- Week 1:
- Kings
- Chapters
- :1-4, 28-40,
- :1-4, 10-12,
- :1, 11-13,
- :1-11,
- :1-9,
- 11
- :26-43
- King David dies
Solomon, David's son, reigns in his father's stead
- King Solomon asks God for discernment
- Solomon build the Temple
- Solomon turns to pagan gods
- Solomon's kingdom will be divided into 2
- Discussion Questions
- IN ORTHODOX BIBLES, 1 & 2
- Kings
- KINGDOMS
- 1 Kings 1:1-4, 28-40
What was King David’s condition?
He was very old and his body could not generate heat, as evidence by the covers (blankets) they gave him not helping. Blankets work by trapping our own body heat and warming us up, so it’s clear David’s body could not generate heat. That’s why they bring him a young virgin, so that her body can generate heat for him, as biologically heat and humidity are prevalent in females, particularly virgins.
He did not have relations with her. (see V.4)
Now there are different opinions about this coldness in David’s body, but we’ll look at the explanation historically taught in our Church.
It explains that David’s body withered and grew cold as a consequence of his fear, caused by a vision of an angel who appeared to David in a terrifying manner, which is attested to in
1 Chron. 21:16
1 & 2 Chronicles cover the same exact material as 1 & 2 Kings, but with a slightly different focus.
When did David see this angel? When he ordered a census of Israel, which we skipped but briefly discussed last week. The prophet Daniel experiences something similar too when seeing an angel,
Daniel 10:16
. Therefore the same happens to David: after he saw the angel holding his sword, who entered Jerusalem to destroy it, the warmth fled and the coldness reigned over his body.
Which is to say, angels in society and pop-culture have been made out to be less than what they truly are. Therefore, know that angels are not naked little babies. Anyone who has seen an angel in the Bible has been terrified, UNLESS the angel reassures them directly, like Gabriel does to the Holy Virgin Mary in the Gospel, i.e.
- “be not afraid”
What does David do to his son Solomon?
He makes him king, and has the priest Zadok anoint him with oil from the Tabernacle AFTER he takes him to a place called Gihon. Why is that important? Because Gihon was a spring south of Jerusalem, meaning Solomon had to go bathe in water first before being anointed… Aaron and his sons also had to bathe in water before being anointed as priests by Moses… (
- Exod. 29:4
- Lev. 8:6
).
- 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12
How long did David rule as king?
David ruled in all of Israel for 40 years— 7 years he reigned in Hebron, and 33 years in Jerusalem.
- 1 Kings 3
What are high places?
Since there was no temple built at this time, the people were still worshipping God and sacrificing to Him on elevated sites called “high places”. This was not necessarily wrong, but pagan practices, symbols, or structures were mixed in most of the time, which is why the text says Solomon pleased the Lord in everything except for that he sacrificed at these places. Gibeon was the great high place at the time because the Tabernacle was there,
1 Chron. 16:39 (v.38 in Orthodox).
What did Solomon ask from God, and how did God react?
Solomon asked God for an understanding/hearing heart, or in other words, wisdom and discernment, so that he can discern between good and evil.
Solomon’s request pleased the Lord, and He reacted by granting Solomon a wise and understanding heart for justice, but and promising that Solomon would be the wisest man who ever lived. He also even adds both riches and honor to Solomon and his kingdom.
What does Solomon’s request and God’s reaction teach us?
St. Isaac of Nineveh
“Do not be foolish in the request you make to God, otherwise you will insult God through your ignorance. Act wisely in prayer so that you may become worthy of glorious things. Ask for things that are honorable from Him, who will not hold back [from giving you what you ask] so that you may receive honor from Him as a result of the wise choice your free will has made. Solomon asked for wisdom—and along with it he also received the earthly kingdom, for he knew how to ask wisely of the heavenly King, that is, [Solomon asked] for things that are important.”
Is this not consistent with what our Lord teaches us in His Holy Gospel? Read
Matthew 7:7-11.
Christ speaks these words after commanding us great and difficult things in the previous chapters. Here too, Solomon has just been appointed as King over a vast kingdom that has huge challenges, like dealing with enemies from without and rebels from within, while needing to fill the spiritual and militarial shoes of his father David, and he asks for the wisdom to deal with it all.
Christ confirms this by giving the example of a father and his son. When a father is asked by his son for something good, such as bread and fish (food), it’s only natural that he will give them that! When our Heavenly Father is asked by His children for something good, such as to understand and do His commandments, of course He will help us do that!
So we are taught by Solomon’s request and God’s reaction that we must ask for these good things, and what Christ teaches us in addition to this is that we must be consistent with our prayers, as Vv.7-8 insinuate continuous asking and seeking.
It is with this wisdom that Solomon authors the book of Proverbs, which are words of wisdom, exhortation, and guidance in our spiritual, mental, and physical lives.
What happens in the case of the two mothers?
Two prostitutes who live together both have a son, but one son dies. The mother, whose son died, switches her dead son for the other’s living son, and their case is brought before the king.
King Solomon says to split the living son in two pieces by sword, and give one half to each mother. The boy’s true mother says not to kill him, give him to the other woman, but the false mother says to split him. By this, meaning the compassion of the real mother, King Solomon wisely judges who is the real mother and who is false. There is much to be said here about but we will not go into depth.
- 1 Kings 6:1, 11-13
What does Solomon start building?
The house of the Lord, or the temple of the Lord, 480 years after the Exodus from Egypt.
What does God tell Solomon?
He reminds Solomon that He will perform His “word” with Him, meaning the prophecy He gave to David about David’s son building the Lord’s house and etc. about his kingdom, IF Solomon continues to follow the Lord and His commands.
- 1 Kings 8:1-11
What happens in this short passage?
The Ark of the Covenant is brought into the house/temple that Solomon built for the Lord.
Why does V.9 omit the Manna & Aaron’s staff from being inside the Ark?
They are signified by mentioning the most important part, the tablets of the Law, because the text was written for Jews, who already know the other objects.
- 1 Kings 9:1-9
What warning does the Lord give Solomon?
A warning we have seen plenty of times now; blessing for obedience and consequence for going astray. God says that if they stray from Him, anyone who enters the land and sees the temple will be astonished at it,
i.e.
by its destruction, which was carried out in ~586 B.C. by the Babylonians. The temple was rebuilt and re-razed to the ground when the Romans ruthlessly subdued a Jewish revolt in 70 A.D, also fulfilling this promise of the Lord in more depth.
- 1 Kings 11:26-END
What does this passage reveal about what Solomon started doing?
The beginning of the chapter outlines it more in-depth, but Solomon started turning to other gods and sacrificing to them, causing God to pronounce what we read here, as delivered by Ahijah the prophet.
What will happen to Solomon’s kingdom?
It will be divided into pieces again after Solomon’s death; 10 tribes to Jeroboam and 2 tribes, Judah and Benjamin, to Solomon’s son Rehoboam. This is essentially a return to how it was before David conquered Jerusalem and re-united the split kingdoms of Israel.
And so we end the chapter with Solomon passing away. So now David, who according to God “was after his own heart” and Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, both ended their lives in sin and suffering, and both ended their lives knowing their kingdom would face trouble and rebellion after their death.
Do we need more proof that mankind really just cannot keep out of sin, no matter how great a man is, nor how great God regards that man?
Just imagine you have no knowledge of the Gospel for this moment, and ask yourself this question.
Who can deliver man from this miserable state?
- This Week's Study
Review!!!