MONARCHICAL BOOKS

1. LECTURE FOUR
MONARCHICAL BOOKS

2. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
•These books include;
1 & 2 Samuel
1 & 2Kings
1 & 2Chronicles

3. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
• I Samuel
 The 3 important figures are: Samuel the prophet, Saul and
David the Shepherd.
 The key issue is that the people request for a king and God
gives in to their demands.
 This was not God’s will for them at the time.

4. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
• Request for a king (8-9):
 Samuel’s son’s proved to be unjust and corrupt judges; the elders of Israel demanded
that Samuel make them a king ‘like all nations’ (8:5).
 The problem with this was that the kings of other nations were regarded as ‘gods.’
 This was a wrong motive for establishing a monarchy.
 The other problem was that Israel was a theocracy- a nation ruled by God.
 God conceded to a monarchy through kingship.

5. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
 The people saw 2 advantages in having a king:
1.He provided a central government with a common
life and organized defense.
2.His son would succeed him and the nation would
avoid a leadership crisis every time a leader grew old.

6. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
• The criterion, which they used for choosing a king, was also
wrong-‘he was a handsome young man…taller than any of
the people’ (9:1).
 Finally he was from the wrong tribe, Benjamin (9:1). Moses
had predicted that the king should come from line of Judah
(49:10).

7. UNITED MONARCHY
KINGS UNDER UNITED
MONARCHY

8. DATE B.C KING YEARS RELATIONS
HIP WITH
GOD
1050-1010 B.C SAUL 40 NO HEART
FOR GOD
1010-970 B.C DAVID 40 FULL HEART
FOR GOD
970-930 B.C SOLOMON 40 HALF
HEART FOR
GOD

9. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
1. SAUL 1050-1010 B.C
• Reasons why God rejected Saul
1. He acted presumptuously in that he assumed the role of a priest (an
office forbidden to kings by the law- II Chronicles 26:18).
2. He partially obeyed the command of God to utterly destroy the
Amalekites (15).
 Saul failed as king because he did not obey the commands of God

10. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
1. DAVID: 1010-970 B.C
• II Samuel
 In II Samuel Israel emerges as a unified powerful nation under David.
 David was the last charismatically chosen leader (chosen directly by God
based on charisma/personality/appeal/charm).
 After him kings were chosen through physical lineage.

11. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
• David’s outstanding achievements:
 As a soldier he expanded Israel’s territory 10 times and reorganized the
army. Secure borders encouraged trade and Israel boomed
 As a king he created an effective central government.
 As a spiritual leader he established Jerusalem as the political and religious
center. Jerusalem symbolized a new national unity based on trust in God

12. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
 He restructured worship and contributed many hymns used in public worship
 David maintained a passionate trust in God through the numerous crises he
faced.
 David is viewed in OT as Israel’s ideal king and Israel’s greatest king.
 II Samuel does not cover up David’s weaknesses.
 II Samuel portrays David as a murderer and adulterer a leader capable of
showing cruelty and an ineffective parent e.g. Absalom.

13. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
• II Samuel 7:1-17 : Davidic Covenant
 This covenant is the foundation for Davidic dynasty.
 it establishes Jerusalem as God’s chosen place to dwell
forever (with implications that it continues today) and
the Davidic kingdom as an everlasting kingdom.

14. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
• Promises
 ‘I will make your name great’ vs. 9 (cf. Gen. 12:2)
 Rest from enemies vs. 10 (Gen. 15:18-21).
 David’s throne and kingdom shall endure forever vs. 16
 According to the NT, God’s promise to Abraham and David are fulfilled in Christ.
o Matt. 1:1 ‘Jesus Christ the root of David’
o Rev. 22:16 ‘I am the root and the offspring of David’

15. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
I & II KINGS
• Introduction to the book of Kings
 I &2 Kings was originally one book in the Hebrew bible.
 According to Hebrew tradition, prophet Jeremiah wrote the book.
 Kings is divided into 2 parts:
1. United monarchy under Solomon (I Kings 1-11)
2. Divided monarchies and fall of the divided kingdoms (I Kings 12- II Kings 25)

16. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
• SOLOMON: 970-930 B.C
 Solomon was anointed and chosen as king after the death of David (I Kings 1-2).
 The writer of I Kings singles out 2 elements of Solomon’s rule: his wisdom and
his wealth.
 It was wisdom not wealth, which Solomon prayed for and God granted his
request (I Kings 4: 29-34, 10: 1-13)
 Solomon is the father of Hebrew wisdom literature- Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song
of Songs are attributed to him.

17. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
 Solomon’s wealth was reflected in 3 aspects of his kingdom:
1. Domestic prosperity (4, 10:14-29)
o He was a merchant and a statesman
2. Religious achievements
o Solomon built a magnificent temple for the Lord in Jerusalem (5-8)
3. Political stability (9-10)
• He achieved this through a series of treaties, marriages and international diplomacy

18. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
 Problems:
1. Solomon embraced the religions of his foreign wives (11)
• -He had 700 wives & 300 concubines
• -It was immorality and idolatry, which corrupted his kingdom from within
2. Enforced heavy taxation on his people to maintain his lavish lifestyle (4:20-28)
3. Enforced harsh labor (5:13-18)

19. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
• -He conscripted from all Israel for his many building projects.
 It was Solomon’s idolatry, heavy taxation and harsh labour policies which
ultimately led to revolt and the division of the nation into two, Israel and Judah
after Solomon’s death.
 His son Rehoboam refused to listen to appeals for the reduction of the heavy tax
burden, instead he promised to triple it.
 This led to a revolt and the creation of 2 states; Israel led by Jeroboam and
Judah.

20. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
THE DIVIDED MONARCHY
KINGS OF THE DIVIDED MONARCHY-SOUTHERN
KINGDOM (JUDAH AND BENJAMIN) (adapted from
Viands.J)

21. DATE
(B.C)
KING YEARS/MONT
HS REIGNED
RELATIONSHIP
WITH GOD
930-913 Rehoboam 17 Mostly evil
913-910 Abijah 3 Mostly evil
910-869 Asa 41 Godly
872-848 Jehoshaphat 25 Godly
841 Ahaziah 1 Evil

22. 841-835 Athaliah (Queen) 7 Devilish
835-796 Joash 40 Mostly Godly
796-767 Amaziah 29 Mostly Godly
792-740 Azariah (Uzziah)
(overlap with Amaziah)
52 Godly
750-732 Jotham 16 Godly

23. 735-715 Ahaz (overlap with
Jotham
16 Wicked
715-686 Hezekiah 29 Very Godly
696-642 Manasseh 55 Wicked
642-640 Amon 2 Wicked
640-609 Josiah 31 Godly

24. 609 Johoahaz 3
months
Evil
609-598 Jehoiakim 11 Wicked
598-597 Jehoiachin 3
months
Evil

25. 597-586 Jerusalem fell to Babylonian
king Nebuchadnezzar during
Jehoiachin’s rule.
Jehoiachin himself was one
of those captured and taken
to Babylon alongside other
Hebrews.
11 years Evil

26. 597-586 Zedekiah
Jerusalem city and its temple
were both destroyed by
Nebuchadnezzar. The two
tribes of Judah and Benjamin
were taken as exiles.
11 years Evil

27. THE NORTHERN
KINGDOM
THE KINGS AND THEIR
TIMINGS

28. DATE
(B.C)
KING YEARS/MONT
HS REIGNED
RELATIONSHIP
WITH GOD
930-909 Jeroboam 22 Evil
909-908 Nadab 2 Evil
908-886 Baasha 24 Evil
886-885 Elah 24 Evil
885 Zimri 7 days Evil
885-874 Omri 12 Wicked

29. 874-853 Ahab 22 Terribly wicked
853-852 Ahazariah 2 Evil
852-841 Joram 12 Mostly evil
841-814 Jehu 28 Mostly evil
814-798 Jehoahaz 17 Evil
798-782 Jehoash 16 Evil
793-753 Jeroboam II 41 Evil

30. 753 Zachariah 6 months Evil
752 Shallum 1 month Evil
752-742 Menaham 10 Evil
752-732 Pekah 20 Evil
742-740 Pekahiah 2 Evil
732-723 Hoshea 9 Evil

31. 722 Samaria under the leadership
of Hoshea fell into the hands
of the Assyrian king
Shalmaneser V. The Ten
Tribes of Israel or the
Northern Kingdom were
taken to Assyria as exiles.

32. Comparison Between the 2 Kingdoms
THE NORTHERN AND THE
SOUTHERN

33. NORTH SOUTH
Name
Duration
Israel
(209 yrs)
Judah
(345 years)
First King
Last King
Jeoroboam
(Hoshea)
Rehoboam
(Zedekiah)
No of Tribes 10 2
Dynasties 9 1

34. Total no. of Kings 20 20
Conquered by Assyria (722 B.C)
No return
Babylon (586 B.C)
Returned to the land
Character of Kings All wicked Some wicked, some
righteous

35. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
DISCUSSION
NORTHERN KINGDOM (adapted from Viands. J)
Assyria: Rise, Development, and Fall

36. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
 The Assyrians were God’s instrument in His punishment of the Northern
Kingdom. This world power had weakened during the time of King David
and Solomon but soon it continually regained power and control in the
east. It lasted for approximately 300 years, from about 900 to600 B.C.
God raised up Assyria at this time to bring about the punishment and exile
of the Northern Kingdom.

37. MONARCHICAL BOOKS
• The Assyrians were cruel warriors. They would skin
their prisoners alive or impale (pierce) them on sharp
poles. Sometimes they would pile up mounds of human
skeletons to inspire terror. They practiced a policy of
transporting leading citizens from the lands they
conquered and relocating them among other conquered
peoples in the Tigris-Euphrates valley.

38.  Now let us list several Assyrian kings who had to do with Israel and Judah:
i. Tiglath-pileser III (745–727 B.C.). He is called “Pul” in the Bible: “And Pul
the king of Assyria came against the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand
talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his
hand” (2 Kings 15:19). Often Assyrian kings had two names. It is believed that
Pul was his Babylonian name and Tiglath-pileser was his Assyrian name. The
incident in 2 Kings 15:19 took place about 743 B.C. He invaded Israel again in
734 B.C. and achieved what is called the “Galilean Captivity” (2 Kings 15:29).

39. ii. Shalmaneser V (727–722 B.C.) He besieged Samaria and died before the
operation was completed. It is likely that Samaria fell to him (2 Kings 17:6),
but its final capture is claimed by Sargon, his successor.
iii. Sargon II (722–705 B.C.) He completed the destruction of Samaria about
722 B.C. and carried out Israel’s captivity.
iv. Sennacherib (705–681 B.C.) He was the most famous of the Assyrian
kings. He was defeated by the angel of the Lord outside the walls of
Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:35). He burned Babylon.

40.  A review of the passages of Scripture that we cited from 2 Kings
15 and 17 in our list of the Assyrian kings will emphasize the
three steps by which Assyria took control over Israel.
1.Israel placed under tribute (2 Kings 15:19).
2.Partial conquest: the Galilean captivity (2 Kings 15:29).
3.Complete conquest: final captivity of Israel (2 Kings 17:6).

41. • Israel’s iniquity and the justification of God’s punishment (2 Kings
17)
1. Israel feared other gods (v. 7).
2. They walked in the statutes of the heathen (v. 8).
3. In idolatry, Israel built and worshiped at high places (vv. 9–12).
4. Israel rejected God’s warnings to keep His commandments (vv. 13–15).
5. In idolatry, Israel served Baal (v. 16).

42. • 6. Israel sold herself to do evil (v. 17).
• The Northern Kingdom lasted slightly more than 200
years. All of its nineteen kings are said to have walked in
the sins of Jeroboam, its founder.

43. SOUTHERN KINGDOM
The kingdom of Judah lasted approximately 135 years beyond that of Israel. Its
history was brighter than Israel’s. In Judah, the line of David was preserved as God
demonstrated His power and covenant mercy in fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant
(2 Samuel 7).
Babylon
This is the world power that came after Assyrian rule; and it is the power that God
used to chastise the kingdom of Judah. Babylonians rose to power (625–539 B.C.)
through the battle of Carchemish, and its period of dominance over the world,
corresponded in time to the period of Judah’s captivity; Habakkuk 1:6-7. The center
of power in the Babylonian Empire was the city of Babylon itself.

44. The following is a list of Babylon’s most famous kings of this period:
1. Nabopolassar (625–605 B.C.) He threw off Assyrian control and destroyed Nineveh (Assyrians) in
612 B.C. He was the father of Nebuchadnezzar II.
2. Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 B.C.) It was he who dealt with Judah. He first deported people from
Judah in 605 B.C. (Daniel 1:1–6), and again in 597 B.C. (Ezekiel was almost certainly taken captive
in this deportation.) A third deportation took place in 586 B.C., when he destroyed the city of
Jerusalem. He not only destroyed Jerusalem but also Tyre, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Lebanon, and
Egypt. He was one of the most autocratic rulers of the ancient world, and one of the most haughty.
(See Daniel 4:28–30.)

45. 3. Evil-Merodach (562–560 B.C.) His name means “The man is Marduk.” He was the son of
Nebuchadnezzar II and was slain by his brother-inlaw,Nergal-Sharezer.
4. Nabonidus (556–539 B.C.) He was a noble who usurped the throne and was the last of the
Babylonian kings. He was king when the events of Daniel 5 took place. His eldest son, Belshazzar,
ruled with him and was in the city of Babylon when it fell to the Medes and Persians on that
memorable night when the mysterious handwriting appeared on the palace wall, announcing the doom
of the kingdom of Babylon (Daniel5:5, 25–28).
Nebuchadnezzar deported the people of Judah. According to Habakkuk, God has raised up the
Babylonian empire to punish Judah.

46. END