He was named David's successor to the throne through some skillful manipulations by his mother, Bathsheba and the prophet, Nathan. Regardless of how it came to be, I think Solomon was always God's choice and everyone else were just pawns in God's game of chess. Solomon gains God's favor by asking for wisdom instead of material goods. And God gives him everything, wisdom and material wealth, as long as he follows God's law.
Easier said than done, apparently.
Solomon built a temple for God and also a huge palace for himself. He brought the ark with the stone tables containing the ten commandments to the temple as instructed. He tried to follow God's will, but Solomon liked the luxuries that being king afforded him a little too much. He had a visit from the Queen of Sheba (who wanted to see if Solomon truly was as wise as she had heard) and she brought him gold, spices and precious gems as a gift. Solomon had many wives from many nations who worshipped many gods, despite God's instructions to the contrary. Solomon began to worship these other gods and the Lord was not happy with him.
Solomon dies and chaos ensues.
God had a promise to keep. He promised David that his line would continue to lead and that God's chosen one would descend from the line of David. This was so tough. David's line was really messed up. 1 Kings details out the kings of Judah and the kings of Israel, neither of which was very good at following God's law. The kings of Judah seem to fair a little better when they finally got to Asa who ruled for forty-one years. The kings of Israel were all pretty bad.
During this time, God speaks to the prophet Elijah.
God tells Elijah of a great draught. After a time, God instructs Elijah to go to a widow and ask for water and bread. He asks for water and the widow gives him water. He asks for bread and the woman says she only has enough for one more meal for herself and her son. Elijah insists and she agrees to make bread for him first. In return, God makes an endless supply of flour and oil for them all. Still, the woman's son dies and she doesn't understand how God could do this to her. Elijah prays to God and God revives the son. (Does this sound familiar? Maybe foreshadowing the events of Jesus bringing Lazarus back to life?)
Ahab, king of Israel, was married to Jezebel and she was quite the manipulator.
Jezebel, with Ahab's blessing, ordered the Lord's prophets be systematically killed. Obadiah, the palace administrator, saved hundreds of prophets by hiding them in caves. It was to him that Elijah first appeared when he came back to Israel to end the famine. Obadiah told Ahab where to find Elijah, as he was instructed to do. Ahab accused Elijah of being a trouble maker to which Elijah responded that it was Ahab who caused the troubles because he abandoned God and followed the Baals.
Elijah has a proposal.
He challenges the prophets of Baal to a contest on Mount Carmel to prove who is the true God of Israel. Each will ask their god to light a fire from the wood placed around the animal sacrifice. Despite all the ranting and raving and carrying on of the Baal prophets, a fire is not lit by their god. But, Elijah prays to the one and only God and the fires are lit instantly. Elijah tells the people to kill the Baal prophets and they do. Meanwhile, Ahab tells Jezebel (who is in charge here anyway?) what happened and she threatens Elijah. So, Elijah runs. He prays to God to take his life. He is tired. He want to hide. But, he can't hide from God. God tells Elijah to go out on the mountain, for he is going to pass by. After several dramatic demonstrations, God speaks to Elijah in a gentle whisper, instructing him what to do next.
Then back to king Ahab of Israel and more fighting.
There are wars and treaties and condemnations through the prophets but Ahab still does not learn. Instead, he lets Jezebel continue to manipulate him and those around him. Ahab wants his neighbor's vineyard, but his neighbor won't sell. He whines to Jezebel and she comes up with a plan to have the neighbor accused of cursing both God and the king so he will be stoned to death. It worked. Ahab goes to get the property and is met by Elijah who curses Ahab and all his descendants on God's behalf for what he had done.
Ahab is eventually killed and his blood lapped up by dogs, just as Elijah predicted.
New kings take over both Judah and Israel As before, the kings of Judah did right, mostly, in the eyes of God and the kings of Israel continued to do evil in the eyes of God by worshipping Baal,
Will anything change in 2 Kings?
