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The Book of 1 Kings is a portion of the true history of Israel’s monarchy composed for the sake of theology. The focus on the kingship is supplemented by mention of prophets who interacted with the monarchs, but the main subject of this elegant literature is God.
This history presents God—the holy, righteous, just, merciful, compassionate, gracious, omnipotent, and omniscient Deity—in relationship with Israel, from the tenth to the sixth centuries BC, anticipating the Son of David and Solomon, Jesus Christ. This record of Israel’s kingship always returns to the basis of that history—that God’s people depend on Him for life and salvation.
The Rev. Dr. Walter A. Maier III received the A.A. from Concordia Junior College, Ann Arbor, Mich. (1972); B.A. from Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Ind. (1974); M.Div. from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (1978); and M.A. and Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. (1984). He served as a professor in the Theology Department of Concordia College, River Forest, Ill., from 1984 to 1989. From 1989 to 1992 he was assistant pastor at Concordia Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne. He joined the Exegetical Department of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, in 1989 and has taught Hebrew and courses in the Old Testament. He has been a pastoral assistant (Emanuel Lutheran Church, New Haven, Ind., 1996–1998; Our Hope Lutheran Church, Huntertown, Ind., 2003–present), and since 1998 he has served as one of the regular pastors on the TV program Worship for Shut-Ins (now Worship Anew).
