If you do whatever I command you and walk in My ways and do what is right in My eyes by keeping My statutes and commands, as David My servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. I Kings 11:38 (I Kings 11-13 and II Chronicles 10-11)
For all Solomon’s glorious beginning, his ending was one of failure. Idolatry made a pathway for adversaries to interrupt Israel’s peace. His heir, Rehoboam, rejected the early advise of Solomon’s elders and turned to the words of the young and entitled. Rehoboam oppressed his own people who in turn rebelled and joined Jeroboam. The prophecy of Ahijah the priest of Shiloh was complete.
Israel lasted 120 years. Throughout this time petty rivalries led to unrest and civil war created an atmosphere for the splitting of the Kingdom. 10 tribes formed the Northern Kingdom, ‘Israel’ leaving Judah and Benjamin to form the Southern Kingdom, ‘Judah’. Jerusalem was in geographical confines of Judah, so in an act of insecurity, Jeroboam set up a temple of worship with golden calves and idols of baal and created a unordained priesthood (out side the tribe of Levi) leading the people away from Jerusalem and the One True God.
The words above were spoken to Rehoboam. Obviously he did not heed God’s call. Moving forward as two nations, each kingdom had some good kings that were a little bad and some bad kings that were good from time to time. The problem is, good and bad cannot coexist. There is no such thing as ‘sort of holy.’
A monarchy is no substitute for a Theocracy. God will not share your heart with any other resident, but the rewards of His complete habitation is filled with hope, promise and assurance. He won’t rent a room, it’s all you own, or nothing at all.
Love,
Gretchen