The book of 2 Kings continues the history of Israel and Judah after the death of King Solomon. It covers a tumultuous period of division, war, captivity and exile for God’s people. Here are some key questions that arise from studying this important book of the Bible:
What caused the division of Israel into two kingdoms?
After Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam came to the throne. The people asked Rehoboam to lighten the heavy yoke of forced labor and taxation that Solomon had placed on them. But Rehoboam refused and even threatened to make things harder. This arrogance led ten of the tribes to rebel and form the northern kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam, while only Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to Rehoboam and the Davidic dynasty (1 Kings 12).
Why did the kings of Israel lead the people into idolatry?
The first king of the northern kingdom, Jeroboam, set up golden calves at Bethel and Dan for the people to worship instead of going to Jerusalem. He did this to keep the people from reuniting with Judah (1 Kings 12:25-33). Most of the subsequent kings of Israel continued leading the people into idolatrous worship of Canaanite gods like Baal. They failed to tear down the high places where this worship happened. The author of Kings sees this apostasy as the primary reason why God eventually sent the Assyrians to conquer Israel.
What were some positive reforms made by kings like Hezekiah and Josiah?
A few righteous kings tried to bring about religious reforms in Judah, tearing down idols and reinstituting centralized worship at the Jerusalem temple. Hezekiah removed the bronze serpent Moses had made because it had become an object of idolatry (2 Kings 18:4). Josiah rediscovered the Book of the Law and reinstituted the Passover (2 Kings 22-23). But these reforms proved temporary and Judah returned to idolatry after their deaths.
How did prophets like Elijah and Elisha impact Israel’s history?
God raised up prophets like Elijah and Elisha to call Israel and Judah back to covenant faithfulness. They performed miracles and predicted future events. For example, Elijah prophesied a three-year drought as judgment for Ahab and Jezebel’s Baal worship (1 Kings 17:1). Elisha anointed Jehu king of Israel and prophesied that he would destroy the house of Ahab (2 Kings 9). The ministries of these prophets provide sober warnings of judgment but also glimpses of God’s grace.
What led to the downfall and exile of Israel and Judah?
The northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians in 722 BC after centuries of idolatry and disregard for God’s prophets. The Assyrians deported many Israelites and resettled the land with foreigners (2 Kings 17). More than a century later, the Babylonians conquered Judah and destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in 586 BC. Key factors were Judah’s idolatry and social injustice, as well as failure to heed Jeremiah’s warnings to repent and submit to Babylon.
How did the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah differ?
Hezekiah and Josiah were two of Judah’s most righteous kings. Both removed idols and restored worship of Yahweh. A key difference is that Hezekiah reigned when Assyria was the main threat, while Josiah reigned when Babylon was rising to power. Hezekiah rebelled against Assyria, was miraculously delivered from Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem, but left Judah more impoverished (2 Kings 18-19). Josiah asserted independence from Egypt but was killed confronting Pharaoh Neco. Both relied on God but with differing political policies.
Why does 2 Kings end in exile instead of restoring hope?
The book ends gloomily with Judah’s last king Zedekiah captured as Jerusalem burned (2 Kings 25:1-7), and the remnant fleeing to Egypt after the murder of Gedaliah (25:22-26). Scholars suggest several reasons why 2 Kings lacks a hopeful ending: to explain why there was no longer a Davidic king, to warn against disobedience, and to create literary unity with 2 Chronicles which does end positively with the decree of Cyrus. Ultimately God’s purposes were not thwarted by the exile, as subsequent biblical books will show.
How do Elijah’s miracles and battles with prophets of Baal point to God’s power?
Through Elijah God displayed his supremacy over the false Canaanite god Baal and those who worshipped this idol. Elijah predicted a drought to show Yahweh’s authority over the weather and agriculture that Baal supposedly controlled (1 Kings 17:1). On Mount Carmel, God sent fire from heaven to burn up Elijah’s sacrifice after the prophets of Baal failed to do so, proving He alone is the true God who answers prayer (1 Kings 18:16-40). And God empowered Elijah to outrun Ahab’s chariot in the rainstorm He sent, showing Yahweh’s dominance over the king and his pagan queen Jezebel (1 Kings 18:46).
How should Christians apply lessons from the lives of Elijah and Elisha today?
As prophets and miracle-workers, Elijah and Elisha model passionate faith in God and courage to confront unrighteousness. Elijah stood alone against hundreds of Baal’s prophets on Mount Carmel because of his confidence that God would answer (1 Kings 18:22). Elisha demonstrated relentless pursuit of his mentor Elijah up until the moment he was taken to heaven (2 Kings 2:1-14). Like them, Christians should root their identity in belonging to God regardless of what others believe or expect. We also learn from them the power of prayer and God’s willingness to work miracles to accomplish His will on earth.
How did politics and foreign alliances accelerate Israel’s and Judah’s apostasy?
Forming alliances with pagan nations instead of relying on God corrupted Israel’s and Judah’s worship. Political marriages with foreign royal households like Ahab and Jezebel brought Baal worship into Israel (1 Kings 16:31). Later, Ahaz of Judah copied a pagan altar from Damascus to appease Assyria instead of trusting God’s protection (2 Kings 16:10-16). Hezekiah showed faith in God by resisting Assyria, but foolishly welcomed Babylon’s envoys and showed them the nation’s treasures, which invited future attack (2 Kings 20:12-19). The lesson is that faith in human help instead of God’s power leads only to spiritual and national ruin.
How can the repeated Old Testament pattern of rebellion, repentance and restoration encourage us today?
Again and again in Kings we see a cycle of Israel and Judah falling into idolatry, then God sending prophets and punishment to bring them to repentance. Though they repeatedly wandered from God, His mercy brought opportunities to turn and be restored, such as under Hezekiah’s reforms (2 Kings 18:1-6). This pattern foreshadows the repeated offers of salvation in Christ to both individuals and the church. No matter how often we fall into sin, God in His patience and love reaches out and provides a way back to right relationship with Him.
How do prophecies of coming judgment on Israel and Judah reveal God’s sovereignty over the nations?
Through prophets like Isaiah, God declared in advance exactly what would happen to both Israel and Judah at the hands of the Assyrians and Babylonians. These prophecies came true just as predicted, revealing that these mighty empires were merely tools in the sovereign hand of the Lord to punish His people (2 Kings 17:7-23). Yet even Babylon fell in turn when God’s purposes were accomplished, just as Isaiah had foretold (Isaiah 13-14). No nation or leader rises or falls apart from God’s divine plan to direct human history according to His will.
What warnings and lessons should modern nations take from the exiles of Israel and Judah?
The conquest and exile of God’s chosen people contain sobering warnings for all nations. Unchecked greed, exploitation of the poor, idolatry and moral relativism ultimately destroy a society, no matter how rich and powerful it becomes. Refusing to follow God’s commandments can forfeit His protection and invitation to enemies. Changing politics is not enough without spiritual revival and turning back to the Lord from the heart. And no nation is exempt from the scrutinizing gaze and righteous judgment of the Lord when they persist in evil and injustice.
How were prophecies about the fall and later restoration of Jerusalem fulfilled in 2 Kings?
God promised judgment on Jerusalem through prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Isaiah foresaw the Babylonians carrying away her treasures and warned nothing would be left (2 Kings 20:17). Jeremiah prophesied for decades that Jerusalem would fall to Babylon before it happened (Jeremiah 21:3-7). These prophecies were fulfilled in 2 Kings 24-25. But God also promised to one day bring His people back (Jeremiah 29:10-14). This began happening in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, showing that God’s word is as certain in promises of restoration as in warnings of judgment.
What pivotal role did the rediscovery of the Book of the Law play in Josiah’s reforms?
When repairing the temple, the high priest Hilkiah found the lost Book of the Law, likely Deuteronomy (2 Kings 22:8). Its clear instructions kindled Josiah’s zeal for cleansing Judah’s idolatry and restoring righteous worship. Josiah realized the nation’s guilt in forsaking God’s word (22:11-13). This led to public reading of Scripture, renewing the covenant, removing idols nationwide, reinstituting Passover, and ending false worship (23:1-25). God’s word is powerful to convict, inspire and guide revival when rediscovered and proclaimed. Scripture remains vital for any spiritual reformation today.
How should Hezekiah’s prayer for deliverance in 2 Kings 19 instruct Christians facing adversity today?
When Jerusalem was besieged by the mighty Assyrians, Hezekiah went to the temple and appealed to God as supreme ruler over all nations and creation (2 Kings 19:14-19). He acknowledged Israel’s helplessness and cried out for God to save His people for His name’s sake. Christians facing threats can likewise ask our all-powerful God to act for His glory. Hezekiah also claimed God’s promises (19:20) and asked Him to hear the taunts of the enemy (19:22-28). We too can appeal to God’s covenant loyalty and trust Him to defeat spiritual foes that defy and revile Him.
