1 Kings - In 5 Minutes: A Daily Bible Study Through Each Chapter of 1 Kings

Welcome to the 2BeLikeChrist Bible study series. This series intends to summarize each chapter of the Bible and help readers understand God's story piece by piece.

1 Kings recounts a significant period in Israelite history beginning with Solomon ascending the throne to replace his father, David. When Solomon's reign was firmly established, he set to work building a magnificent temple in Jerusalem to replace the Tabernacle and to house the Ark of the Covenant. God gave Solomon a miraculous gift of wisdom, which made him famous throughout the earth. During Solomon's reign, Israel became richer and more influential than it had ever been before. Unfortunately, Solomon's later life was not marked by the faithfulness to God that had been a key character trait of his father's. He got involved in idolatry and allowed his foreign wives to pull his heart away from the Lord.

When Solomon's son, Rehoboam, took the throne, things in Israel went bad rather quickly. His lack of wisdom caused a split in the nation, with the northern tribes rejecting his rule and appointing their own king. The northern kingdom was ruled by Jeroboam and became known as the nation of Israel. The southern kingdom remained under Rehoboam's control and became known as the nation of Judah.

The remainder of the Book of 1 Kings chronicles the lives of kings from both nations, as well as notable prophets like Elijah. It records Israel and Judah's history as they wrestled between obedience to God and their love for sin and idolatry.