Few Christians have a deep understanding of the Old Testament kings of Israel, or the prophets and their messages. The purpose of this series is to allow anybody to quickly gain a better understanding of those things, as well as an appreciation of how that information is relevant today. The Old Testament prophets were real people who proclaimed important messages from God that have stayed true for thousands of years. Jesus and the apostles thought the kings and prophets were important, so we should, too.
It is no wonder that few Christians have deep familiarity of the kings and prophets. Christians tend to read the New Testament, while the kings and prophets are in the Old Testament. The books of the kings and prophets are not arranged in chronological order, the history of ancient Israel and its neighbors is complex, and the geography of the region is an ever-shifting jigsaw puzzle. The language of the prophets is often symbolic or metaphorical, and the intended messages seem to be shrouded in mystery. Lastly, many people assume that Old Testament prophecies have mostly been fulfilled, so they must not still be very important.
Perhaps our attitudes would change if we thought of prophets as truth tellers, not fortune tellers. Their truths stand important today. Besides, it may be that a number of their prophecies of the future have not yet been fulfilled.
This episode steps back to the Southern Kingdom, the Kingdom of Judah, after the death of its first king, Rehoboam. All of the kings of the Southern Kingdom were descendants of King David.
Abijah was the king after Rehoboam, and was Rehoboam’s son. He waged war against the Northern Kingdom and regained a little territory from them. He was king for three years.
Asa was the king after Abijah, and was Abijah’s son. Asa was one of the good kings who eliminated many of the idols and places of worship built in the time of Solomon. Unfortunately, in the last year of his reign, the Northern Kingdom threatened to overtake the Southern Kingdom. Asa sent all of the gold and silver in the Temple to the kingdom of Aram seeking their support, but since Asa relied on Aram instead of God, he was punished.
Jehoshaphat was the king after Asa, and was Asa’s son. He began well, and God rewarded him as king. However, as his kingdom prospered, he chose to align himself with the Northern Kingdom in battle. Even so, he was a good king who destroyed idols and idol worship.
Ezra – Ashley Wood Paul – Brian Shoop Samuel – Austin Tindle King Saul – Juan Fiol King David – John Gabriel Nathan – Micah Pediford Tamar – Rachael Turner Ruth – Stephanie Rhodes Mary – Chana Keefer King Solomon – Todd Terry A Son of Korah – Pierce Bailey King Rehoboam – Rett Terrell King Jeroboam – Earl Browning III King Ahab – Cameron Cobb Elijah – Andreas Robichaux King Jehu – Austin J. Morris Elisha – Darius R. Booker A Slave Girl – Sahara Ale Jonah – Ryan Paul Gomer – Gidget Taylor Jehoiada – Bruce Melena King Joash – Ryker Sixkiller King Hezekiah – Wes Frazier Isaiah – Ricky Catter King Josiah – Michael Nguyen Jeremiah – Blake Henri King Nebuchadnezzar – Patrick Lescarbeau Daniel – Eric Rolon Zechariah – Paul T. Taylor Queen Esther – Carine Rice Malachi – Chase Bradshaw Narrator – Kyle Chapple
