1. Journal options: 1) Read Luke 24:36-50 & Acts 1:6-11. The Gospel writer of Luke is also the author of Acts. Why do you think he included two ascension stories? What similar parallels do they draw on? What stands out as being different? 2) Read 2 Kings 5. Is the lesson “universalism” (the noble pagan Naaman is better than the Israelite servant Gehazi)? Or is it that the God of Israel is able to heal and to punish anyone, Israelite or Aramaean, through the prophetic word?

2.  2 Kings 2. Ascension of Elijah. Cf. Moses and Jesus.  2 Kings 5. Naaman the Aramaean “leper” comes to faith.  2 Kings 8:16-ch. 10. Jehu. Fruitless reform in Israel.  2 Kings 11-12. Joash). Fruitful reform in Judah.  2 Kings 17. Reflection on the fall of the Northern Kingdom.  2 Kings 18-20. Hezekiah. Cf. 2 Chronicles 29-32.  2 Kings 21. Manasseh, the worst king ever.  2 Kings 22:1-23:25a. Josiah and his reform.  2 Kings 23:25b-25:30. Collapse, but not without hope 2 Kings Overlook

3. A Divided Kingdom  Solomon was known for his wisdom.  Solomon was corrupted by his office.  After his death, Israel was split into the Kingdom of Judah (south) and the Kingdom of Israel (north).  Assyria’s destruction of the northern kingdom in 721 BC  Babylonian captivity of the southern kingdom in 587-586 BC

4. Prophets of the Northern Kingdom  Elijah and Elisha  Elijah taunted the king’s pagan prophets  Next to Moses, Elijah is the greatest of the OT prophets.  He was present at Jesus’ Transfiguration  Elisha succeeded Elijah

5.  8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up and struck the water, which divided, and both crossed over on dry ground.  9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha answered, "May I receive a double portion of your spirit."  10 "You have asked something that is not easy," he replied. "Still, if you see me taken up from you, your wish will be granted; otherwise not."  11 As they walked on conversing, a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.  12 When Elisha saw it happen he cried out, "My father! my father! Israel's chariots and drivers!" But when he could no longer see him, Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in two.  13 Then he picked up Elijah's mantle which had fallen from him, and went back and stood at the bank of the Jordan.  14 Wielding the mantle which had fallen from Elijah, he struck the water in his turn and said, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" When Elisha struck the water it divided and he crossed over. (2Ki 2:8-14 NAB) Deut 34:5 So there, in the land of Moab, Moses, the servant of the LORD, died as the LORD had said; 6 and he was buried in the ravine opposite Beth-peor in the land of Moab, but to this day no one knows the place of his burial. 7 Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated. 8 For thirty days the Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab, till they had completed the period of grief and mourning for Moses. 9 Now Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of wisdom, since Moses had laid his hands upon him; and so the Israelites gave him their obedience, thus carrying out the LORD'S command to Moses. 10 Since then no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. 11 He had no equal in all the signs and wonders the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his servants and against all his land, 12 and for the might and the terrifying power that Moses exhibited in the sight of all Israel. Luke 24:45-53. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 And he said to them, "Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And (behold) I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.“ 50 Then he led them (out) as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. 51 As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. 52 They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and they were continually in the temple praising God. 1. Review of Elijah cycle (1 Kings 17-2 Kings 2). Yhwh alone; role of spirit (will recur in Ezekiel); deeds not words; conflict with Ahab & Jezebel, political role (qesher, conspire, conspiracy). 2. 2 Kings 2. Ascension of Elijah. Cf. Moses and Jesus.  The ascension of Elijah 2 Kings 2:8-14  Ascension of Moses and Jesus

6. A. Elisha (vv. 1-14) 1. Naaman journeys to Elisha (vv. 1-7) 1. Naaman journeys to Elisha (vv. 1-7) 2. Elisha heals Naaman (vv. 8-14) 2. Elisha heals Naaman (vv. 8-14) B. Naaman (vv. 15-19 C. Gehazi (vv. 20-27) Note: in each of the three segments (A, B, C) one character dominates, yet each segment leads to the next, broadening the perspective; servants are wiser than their masters; Naaman is converted from arrogance and dismissal of Israel to humility and faith in Israel’s God; he will be cured of his leprosy and the greedy and opportunistic Gehazi will be afflicted with leprosy. Is the lesson “universalism” (the noble pagan Naaman is better than the Israelite servant Gehazi)? Or is it that the God of Israel is able to heal and to punish anyone, Israelite or Aramaean, through the prophetic word? Luke 4:27: “Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” Naaman Comes to Faith in Yhwh (2 Kings 5). ( After Robert Cohn in Berit Olam series, Liturgical Press, 2000)

7.  Joram and Ahaziah (8:16-29). Judah and Israel are both corrupt.  Designation of Jehu (9:1-16) by a young prophet sent by Elisha  Jehu’s seven violent acts (9:17-10:36) Jehoram (9:11-26); Ahaziah (9:27-29); Jezebel (9:30-37); Ahab’s seventy “sons” (10:1-11); Ahaziah’s kinfolk (10:12-14); loyalists in Samaria (10:15- 17); the worshipers of Baal (10:18-28).  Death of Jehu (10:29-36). Ambiguous assessment. “Original sin” of worship at Bethel and Dan will continue to haunt and will eventually bring down the Northern kingdom.  11:1-3. Athaliah, mother of Ahaziah, daughter (or granddaughter) of Omri of Israel, kills off Judahite royal family, but Jehosheba, King Joram’s daughter, hides Joash, son of Ahaziah.  11:4-20. After 7 years, Jehoiada, carries out intricate plan to unseat Athaliah and install Joash as king. Covenant between Lord, King, and people.  Joash reforms Temple service, but does not remove high places and has to pay tribute to Hazael, Aramaean king. Modest reform, but fruitful because of God’s promise to David. 2 Kings 8:16-ch. 10. Jehu. Fruitless reform in Israel. 2 Kings 11-12. Joash. Fruitful reform in Judah.  Jehu. Fruitless Reform in Israel  Joash. Fruitful reform in Judah.

8. Prophets of the Northern Kingdom  Amos  Message: Worship of God must show itself in concrete deeds of mercy and justice to the weak and the poor.  Hosea  Message: To accuse Israel of sin and infidelity to God but show that God still loved the Chosen People

9.  18:1-12. Exposition. Judah, in contrast to Israel (1 Kings 17). Key word “trust.” (following Nelson)  18:13-35. The complication  18:36-19:7. The first reaction.  19:8-13. Further complication.  19:s14-34. The second response  19:35-37. Jerusalem is saved.  20. Reflections on Jerusalem’s deliverance.  20:1-11. Hezekiah’s illness  20:12-19. Hezekiah’s folly. Manasseh, the worst king ever. 21:10-12: “Then the LORD spoke through his servants the prophets: ‘Because Manasseh, king of Judah, has practiced these abominations and has done greater evil than all that was done by the Amorites before him, and has led Judah into sin by his idols, therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'I will bring such evil on Jerusalem and Judah that, whenever anyone hears of it, his ears shall ring.’” Manasseh, the worst king ever. 21:10-12: “Then the LORD spoke through his servants the prophets: ‘Because Manasseh, king of Judah, has practiced these abominations and has done greater evil than all that was done by the Amorites before him, and has led Judah into sin by his idols, therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'I will bring such evil on Jerusalem and Judah that, whenever anyone hears of it, his ears shall ring.’” 2 Kings 18-21. Hezekiah (Nelson). Cf. 2 Chron 29-32. Manasseh

10. Hezekiah’s Tunnel. 2 Kings 20:20 and 2 Chron 32:20. Overview of tunnel’s route and glimpse inside

11. .. the tunnel... and this is the account of the piercing. While... were still... the axe, each man toward his neighbor, and while there were still three cubits to the piercing [there was hear]d the voice of a man calling to his neighbor, because there was a crack in the rock, on the right and on the left. And on the day of the piercing, the hewers struck, each man toward his neighbor, axe against axe, and the waters flowed from the source to the pool, one thousand two hundred cubits, and one hundred cubits was the rock above the heads of the hewers....(Michael Coogan translation) Siloam Tunnel Inscription

12.  Basic structure of Josiah’s reform. Five royal initiatives. 1. Discovery of the book (22:3-11; “sent,” v. 3) 2. Inquiry about the book (22:12-20; “commanded,” v. 12) 3. Covenant and the book (23:1-3; “sent,” v. 1) 4. Reforms from the book (23:4-20; “commanded,” v. 4) 5. Passover from the book (23:21-24; “commanded,” v. 21)  Counter-theme of doom (23:26-30)  Collapse (23-31-25:30) 2 Kings 22:1-23:25a. Josiah and his reform

13. Prophets of the Southern Kingdom  Jeremiah  Shouted the love of a God who desperately wanted the Chosen People to repent  Became a living symbol of God’s message  Compared YHWH to a potter who would mold the nation in his hands

14. Prophets of the Southern Prophets  Micah  Message: Foretold a coming Messiah who would lead Israel to peace and justice  Ezekiel  Message: keep the Sabbath and follow the law of holiness

15. Prophets of the Southern Kingdom  Isaiah  Largest of all the prophetic books  The Chosen People must imitate God’s holiness by righteous living and true worship.  Compared the nation to a vineyard that God cultivated

16. The Babylonian Exile Living in a foreign land and intermarriage led to a loss of identity. Without a Temple, Jewish exiles gathered in synagogues where they studied and prayed together.

17.  Finish the Chapter 5 worksheet.  In Class Assignments:  1) Pg. 92, Q’s 1-3  2) Pg. 103, Q’s 1-3 Pg. 107, Q’s 1-7  3) Pg. 77 Q’s 1-6  4) Pg. 53 1-8  5) Pg. 32 Q 2 Pg 42 1-3 Pg 42 1-3