Note: these are completely unedited notes, and I give you no guarantee that they are fit for student consumption.  I
post them on the chance that some students might find them useful in reviewing the material we discussed in class.

I Kings 12–II King 25
Lecture/Discussion
March 2, 2004
(One lecture missed, sick–this became a lecture)

Generalization: I and II Kings might be viewed as a series of tragedies, or one great tragedy, tragedy of Israel and Judah.

Last time: Solomon.  Certainly a tragic figure if ever there was one.  A character of sufficient magnitude?  You bet.  A tragic flaw?  Very much so.  Any catharsis to his story?  Well, perhaps if one takes Ernest’s view that Ecclesiastes shows his repentance.  And probably we are supposed to take that into account.  I Kings 11:41 cites the deeds and wisdom of Solomon written down in the acts of Solomon, and I think there is a kind of catharsis in knowing that the wealth and human glory we might aspire to are ultimately all vanity.

Now story switches gears...and becomes very complicated.  Back and forth between Israel and Judah–and not at all easy to follow in way we would normally like.  Key to understanding, overall picture here.

Solomon’s death: 922 BC.  Kingdom divided–Israel in north, Judah in south.  We’ll follow Israel until it is destroyed by Assyria in 722 BC, and Judah until it is destroyed by Chaldaeans (Babylonians) a little more than a century later, e.g. around 612 BC.

Now our tragic figures are not so much the kings, but men of God/prophets.  Great theme here one partly explored by the Greek playwrights–the unheeded prophet.  Greeks had figures like Cassandra and Tiresias.  Here we get Elijah, Elisha, Micaiah, and Isaiah.  Tragedy for Israel and Judah not listening to prophets–tragedy of prophets themselves involves coping with nations and individuals that reject their message.  Second tragic theme, the division of Israel and Judah, nations that should be brothers, and to a certain extent Moab and Edom, nations that should be, well, cousins.  Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity...behold how terrible it is one brothers are at each other’s throats.  A third theme: an attempt to get a religion beneficial to state–with the irony that true religion would work, but the kings keep trying religions of their own invention.

All three themes themes introduced with Rehoboam son of Solomon. Rehoboam given two sets of counsel–give people a soft answer or a hard one.  Chooses bad counsel!  Israel goes its separate way under Jeroboam.  Now this isn’t necessarily horrible: man of God named Shemaiah warns Rehoboam not to fight with Jeroboam, and conflict is temporarily averted.  But soon there is war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.  Also, Rehoboam lets Judah drift entirely away from God.  High places.  Images. Groves.  Result: moral breakdown: Sodomites in the land. All the bad things nations before Israel did.  And also physical breakdown: Shishak of Egypt invades and strips Jerusalem of its wealth–note that Solomon’s temple particularly stripped. All this, to a certain extent, follow up on the tragedy of Solomon: Solomon had sown seeds of division–and chosen as one of his wives Rehoboam’s mother Naamah an Ammonitess...No wonder he worships other gods!

Meanwhile, in the North, things aren’t going so well either. Jeroboam could be expected to listen to prophets.  Ahijah had foretold his kingship  But, afraid if Jerusalem remained center of worship, Jeroboam sets up his own religion: golden calves at Bethel and Dan (too hard to go up to Jerusalem!), makes priest of whoever he wants, sets up his own day for festival, and even makes himself a priest.

Man of God comes up to cry out against him, Jeroboam threatens, hand withers, man of God heals, Jeroboam tries to reward, man of God says he supposed to go home.  But an old prophet meets man of God, says God told him to invite him home.  Man of god disobeys, old prophet speaks God’s punishment to disobedient man of God. Sure enough, he doesn’t make it home.  Old prophet takes up body, and asks his sons to bury him with the man of God.

Meanwhile, Jeroboam’s son is sick: sends his wife is disguise to inquire of now nearly blind Ahijah. Frustrating!  They realize he speaks with God’s voice, and yet don’t obey!!!
So, Jeroboam and his house end up destroyed.  A great lesson for next king?  No.  Baasha wipes out house of Jeroboam--does the same things, fighting against Judah and worshiping as Jeroboam had.  And then Zimri comes, catches Elah drinking himself drunk, and wipes out house of Baasha. And then Zimri does same thing, and he’s beaten by Omri.

(Half the people followed Omri, half Tibni, the Omri side prevailed, so Tibni dies and Omri reigned.  Some profound truth in that verse!)

Omri–new policy.  I Kings is concerned with other issues, and doesn’t make it clear as it might that Omri is in a certain sense very successful.  Wealthy, and involved with trade–especially with Phoenician cities Tyre and Sidon.  This meant changed religious policy.  Not only worship of Jeroboam’s calves, but also worship of the gods of his allies including Baal.  Chooses for his son a Baal-worshipping wife, Jezebel.  Jezebel zealous for her god, and Israelites *quickly* return to Baal worship.  Why is this?  What is attraction of Baal?  (What’s going on here is choice: remember, God of Israel truth, mercy, justice, love: other gods sensuality, pleasure wealth).  Ahab would *like* both...but Jezebel isn’t satisfied.  She persecutes prophets of God and tears down altars. *Why? (invariable conflict: truth/sensual).

Now we’ve seen this before (book of Judges!), and anyone with any wisdom knows likely result.  So we get, not a judge, but prophet, Elijah.

First appearance: tells Ahab, no rain except and my word–and then disappears!  Appears again years later to challenge prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. Great victory of 450 prophets of Baal.  The Lord he is the god!!!! And rain at last.... but....

Ahab goes to Jezebel...and she threatens Elijah.  And Elijah despairs.  I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it away.  Earthquake, and whirlwind: God not in either: but in a still, small voice.

Meanwhile, another prophet goes to Ahab with promise of victory over Syrians...and twice it happens!  But Ahab spares Benhadad, and is told he is in trouble.

Ahab wants Naboth’s vinyard...Jezebel has Naboth accused of blasphemy so he can be killed and vinyard acquired...and Elijah shows up with a message of judgement.  And Ahab repents!!!

Well, one more Ahab encounter–this time with a different prophet, Micaiah.  Ahab and Jehosaphat make an alliance before yet another war with Syria.  Prophets all tell them they’ll prosper.  Is there not a prophet of the Lord here, asks Jehosaphat.  Well, Micaiah, says Ahab, but he hates me and always has something bad to say.  Micaiah says, go and prosper.  And Ahab says, how often do I have to tell you to tell me nothing but the truth.  And Micaiah now tells Ahab what is going to happen—and Ahab persists anyway, figuring if he disguises himself, he’ll cheat the prophecy.

Well, he dies–I Kings 22:39–great irony: talks of all the cities he built and of his ivory palace...but the dogs lick up his blood.  And his son?  A follower of Baal–and guess why!!!

Brings us into II Kings.  Ahaziah sick, sends to inquire of Baalzebub of Ekron, Elijah meets messengers in the way, warns Ahaziah he should have inquired of God and that he isn’t going to recover.  Ahaziah send for Elijah 3 captains and 50, two of which are destroyed, and Elijah appears once more before Ahaziah with message...a kind of vindication, I guess.

But, as far as story of Elijah goes, perhaps a greater comfort, knowledge a successor would take his place, Elisha.  Elijah taken up to heaven (there’s the deus ex machina....)

Elisha had asked for a double measure of spirit of Elijah, and gets it.  His story very like Elijah’s.  Has to deal with surviving son of Ahab, Ahaziah’s brother, Jehoram–a man very like his father, constantly changing his mind about Elijah.  For a time, he’s going to listen–and Elisha’s counsel gives him victory over the Syrians.  But, blaming Israel’s troubles on the prophet, he  then decides to kill Elisha–and then changes his mind again.  Elisha finally sends someone to anoint Jehu, and Jehu destroys house of Ahab.  He destroys Baal worshippers–and then falls into the sins of Jeroboam!

Well, we get more of the same, “and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,” until, finally, Assyrians destroy Israel.  Writer sums up whole business in II Kings 17.

Well, what of Judah?  There the trick is a little different.  Over and over again, kings that start on the right track, but are unable to continue despite good council.  Part of problem, marry into house of Ahab.  Athaliah on the throne–and when her son  is killed, kills all the seed royal except Joash who is hidden.  Athaliah introduces worship of Baal as well, but eventually, Jehoida the priest reveals Joash and Athaliah is killed and Baal worship destroyed–but not for long.

Alternate good and bad kings, Baal worship in and out...but high places remaining most of time.

Great reform in the time of Josiah...but not enough.  Wickedness of Manasseh not to be overcome...despite Manasseh’s own repentance... Strange sort of idea, perhaps, from a religious point of view, but not at all from a political point of view...

Anway, end is a dreary one.  Chaldaeans come in, take one king captive, but antoher on the throne, he rebels, they kill his sons in front of him, poke his eyes out.  And, in the end, the imprisoned king is elevated in Babylon somewhat, but doesn’t seem like a catharsis–unless it’s the catharsis of saying, “I told you so!”