Division of Israel

1 Kings 11 could be entitled, “The Four Reasons for Division of Israel” (Tom Bradford). I will briefly discuss those reasons and then relate it the church (and myself) in this era.

First, Solomon displayed outrageous behavior toward the people. He was taxing them heavily and forcing them into labor for his projects. Second, the Lord God raised up adversaries against Israel after a somewhat long period of time of protection from the surrounding nations. Also, some of the opposition would come from within Israel itself. One such Israelite God used (and the third reason for the division of Israel) was Jeroboam. Jeroboam’s ambition for power was used by God to split the nation. Fourth, Solomon’s idolatry against God was in direct conflict with the principles God had given Solomon to retain the kingdom.

There are a list of commands for the leaders of Israel laid out in Deuteronomy 17:16-17:

However, he is not to acquire many horses for himself or have the people return to Egypt to obtain more horses, inasmuch as Adonai told you never to go back that way again. Likewise, he is not to acquire many wives for himself, so that his heart will not turn away; and he is not to acquire excessive quantities of silver and gold (CJB).

In reading through 1 Kings 11, it is easy to see just how directly Solomon violated these commands. Solomon had many horses, which he got from Egypt (1 Kings 10:26-29). He had a political alliance with Egypt (having married a daughter of Pharaoh) (verse 1). 1 Kings tells us that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (verse 3). Also in violation, Solomon had acquired storehouses of every kind of valuable metal and gems. Finally, Solomon worshiped the gods of his wives and pulled away from the God of Israel (verses 4-8).

It’s all right there. The commands God had given. Written out for all eternity. Yet, Solomon failed to follow them. He deserved God’s punishment.

Whoa! Before we get too judgmental, consider our own actions. How many things are clearly stated in the Bible as commands that we are not following? For instance, Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (NIV). Can we say we keep this command all the time? Are we even consciously aware of it in the moment of disagreements? Do our words only build others up and meet their needs?

Another example: “Don’t owe anything to anyone, except your outstanding debt to continually love one another, for the one who learns to love has fulfilled every requirement of the law” (Romans 13:8, TPT). I know that try as we do, we have debt to others – and not just the debt of love. We even borrow from our own various bank accounts and have to repay to bring the balances back to where they should be. Rarely, if ever, do these debts show love.

My summary, for me, is that I also fail to keep God’s commands. I’m no better than Solomon. What can make us different are Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that have paid the penalty for our disobedience. Solomon did not have that and the penalty for his actions ended up in the division of the nation of Israel and many years of struggle since then.