Divided Kingdom Lyle Huang

Turing Point "Speak to them gently, and they will be your servants forever." (1 King 12:7) "If you think my father was tough on you, just watch me! I'm going to be even tougher!"

Divided Kingdom Map The ten tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel are: Asher, Dan, Gad, Issachar, Joseph [2 tribes: Ephraim and Manasseh], Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun. The two tribes of the southern kingdom of Judah are: Judah and Benjamin.

Reasons Why Kingdom Divided 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.

During the time of Solomon the people had turned away from God 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.

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.

The Most Important Reasons 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. The final and immediate cause was the foolish course of Rehoboam.

What Happened Next… Jews had to travel to the Temple each year for 3 festivals: Passover Shavuot Sukkot.

Thus, a terrible period began in Jewish history Thus, a terrible period began in Jewish history. In the next 240 years, there were 19 different kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, all bad, with some much worse than others. They were idolatrous, corrupt and evil. Southern Kingdom of Israel had 20 kings, most were bad.

Comparison The Northern Kingdom 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.

The Southern Kingdom 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.

King Ahab Of all the bad kings of Israel, one who stands out on the worst list is King Ahab. Of him the Bible says: "Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the eyes of God, more than all who had preceded him." (1 Kings 16:30)