The Kingdom is Divided

MEMORY TEXT: “If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” —Mark 3:24

I KINGS 12:1-5, 16-20

BEGINNING with this lesson, and for a number of weeks, our studies will consider the experiences of God’s ancient people of Israel. Following the period of the judges Israel became a kingdom, and Saul was the first king. David succeeded Saul as king, and God constituted him the head over a ruling house in which each successive king “sat on the throne of the Lord.” (I Chron. 29:23) Solomon succeeded David, and our lesson pertains to what occurred when Solomon’s son Rehoboam succeeded him.

For a time Solomon had been a wise ruler who feared the Lord. The Lord entrusted him with the task of building a temple, which Solomon accomplished in a grandiose manner. He greatly enriched his own court also. Jesus refers to the great glory of Solomon. But in order to accomplish all this, heavy burdens of taxation were placed upon the people.

The fact that Solomon became an oppressor enters into the acceptance by the people of Rehoboam as their new king. They appeared before him in Shechem, and said to him, “Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.”

Rehoboam asked for a three-day period in which to consider this request. Meanwhile he consulted with the older men of the nation—those who had been associated with Solomon—and asked their advice. Doubtless they had observed through the years how grievous these burdens had been, and they advised Rehoboam to accede to the request of the people, and lighten their burdens.

But apparently Rehoboam did not agree with this viewpoint, for he called together a group of young men and asked them what they thought he should do. Apparently they gave him the answer he was looking for. They advised him, in fact, that rather than make the burdens lighter, he should increase them. Rehoboam accepted this advice, and when he met with his people again he informed them that they could expect to have their burdens increased.

The Lord, of course, overruled this in his own way, but we cannot help but realize that the tragedy of a divided kingdom could have been avoided had Rehoboam followed the voice of understanding in this matter. Just as could be expected, the people rebelled against Rehoboam and the house of David. This was not universally so, however, for the Israelites who dwelt in the cities of Judah remained loyal to Rehoboam, as did also the tribe of Benjamin.

Meanwhile, Jeroboam, who had been exiled from Solomon’s court, and who had gone to Egypt to live, heard of Solomon’s death, and he returned. The ten tribes of Israel then turned to him, and made him their king. This was the beginning of the divided kingdom. The ten-tribe kingdom was known as Israel, and Rehoboam’s kingdom as Judah. However, while this was in fact a division of the nation, God continued to deal with both kingdoms, and frequently in his promises included both groups; as he did, for example, when he promised to make “a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.”—Jer. 31:31-34

Our memory verse expresses a well-known fact. Almost any government which is divided against itself is weakened, and unless the situation can be corrected it is bound sooner or later to fall. Both the kingdoms of Israel and of Judah fell. The Israelites were taken into captivity in Assyria, and the people of Judah into Babylon. However, the main cause of their downfall was their failure to hearken unto the voice of the Lord.

Jesus’ reference in our memory text was to the house or kingdom of Satan. Jesus had been accused of casting out Satan by the power of the prince of devils, which, if true, would mean that Satan’s house was divided against itself. And this is one of the influences which will indeed, eventually cause Satan’s house to fall.

QUESTIONS

Explain the background of today’s lesson.

Why did the people of Israel rebel against Rehoboam?

Who was Jeroboam, and who made him king?

Explain the setting of our memory verse.

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