1 Kings
Furnishings of The Temple
We now move from a description of Solomon’s palace to a description of the temple and its’ furnishings. Bronze was used for the furnishing on the outside but the furniture on the inside was made of gold. The description of the bronze work of the temple makes it apparent that gr …
Solomon’s Achievements
Chapter nine begins the second half of Solomon’s forty year reign. The nation of Israel had reached a high point. A magnificent center of worship had been completed and national prestige had never been higher. However, now that everything was completed, the drive that had motiva …
The Drought Ends
When it was obvious that the prophets of Baal had failed, Elijah invited all the people to come near and observe what he would do. Elijah gathered the crowd around him as he repaired the altar that had been torn down (v. 30). He used 12 stones to represent the tribes of Israel …
Elijah Flees From Jezebel
Jezebel had not been on Mount Carmel and only heard what her husband reported to her (vv. 1-5). Elijah’s treatment of her prophets made her very angry, so she sent a message to him that she was going to kill him within 24 hours in retaliation for his slaughtering of the 4 …
The Kingdom Divided
Due to Rehoboam’s dictatorial threat, he alienated the 12 tribes and only the closest countrymen from Judah did not abandon him. Rehoboam’s insensitivity to the Israelites’ hardships extinguished any hope they may have entertained of economic recovery. His dictator …
Solomon Requests Wisdom
The scene shifts in this chapter from Solomon taking care of his enemies to taking care of the kingdom. In verse one we find him forming a marriage alliance with Pharaoh, King of Egypt, for his daughter which was clearly a diplomatic alliance. Solomon was not as careful about m …
Prosperity And Wisdom of Solomon’s Reign
Solomon’s kingdom was unified, secure, strong, and prosperous, with a large population. Solomon’s rule extended over all the kingdoms from the river Euphrates to the border of Egypt (v. 21). His kingdom was strong, secure, and prosperous with a very large population. Ver …
Solomon’s Wise Judgment
Solomon’s wisdom is put to the test. Two prostitutes, living in the same house, each had a baby three days apart. During the night one of the babies died and his mother exchanged the dead child for the living child. The next morning the other woman realized that the dead son w …
The Lord Appears to Elijah
Evidently Jezebel had not been present on Mount Carmel, so Ahab reported to her what had taken place. Whether or not Ahab had thoughts of revenge is unstated. However, when Jezebel heard that her prophets had been put to death she was furious. Attacking the problem, she sent a …