The Divided Kingdom.
1 King, 12-2 K. 17. 2 Chron. 10-38.
The Division of the Kingdom. Several things must be set down as
contributory causes of the division of the nation. (1) There was an
old jealousy between the tribes of the north and south reaching as far
back as the time of the Judges. The very difference in the northern
and southern territories and their products tended to keep alive a
rivalry between the tribes occupying them. (2) During the time of
Solomon the people had turned away from Jehovah and engaged in the
idolatrous worship of other gods, especially those of the Zidonians,
Moabites and Ahijah, the prophet, had foretold the division (1 K.
11:29-39). This weakening of the people's faithfulness to God gave
place for the manifestations of their former jealousy. (3) Solomon had
put upon the people heavy burdens of taxation and of forced labor,
which were fast taking away the people's liberties and reducing them
to serfdom. This policy inflamed the jealousy of the northern tribes
into a bitter discontent. They would rebel rather than submit to the
loss of their liberty which to them meant also disloyalty to God. (4)
The ambition of Jeroboam, of the tribe of Ephraim, a valiant officer
of Solomon, no doubt led him to stir up the ten tribes to revolt.
Ahijah, the prophet, had made known to him that, upon the death of
Solomon, he should become the head of these tribes. (5) The final and
immediate cause was the foolish course of Rehoboam. He went to Shechem
to be accepted as king by the northern tribes. They demanded that he
should relieve them of the heavy burdens laid on them by Solomon. The
older and more experienced men counseled him to grant their request,
but he heeded the advice of the young men, who were ignorant of
conditions, and answered them with a threat of even severer burdens.
Incensed by this foolish threat, the ten tribes revolted and enthroned
Jeroboam as their king and the division of the empire was
accomplished. This was the turning point of the nation. It was the
undoing of all that had been accomplished by the three kings that had
proceeded.
Comparison of the Two Kingdoms. Each kingdom had its advantages and
its disadvantages. (1) The northern kingdom, from the material point
of view, was far superior to the southern. It had a larger and more
fertile country. It had three times as many people and a much better
military equipment. Ramah, Bether and Gilgal with their sites of their
schools of the prophets were all in their borders. Their country was
also the scene of greatest prophetic activity and their cause was
just. But the kings were inferior and wicked. Not a single one of the
nineteen kings were godly. They established idolatrous and abominable
worship as a religion of the king. This idolatry counterbalanced all
the material advantages. (2) The Southern Kingdom was far superior
from a spiritual point of view. It possessed the religious capital of
the nation with the temple as a center of Jehovah worship. True it had
only one third as many people, one half as much territory and that
less fertile, and an inferior military equipment, but its superior
spiritual power and its superior line of kings made it last 135 years
longer than the northern kingdom.
The Kings of the Northern Kingdom.
1. Jeroboam, 1 K. 12:20-14:20. Reigned 22 years and died.
2. Nadab, 1 K. 15:25-27. Reigned 2 years and was slain.
3. Baasha, 1 K. 15;27-16:6. Reigned 24 years and died.
4. Elah, 1 K. 16;6-10. Reigned 2 years and was slain.
5. Zimri, 1 K. 18:11-20. Reigned 7 days and suicided.
6. Omri, 1 K. 16:31-28. Reigned 12 years and died.
7. Ahab, 1 K. 16:29-22:40. Reigned 22 years and was slain in battle.
8. Ahaziah, 1 K. 22:51-2 K. 1:18. Reigned 2 years and died from an
accident.
9. Jehoram, 2 K. 3:1-9:24. Reigned 12 years and was slain.
10. Jehu, 2 K. 9:1-10:36. Reigned 28 years and died.
11. Jehoahaz, 2 K. 13:1-9. Reigned 17 years and died.
12. Jehoash, 2 K. 13:10-14:16. Reigned 16 years and died.
13. Jeroboam II, 2 K. 14:23-29. Reigned 41 years and died.
14. Zechariah, 2 K. 15:8-10. Reigned 6 months and was slain.
15. Shallum, 2 K. 15:13-14. Reigned 1 month and was slain.
16. Menahem, 2 K. 15:14-22. Reigned 10 years and died.
17. Pekahian, 2 K. 15:23-26. Reigned 2 years and was slain.
18. Pekah, 2 K. 15:27-16:9. Reigned 20 years and was slain.
19. Hoshea, 2 K. 17:1-6. Reigned 9 years and put in prison.
The Kings of Judah.
1. Rehoboam, 1 K. 12:21-24; 14:21-31; 2 Chron. 11:1-12:16. Reigned 17
years and died.
2. Abijah, 1 K. 15:1-8; 2 Chron. 13:1-22. Reigned 3 years and died.
3. Asa, 1 K. 15:9-24; 2 Chron. 14:1-16:14. Reigned 41 years and died.
4. Jehoshaphat, 1 K. 13:24; 23:41-50; 2 K. 3:1-27; 2 Chron. 17:1-21:1
Reigned 25 years and died.
5. Jeboram, 2 K. 8:16-24; 2 Chron. 21:1-20. Reigned 8. years and died.
6. Ahaziah, 2 K. 8:25-29; 9:27-29; 2 Chron. 22:1-9. Reigned 1 year and
was killed by order of Jehu.
7. Athaliah, 2 K. 11:1-21:2; 2 Chron, 22;10-23:6. Reigned 6 years and
was slain when Joash became king.
8. Joash, 2 K. 11:3-12:21; 2 Chron. 24:1-27. Reigned 40 years and was
slain.
9. Amaziah, 2 K. 14:1-20; 2 Chron. 25:1-28. Reigned 29 years and was
slain.
10. Uzziah or Azariah, 2 K. 14:21-25; 2 Chron. 28:1-23. Reigned 52
years and died.
11. Jotham, 2 K. 15:32-36; 2 Chron. 27:1-9. Reigned IB years and died.
12. Ahaz, 2 K. 16:1-30: 2 Chron. 28:1-27. Reigned IS years and died.
Important Events in the History of Israel. The following are perhaps
the most important events in the history of tie northern kingdom
during this period. (1) The establishment of idol worship at Dan and
Bethel. (2) The removal of the Capital, by Omri, from Tirzah to the
hill site of Samaria. (3) The wicked reign of Ahab, who introduced
Baal worship into Israel. (4) The reformations of Jehu, who swept Baal
worship from the land and overthrew the hated dynasty of Omri. (5) The
successful reign of Jeroboam II, who brought the nation back to a
state of prosperity that resembled the time of David and Solomon. (6)
The activity of the prophets during the entire period. This activity
is seen in the important place given (1 K. 17-2 K. 13) to the work of
Elijah and Elisha; in the prophecy of Jonah, Amos and Hosea, who
prophesied in the time of the reign of Jereboam II, and in part in the
reign of Micah who preached during the reign of Hoshea. (7) The
conquest of Israel by the Assyrians which came as the result of forty
years of constant decline following the death of Jeroboam II. After
this Israel disappears from history. She had sinned away her
opportunity.
Principal Events In the History of Judah. The following are the
principal events of the history of Judah from the division of the
kingdom until the captivity of Israel. (1) The foolish answer of
Rehoboam to the ten tribes which led to their revolt and the continual
enmity of the northern and southern kingdoms that followed. (2) The
invasion of Judah by Shishak of Egypt, who greatly weakened the
nation. (3) The reign of Jehoshaphat whose judicial, military and
educational or religious reforms introduce a new and good day in Judah
and whose unhappy alliance with Ahab, led his son, who followed him as
king to introduce idolatry into Judah, with all the evil of the reign
of Jehoram, Ahaziah and Athaliah. (4) The prosperous reign of Uzziah,
who was contemporary with Jeroboam II of Israel. (5) The Apostasy
under Ahaz, who encouraged Baal worship and practiced great cruelty
even on the members of his own family. The prophet Isaiah (chs. 7-9)
appeals to Ahaz and to the people to return to Jehovah.
The Relation between the Two Kingdoms. The bearing of the two kingdoms
toward each other during this period was constantly changing. (1)
There was almost constant war for about sixty years. During this time
the kings of Judah cherished the hope that they would regain their
control over the ten tribes. (2) There was a period of close alliance.
This alliance was sealed by an intermarriage between the families of
Ahab, king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. The purpose seems
to have been that they might better resist the encroaching power of
Assyria. (3) There was a fresh manifestation of hatred. Jehu is
enthroned in Israel and destroys the house of Ahab. This shatters the
alliance between the two nations and causes a breach that is never
healed. The northern kingdom becomes more and more idolatrous, suffers
at the hands of the Syrians and is finally carried captive by the
Assyrians in 722 B. C.
The Messages of the Prophets of this Period. It is not within the
purpose of this study to raise any of the questions of criticism
concerning these books. Nor is there time to summarize the contents or
teachings of nay or all of them. The prophets of this period are
Jonah, Amos and Hosea, and the prophecy of each should be read
following the outline given in the author's "The Bible Book by Book."
Lessons of the Period. (1) Jehovah rules not only in Israel but over
all peoples. (2) Each nation is responsible to God according to its
opportunity and enlightenment. (3) God judges people according to
their acts, not according to religious creeds or ceremonies. (4)
Though a merciful God, Jehovah will and must finally punish willful
and continuous evil doers. (5) Sin is infidelity to God and brings
pain to his heart. (6) All punishment is administered to the end that
the sinful may repent and be forgiven. (7) Jehovah loves men and
demands that they love him in return. (8) Repentance is the only way
of escape from doom. (9) God seeks to save men and nations from the
sins that are to destroy them.
For Study and Discussion. (1) The events leading to the division of
the kingdom. (2) The story of each king in each nation, (a) How he
came to the throne, (b) The chief acts of his reign, (c) The character
of the king himself, (d) The length of his reign, (e) His enemies and
his friends, (f) How his reign ended. (3) The story of Ahab. (4) The
story of Elijah. (5) The story of Elisha. (6) The miracles of the
period. (7) The different enemies with which the tribes were
surrounded and the trouble they had with each. (8) Jonah and his
service. (9) The evidence of wealth and luxury of the time. (10) The
sins of cruelty and injustice in society and government.