The kingdom split in two

       

The kingdom split in two

Greetings, friend!

What happened after Solomon's death between Rehobeam and Jerobeam set the stage for the split of Israel into Israel and Judah.

After Solomon's death his son Rehobeam become king, but as he was very cruel. Jerobeam returned from Egypt and went to Rehobeam and complained about the labor burden on the Israelites. Instead of lightening the burden Rehobeam made it much heavier.

So the northern kingdoms rebelled and broke away under Jerobeam. They even killed Adoniram, the chief of labor of Rehobeam. Just the tribes of Benjamin and Judah stayed with Rehobeam. Rehobeam declared war upon Jerobeam for this. The Creator sent a prophet and stop the war.

Jerobeam made Shechem in Ephraim his residence and Pniel as sanctuary. But then he done the worst thing yet. He started calf worship again and put a calf up in Bethel and in Dan. The Creator sent a prophet to Jerobeam and he arrived while Jerobeam was doing burnt offerings to the calf in Bethel. He told Jerobeam that he condemned himself with the idolatry. As sign the altar split in two and the ashes and offering was spilled. Jerobeam stretched his arm to give a command but his arm became stiff and he could not move it. He asked the prophet to intercede for him and his arm was restored.

Jerobeam worshiped idols until the day he died and was succeeded by his son Nadab.

Even in Jerusalem evil prevailed and they worshiped idols. Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of the reign of Rehobeam and took away all the treasures in the temple. Rehobeam had bronze items made to replace the golden items that his father Solomon made.

Rehobeam was succeeded by his son Abijah who also was an idol worshiper. He only reigned three years.

Abijah was succeeded by his brother Asa who served the Creator. He cleaned the two tribe's areas from idols. During his reign Jerobeam was succeeded by Baasha. He reigned for forty-one years.

The rest of the history of Israel and Judah is described in the Torah and the Bible in the books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings and the whole history was also recollected in the books 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles. During these reigns several prophets judged the two kingdoms, including Elijah (Elias) and Elisha, his assistant. After Elijah (Elias) departure in a chariot of fire, the kingdoms were getting further and further away from worshiping the Creator and idolatry was getting worse and worse. Very seldom a righteous king reigned. The last king of the northern kingdom (Israel) was Hoshea. The Assyrians took them into exile and resettled other nations in the northern territories.

In these times a righteous king reigned in Jerusalem: Hezekiah. He was succeeded by Manasseh and Amon who was idol worshipers and then Josiah, a young but righteous king. He was succeeded by a few idol worshipers and Judah eventually also went into exile under Zedekiah.

During the reign of Cyrus king of Persia, a righteous king, things change for the better for the Israelites. More about that tomorrow.

TODAY'S QUESTIONS:
Are you doing what the Creator wants you to do? Or are you deviating from His orders, even if it just slightly? Are you serving other gods? (There is a message about idolatry among my messages...) Are you rebellious?

Forgiveness and a new life is waiting for you!

You would know what to do... GO AND DO IT NOW!









Metusalah and Elias
Messengers of the Creator



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