REVOLT OF THE NORTHERN TRIBES

1. From the events recorded as following the reign of Solomon, it appears that the people had been compelled to bear burdens that had become too oppressive; the exact character of these burdens is not stated, but we may assume that they resulted from the king's attempt to increase the magnificence of the court and the royal possessions. It is probable that the support of the numerous forms of idolatrous worship became an expense to the nation. Solomon seems to have lost sight of the fact that he was to govern the people for the glory of Jehovah, and soon sought to govern for his own glory.

The central feature of Solomon's reign was magnificence. The provisions made for the large number of his attendants, the extensive commerce with distant countries, the glory associated with the king's person, the tribute rendered by other kings, the tribute demanded from subject peoples, all contributed to this magnificence, and it should not be wondered at that Solomon came to think that these were for the gratification of his own royal desires. The large number of his wives and concubines was the result: no doubt of this desire for pre-eminence.

2. Though the tribes of Israel had become united under one king in the reign of Saul, and more thoroughly united by the reign of David, and were willingly held in this unity by the reign of Solomon; yet the central government was not so strong as to destroy the natural feeling of separate ness due to tribal and local organization and social development. The tribal spirit still existed, and was ready to manifest itself if the occasion offered. If a division were to take place of course it would be on the lines indicated by selfish interests. Judah was, by location and by circum stances, largely isolated from the other tribes; and of course if the pre-eminence of Judah became offensive to the rest they would quickly resent it by denouncing its supremacy, and appointing a king who would consider their interests.

3. In the division of the kingdom the wickedness of Solomon was seen to be displeasing to God; but for the sake of the promises made to David his descendants were not to be cut off altogether from the throne. Through the kings of David's line was to come the great King. The occasion for such a division was furnished by the foolish refusal of Rehoboam to lighten the burdens of the people as they demanded. Jeroboam had already been selected through the prophet to be king of the seceding tribes. He was thus favored on condition that he would be faithful to Israel's God. Rehoboam's attempt to bring the northern tribes into subjection again to his authority failed.

4. In comparing the situations of the two kingdoms at the time of the revolt of the northern tribes, it will clearly appear that Judah possessed certain advantages over Israel. In religious matters, it had the advantage of the divinely appointed place of worship, the temple, with its whole system of worship intended to aid in keeping the people faithful to Jehovah; it had the priesthood, not simply to officiate in their worship, but also to instruct them in the requirements of Jehovah; it had the sons of David as kings, heirs of special promises made by God. In material respects, it had the advantage of being so situated as to be almost inaccessible to any invading enemy; its territory could be easily de fended. Its soil was not so fertile as much of that of Israel, but would support its people. It had the disadvantage of being smaller than Israel, and presumably less powerful in case of a conflict; but, except with Israel itself, it was not directly exposed to conflict with outside powers.

5. The kingdom of Israel possessed the advantage arising from having the greater number of tribes; it could muster more men for self-defense; it had a territory much of which was exceedingly fertile; it could carry on commerce with other people with greater ease than Judah could; but it was for these very reasons exposed to greater dangers than Judah was; its greater power made it an object of attack by the surrounding powers; its rich territory offered inducements for invasion by plundering hordes from the east; its easy accessibility exposed it to the conquest of powers marching against other enemies. Very much of its history was the result of the fact that it lay on the road between the great powers of Egypt on the one hand, and Assyria on the other. In religious matters, it would not only be affected by the absence of the temple and the priesthood, but especially exposed to the influence of the idolatrous people with whom they had such easy means of communication. The worship of the gods of the heathen soon became established in Israel.

SUMMARY

1. Burdens resulting from Solomon's reign; his magnificent court and idolatrous worship; his seeking for personal glory.

2. The relations of the tribes that made division possible.

3. The division purposed of God occasioned by the foolish course of Rehoboam.

4. The advantages and disadvantages of Judah in religious and material respects.

5. The advantages and disadvantages of Israel in these respects.