Overview Article
Solomon’s kingdom was the pinnacle of Israel’s glory. “King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth” (1 Kgs 10:23). The Queen of Sheba confirmed the glory of Solomon’s kingdom, saying, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true! I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes” (10:6–7). First Kings celebrates the splendor of Solomon’s kingdom. But Solomon’s reign also illustrates the dangers of spiritual infidelity, and 1 Kings warns about the results of preoccupation with luxury, fame, self, and security. It is a timeless warning to us all.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 152
Places 99
Key Terms 79
Themes
Prophets in 1 Kings 22 A prophet is a person chosen by God to speak on God's behalf to people. Prophets receive special messages directly from God and then share these messages with others. God’s prophets were important in the Old Testament... True Success 22 God wants his people to fully commit to him ( Deuteronomy 6:4–6 ; compare Matthew 22:37 ). True success comes from seeking God and acknowledging him as the ruler, avoiding all false gods ( Matthew 6:33 ; 1 John 5:21 )... God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings 20 Solomon understood his role as David’s successor ( 1 Kings 3:7 ). The elderly King David advised Solomon to follow all of God's laws from Moses to " prosper in all you do and wherever you turn " ( 2:3 ). Solomon's fai... Pure Worship 16 From the start of God's relationship with Israel, he provided ways for their worship of him to be pleasing to him ( Exodus 20–40 ; Leviticus 1–8 ). One of the Lord's main goals for his people is to guarantee they offe... Solomon’s Wisdom 15 When God gave King Solomon the chance to ask for anything, Solomon chose wisdom. He wanted to govern God's people well and know right from wrong ( 1 Kings 3:9 ). Because of this unselfish choice, God granted him the w... God’s Faithfulness to His People 14 God made a special agreement (called a covenant) with the people of Israel. It included blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (see Deuteronomy 28:1–68 ). Many years later, after King Solomon dedicated th... God’s Covenant with David 10 God made five special agreements (called covenants) with his people in the Old Testament: God promised Noah, his family, and the creation that a flood would never again destroy the world ( Genesis 6:18 ; 9:1–17 ). Thi... Jerusalem 7 Jerusalem was an active city as early as four hundred years before the time of King David. The Israelites never fully captured it when they conquered Canaan or during the time of the judges ( Joshua 15:63 ; Judges 1:8...
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Symbolic Numbers 4 Numbers in Scripture have often led people to strange conclusions. Understanding ancient number symbolism can help us interpret the Scriptures better. Yet, this symbolism is not precise. We must be careful when using... Persecution 3 Persecution refers to systematic mistreatment, harassment, or oppression of an individual or group because of their identity, beliefs, or practices. In religious contexts specifically, persecution involves the targeti... Shechem 3 Shechem was in an important location at the entrance to the passage between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. It could control several important roads through the central hill country. Jacob bought land near Shechem ( Gen... Temple Worship 3 In the ancient Near East, kings had to provide for their nation's temple. King David, who started the family line (dynasty) of Judah's kings, made Jerusalem the capital of Israel ( 2 Samuel 5:4–10 ). He also made it t... The Dangers of Sin 3 Choosing sin instead of remaining faithful to the one true God leads to disaster. This has been true since the beginning, when Adam and Eve's disobedience brought curses and separation from their first home ( Genesis... The Land 3 The land was very important to ancient Israel because agriculture was the main way people made a living. Most Israelites were farmers or herders, and their survival depended on the land’s ability to produce crops and... Blessing 3 Before the patriarch Jacob died, he blessed each of his sons and Joseph's sons ( Genesis 49:1–28 ; 48:3–20 ). This was also how his father Isaac had blessed him ( 27:27–29 ). A blessing gives, improves, and enriches l... Counsel from Others 2 The book of Proverbs teaches that having many advisors are good because they provide safety ( Proverbs 11:14 ; 24:6 ). They increase our chances of success ( Proverbs 15:22 ). The book of Job shows that advisors can a... Promised Land 2 God gave the first man and woman the task of governing the earth and ruling over creation. This was to meet their needs and honor the creator ( Genesis 1:28–30 ). But when humanity sinned, they became separated from G... Suffering in Following God 2 Sometimes, people urge others to accept Jesus Christ because they promise that he will solve their problems. Yet, Jesus did not promise to solve all problems. He often warned people to think about the cost of followin... The Church as God’s Temple 2 The idea of the church as God's temple comes from the Old Testament. The kings David and Solomon received a promise that the temple in Jerusalem would be where God lived among his people (see 2 Samuel 7:12–16 ; 1 King... The Cities of Refuge 2 The Israelites built the cities of refuge to protect innocent people from blood revenge. An avenger had the legal right to kill a murderer ( Numbers 35:19 ; see Genesis 9:6 ). If someone accidentally caused a death, t...
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Outline
Use of 1 Kings in the New Testament
Quoted 2 times across 1 New Testament books
Total quotations 2
Connected books 1
Most-connected book Romans 2
All References
| 1 Kings | bookOverview.connections.ntReference | Compare |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kings 19:10 | Romans 11:3 | Compare |
| 1 Kings 19:18 | Romans 11:4 | Compare |
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