This week’s study on the Rise and Fall of Israel’s Monarch’s is the final lesson of this series and continues with a look at the final 10 Kings of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Unlike the Northern Kingdom of Israel which had 9 dynasties, the Southern Kingdom of Judah had but just one, as all the Kings of Judah were direct descendants of David. There are only 3 kings (Jotham, Hezekiah and Josiah) out of the final 10 Kings of the Southern Kingdom of Judah that are considered good. It will be during the reign of Ahaz and his son Hezekiah in which the Northern Kingdom of Israel will be completely destroyed by the Assyrians. The two most notable kings of the Southern Kingdom of Judah during the remaining 160 +/- years of that kingdom were Hezekiah and Josiah. Each of these two kings were noted as doing right in the sight of the Lord and each made significant reforms to draw the people’s hearts back to the Lord. Of all the kings who ruled the Southern Kingdom of Judah there was only king who had no record of doing anything that brought shame to himself or his Lord and that was Josiah. Josiah neither worshipped false gods, nor did he make any alliances with those who were enemies of the Lord, and he is noted for significant reforms that helped provide a strong foundation for future leaders (i.e. Ezra, Zerubbabel, and Nehemiah) who would help lead the people of God back to Jerusalem after they are conquered by the Babylonians and removed from their lands. The story of the people of God (The Israelites or Jews) doesn’t end with the removal of the last king of Judah (Zedekiah), even though there was no king who would reign on the throne of Israel or Judah throughout the days of Babylonian captivity. There wasn’t even a legitimate king (a descendant of David) who ruled during the days when the people of God are permitted (by Cyrus of Persia) to return to their land and rebuilt their temple and their city. Even during the days of Greek and Roman occupation no legitimate king (a descendant of David) ever ruled over the people of God until the birth of the Messiah Jesus Christ who is the King of Kings and the One whom Daniel the prophet writes about in Daniel 7:11-14 whose rule and reign will be everlasting and whose kingdom will have no end.
Lesson 7 – The Kings of Judah (Student Copy)
Good News Bible Studies - Mike Southwick 