1 Kings
The period covered by the book of 1 Kings is about 120 years and there are two main figures that dominate the story: the first is a King, Solomon; and the second is a prophet, Elijah. In the middle there is the sad account of the division of the kingdom.
Reign of Solomon
The first chapter deals with the issue of succession. David has neglected this and one of his sons Adonijah attempt to seize his throne but, with the help of the prophet Nathan, it is Solomon who becomes king. He establishes his rule and, because he asks God for wisdom, is also granted great wealth. He gives himself to what God had purposed for him to do which was to construct the temple where the Ark of the Covenant was to be placed. In Solomon’s prayer of dedication he speaks of the temple as the house of the Lord, the dwelling place of God. This points to the vital truth that God is looking for a dwelling place among men. Sadly Solomon eventually becomes compromised in his faith - he spends more time and money on building his own palace than he does on the temple; he accumulates many wives and concubines and also amasses many horses and chariots which had been specifically forbidden by the law. Eventually he gives way to religious compromise and idolatry also. Inevitably, God’s judgement comes in the division of the kingdom.
Division of the Kingdom
On one level it looks like the kingdom was divided as a result of the harshness of Solomon and then his son Rehoboam, especially in forcing the people into forced labour. However it was also clearly God’s judgement because Solomon had compromised on the terms of the covenant and God was keeping his part by bringing curse and trouble upon them. The kingdom was to stay divided for the next two hundred and fifty three years.
We are introduced to the first of the kings - of the ten northern tribes of Israel and the two southern tribes of Benjamin and Judah (though the kingdom is referred to simply as Judah). Although there are a few good kings, most are evil, especially in Israel. A number of them are assassinated. Significantly, they are designated as good or evil in relation to two things: their obedience, or lack of, to the terms of the covenant, and the condition of their hearts. God is looking for obedience that comes from the heart – as he had found in David.
Elijah’s Prophetic ministry
At the time of these kings there were also a number of prophets around, often referred to simply as ‘men of God’ - although we are shown them as fallible men with all their weaknesses. The role of the prophet seems often to be to confront the king with where he is going astray from God’s covenant. The major prophet that emerges in the second part of 1 Kings is Elijah. There is a strong miraculous element to Elijah’s prophetic ministry: his prophecies stop the rain and bring drought and then later bring the rain again, at the time of the amazing confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Here he is calling God’s people back into their covenant relationship with the Lord. Elijah is a formidable and powerful figure but we also see him with his human weakness as he falls into depression after the heights of Mount Carmel, when he is being pursued by the king’s wicked wife, Jezebel. God deals with him and sends him back to fulfil God’s purpose – for example, he calls Elisha to become his assistant and subsequently his successor. Although Elijah dominates the book, it is clear that there are many other prophets around; some are called the ‘sons of the prophets’ or the ‘companies of the prophets.’ It is these two important roles of king and prophet that dominate the book of 1 Kings and that ultimately point to Jesus who is both a King and Prophet.