The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

1 Kings

Ch2      David’s deathbed charge: v2, “Be strong and show yourself a man.”  Revenge

Ch3      Solomon asks for, and receives, wisdom.  (2 Chronicles 1).  The ½ a boy offer.

Ch8      The ark put in the Temple.  Blessings all around.  22k oxen and 120k sheep.

Ch9      The Lord’s promise and warning.  (2 Chronicles 6)  v6, “If you turn aside from following…

Ch11    v1, “King Solomon loved many foreign women.”  Adversaries Hadad, Rezon and Jeroboam.

Ch12    Rehoboam believes in tough discipline. (2 Chronicles 10)  Jeroboam splits and has calves.

Ch16    Bad boy Ahab and his wife Jezebel popularize Baal and Asherah worship practices.

Ch17    Elijah calls for a three year drought, raises a widow’s son from death.

Ch18    Battle on Mt. Carmel.  Elijah prays rain and talks retirement.

2 Kings

Ch2      A chariot of fire and Elisha inherits Elijah’s cloak.

Ch5      Naaman’s leprosy and Gehazi’s greed.

Ch9      Elisha anoints Jehu for a double coup.  V20  Driving like Jehu

Ch18    Hezekiah vs. Sennacherib the destroyer.  Isaiah’s words of comfort. (2 Chronicles 32)

Ch21    Bad Manasseh hits a low-note with child sacrifice and widespread idolatry.

Ch22    Boy-king Josiah repairs the Temple and renews the covenant.  (2 Chronicles 34)

Ch23    Josiah restores the Passover but dies in a foolish battle with Neco (2 Chronicles 35)

1 Chronicles

Ch1-9   Genealogy

Ch23-27   David’s organization of Levites, priests, musicians, gatekeepers, and military

2 Chronicles

16:9     “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are wholly committed to Him.”

Ch20    Jehoshaphat’s prayer and victory.  V15, “The battle is not yours but God’s.”

Ch36    Jerusalem sacked by Nebuchadnezzar.  Cyrus ends the exile.

Conclusion:  (36:15, 16) “The LORD…had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.  But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD rose against his people, until there was no remedy.”