The Divided Kingdoms

The Divided KingdomsThe Fall of Solomon

Solomon’s KingdomWealthier and more powerful than even David’s

kingdom, Solomon had what might be considered one of the mightiest kingdoms on earth at the time.

God became angry with Solomon, and told him he would lose everything because of his choices. But, God had already promised David He would make David’s son great, so He tells Solomon that his sons would pay the price.

Solomon’s ChoicesWhat had Solomon done to make God mad?

He had broken nearly every command God had given the Kings of Israel Building Projects God told him not to do Pursuing great personal wealth

The final straw: Married too many women.

700 wives, 300 concubines. 1000 women that he has made his own. These women weren’t even Israelites, another no-no; they get Solomon to worship other gods.

How did the wisest man on earth end up making such a wreck of things? He had wealthHe had wisdomHe had GodHe had a loving wife

(he wrote Song of Solomon about her!)

He chose money over people

He chose to please himself

He chose other gods to keep his wives happy

He married way too many women, forsaking God’s plan for marriage

So What?All the wisdom and knowledge of God in the

world won’t save you from a selfish heart….God cares deeply about marriage – it is the

deepest, most intimate relationship a person can have, representing God’s relationship with His people. Pervert that image in any way, and don’t be surprised when it ruins your life.

Divided KingdomsBecause Solomon was so disobedient, God

allows Solomon’s enemies to grow powerful enough to threaten IsraelHadad – a victim of David’s wars years agoRezon – leader of a group of raiders

Jeroboam, son of Nebat –one of Solomon’s superintendants.

Jeroboam, son of NebatA prophet of God, Ahijah, finds Jeroboam on

the road in the wilderness. Ahijah was wearing a new coat – when he saw

Jeroboam, he stopped him, and tore it into 12 pieces He tells Jeroboam to take ten of the pieces, because

God is going to use Jeroboam to tear apart Solomon’s kingdom because Solomon insisted on worshipping other gods.

God also gives Jeroboam a warning – he will get to be king, and God will bless him if he seeks the Lord, but it won’t go well with him if he doesn’t.

Jeroboam FleesSolomon finds out about Jeroboam and the

prophecy God gave him.Solomon tries to have Jeroboam killed, but

Jeroboam escapes to Egypt. Solomon kicks the bucket, having ruled Israel

for forty years – his son Rehoboam takes over.

The Cause for War300 years before Solomon ruled, the seeds

for civil war were sown between the tribes of Ephraim and Judah.Genesis 48:17-22: Israel, while giving blessings

to his sons, chooses to give Ephraim the inheritance and blessing before Manasseh, his oldest.

In this culture, that was a grave insult to Manasseh, and his brothers would have understood that Ephraim was first and thus the leader.

The Cause for WarFor most of the Israelite’s history, Ephraim

had been the tribe that held the most power.When David was appointed King, it bumped

Judah to the top – snubbing Ephraim Ephraim would be jealous of Judah ever after

that – they knew that Messiah would come from Judah, increasing their jealousy.

The Cause for WarSolomon’s Kingdom, being richer and more

powerful than David’s, also became more expensive.Solomon built a Temple, which used literally

tons of Gold and marble, and other very expensive materials.

He then built himself a humongous palace, also made out of tons of marble and gold and cedar. To pay for both, he boosted taxes, really high.

Cause for WarRehoboam takes over the throne after his

father Solomon diesHis advisors tell him he needs to be tough – to

show the people he means business. “Where my father gave you a heavy yoke,

I will add to it tenfold” -Rehoboam He raises the taxes even higher, throwing a

match onto a 300 year old powder keg….

Civil War Because of Rehoboam’s headstrong and

foolish leadership, the northern ten tribes (led by Ephraim) split away in revolt.They bring Jeroboam back from Egypt, and

appoint him King over them – they knew he had been appointed by God

Only the two tribes of Benjamin and Judah remain loyal to the rightful King, Rehoboam.

Civil WarRehoboam puts an army together of 180,000

men to go take back the northern tribes. Shemaiah, a “man of God” (A prophet), tells

Rehoboam to stop – he says that God has said that this split is from Him.

Rehoboam obeys God, and doesn’t fight. (!)

Deepen the DivideJeroboam, in an effort to separate Israel from

Judah, sets up his own temple for people to sacrifice at, so they don’t need to go to JerusalemThis obviously is against God’s plan – God

sends a prophet to Jeroboam While Jeroboam is about to give an offering to

his two golden calves, the prophet tells the altar that King Josiah, from Judah, will offer up a sacrifice of the altar’s own priests on it. The altar will break, and bleed ashes.

Deepen the DivideJeroboam, angered, points at the prophet and

tells his guards to grab himAs he points, his hand shrivels up, and the altar

bursts open, ashes come pouring out. Horrified, Jeroboam begs the prophet to heal

his hand, which the prophet does. Jeroboam asks the prophet to come home with

him