, his son Abijah reigned in Judah for 3 years, and under his leadership Judah won a great victory over the army of Jeroboam because they called upon the Lord to save them. Unfortunately, Abijah was wicked and ungodly like his father, and he died, so that his son Asa reigned in his place. Asa was a man who followed God, and who led Judah for 41 years in a mostly godly way. When the Ethiopian army of 1 million came against Judah, who fielded an army of 580,000, king Asa called upon the Lord to save them, and they won a great victory, and to huge amounts of spoil. There was a national revival in Judah, with all peoples turning to God, and destroying the places and idols used for worshipping false gods. The Lord gave Judah and Asa peace until the 36th year of his reign.

In the 36th year of Asa’s reign Baasha, king of Israel in the north, came against Judah to lay siege against Jerusalem. However, rather than call upon God for help, Asa hired the army of Syria (to the north of Israel) to come and fight against Baasha. God was displeased with Asa, and his prophet Hanani told the king this, but Asa got mad and put the prophet in prison. In the last few years of Asa’s life, he was afflicted with disease in his feet, but he only sought the help of physicians, and not the Lord. The words of God to Asa are important for us to remember…

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars. In the case of king Asa, he was faithful to God for most of his life, but then he drifted away, and did not finish well.
- 2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV

1 Kings 13-14 | 2 Chronicles 11:18-12:16

Jeroboam reigns 22 years in Israel, and is an evil king who led his people in idol worship, and in forsaking God. God determines that Jeroboam’s descendants will not remain as kings in Israel, and the prophet tells Jeroboam’s wife all that will happen. Rehoboam reigns for 17 years in Judah, and his heart is evil, and God allows the Egyptians to ransack Jerusalem and the temple, but they do not overthrow the city, or the southern kingdom of Judah.

In 1 Kings 13 a prophet is sent to Jeroboam, who prophesies regarding the idolatrous alter in Bethel. That prophet ended up dying needlessly because he failed to follow the instructions God gave him, and he ended up believing a lying prophet, who said “an angel told me”. We should remember the warning of Paul to the Galatians…

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
- Galatians 1:8-9 NKJV

1 Kings 12 | 2 Chronicles 10:1-11:17

With the death of king Solomon, his son Rehoboam becomes the default successor to the throne in Israel, however he seems to have not learned or inherited any of his father’s wisdom. He does nothing to appease the people’s requests for relief, and the norther tribes in Israel make Jeroboam their king. From this point forward Israel is divided into two kingdoms, with all of the tribes except Judah, Benjamin, and the levitical priests following Jeroboam, just as God had promised (1 Kings 11:29-39).

In 2 Chronicles 11:16-17 we are also told that there were some from the 10 northern tribes who also moved south into Judah, who were faithful to Yahweh, and they supported Rehoboam as their king. So, even though the northern tribes would eventually be taken into captivity by the Assyrians, and never return to Israel, there was a remnant of northern tribes that were preserved with Judah and Benjamin. There is no truth to the myth that 10 tribes were completely lost to history.

Ecclesiastes 8-12 | 1 Kings 11:41-43 | 2 Chronicles 9:29-31

Solomon laments that the injustices that are experienced in life, and rightly observes that even the most righteous of men will sin against God. In all his wisdom Solomon recognized and complained about the seemingly hopeless condition of men, but never realized (unlike his father David) that God had a plan to rescue all of creation from its fallen state. The final words of Solomon should ring loudly for everyone to remember, as everyone will stand before God’s judgement seat when this life is over…

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NKJV

Ecclesiastes 3-7

The observations of Solomon are often profound, and at other times sad. He rightly said that there is a time for everything under heaven, which incorporates the whole spectrum of human experience, both good and bad. He also pointed out that God created all people to be virtuous, but each one has turned to follow their own downward path (7:29).

1 Kings 11:1-40 | Ecclesiastes 1-2

The Lord blessed Solomon with more wisdom and honor and wealth than anyone before him, and he indulged himself in every way he could imagine. He pursued sensual pleasures, intellectual investigations, massive public works projects, and the endless gathering of knowledge. In all these things he excelled more than any man in history, yet his assessment of them all was disappointment and frustration. There was no fulfillment in any of his endeavors, and in the end his heart was compromised before God.

Solomon had 300 wives and another 700 concubines, with many of them coming from alliances formed with foreign kings. His heart became divided, and he started worshipping the false idols of his foreign wives. God became displeased with Solomon, and He sent a message to him about the judgement that would come in the days of his son (Rehoboam). God determined to divide Israel in the days of Solomon’s son, with 10 of the tribes going to Jeroboam. God did not bring this about in the days of Solomon, for the sake of his father David, but He allowed several enemies of Israel to cause Solomon problems throughout the remainder of his reign.