The judgement God promises because of Solomon's behaviour falls not on the king, but on his son Rehoboam. The loyalty of the northern tribes of Israel to the house of David had always been fragile. After they entered Canaan and in the time of th...

A prophet from Judah has confronted Israel's new king, Jeroboam, and asserted God's authority over him. As a symbol of God's rejection of Jeroboam's regime, he is not to accept hospitality on his way home. A foolish old Israelite ...

King Jeroboam has rejected God and instituted the worship of two golden calves in an attempt to control his new country's religion. When he's faced with urgent questions of life and death, though, he realises that only the Lord can help him.

Unlike his father Abijah and his grandfather Rehoboam, King Asa clamped down on idolatry and 'remained faithful to the Lord all his life' (verse 14). He was also generous to the Temple, making gifts of gold and silver to replace those lost ...

1 and 2 Kings were originally one book, so 2 Kings picks up where 1 Kings concluded. In chapter 1 we encounter five men: Ahaziah the king, Elijah the prophet and three army captains. The last lines of 1 Kings tell us all we need to know about Ahaziah...

At the end of Elijah’s ministry we witness the deep bond between servant and master: 'I will not leave you.' Elisha asks for 'a double portion of his spirit' (verse 9). What does he mean? Deuteronomy 21.17 explains that the firs...

A roundabout march in the desert for seven days, no water for themselves or their animals – desperate, tired, hungry and the battle is still to come. It is in this moment of crisis that Jehoshaphat finally asks the question: 'Is there no proph...

From kings, battles and the sweep of history the narrative shifts to focus on a widow and her two sons. This is a wonderful reminder of the unique way the Bible tells the story of God’s action in the world and at the same time shows his love and co...

Naaman has it all: he's a top military commander, a great man and highly regarded. But he has leprosy, one of the most feared diseases of his day. The words of a servant girl prompt him to seize the opportunity to be healed.

On the surface the situation is dire. An army with horses and chariots surrounds the city. Yet this chapter includes a dramatic reveal. Elisha’s frightened servant has his eyes opened to reality as it is, rather than reality as he sees it: 'Th...

As we know from elsewhere in Scripture, people with leprosy were outcasts from society and not allowed to live in the city. Rejected and feared by society, their lives outside the city gates depended on charity. Yet in 2 Kings 7 it is they who bring ...

We often open our Bibles looking for uplift and inspiration, but this bleak and depressing chapter in the story of Israel is more like Game of Thrones. Judgement is pronounced on King Baasha and his family; they will die and be eaten by dogs and vult...

Elijah, one of the greatest of the prophets, has some of the best and most exciting stories in the Old Testament. He's an Israelite, and his career is marked by a conflict with Israel's wicked and semi-pagan King Ahab. He's introduced ...

It's interesting to see what Paul commends the Thessalonian church for in his opening words. It isn't for their correctness of doctrine, but for the way they 'put their faith into practice', for the way they 'work so hard...

In these verses, Paul says some very significant things about the relationship between the leader of a church and his or her congregation. It wasn't quite like that, of course – this was a missionary situation, and he and Silas had formed a ne...

This is a heart-warming chapter. Paul speaks of his deep love for the Thessalonians, and of his fear that they might have been seduced from their love of God by fear of persecution (verse 5). It's good news though: Timothy, whom Paul had sent to...

In this chapter Paul stresses the need for holy and quiet living that attracts the respect of those outside the Christian community. Towards the end, he begins to talk about what we call the Second Coming, an idea that Christians have argued over for...

Paul's advice to the Thessalonians was given to them in the light of the belief that Jesus was coming back very soon indeed. That being so, it's fascinating to see how measured and balanced it is. From time to time, 'prophets' pre...

The books of Kings are not for the squeamish. They deal with people who will do anything for power, including betrayal and murder. Here the Syrian king, Benhadad, seeks reassurance from an Israelite prophet, Elisha, that he'll recover from his i...

This story proceeds at a breakneck speed, like Jehu's driving (verse 20). Evidently the Israelite army officers have grown tired of King Joram, perhaps because of his unsuccessful alliance with Judah's King Ahaziah against Syria (8.28–29).