| 2 KINGS |
| page 3 |
| The book of Kings ends with a bleak picture: refugees picking through the rubble of Jerusalem, and the Israelites enslaved by foreign powers. The temple itself, God's house, lay in ruins, its treasures carted off to Babylon. When the dust settled around 600 B.C., the Israelites were scattered across the earth, not to be reunited as an independent nation for 25 centuries. All along, prophets had given eloquent warnings of what would happen to a nation that turned its back on God. But nothing makes a bigger impact than the object lesson of history itself. Ever since, Jews have looked back upon their history and seen two indelible stains. Those were the dark days of Assyria and Babylon, when everything came apart. |
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| How to read 2 Kings |
| The first eight chapters of 2 Kings, full of excitement and adventure, read easily. They focus on the last days of the prophet Elijah and on the long life of his successor Elisha. But beginning with chapter 9, the book can become very confusing. It switches back and forth between two histories: that of Israel in the North and Judah in the South. Israel was strong initially, with 10 of the 12 tribes united there. But it proved less faithful to God and was ultimately destroyed by Assyria. Chapters 18-25 cover the period after the Assyrian invasion, when only Judah existed. Use the boldface sectional headings in the Bible for orientation: they clearly mark whether a king or queen ruled over Judah or Israel. Also, "A Lineup of Rulers" gives an overview of the history of each country. One important reason for studying the books of Kings and Chronicles is that they give historical background on the prophets. Elijah and Elisha appreared at a crucial turning |