Summary of the Prayers in First Kings

After the last prayer by Elijah in chapter 19, the author describes the choosing of Elijah’s successor prophet, Elisha. Chapter 20–22 sets out several stories, all of which show the terrible decline of Israel’s king. Elijah warns Ahab of his imminent downfall, but Ahab listens to his pagan wife, Jezebel. The rest of the book is filled with true and false prophets, Ahab’s occasional faithfulness but his more common unfaithfulness.

A brief note about king Jehoshaphat of Judah in the southern kingdom shows that he was more faithful than Ahab. The reign of Ahab’s son, Ahaziah, in the north, is a shorter echo of his father’s reign. There are no prayers in these final chapters.

First Kings offers us yet another way to enrich our prayers through the struggles of those ancient believers. The prayers in First Kings reflect the themes of the book, and take place during a time of faithfulness and unfaithfulness, religious rivalry between followers of God (north and south Israelites) and between the faith of God and belief in pagan gods. They cover the range of prayer types: petitions, intercessions, thanksgiving, praise, blessing, lament, and vow.

Because the prayers match so closely the hopefulness of the first part of the book and the despair in the second part, we can learn a good bit about prayers during the good and bad times in our own lives.

Our prayers in the good times can be aware that difficult times may come, as we ask for faith and strength. Likewise, our prayers in bad times can affirm that we trust God and know that He offers hope for the future.

The book also gives us examples of good prayers, especially in the first half, but also ways of prayer that are not so helpful (i.e., Jezebel’s prayer).

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