A. Arrangement
Originally the two books of Kings were one.

B. Author
The author of the two books is unknown. He drew material from annals in existence at the time (cf. 1 Kings 11:41; 14:19).

C. Theme
While First and Second Kings cover almost exactly the same period of history as 2 Chronicles, Kings is written from an entirely different standpoint than Chronicles. The books of Kings were written from the prophetic standpoint. They relate the history of Israel and Judah to God’s promise to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16) and to the conflict between God’s prophets and the corrupt kings of Israel and Judah. First Kings records that in each stage of Israel’s apostasy God sent a prophet to cry out against them. The theme of First Kings is Departed Glory.

D. Plan
Because of the faithfulness of David his father, the reign of Solomon achieved unparalleled splendor (10:4-7,14,23). When his reign began, Solomon loved the Lord (3:1-3) and was granted preeminent wisdom and wealth as well as peace (3:4-14; 4:29-30,34; 10:1-7,14,23). All God’s promises to Israel were fulfilled (4:20-21; 8:56). Solomon built for the Lord a magnificent temple (chapters 5-8). After this the Lord delivered Solomon a promise and a threat (9:1-9). He pledged to Solomon a perpetual dynasty if he would remain faithful, but He threatened the destruction of Israel if Solomon turned away from serving Him. In his old age Solomon allowed his foreign wives to lead him into idolatry (11:1-13). This was the undoing of Solomon and of Israel. The kingdom, except for Judah, was to be taken from Solomon’s offspring and to be given to Solomon’s servant Jeroboam (11:9-13,26-40).

The foolishness of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, occasioned the division of Israel (12:1-17).

Jeroboam, who became king over the ten northern tribes, introduced calf worship. He corrupted the object, place, and time of worship and also corrupted the priesthood in order to keep Israel from going to Jerusalem to worship and thus returning in heart to the lineage of David (12:25-33). A man of God was sent from Judah to condemn this apostasy but to no avail (chapter 13). All the kings of Israel thereafter were idolatrous.

Ahab, under the influence of his wicked Phoenician wife Jezebel, reached the depths of apostasy by introducing the worship of Baal and the Ashtoreth (16:29-33). The Lord then raised up the great prophet Elijah, who demonstrated conclusively that the Lord is the only true God (18:20-40). Elijah triumphed over wicked, idolatrous Ahab and Jezebel.

But Israel continued her apostasy unabated after the death of Ahab. She was doomed and without excuse.

Of the kings of Judah of this period, Rehoboam and Abijam were wicked, Asa was good, and Jehoshaphat served the Lord but erred grievously in making peace with wicked Ahab (22:44). Jehoshaphat’s compromise with Ahab opened the door for the apostasy and downfall of Judah and very nearly brought about the extinction of the lineage of David.

As First Kings closes, the people of Judah were practicing the idolatry introduced by Solomon (22:43), and Israel had completely apostatized and was ripe for destruction.

E. Outline
1. The Glorious Reign of Solomon - chapters 1 - 11
....a. Solomon Becomes King - 1:1 - 2:11
....b. Solomon’s Rule Established - 2:12-46
....c. Solomon’s Wise Choice - chapter 3
....d. Solomon’s Glory - chapter 4
....e. The Temple’s Glory - chapters 5 - 8
....f. Solomon’s Splendor - chapters 9 - 10
....g. Solomon’s Apostasy - chapter 11
2. The Glory Departs (Division & Apostasy) - chapters 12 - 22
....a. Division - 12:1-24
....b. Apostasy - 12:25 - 16:34
.......(1) Jeroboam - 12:25 - 14:20
..........(a) Jeroboam’s Idolatry - 12:25-33
..........(b) Call to Repentance - chapter 13
..........(c) Jeroboam Punished - 14:1-18
..........(d) Jeroboam’s Death - 14:19-20
.......(2) Rehoboam’s Inglorious Reign - 14:21-31
.......(3) Abijam (Judah, wicked) - 15:1-8
.......(4) Asa (Judah, good) - 15:9-24
.......(5) Nadab (Israel, wicked) - 15:25-31