Posts Tagged ‘I Kings’
Sullen and Vexed
by Matthew W. Bassford The Israelite king Ahab is one of the most complex characters in the Bible. He isn’t a straightforward villain like Sisera or Caiaphas. There is good in him. When Elijah confronts him over the judicial murder of Naboth in I Kings 21, he repents and humbles himself. However, Ahab is doomed…
Read MoreWhy was Adonijah killed by Solomon’s orders?
Question: Why was Adonijah killed by Solomon’s orders? Answer: To understand the dynamics a bit, we need to understand that typically succession of a king went by birth order. “Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite;…
Read MoreBecause of the Sins of Jeroboam
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Because-of-the-Sins-of-Jeroboam.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 5:13-16 I. Few credit the influence we have on the lives of those around us. A. The things we do and say impact the lives of those we come in contact. B. Sometimes our influence spreads to people we may not have seen. II. The example of Jeroboam A. Following the death…
Read MoreAre Abijam and Asa brothers?
Question: In I Kings 15:1-2 and I Kings 15:9-10, both Abijam and Asa are said to be sons of Maacha the daughter of Abishalom. Does that mean they are brothers? Answer: II Chronicles 14:1 is clear that Asa is the son of Abijah. What makes Hebrew genealogies difficult is that “son” and “daughter” are used…
Read MoreWhen Ahab Humbled Himself
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton It might seem odd, but I love it when a student in a Bible class asks a deep question — you know, a question that shows the student was thinking far beyond the immediate lesson. This morning, a student was working on a lesson about greed and he planned to use…
Read MoreWhy did Elijah send the servant back seven times?
Question: Did Elijah pray seven times or was he putting his servant through a test of faith for rain? (I Kings 18:41-45) Answer: “Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah…
Read MoreNameless
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nameless.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Kings 13:1-10 I. This is a story about two men, who remain nameless. One young and another old. A. Both are prophets. One is a good man and the other is a liar. B. One was selected to carry a message and the other was not. C. One dies, but not…
Read MoreWhy did the false mother, after being offered the child by the real mother, suddenly declares she wants the baby dead?
Question: In I Kings 3:16-28, why does the false mother, after being offered the real mother’s baby, suddenly wants the baby dead? Answer: Two prostitutes lived in the same house. One gave birth to a son and the second gave birth to a boy three days later. However, the second woman’s child did not survive…
Read MoreIs the Bible mathematically wrong in I Kings 7:23?
Question: Is the Bible mathematically wrong in I Kings 7:23? If the diameter of the laver is 10 cubits, then shouldn’t the circumference be 31 cubits? Answer: “And he made the Sea of cast bronze, ten cubits from one brim to the other; it was completely round. Its height was five cubits, and a line…
Read MoreWhat was the Lord’s reasoning for showing Elijah the wind, earthquake, and fire?
Question: What was the Lord’s reasoning for showing Elijah the wind, earthquake, and fire in I Kings 19:11-12? Why does the text say the Lord was not in the wind? Answer: “Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong…
Read MoreDidn’t God tell someone to lie in I Kings 22?
Question: I appreciate your response. For me, I Kings 22:22 is abundantly clear. I found it among a few other examples, most of which were less conclusive. For example, where God sent strong delusion, which isn’t specifically a lie. A tangential issue is where God repented for installing a certain king. Some would say that…
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