Recorded live Feb 25, 2021.
Our Adult Discipleship group (Midweek Bible class) is going through the Kings of Israel and Judah. You are welcome to join us for any session in person or online. See the calendar for dates. [View Series & Handouts]
This chart is a map of our course of study. We will go chronologically king by king.
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It Will Not End Well Without the King’s Mercy
Have you ever had to plead guilty before a judge? Why do you suppose that those who plead guilty are often sentenced less harshly? Zedekiah could have given up and begged for mercy. The Lord urged him to through the prophets. But he chose to live by his own strength in defiance of the king of Babylon and defiance against God. Read Jeremiah 52:1-11 to learn about Zedekiah’s cowardly attempt to flee.
Explain how God used irony to capture Zedekiah as the prophecy of Ezekiel was fulfilled: “The prince who is in their midst will carry his baggage on his shoulder at dusk and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He will cover his face, so he will not see the ground with his own eyes. I will spread out my net for him, and he will be caught in my trap. I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die.” (Ezekiel 12:12-13)
Discuss some of warnings regarding sin which many are blind to today. What is the end result of the refusal to repent?
God has more than a net of judgment. He has a net of mercy. How ought his warnings regarding sin impress on us the importance of our task to be “fishers of men”?
What tools (nets) do we have to rescue people from the grip of sin’s curse and depths of hell?
The Fall of Jerusalem
The fall of David’s throne is tragic. It is recorded in several places. (2 Kings 25:1–21; 2 Chronicles 36:15–21; Jeremiah 39:1-10; 52:4–30)
Yet throughout all the prophecies of warning are contained a word of hope for those who trust in the Lord. He promised a king from David’s line who would rule forever (2 Samuel 7:11-16). Jesus, the Son of David now sits on his throne over all creation. He will return soon in great glory. He will restore the broken and fallen. He will lift up the lowly.
Even in the face of destruction the prophet Micah could cry out: “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy. When I fall, I will rise. When I sit in the darkness, the LORD will be a light for me.” (Mic 7:8)
How does the history of the line of David’s kings help you better understand the depravity of the human heart and God’s patience?
Hope Remains
God is serious about sin’s consequences. He warns his people of what it brings. Scan through Deuteronomy 28. Explain: “God warned Israel of what would happen when they rejected him. He did this out of love.” What are some of the strongest warnings which have been impressed on you after reading through the record of the kings of Israel and Judah?
Looking at the account of the kings has led to many important truths. Lessons were learned about the heart’s deceitfulness and the devil’s tactics. Lessons were learned about the need for a king who is stronger, wiser, and more benevolent than what we can find in any human heart. Lessons were learned as God’s providence, patience, and faithfulness stood in striking contrast to mankind’s weakness, impatience, and unfaithfulness. God’s judgment is just and true. But his faithfulness and mercy remained even as his people were entirely unfaithful. “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, because he cannot deny himself.” (2 Ti 2:13) Jesus, the Son of David, our King, is wonderful. We know that full well!
What is your biggest comfort from reading through the account of the kings?
