1. Introduction to the Bible Welcome back to Introduction to the Bible This week: Unit 6

2. What can you see?

3. 2 Samuel

4. The kingdom of David and God’s purposes 2 Samuel 2 Samuel 2 - 5 After the death of Saul, the tribe of Judah was the first to make David their king. He was ruling from Hebron, a city in Judah. city of Jerusalem His first action after becoming king over all Israel was to take the city of Jerusalem, because it didn’t yet belong to any one tribe, as the royal city of all Israel, ‘the city of David’. David’s reign had a very different beginning to that of Saul’s, emphasised by the bringing of the ‘ark of God’ into Jerusalem. gift of God not absolute It was a box containing a copy of the Law given to Moses, the focal point of the tabernacle and the symbol of God’s presence with his people. Implications of David bringing it into his royal city included: (a) his reign was the gift of God, (b) his reign was not absolute. The true king is Israel was God!

5. Read 2 Samuel 7v1-17 What does David want to build (v1-2)? But what does God want to build (v4-7, 11b)? What has God already done for David (v8)? What does he promise to do in the future (v9-11)? How do these promises echo the promises he made to Abraham (Gen 12v1-3)? What does God promise concerning the coming king (v12-16)? Compare this with Psalm 2

6. The kingdom of David and God’s purposes 2 Samuel 2 Samuel 7 God’s promise to David was that a king from his line would sit on the throne forever. That is, God promised that he will fulfil his promise to Abraham by establishing the Davidic dynasty. God will do it last forever The emphatic terminology shows that God will do it, and it will last forever. anointed one This is the origin of the idea of a ‘Messiah’. This is a Hebrew word meaning ‘anointed one’ (the Greek translation = ‘Christ’).

7. The kingdom of David and God’s purposes Psalm 2 promises attached to him Psalm 2 is statement of faith, describing the significance of the king in Jerusalem as being because of the promises attached to him. None of the historical kings lived up to the expectation …

8. The kingdom of David and God’s purposes 2 Samuel 2 Samuel 11 - 12 The story of David & Bathsheba reveals how David is unworthy of the gracious promises given to him. Once again human sinfulness robbed the people of God of the full experience of God’s blessing.

9. 1 & 2 Kings

10. Read 1 Kings 3v1-28, 4:20-25 How have the promises to Abraham been fulfilled? What specific things does God promise Solomon? Does Solomon really deserve this blessing from God? –What evidence is there either way? –Why does God appear to Solomon in the first place?

11. The kingdom of David and God’s purposes 1 Kings 1-11 1 Kings 3 Solomon’s wisdom His reign began with great promise, showing he responded rightly to the grace of God. The construction by of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem is explained in Solomon’s prayer (1 Kings 8:14-53) as: fulfilment fulfilment of God’s promises, symbol a symbol of God’s presence, known the place where God is known. 1 Kings 6-8

13. Read 1 Kings 10v1-29 What things particularly strike you as showing us that we are at a high-point in Israel's history? In Ch 10, are there any additional fulfilments of the promises to Abraham? "There are no clues whatsoever about the disaster that comes in Ch 11 onwards" –Is this true or false? If you have time read Deut 17v14-17, and compare with 1 Kings 10v14-15, v21-29 & 1 King 11v1-13

14. The kingdom of David and God’s purposes 1 Kings 1-11 1 Kings 10 Solomon’s glory was seen in the visit of the Queen of Sheba, highlighting the recognition of God’s blessing. Solomon’s folly (1 Kings 11:1-13): angry 1.God was angry with Solomon because of his inter-marrying, showing his heart had turned away from the Lord. judgementmercy 2.His judgement was tempered with mercy in that the kingdom will be ‘torn away’ after his lifetime. promise 3.The house of David and Jerusalem was not abandoned completely at this time because of God’s promise. 1 Kings 11

15. Is the pattern moving?

16. 1 Kings 12 – 2 Kings 16 The kingdom of David and God’s purposes The judgement announced to Solomon took place, as predicted, after his death (1 Kings 12:1-24). Two kingdoms resulted from this division: Northern kingdom = Israel King = Jeroboam Southern kingdom = Judah King = Rehoboam

18. 1 Kings 12 – 2 Kings 16 The kingdom of David and God’s purposes Prophets: WHAT? – instruments for the giving of the word of God WHY? – to call people back to obedience WHO? – Elijah & Elisha (main) Israel Judah Amos Amos announced judgement on Judah & Israel. Hosea Hosea spoke of the love of God which had been spurned by the people. Sin of Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:25-33) was to set up idols for the people to worship because “it was too far to Jerusalem”.

19. 1 Kings 12 – 2 Kings 16 The kingdom of David and God’s purposes Israel Judah Isaiah Isaiah spoke of God’s holiness in contrast to the people’s sinfulness. Micah Micah spoke out against the injustice of the treatment of the poor. Josiah was a godly king: - discovered the book of the Law - led reform in Judah - yet it was not enough to remove the guilt of Manasseh. Manasseh surpassed the sinfulness of all the others – even the pagan kings! Thus, Judah will also fall.

20. Fundamentally, it was the breach of the first & second commandments that brought this judgement down on their heads. The kingdom of David and God’s purposes exile 722 BC 597 – 587 BC 2 Kings 17 2 Kings 24-25 Israel Judah

23. The kingdom of David and God’s purposes Conclusion: The history of Israel has been the story of Adam & Eve all over again: -T-T-T-They sinned, - T- T- T- They were driven from the land, - W- W- W- We are left wondering ‘what will become of God’s promises?’