1K3

The beginning of Solomon’s rule.

1K3:3-5 “... Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places ...the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish me to give you...”

1K3:7-9 “...I am but a little child ...So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. ...”

What would God be pleased to give?

1K3:11 “... Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor ...riches ...nor ...the life of your enemies ...I have done according to your words ...I have given you a wise and discerning heart, ...no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you ...also ...what you have not asked ...riches and honor ...If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments ...I will prolong your days...”

Remember that God cares a great deal about justice (widows, orphans, aliens), and human discernment of good and evil is typically horrible.

Was this encounter real?

1K3:15 “...Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and made peace offerings ...”

What was Solomon’s first test concerning justice?

1K3:16-27 Dispute over whose baby was still alive. Real mother was revealed when Solomon suggested cutting the baby in two.

1K3:28 “...When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice...”

1K4

List of officials.

1K4:2-19 “... Azariah ...was the priest ...Elihoreph and Ahijah, ...were secretaries; Jehoshaphat ...was the recorder ...Benaiah ... was over the army ...Zadok and Abiathar were priests ...Azariah ...was over the deputies ...Zabud ...was the king’s friend ...Ahishar was over the household ...Adoniram ...was over the men subject to forced labor...” ++.

God’s part of the covenant approximately 1000 yrs later?

G15:18 “... the Lord made a covenant with Abram ...To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates...”: (~2090 B.C.)

1K4:21 “... Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt...” (~970 B.C.)

1K4:25 “...Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man ...from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon...”

Not ‘narrow-minded’, as Christians can often be.

1K4:29 “...Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore...”

1K5

Workforce organized.

1K5:1-12 Cedar and cypress from Hiram of Tyre.

1K5:13-17 Instituted shift work, with 30,000 forced laborers. 10,000 would work at a time, for a month, then have 2 months off. 70,000 transporters, 80,000 hewers of stone, 3,300 deputies over the project.

1k5:18 “... So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house...”

1K6

Building the Temple.

1K6:1 480 years after the exodus, Solomon begins to build the temple, which will replace the tabernacle.

1K6:2 Temple is 60x20 cubits (1200 sq cubits ~ 2700 sq.ft)

Tabernacle courtyard dimensions 100x50, but the dimensions of the tabernacle were 30x10 cubits. Solomon doubled the dimensions.

1K6:7 Stones prepared off site (no on-site modifications).

1K6:11-13 “...Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon saying, "Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. "I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel..."

1K6:19 “... Then he prepared an inner sanctuary within the house in order to place there the ark of the covenant of the Lord...”

1K6:37,38 “... In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid ...In the eleventh year ...the house was finished throughout ...So he was seven years in building it.

1K7

Building Solomon’s House.

1K7:1 Solomon’s place took 13 years to build (almost 2x temple)

1K7:2 Dimensions 100x50 (5000 sq.cu ~ 11,250 sq.ft.) >4x temple

Extravagance surfaces in times of peace.

1K7:10 “...The foundation was of costly stones, even large stones, stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits...” (15ft and 12ft)

An 8 cubit square stone would weigh over 10 tons.

Hiram’s Expertise in the Temple.

1K7:15,21 Pillars 18 cubits (27 feet), named Jachin and Boaz.

1K7:25 Twelve oxen, 3 facing N, W, S, E.

1K7:36 Engraved cherubim, lions, palm trees.

1K7:40,42 Basins, shovels, bowls, 400 pomegranates.

1K7:48-50 Golden altar, golden table, lampstands, flowers, lamps, cups, snuffers, bowls, spoons, firepans.

How might this represent a bridge between Eden and Heaven?

1K8

The Ark is brought to the Temple,.. carefully.

1K8:6 “...Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim....”

Transported the designated way, with poles.

1K8:8 “...the poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary...”

What did the ark contain?

1K8:9 “... There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb ...”

What does the presence of the Lord do to the priests?

1K8:11 “... the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord...”

Prayer of dedication

1K8:23,27,30: “...He said, "O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, ... But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! ...Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and forgive...”

Awareness of the connection between earthly circumstances and heavenly standing.

1K8:33,34 “... When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy, because they have sinned against You, if they turn to You again and confess Your name and pray and make supplication to You in this house, then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers...”

1K8:35,36 “... When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and of Your people Israel, indeed, teach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Your land, which You have given Your people for an inheritance...”

1K8:37-39 “... If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart, and spreading his hands toward this house; then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men...”

1K8:41-43 “... Also ...the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel ...when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You ...that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You ...”

1K8:46-50 “...When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy ...if they take thought ...and repent and make supplication to You ...then hear their prayer ...and maintain their cause and forgive...”

From kneeling with hands raised to standing to bless.

1K8:54-60 “...May the LORD our God be with us ... incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways ...and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other...”

Sinning is inevitable. Repentance is needed. The world needs to know that there is a God like no other.

Small little sacrifice?

1K8:63 “...Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD...”

Solomon’s wonderful prayer vs extravagant sinful life?

Spirit vs Flesh? Does gifting insure righteousness? Remember judges.

1K9

How much time between the 1st and 2nd appearing?

1K9:2 “...the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time...”

1st , 1K3 after cleaning up David’s unfinished business - gets wisdom.

2nd, 1K9 after building temple (7yrs) and house (13yrs) - consecration.

Does God have expectations, even when He isn’t making regular manifest appearances.

Acceptance, Promise, and Warning.

1K9:3 “... The Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, ...I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually...”

1K9:4,5 “...if you will walk before Me ...in integrity of heart ...doing ...all that I have commanded you ...keep My statutes ...then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever...”

1K9:6-8 “...But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes ...and go and serve other gods ...then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them ...And this house will become a heap of ruins; everyone who passes by will be astonished...”

Significant construction business

1K9:10-28 Forced labor to built cities and even a fleet of ships.

1K10

The Queen of Sheba is impressed.

1K10:4-7 “...When the queen of Sheba perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house ..the food ...the attendance ...their attire ...cupbearers ...his stairway ...You exceed in wisdom and prosperity...”

1K10:10 “... She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great amount of spices and precious stones...”

Solomon gave her from his bounty.

1K10:13 “... King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested,...”

There’s more where that came from.

1K10:14 ... Now the weight of gold which came in to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,..” 666 Talents (25 tons, $20,000,000)

Rev.13:18 “...Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six...”

1K10:22-26 Solomon collected a great deal of gold, silver, ivory, apes, peacocks, garments, weapons, spices, horses, mules, chariots, AND wives.

1K11

Down he goes.

1K11:1-7 “... Solomon loved many foreign women ...Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations ...the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not associate with them ...for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods ...seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away ...his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God ...Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully ...built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon...”

God had appeared twice. The women were daily.

1K11:9 “...Now the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,..”

There are consequences for displeasing God.

1K11:11-13 “... So the Lord said ...Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes ...I will surely tear the kingdom from you ...I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son ...but I will give one tribe to your son ...for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen...”

The world is blessed by obedience, or suffers for disobedience.

So God raised up adversaries.

1K11:14 “... the Lord raised up an adversary ...Hadad the Edomite...”

1K11:23,25 “... God also raised up another adversary ...Rezon ...he was an adversary ...all the days of Solomon ...”

1K11:26-38 “... Jeroboam ...also rebelled against the king ...the prophet Ahijah ...took ...new cloak ...tore it into twelve pieces. I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes ...you shall ...be king over Israel ...if you listen to all that I command ...walk in My ways ...do what is right ...I will be with you...”

And it’s over.

1K11:42-43 “... Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel ... forty years. And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place...”

1Chr.22:5 describes Solomon as young and inexperienced when he became king, leading some to believe he was a teenager. He may have been less than 60 when he died.

WARNING: A people divided. A political nightmare.

1K12

Rehoboam, son of Solomon, needs advice.

1K12:3,4 “... Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, “Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you...”

1K12:6,7 “... Rehoboam consulted with the elders ...they spoke ...be a servant to this people today ...serve them ...speak good words ...they will be your servants forever...”

1K12:8-11 “... But he forsook the counsel of the elders ...consulted with the young men who grew up with him ...The young men ...spoke ...saying ... My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! ‘Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions...”.

Did Rehoboam have a choice?

1K12:15 “...the king did not listen to the people; for it was a turn of events from the Lord, that He might establish His word, which the Lord spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat...”]

The Kingdom is divided.

1K12:17 “...the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them...”

1K12:20 “... Jeroboam had returned ...they ...made him king over all Israel. None but the tribe of Judah followed the house of David...”

1K12:21-24 The Lord speaks through Shemaiah to put a stop to Rehoboam’s plans to fight against Jeroboam.

Jeroboam tries to hold on to his people and position.

Solomon’s temple had become the religious center for sacrifices.

1K12:27-29 “..If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return ...to Rehoboam ...and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam ...:So the king ...made two golden calves, and he said to them ...behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.

1K12:31 “...And he made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi...”

Looking out for self leads to idolatry.

Personal desire leads to rebellion and immorality.

1K13

Evidence that Jeroboam did not know/obey God.

1K13:2 A man of God, speaking against the altar, prophesies the birth of Josiah, who will defile the improper altar [fulfilled 2 Kings 23:15,16].

1K13:4-5 Jeroboam intends to have him killed, but going counter to God’s intentions, like the Miriam leprosy incident, is not real smart. His outstretched hand is withered.

1K13:6 “... The king said to the man of God, “Please entreat the Lord your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” So the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored...”

1K13:33,34 “... After this event Jeroboam did not return from his evil way, but again he made priests of the high places from among all the people; any who would, he ordained, to be priests of the high places. This event became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to blot it out and destroy it from off the face of the earth...”

Bazaar story of a prophet deceiving a man of God.

1K13:11-32 Prophet lies to man to get him to go against what God said.

Man of God disobeys God.

Man killed by lion, which then stands by body and donkey.

Prophet recovers the body and buries the man of God.

Lesson? Don’t let man twist your thinking when it comes to truth that God has revealed to you - not even prophets.

1K14

Calamity is starting.

1K14:1-6 Jeroboam’s son became sick. He sends his disguised wife to Ahijah the prophet. The Lord warns Ahijah that she’s coming.

1K14:7-9 “... Ahijah heard ...her ...coming ...said, Come in, wife of Jeroboam ...I am sent to you with a harsh message ...Thus says the Lord God ...Because I exalted you ...and made you leader ...yet you have not ...kept My commandments ...to do only that which was right in My sight; you ...have done more evil than all who were before you, and have ...made ...other gods and molten images ..”

But more calamity is coming.

1K14:10-13 “....behold, I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male person ...a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam ...until it is all gone ...Now you, arise, go to your house. When your feet enter the city the child will die ... he alone of Jeroboam’s family ...in him something good was found ...”

1K14:14 “: Moreover, the Lord will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam this day and from now on...”

This will happen when Baasha reigns (1K15:29)

God made sure Jeroboam reigned. God made sure he was taken out.

1K14:15,16 “... the Lord will strike Israel ...uproot Israel ...and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the Lord to anger. He will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jeroboam ...”

This is likely a reference to the Assyrian captivity coming in ~200 years.

Rehoboam’s people weren’t doing any better.

1K14:22-24 “...Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with the sins which they committed. For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree ...They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel...”

1K14:26,27 The temple is ransacked, just one generation from the glory of Solomon. Gold shields gone. Now bronze shields.

Lessons?

Don’t do as the nations do!

What are we trying to accomplish? What is God trying to accomplish?

The secret of a good life is getting them synchronized.

1K15

1K15:1,2 Abijam, king of Judah for 3yrs - did evil.

1K15:4 “... But for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem;..”

1K15:9-14 “...Asa began to reign ...did what was right ...put away the male cult prostitutes ...removed all the idols ...removed Maacah his mother ...because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah ... But the high places were not taken away; nevertheless the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days...”

1K15:23 “... the rest of all the acts of Asa ...written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet....” 2 Chronicles 16:12 for the rest of the story.

1K15:25,26 Nadab, king of Israel for 2yrs - did evil.

1K15:28,29 “... So Baasha ...as soon as he was king, he struck down all the household of Jeroboam ....according to the word of the Lord...”

1K15:33,34 Baasha, king of Israel for 24 - did evil.

1K16

God used Baasha against Jeroboam.. God judged Baasha.

1K16:1-7 Baasha doesn’t end well “... because of all the evil which he did ... in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck it...”

Multiple, not very good, kings.

1K16:8 Elah, king of Israel for 2yrs - did evil? (1K16:13 like his father)

1K16:15,19 Zimri, king of Israel for 7days, did evil. Killed himself by burning “..the king’s house over him with fire...”.

1K16:21,23-25 Tibni and Omri vie for throne. Omn wins and is king of Israel for 12yrs, did evil. He established Samaria, which became the capital of the northern kingdom.

1K16:29-33 Ahab, king of Israel for 22 yrs, did evil. “...married Jezebel ...of ...the Sidonians ...erected and altar to Baal ...in Samaria ...made the Asherah ...did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him...”

Fulfillment of the curse from Joshua’s day [see Josh 6:26]

1K16:34 “...During his reign, Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest, he set up its gates, according to the word of the LORD He had spoken through Joshua son of Nun...”

It’s wise to know history.

1K17

Elijah the Tishbite comes on the scene.

1K17:1 Announces God’s NO DEW NOR RAIN judgment on the land.

1K17:2-6 God hides him by the brook Cherith and “...the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning ...and ...in the evening...”

God is the Lord of His creation. He is involved with people.

1K17:7-13 The brook dries up and Elijah is sent to the widow of Zarephath.

1K17:14 “...thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth’...”

1K17:17-20 The widows son dies, Elijah intercedes.

1K17:21 “... he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, I pray You, let this child’s life return to him.” The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned to him and he revived.

What does God’s interaction with people provide?

1K17:24 “... Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

1K18

Arranging a meet up.

1K18:1,2 After 3 years without rain, Elijah goes to meet Ahab.

1K18:3-14 Obadiah, who had courageously hidden, and fed, 100 prophets whom Jezebel would have killed, fears for his life when asked by Elijah to arrange a meeting with Ahab.

Who are the troublemakers?

1K18:17,18 “...Ahab said to him, “Is this you, you troubler of Israel?” He said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and you have followed the Baals.

Who in our world might be trouble because of failing to correctly follow?

Is there a Living God that should be followed?

1K18:19-20 All Israel, 450 prophets of Baal, 400 prophets of the Asherah.

1K18:21 “...Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word...”

We must still choose!

The challenge is made.

1K18:22-24 “...two oxen ...choose one ...cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, He is God...”

Did the prophets of Baal actually expect Baal to answer?

1K18:26-29 “...they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made. ...at noon ...Elijah mocked them and said ...either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened. ...they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves ...When midday was past, they raved ...but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention...”

Elijah was expecting God to answer. Do people?

1K18:30-35 “... Elijah ... repaired the altar of the Lord ...took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes ...built an altar in the name of the Lord ...made a trench around the altar ...arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood ...four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood ...a second time,” and they did it a second time ...a third time ...The water flowed around the altar ...filled the trench with water... the sacrifice drenched in water...”

How could Elijah be so courageous? Can we?

The Living God Answers

1K18:36,37 “... Elijah ...said, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel ...Answer me, LORD! ...so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back...”

1K18:38 “... Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench...”

People become believers.

1K18:39 “...When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God..."

1K18:40 The Baal prophets are all killed.

1K18:45 There is a much needed heavy shower.

1K18:46 “... Then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel...”

1K19

Jezebel isn’t too pleased about recent events.

1K19:2 Jezebel is determined to get rid of Elijah.

1K19:3,4 Elijah runs for his life. Goes into the wilderness, sits under a juniper (broom) tree, and asked to die.

How did Elijah go so quickly from courageous to cowardly?

God meets and cares for people in their weakness.

1K19:5-8 An angel gives Elijah sustenance which allows him to go 40 days and nights to Mt. Horeb, a distance of ~260 miles. (40 - testing)

This is the same mountain where God first met Moses and later gave the 10 commandments. Moses and Elijah are linked as law and prophet.

1K19:9 God asks “... What are you doing here, Elijah?...”

1K19:10 Elijah says “.. I have been very zealous for the Lord ...the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets ...I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away...”

1K19:11,12 Mountain top experience includes rock breaking winds, an earthquake, fire, and finally “...a sound of a gentle blowing...”

1K19:13,14 Again God asks “... What are you doing here, Elijah?...” And again Elijah says “...I alone am left, and they seek my life...”

God commissions those who will follow His instructions.

1K19:15-17 God gives him his assignment - anoint Hazael and Jehu as kings, who will destroy many, and Elisha as his replacement prophet.

1K19:18 "...Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him..."

How many in America are not bowing to false gods?

1K19:19-21 Elisha wrapped up affairs at home “...and followed Elijah and ministered to him...”

1K20

The Aramean Wars.

1K20:1-12 Ben-hadad, king of Aram, with 32 other kings besiege Samaria.

1K20:13-22 A prophet gives Ahab a message from the Lord:“... Behold, I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD... " ...Israel ...killed the Arameans with a great slaughter...”

1K20:26-30 Another victory in the valley. “...Because the Arameans have said, "The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys," therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD...." 100,000 killed in one day.

Why would God twice deliver Ben-hadad’s greater army into the hands of evil Ahab? So both would “...know the I AM the Lord...”

1K20:34 Ahab makes an inappropriate covenant with Ben-hadad.

1K20:42 “...Thus says the Lord, 'Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people’... "

1K21

Wanting, and getting, what doesn’t belong to you.

1K21:1-4 Ahab pouts because Naboth won’t give up his land.

1K21:8-13 Jezebel has Naboth falsely accused of cursing God by “...two worthless men...” and the stoned.

1K21:17-25 God sends Elijah to pronounce judgement on Ahab.

Elijah delivers God’s response to Ahab.

1K21:20-23 “...because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord ...I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam ...the dogs will eat Jezebel...”

1K21:25 “...Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife incited him ...He acted abominably in following idols...”

Ahab’s repentant response leads to a postponement.

1K21:27 “...It came about when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently...”

1K21:29 “...Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son's days..."

1K22

What counsel will be trusted?

1K22:1-5 Ahab and Jehoshaphat considering retaking Ramoth-gilead,

1K22:6-23 400 prophets are saying “Go for it”, but Micaiah, when pressed, reveals what is going on in the spirit world.