April 3rd, 2018

Divided Kingdoms Shall Not Stand

“Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.  Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hands of your son.  However, I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”  1 Kings 11:11-13

Imagine a kingdom being taken from a son and given to a servant!  As we read further in 1 Kings, in chapters 11 through 14, we see God’s word fulfilled as Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, assumes the kingdom and ignores the wisdom given to him by his elders.  In the meantime, Solomon’s servant, Jeroboam, had begun a rebellion against Solomon, which only intensified against Rehoboam.  In time, Jeroboam was indeed made ruler over the ten tribes of Israel, as the previously united kingdom split in two.  Rehoboam remained ruler over Judah and the Levites, while Jeroboam ruled over Israel.  Thus, the northern kingdom of Israel was in rebellion against the house of David, known as the southern kingdom of Judah (see 1 Kings 13:19). 

What caused this fracture of a great and mighty kingdom?  It was the idolatry, disobedience and sin from Solomon.  The divided kingdom continued on with predominantly disobedient kings whose hearts were not set on God.  Ultimately, the northern kingdom of Israel was captured by the Assyrians and taken into captivity.  This was subsequently followed by the defeat of the southern kingdom of Judah at the hands of the Babylonian empire.  A second wave of captivity followed.  The divided kingdom did not stand.

We advance to the ministry of Jesus Christ, as identified in the gospel of Matthew 12:25.  Jesus had just healed a man and the Pharisees were critical.  Jesus spoke, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.”  Jesus was ushering in the Kingdom of God through His ministry.  When challenged by the Pharisees, who attributed the healing to the work of Satan, and thus blasphemed the Holy Spirit, Jesus responded by reminding them that divided kingdoms cannot stand.  “If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself.  How then will his kingdom stand?”  Matthew 12:26.  Jesus informed His accusers that though Satan be strong (a “strongman”), there was one stronger: His name was Jesus Christ!