An Introduction to All the Prayers in Second Kings

Isn’t it often true that when in times of trouble or suffering, we almost always ask for things in prayer, and forget to offer praise, thanks, or blessings?

Content

The book of First Kings closed with an account of a terrible king in the northern kingdom, and an equally terrible one (and his son) in the southern kingdom. Second Kings opens where First Kings left off, with some final stories about Elijah and then the prophet Elisha and King Jehoroam of Israel, the northern kingdom (chapters 1-17). The next ten chapters describe the reigns of the kings of both the north and the south, until the northern kingdom is conquered by Sennacherib and destroyed, the people scattered (18.16-17.41). Chapters 18-24 are about the southern kingdom, Judah. Some of these later kings are faithful, but most are not. The last chapter (24) is about the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, the destruction of the Temple, and the exile of the people to Babylon.

Themes

Second Kings is the last volume of a four-volume work containing First Samuel, Second Samuel, and First Kings. The themes of all four books are the same: they address the failure of Israel’s leaders to be faithful to God and His way. Despite this common thread, there are some who remain faithful. Dual themes of right and wrong are the focus of many stories, but underlying most are God’s faithfulness and his promises to David and his descendants.

Prayers

There are only seven prayer passages in Second Kings. All but one are petitions or intercessions (though one petition begins with a blessing). Not surprisingly, the two prayers on behalf of someone else (intercessions) are by the great prophet Elisha. These are the only two strictly intercessory prayers in Second Kings. The only other type of prayer is a vow by King Ben-hadad of Aram to kill the prophet Elisha (6.31).

Second Kings gives us the opportunity to work on prayer in which we ask God for something. We have noted several times throughout our study of prayer in the Bible that we have a tendency to employ more prayers of petition or intercession than other types of prayer (praise, thanksgiving, praise, blessings, vow, and curses). Yet petition and intercession are valid forms of prayer and should be included in our prayer life. The next seven studies give us the opportunity to learn something new about these types of prayers.