SENIOR
AGE
GROUP: 14 - 15 YEARS
STANDARD
(GRADE): IX & X
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LESSON – 19
THE DIFFERENT DYNASTIES OF THE KINGDOMS OF ISRAEL
& JUDAH
Click this link to get the other Senior Sunday School Lessons
In the previous lessons we learned how the ancient nation of Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom, which is the Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom, which is the Kingdom of Judah. The Northern Kingdom of Israel had nine different dynastic families ruling over it, while the Kingdom of Judah, had only one dynasty, the Davidic dynasty which descended from David ruling over it. The Davidic dynasty ultimately leads down to Jesus, the eternal king. (Click this link to learn more about the division of the Nation of Israel and charts of the kings of Israel and Judah)
The Northern Kingdom Vs The Southern Kingdom
Territory and Population:
The Northern Kingdom consisted of ten out of twelve tribes of Israel. Its
territory was far larger than the Kingdom of Judah, but Judah possessed important
cities such as the holy city of Jerusalem and Hebron.
Religion: The
kings of Israel, beginning from Jeroboam till the last king were worshippers of
Baal, and the people too followed in their way. Many Levites and God-fearing
Israelites migrated to Judah. Yet, almost all the great early prophets such as
Abijah, Elijah, Elisha, Amos etc. either belonged to Israel or were sent on
missions to Israel. The Kingdom of Judah, though indulged in idolatrous
practices at times, was far more loyal to Jehovah, the God of Israel.
Stability: The Kingdom
of Judah was far more stable than the Kingdom of Israel, which could be
understood from the following facts
(1) Judah
had a single capital throughout – Jerusalem (II Chronicles
11:5). Israel had several capitals in succession: Shechem (I Kings
12:25), Tirzah (I Kings 15:33) and Samaria (I Kings 16:24).
(2) The Kingdom of Israel was ruled by nine dynasties with nineteen kings which lasted for only two hundred years. Every new dynasty began with a revolt and bloodshed and ended in the same way. The Kingdom of Judah continued for nearly three hundred and fifty years with only twenty kings, all belonging to the line of David except Athaliah, the wicked queen who tried to usurp the kingdom and was brought to judgement and exterminated.
Sources of Information
One traditional source for the history of the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel has been the Hebrew Bible, especially the Books of Kings and Chronicles. These books were written by authors in Jerusalem, the capital of the Kingdom of Judah. Many Biblical accounts have been confirmed by archaeology. The first mention of the name Israel is from an Egyptian inscription, the Merneptah Stele, dating from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1208 BC).
The Differences Between the Books of I & II Kings and I & II Chronicles
At first sight, the Books of Kings and the Books of Chronicles appear to be very similar, covering much of the same period of the history of Israel, especially the monarchy. However, there are some significant differences between the two, which are listed below.
The Books of 1 and 2 Kings
The Books of 1 and 2 Kings were written following the Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon in 586 BC.
Ø Its main purpose is to show that idolatry led to the downfall of the two nations of Israel and Judah (2 Kings 17:7-41).
The Books of 1 and 2 Chronicles
The Books of 1 and 2 Chronicles was written after the second return from exile in 458 BC.
Ø Chronicles focusses almost exclusively on the kings of Judah. The northern kings of Israel are not mentioned except where they have some relevance to the accounts of the kings of Judah.
Ø Its main purpose is to rebuild the nation under God after the exile, with its main focus on worship and the Temple. Chronicles is not concerned with the civil affairs. The primary focus of Chronicles is on the Temple, the priesthood, the Levites, religious reforms and the keeping of the covenant.
Ø Chronicles is concerned with tracing the preservation of the Davidic line in order to demonstrate God's faithfulness to his word to David. Chronicles ends on a positive note of restoration and hope. A purified remnant returned to a purified land which had undergone seventy years of rest.
Ø Chronicles gives great attention to genealogies and statistics. About half of the material in Chronicles is unique, and not found in other historical books such as Samuel or Kings.
THE NORTHERN KINGDOM / THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL
In the Biblical sources (the Books of Kings and Chronicles) the accounts of
Israel and Judah are intertwined. According to the Biblical narrative the
northern Kingdom of Israel was founded circa 930 BC, following the division of
the United Monarchy, which was based in Jerusalem, which became part of the
Southern kingdom. A permanent site for the capital of the Northern kingdom was
chosen only circa 880 BC, by Omri, its 6th king. The Kingdom of Israel was
ruled by nine dynasties with nineteen kings which lasted for only two hundred
years. Every new dynasty began with unrest and bloodshed and ended in the same
way.
I. THE
HOUSE OF JEROBOAM (2 GENERATIONS)
1. Jeroboam I (931-910 BC)
Jeroboam was from the tribe of Ephraim, and the son of a widow named Zeruah. He was a servant of King Solomon. Jeroboam was a skilled worker who was excellent in his work. So, King Solomon gave him in-charge of the labor force of the tribes of Joseph (1 Kings 11:28). One day, a prophet named Ahijah approached Jeroboam with a prophecy that God would tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give him ten tribes because of King Solomon’s idolatry (Click this link to learn more about King Solomon's life or to read about King Solomon's writings). However, the house of David would retain a remnant of the kingdom, because of God’s covenant with David. After this, King Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt and stayed there until Solomon’s death.
There was a rebellion against King Solomon’s
son Rehoboam who became king after the death of King Solomon. The ten
northern tribes, excluding the tribes of Judah and Benjamin crowned Jeroboam as
their king. Thus, the prophecy uttered by Ahijah came to pass. Jeroboam was
promised great blessings and a continuing dynasty if he would follow the Lord
sincerely. However, Jeroboam did not obey the Lord. Instead, he made two golden
calves for the people to worship in the northern kingdom and appointed priests
and celebrations. This idolatry is often referred to as “the sins of Jeroboam,”
which the later kings of Israel followed. Prophet Ahijah pronounced a severe
judgment on Jeroboam and his family and predicted the end of the dynasty because
of Jeroboam’s rebellion against the Lord. Jeroboam reigned over the northern
kingdom of Israel for 22 years. Click this link to learn more about Jeroboam's life (Bible Reference: 1
Kings 12:25–14:20; 2 Chronicles 10, 11, 13:1-22)
2. Nadab (910 – 909 BC)
Nadab was the younger son of Jeroboam. Nadab reigned
over Israel for two years, continuing his father’s idolatry. Then a man
named Baasha plotted against Nadab, assassinated him and usurped the
throne. As soon as Baasha began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. Thus,
the word of the Lord given through Prophet Ahijah was fulfilled.
(Bible Reference: 1 Kings 15:25–31)
II. THE HOUSE OF BAASHA (2 GENERATIONS)
3. Baasha (909 – 886 BC)
Baasha was from the tribe of Issachar. He killed
King Nadab during the siege of Gibbethon. There was constant war between him and
King Asa of Judah. The prophet Jehu predicted that Baasha’s dynasty would end,
because he was disobedient to God’s commandments. (Bible Reference: 1
Kings 15:32–16:7; 2 Chronicles 16:1–6)
4. Elah (886 – 885 BC)
Elah, the son of Baasha reigned in Tirzah. He reigned
for less than two years. He was assassinated by Zimri, his commander of
charioteers. (1Kings 16:8–14)
III. THE HOUSE OF ZIMRI (1 GENERATION)
5. Zimri (885 BC - 5 days)
Zimri, King Elah's
commander of charioteers killed the king and all his
family and tried to become the king. But Israelites rejected him and crowned
Omri, the army commander as king of Israel. Some of the Israelites wanted
another man named Tibni as king. But Omri took over and became the king.
(1Kings 16:15–20).
IV. THE HOUSE OF OMRI (4 GENERATIONS)
6. Omri (885 – 874 BC)
Omri was a commander of the army of King Elah. He
was crowned as the sixth king. There is no mention in the Holy Bible about his
tribal lineage or background, but it is recorded that he was more evil than all
the Israelite kings before him. He purchased the city
of Samaria from Shemer and made it the new capital of the Kingdom of Israel. (1
Kings 16:21–28)
7. Ahab (874 – 853 BC)
Omri’s son Ahab and his wife Jezebel are considered to be the most wicked couple of all the monarchy in the history of Israel. They introduced Baal worship to Israel. Jezebel was the daughter of the Sidonian king Ethbaal. She tried to replace the worship of Jehovah with Baal worship and kill all the prophets of Jehovah. Ahab too served and worshipped Baal and built an altar for it. He was challenged and confronted by Prophet Elijah, so Ahab considered him as his enemy. Ahab sought an alliance with King Jehoshaphat of Judah to reconquer Ramoth-Gilead from the Syrian King Benhadad. Ahab tried to protect himself and went to the battle disguised, but was killed by a stray arrow. According to the Holy Bible (I Kings 22:39), King Ahab built an ivory palace on the hills of Samaria. (Bible Reference: 1 Kings 16:29–22:40; 2 Chronicles 18:1–34)
8. Ahaziah (853 – 852 BC)
Ahab’s son Ahaziah was as evil as his father. When
he fell through a lattice and was sick, he sent men to consult Baalzebub, the
god of Ekron (Philistia). God sent Prophet Elijah who pronounced a judgement that
Ahaziah would not leave his sick bed and would die. It
happened just as Prophet Elijah said. (1 Kings 22:51–53; 2 Kings 1:1–18; 2
Chronicles 20:35–37)
9. Jehoram (852 – 841 BC)
After the death of Ahaziah, his brother Jehoram became
the king. Jehoram made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Judah against King Hazael
of Syria. Jehoram was wounded in the battle at Ramoth-Gilead, and brought back
to Jezreel. Shortly, he was struck with an arrow by Jehu who was anointed as
the next king by a prophet sent by Elisha. (2 Kings
3:1–9:29; 2 Chronicles 22:5–7)
V. THE HOUSE OF JEHU (5 GENERATIONS)
10. Jehu (841 – 814 BC)
Jehu began his reign by being zealous for God. The
entire household of Ahab, the prophets of Baal, the worshippers and the priests
were removed from the land of Israel and the house of Baal was demolished. The
Lord blessed Jehu for his obedience, granting him a dynasty that would last to
the fourth generation (2 Kings 10:30). However, because Jehu continued to hold
on to the idolatrous worship of King Jeroboam, the Israelites were reduced and
brought to submission by King Hazael of Syria. Jehu reigned over Israel a total
of twenty-eight years and was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz.
(2 Kings 9:1–10:36; 2 Chronicles 22:7–12)
11. Jehoahaz (814 - 798)
Jehoahaz too was defeated by the Syrians
(Arameans) first by Hazael, and then by Benhadad. Jehoahaz sought the Lord for help.
God provided a deliverer to relieve Israel from the Aramean oppression. The
deliverer is not named in the Holy Bible. The Arameans left Jehoahaz an army of
50 horsemen, 10 chariots and 10,000 foot soldiers. Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash
became the next king after him. (2 Kings 13:1–9)
12. Jehoash (798 - 782) (2 Kg 13:10-25)
Jehoash defeated Benhadad II, King of Syria three
times, as predicted by Prophet Elisha, with the arrow of victory. He
reconquered territory lost by his father Jehoahaz. King Amaziah of Judah
challenged Jehoash at Beth-Shemesh but was defeated and the wall of Jerusalem
was partially destroyed. After he died, Joash of Israel was succeeded by his
son Jeroboam II. (2 Kings 13:10–25; 2 Chronicles
25:17–24).
13. Jeroboam II (793 - 753)
Jeroboam restored the land to the same boundaries
as in the days of David and Solomon. He also had control over Damascus, as
prophesied by prophet Jonah. He reigned for 41 years. His reign is considered
as the most prosperous in the northern kingdom of Israel. After his death, his
son Zechariah became the king. (2 Kings 14:23–29)
14. Zechariah (753 - 6 months)
Zechariah only reigned six months before being
killed by Shallum, a captain from his army, ending five generations of Jehu's
dynasty. (2 Kings 15:8-12)
VI. THE HOUSE OF SHALLUM (1 GENERATION)
15. Shallum (752 - 1 month) (2 Kg 15:17-22)
Shallum reigned for only one month before being
slain by Menahem another captain in the army. (2
Kings 15:13-15)
VII. THE HOUSE OF MENAHEM (2 GENERATIONS)
16. Menahem (752 - 742)
Menahem was a captain in Zechariah’s army along
with Shallum. He refused to accept Shallum usurping the throne. He laid siege
to Samaria, captured it, killed Shallum and became the king. It was during
Menahem's reign that the Assyrians first entered the kingdom of Israel. To maintain independence, Menahem was forced to pay
a tribute of a thousand talents of
silver (which is about 34 metric tons of silver). To
pay the tribute, Menahem exacted fifty shekels of
silver (about 0.6 kg) from all the wealthy men of the kingdom. After
receiving the tribute, Tiglath-Pileser returned to Assyria. From then on, the
kingdom of Israel became a tributary of Assyria. Ten years later,King Pekah refused
to pay any more tribute and it started a sequence of events which led to the
destruction of the kingdom of Israel and the deportation of its population.
Menahem reigned for 10 years. (2 Kings 15:16–22)
17. Pekahiah (742 - 740)
Pekahiah, succeeded his father Menahem and reigned
for two years. He was slain by Pekah one
of his own chief military officers who became the king. (2 Kings 15:23-26)
VIII. THE HOUSE OF PEKAH (1 GENERATION)
18. Pekah (740 - 732)
Pekah was the penultimate king of Israel. Pekah
allied with Rezin,
king of Aram (Syria), to attack Ahaz,
the king of Judah.
Ahaz appealed to Tiglath-pileser III, the king of Assyria,
for help. After Ahaz paid tribute to Tiglath-pileser, the Assyrians captured
Damascus, killed their king Rezin and the population of Aram was deported.
Tiglath-pileser also attacked Israel, captured many cities including all the
land of Naphtali,
and deported the people of Israel to Assyria. The Kingdom of Judah ended up
becoming a tributary of Assyria after seeking their help. Pekah, the king of
Israel was spared by Tiglath-pileser. But, soon after this Pekah was
assassinated by Hoshea,
a captain from Pekah's own army, who then took the throne. (2 Kings
15:27-31)
IX. THE HOUSE OF HOSHEA (1 GENERATION)
19. Hoshea (732 - 722)
Hoshea, a captain in Pekah's own army, assassinated
him. Tiglath-pileser rewarded Hoshea by making him the king over the northern
kingdom which had lost much of its area. Hoshea remained loyal to Tiglath-pileser.
But when Shalmaneser V succeeded
Tiglath-pileser, Hoshea made an effort to free the kingdom and entered into an
alliance with the King of Egypt. Shalmaneser directed his armies against
Samaria to suppress the rebellion. Hoshea tried to give them tribute
again. But he had fallen out of favour. Hoshea was captured, put in prison and
Samaria besieged. After three years, Samaria fell and its inhabitants were
deported to Assyria and further east in the land of Media. In the year of the
conquest of Samaria, Sargon II began to rule in Assyria. The conquest of
Samaria marked the end of Israel as a kingdom, which became an Assyrian
province. People from Babylon were brought to replace the Israelites, bringing
their religion and culture into the land. The Israelites who became mixed with
the foreign nations were called the Samaritans. (2 Kings 17)
THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM / THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH
DAVIDIC DYNASTY (19 KINGS & 1 QUEEN)
David, the most famous king of ancient Israel was promised a dynasty that would live on forever. His son, Solomon, succeeded David and extended a glorious reign. However, upon Solomon's death, the nation was divided into two kingdoms. Only two tribes remained loyal to the Davidic line forming the Kingdom of Judah. The Kingdom of Judah lasted for almost 350 years and was ruled by 19 kings and a queen. They ruled from the holy city of Jerusalem.
1. King Rehoboam (931-913 BC)
Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon ascended the throne following his father’s death. Initially, he became king over the entire nation which included all the twelve tribes of Israel. However, the people revolted against the hard work and the heavy labour imposed on them by his father King Solomon and asked him for a change. Rehoboam refused to change following the advice of the young men, instead of the more experienced counsellors. This led to the separation of the ten northern tribes, resulting in the formation of the separate Kingdom of Israel. Rehoboam was left with only two tribes (Judah & Benjamin), which was called the Kingdom of Judah. Click this link to learn about Rehoboam's life (Bible Reference: 1 Kings 14:21–31; 2 Chronicles 10:1–12:16)
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2. King Abijah (913-911 BC)
As the son of Rehoboam, Abijah inherited a weakened and divided kingdom. Abijah defeated Jeroboam, the king of Israel in a military conquest. However, despite this victory, his reign was not prosperous. (Bible Reference: 1 Kings 15:1–8; 2 Chronicles 13:1–22)
3. King Asa (911-870 BC)
In contrast to his predecessors, Asa actively sought to promote the worship of the one true God, Jehovah, in Judah. He is known for his religious reforms and efforts to eliminate idolatry from the kingdom. He was also successful in his battles against the Ethiopians and the Libyans. Yet, later in his reign, he sought help from the king of Syria instead of fully trusting in God. He handed over a huge portion of the Temple treasures to the Syrian king in exchange for his help. He was rebuked by prophet Hanani. King Asa was unrepentant and threw prophet Hanani in jail. King Asa was afflicted in his old age with a foot disease. In the Holy Bible it is recorded that even in his affliction, he put his trust in the physicians and did not seek the Lord. (Bible Reference: 1 Kings 15:9–24; 2 Chronicles 14:1–16:14)
4. King Jehoshaphat (873-848 BC)
Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa is one of the most revered kings of Judah. He actively promoted the worship of God and brought many religious and social reforms in Israel. However, his alliances with Ahab, the wicked king of Israel and his sons were condemned by prophets. God helped Jehoshaphat have many miraculous victories in battles when he sought the Lord. Eventhough Jehoshaphat brought about many good reforms, the wrong alliances he forged with Ahab and his children undid much of the good he had done. Click this link to learn more about Jehoshaphat's life. (Bible Reference: 1 Kings 22:41–50; 2 Chronicles 17:1–21:3)
5. King Jehoram (853-841 BC)
Jehoram’s reign was in contrast to that of his father, Jehoshaphat. He did not worship Jehovah and promoted idolatry in Judah, instigated by his wife Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab. He was warned by Prophet Elijah. Jehoram was afflicted with a severe disease and died two years later. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 8:16–24; 2 Chronicles 21:4–20)
6. King Ahaziah (841 BC)
Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became the king and had a brief reign. He followed in the footsteps of his father Jehoram promoting idolatry and expanding the spiritual and political decay of the kingdom of Judah. His reign ended, when he was killed by Jehu, the king of Israel, who was on a mission to destroy Jezebel and Ahab’s family members. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 8:25-9:29; 2 Chronicles 22:1-9)
7. Queen Athaliah (841-835 BC)
Athaliah was the only woman to rule the kingdom of Judah. She was the daughter of Ahab, the king of Israel, and Jezebel. After her son Ahaziah’s death, she usurped the kingdom by killing her own family members including her grandchildren. A brave high priest named Jehoiada and his wife Jehosheba saved one of Athaliah’s infant grandsons named Joash and hid him in the Temple. They interrupted Athaliah’s tyranny by staging a coup and killing her. On the same day, Joash, who was still very young was made the king, thus restoring the royal lineage of David. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 11:1–20; 2 Chronicles 22:10–23:21)
8. King Joash (835-796 BC)
Joash ascended the throne at the age of seven, and initially, he was guided by the high priest Jehoiada. Joash undertook significant reforms in the Temple of Jerusalem and restored the worship of God. However, after Jehoiada’s death, Joash strayed from the ways of the Lord, allowing idolatry. He was admonished by the prophets, but he refused to listen, resulting in the spiritual decay of the kingdom. King Joash who started well did not end so well and we see this pattern repeated in his descendants also. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 11:17–12:21; 2 Chronicles 24:1–24:27)
9. King Amaziah (796-767 BC)
Amaziah was the son and successor of King Joash. His reign saw a mixture of obedience and failure. Amaziah undertook a military conquest against the Edomites and defeated them, which unfortunately led to his downfall. He brought back idols from Edom and worshipped them, leading to a rebuke from a prophet of God. In a repetition of his father’s mistake, he refused to obey God's counsel. He challenged King Jehoash of Israel, but he was defeated and taken captive. Later he was released but he was killed by his own people. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 14:1–22; 2 Chronicles 25:1–28)
10. King Uzziah (790-739 BC)
Uzziah ascended the throne when he was 16 years old and reigned for 52 years. He is remembered for his prosperous and militarily successful reign. He strengthened Judah’s defenses and led successful military campaigns against the Philistines and other enemies. However, his success led to haughtiness, and he attempted to burn incense, which was a priestly function reserved only for the descendants of Aaron. God punished him with a terrible skin disease and he was isolated until his death. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 15:1–7; 2 Chronicles 26:1–23)
11. King Jotham (750-731 BC)
According to Biblical scholars Jotham, the son of Uzziah, reigned along with his father as a coregent for 11 years because his father was afflicted with a terrible skin disease and was isolated. According to the Holy Bible he was careful in the ways of God. He promoted the worship of God and built fortifications in Judah to ensure the kingdom’s security. Under his rule, Judah enjoyed stability and relative peace. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 15:32-38; 2 Chr 27:1–9)
12. King Ahaz (735-715 BC)
Unlike his father Jotham, Ahaz is remembered as a wicked king, because of his worship of pagan gods, leading Judah into apostasy. His reign was marked by deep spiritual decline and the kingdom was under constant threat from foreign nations. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 16:1–20; 2 Chronicles 28:1–27)
13. King Hezekiah (715-686 BC)
Hezekiah is one of the most righteous and reformative kings of Judah. He removed the idols and restored worship in the Temple. He ascended the throne at a time when the Kingdom of Judah was facing threat from the Assyrians, led by Sennacherib. Hezekiah placed his trust fully in God and sought divine help. He did not rely on his own military strength or friendly neighbours for support. God helped him and Jerusalem was miraculously spared from the Assyrian siege. King Hezekiah fell seriously ill and Prophet Isaiah was sent to tell him that he was going to die. King Hezekiah cried to God and his life was extended by fifteen years. But many incidents that happened during those fifteen years proved detrimental to his family and his kingdom. Click this link to learn more about King Hezekiah (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 18 - 20:21; 2 Chronicles 29:1–32:33; Isaiah 36–39)
14. King Manasseh (695-642 BC)
Manasseh, son of Hezekiah became king at the age of 12 and reigned for 55 years. Manasseh ruled in contrast to his father’s pious and righteous legacy. He was one of the most wicked kings of Judah. During his long reign, Manasseh instituted idol worship and strange pagan practices and even sacrificed his own children to idols. He was taken captive by the Assyrians, and during his captivity, Manasseh repented and sought God, and was restored to his throne in a demonstration of God’s infinite mercy. Yet he was unable to bring Israel out of idol worship and pagan practices and his name became associated with the evil practices that continued in the Kingdom of Judah. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 21:1-18; 2 Chronicles 33:1-20)
15. King Amon (642-640 BC)
Amon followed his father Manasseh and promoted idol worship, continued in his father Manasseh’s ways. His own servants conspired against him and assassinated him in the palace. (Bible Reference: 2 Kg 21:19–26; 2 Chr 33:21–25)
16. King Josiah (640-609 BC)
Josiah became king at the age of eight after his father Amon was killed. He is remembered as one of the greatest kings of Judah, known for his devotion to God. During his reign, the Book of the Law was rediscovered in the Temple, leading to a thorough religious reform in Judah. Josiah destroyed idols, purified the Temple, and restored worship to God. He also carried out major social reforms, seeking to restore justice and equity in the kingdom. However, due to an unwise decision, he was killed in the battle of Megiddo. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 22:1–23:30; 2 Chronicles 34:1–35:27)
17. King Jehoahaz (609 BC)
Jehoahaz, also known as Shallum, succeeded his father Josiah as king of Judah. However, only after 3 months, the Pharaoh of Egypt, Necho II, removed him as king and took him as captive to Egypt. (Bible Reference: 2 Kg 23:31–34; 2 Chr 36:1–4)
18. King Jehoiakim / Eliakim (609-597 BC)
Egyptian king Pharaoh Necho II deposed Jehoahaz and made his brother Eliakim, the king of Judah. When placed on the throne, his name was changed to "Jehoiakim". Jehoiakim was ungodly and followed in the ways of evil kings. He served as a vassal of Egypt until the invasion of Jerusalem by the Babylonians under the command of Nebuchadnezzar II. During his reign, the Kingdom of Judah further went into spiritual and moral decline. He was deported to Babylon, along with a huge Jewish population, after the first deportation in 597 BC. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 23:34–24:6; 2 Chronicles 36:4–8; Jeremiah 25,26, 36)
19. King Jehoiachin /Jeconiah / Coniah (597 BC)
Jeconiah also known as Coniah and Jehoiachin became king after his father was deposed. After only three months of reign, he was removed as king and taken captive to Babylon, along with his family and a large part of the Jewish nobles and leaders. (Bible Reference: 2 Kings 24:6–16; 25:27-30; 2 Chronicles 36:9-10; Jeremiah 29:2)
20. King Zedekiah (597-586 BC)
Zedekiah also known as Mattaniah was one of the sons of King Josiah and uncle of King Jehoiachin. Zedekiah was kept as a namesake ruler by the Babylonians. He was the last king to rule the Kingdom of Judah before the final destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army. Zedekiah attempted to rebel against the Babylonians. The Babylonians besieged and conquered Jerusalem, resulting in the destruction of the Temple and mass deportation of the Jewish population to Babylon. King Zedekiah tried to escape, but he was captured by the Babylonians, and taken to Babylon as a captive, where he died. It marked the end of the kingdom of Judah and the rule of kings (monarchic period) of Israel. Later Persian King Cyrus let the jews to return to Jerusalem just as was prophesized by Prophet Isaiah. (Bible Reference: 2 Kg 24:17–25:7; 2 Chr 36:11–21; Jeremiah 21, 28,32,34,37-39)
The Davidic Covenant
King David is considered as the greatest kings of Israel (Click this link to learn more about the life of King David). God gave many promises to king David and made a covenant with him. It is called the “Davidic covenant.” God promised to establish the throne of his kingdom forever. God promised King David that his son Solomon would be blessed and build the temple; then another promise was given which was extraordinary. It was the promise of an everlasting kingdom. He let David know that another Son of David would rule forever and build a lasting House. (II Samuel 7:8-16)
The Eternal Kingdom
The promise that David’s “house,” “kingdom,” and “throne” will be established forever is significant because it shows that a ruler will come from the lineage of David and He will reign forever. In ancient Israel, there was the hope that this would be an everlasting dynasty, meaning that a descendant of King David would always rule over Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-3). But it was not fulfilled through David’s ordinary human lineage, because David’s line lost the kingship several generations later under a king called Zedekiah. They never regained it afterwards. There has been no Jewish King for over two thousand five hundred years since then. (Note that the Kings in Jesus’ day i.e. King Herod and his sons, were not Jewish. They were Edomites and had nothing to do with the royal line of David. They were given that position by the Romans. The present nation of Israel is a democratic nation, and it does not have a king).
Jesus Christ, the son of David, the eternal king
In the days before Jesus was born, which is about 800 years after King David, there was an anticipation for a descendant of David, who would take back the kingdom from the gentiles and reign as king. The Lord’s first advent partially fulfilled the covenant made with King David in 2 Samuel 7, a thousand years prior. Jesus descended physically from King David and derived His right to sit on the throne of King David. He was legally entitled to rule over the nation of Israel as its King. The promised King, Israel’s Messiah, was among His people. But Jesus, the Messiah was not born to rule over an earthly kingdom. Unable to understand His mission, the nation of Israel, as a whole, rejected Jesus as their Messiah, leading to His crucifixion (John 18:33-37). This rejection, however, does not nullify God’s promise. God was neither surprised nor caught off guard; He knew of Israel’s rejection through His foreknowledge (Acts 2:23). Their rejection became the means of salvation for all mankind (Romans 11:11-15). Through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, the free gift of salvation became available to all humanity—Jews and Gentiles alike—by grace through faith alone in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. This “gospel of the grace of God” has been the means of salvation for nearly 2,000 years and will continue until the “fullness of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:25) is complete. After this, God will rapture the Church, the body of Christ, and return to His prophetic program with Israel, culminating in His return (Matthew 23:37-39). Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, and the rightful King of Israel, will return to this earth and will sit on David’s throne and become King of Israel and establish His long-anticipated kingdom (Isaiah 11:1-9).
Conclusion
The history of the Northern and the Southern
kingdoms after the split of Israel is a complex narrative. The Northern
kingdom's history is characterized by a cycle of idolatry, prophetic warnings,
and eventual judgment. The southern kingdom's history too was marked by spiritual
apostasy interspersed with periods of reform and revival. The division of the
kingdom and the subsequent reigns of various kings highlight several
theological themes central to the Old Testament. The rulers of these kingdoms, according
to God’s sovereign plan, played pivotal roles in shaping the destiny of God's
people. Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world was born as the woman’s seed and the
son of David at the appointed time, through the tribe of Judah. It shows how despite
the political and spiritual chaos, God was in control, working through history
to preserve a holy nation for Himself to bring forth the Messiah.
Book References:
The chronology of the kings of Judah
and Israel is based on Edwin R. Thiel’s work “The Mysterious Numbers of the
Hebrew Kings” (1951).
Memory Verse: The
seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in
heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our
Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” And the
twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on
their faces and worshiped God, saying: “We give thanks to you,
Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your
great power and have begun to reign. (Revelation 11:15-17)
ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
Fill in
the blanks:
1. ……………………….. was the only woman to rule the
kingdom of Judah.
2. Joash ascended the throne at the age of seven,
and initially, he was guided by the high priest ……………….
3. Omri purchased
the city of …………………. from Shemer and made it the new capital of the Kingdom of
Israel.
4. To
maintain independence, King Menahem was forced to pay a tribute of
a …………………… talents of silver to the Assyrian
king.
Give
short answers:
1. Which of the two kingdoms was more stable and
why?
2.
Describe the reign of the most righteous and reformative king of Judah?
3.
How did Israel end as a kingdom?
4.
What is the main focus of the Book of Chronicles?
Answer in
brief:
1. What is the Davidic covenant? Why is Jesus Christ, the son of David considered the eternal king?
