THE DIVIDED KINGDOM A KINGDOM DIVIDED 1 Kg

THE DIVIDED KINGDOM

A KINGDOM DIVIDED (1 Kg. 12) �Solomon’s domestic policies �Internal opposition - Jeroboam �Rehoboam’s unwillingness to negotiate �Loss of prophetic backing �Solomon’s moral and spiritual collapse

THE NORTHERN KINGDOM (ISRAEL) 931 -722 BC

JEROBOAM’S POLICIES �Worked to consolidate his kingdom �Built a capital city at Shechem �To insure loyalty to him, he erected sanctuaries at Bethel and Dan �Copied the religious festivals held in Jerusalem and established local shrines �Appointed non-levites as priests

THE PROBLEM OF SUCCESSION �No one dynasty established. �Jeroboam reigned for 22 years (931910) leaving no child as his successor. �Immediate successors: ◦ Nadab (910 -909) - assassinated ◦ Baasha 909 -886) – evil ◦ Elah (886 -885) – evil; assassinated ◦ Zimri (885)- evil; 7 -day reign; murdered

RELIGIOUS SYNCRETISM � Jeroboam introduced “government-sanctioned” idolatry (1 Kings 12: 23 -33). � Proliferated under the dynasty of Omri (885874) ◦ Exacerbated with his son Ahab’s marriage to the Phoenician princess Jezabel ◦ Introduced of the worship of Ba’al (1 Kings 16: 31) ◦ Provided the motive for the prophet Elijah’s challenged (1 Kings 18: 16 -40) ◦ One of the key reasons for the collapse of the North (2 Kings 17)

REBELLION AND DISASTER �The rebellion of Jehu (2 Kg. 9 -10) ◦ Annointed kings by the prophet Elisha ◦ Eradicated the family of Ahab ◦ Did not return completely to the LORD �The Syro-Ephraimite war (2 Kg. 16) ◦ Syria and Israel vs. the South (Judah) ◦ Judah’s alliance with Assyria �The fall of the North and the beginning of the Assyrian exile (2 Kg. 17)

THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM (JUDAH) 931 -587 BC

REHOBOAM’S POLICIES �Met with the tribal leaders of the North at Shechem �Refused the advice of the “old guard” in favor of younger advisors �Threatened to increase taxes �Rejected by the tribes resulting in the division of the kingdom �Ruled over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin

UPS AND DOWNS � During Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak, king of Egypt, invaded Judah and looted Jerusalem (925 BC) � Abijah, Rehoboam’s son, started a war with the North with no lasting results. � Peaceful reigns of Asa and Jehoshaphat � Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezabel, usurped the throne (only non-davidic ruler of the South) � Religious revivals: ◦ Asa (1 Kg. 15: 9 – 15) ◦ Jehoash (2 Kgs. 12) ◦ Hezekiah (2 Kg. 18 – 20) ◦ Josiah (2 Kg. 22 – 23)

THE FALL OF THE SOUTH � The rising threat of the Neo-Babylonian � Quickly conquered the ruling Assyrian Empire � Posed a threat to smaller western kingdoms, including Judah � Egypt tried to stop the Babylonian advance but failed (Judah ruled by Egypt for 4 years) � Judah was subjected to Babylonian rule � Several deportations: ◦ 605 BC – Daniel and friends ◦ 592 BC – the prophet Ezequiel ◦ 587 BC – the destruction of Jerusalem ◦ 582 BC – final deportation

COMPARISON ISRAEL � Advantages ◦ Larger geographically ◦ Superior economically ◦ Better agriculture � Leadership ◦ 19 Kings; several dynasties ◦ All “did evil in the sight of the Lord” � Capitals ◦ Shechem ◦ Tirzah ◦ Samaria JUDAH � Advantages ◦ Politically more stable ◦ Longer history ◦ Stronger prophetic presence � Leadership ◦ 19 Kings; one dynasty ◦ Some “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” � Capitals ◦ Only one - Jerusalem

THE PROPHETS

WHO WERE OT PROPHETS? �Called by God �Received their message from God �Proclaimed their messages to specific people at specific times �Criticized contemporary culture in light of God’s word �Sometimes predicted judgment for disobedience and restoration for repentance

The past The time of the Prophet The future

THE FIRST PROPHETS ◦ Abraham - Gn. 20. 7 ◦ Moses – Dt. 18; 34. 10 ◦ Aaron – Êx. 7. 1 ◦ Miriam – Êx. 15. 20 ◦ Deborah – Ju. 4. 4

PRE-CLASSICAL PROPHETS � Samuel – 1 Sm. 3. 19 -21; 9. 6, 11, 19 � The prophetic “schools” – 1 Sm. 10. 9, 10; 19. 19, 20 � Nathan – 2 Sm. 7; 12; 1 Rs. 1 � Gad – 2 Sm. 24. 11 � Ahijah – 1 Kg. 11. 27 -39; 14. 1 -20 � “The man of God” – 1 Kg. 13 � Elijah – 1 Kg. 17 -19; 2 Rs. 1 � Elisha – 2 Kg. 2 -9

CLASSICAL PROPHETS � 8 th cent. BC - Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Isaiah � 7 th cent. BC - Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Nahum, Habakkuk � 6 th cent. BC – Ezekiel, Daniel, Obadiah, Haggai, Zechariah � 5 th cent. BC – Joel, Malachi

� JONAH 8 th CENTURY BCE ◦ “In forty days, Nineveh shall be over thrown. " (3: 4) � AMOS ◦ "Let justice roll down like waters" (5: 24) � HOSEA ◦ "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice. " (6: 6) � MICAH ◦ "What does the LORD require of you but to do justice? " (6: 8) � ISAIAH ◦ "Holy, holy is the LORD of host. " (6: 3)

7 TH CENTURY BCE � ZEPHANIAH ◦ "I will utterly sweep away everything", says the LORD" (1: 2) � JEREMIAH ◦ "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel". (31: 31) � NAHUM ◦ "An oracle concerning Nineveh" (1: 1) � HABAKKUK ◦ "The righteous shall live by his faith. " (2: 4)

� EZEKIEL 6 TH CENTURY BCE ◦ "I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes". (36: 27) � DANIEL ◦ "And behold with the clouds of heaven, there came one like the Son of Man". (7: 13) � OBADIAH ◦ "Thus says the LORD God concerning Edom". (1: 1) � HAGGAI ◦ "The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former". (2: 9) � ZECHARIAH ◦ "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. " (4: 6)

5 TH CENTURY BCE � JOEL ◦ "I will restore to you the years which the swarming locust has eaten". (2: 25) � MALACHI ◦ "Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me". (3: 1)

PRINCIPLE PROPHETIC MESSAGES �The need to practice social justice �The need to repent and return to obedience to the covenant �The judgment of nations �The promise of restoration �The coming of the Messiah