Who is Israel?-5

Sorry for last week, as something came up that took my time up entirely. As we continue to look into God’s Word to help us understand who indeed is Israel, we find there are at least two groups that need to be considered. Israel as a nation seems to have been destroyed during the Assyrian captivity. Unfortunately, this seems to have been started by Solomon.

1 Kings 11:1  Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 

1:2  from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, "You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods." Solomon held fast to these in love. 11:3  He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. 

God prohibited the ‘Israelites’ from marrying outside of the nation/tribe. This included all the kings. The leaders disobeyed to the people did the same.

11:4  For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 11:5  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. 

The Bible constantly warns men about the seductive enticements of women toward them. Yet, Solomon disregarded God’s warnings and commands. These many foreign wives who brought their idolatrous worship and child sacrifices with them, led Solomon down the road to depravity, evil, abominable and detestable sins/practices.

Remember, God spoke to him twice.

11:6  Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not follow the LORD fully, as David his father had done. 11:7  Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon. 11:8  Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 

The odds were stacked against Solomon, as all his wives were seductress idolators. This couldn’t be a more demonstrative example of being unequaled yoked.

2 Corinthians 6:14  Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 

6:15  Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 6:16  Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 6:17  "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. 

This couldn’t be more clear. What is there to be in common with in this passage? It is the example to two extremes. There is no ‘common’ ground, none! Yet, I know two families that have their ‘christian’ daughters currently dating boys/men who are not ‘christian’! Once feelings get aroused, doctrine falls away.

1Ki 11:9  Now the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 

11:10  and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the LORD had commanded. 11:11  So the LORD said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. 

This is the beginning of the end of ‘Israel’ as a nation of 12 tribes.

1Ki 11:12  "Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 

11:13  "However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but 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." 

11:14  Then the LORD raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the royal line in Edom. 

The LORD raised up an Edomite, as descendant of Esau. He became an adversary to Solomon who had enjoyed peace throughout his reign up to now.

11:28  Now the man Jeroboam was a valiant warrior, and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious, he appointed him over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph. 11:29  It came about at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had clothed himself with a new cloak; and both of them were alone in the field. 

11:30  Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak which was on him and tore it into twelve pieces. 11:31  He said to Jeroboam, "Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes 11:32  (but he will have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel), 

Here we read the sad story of the separation of the nation into two nations. The northern 10 tribes would become known as ‘Israel’ and the remaining two in the south would be known as ‘Judah’.

1Ki 11:33  because they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and observing My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did. 

God’s promises and blessings are all conditional on obedience. God demands it and deserves it. Solomon did evil in the sight of God and therefore, He took 10 tribes away from his son and every son thereafter. In fact, they often became enemies to each other. This may sound like your family.

11:34  'Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of My servant David whom I chose, who observed My commandments and My statutes; 11:35  but I will take the kingdom from his son's hand and give it to you, even ten tribes. 11:36  'But to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may have a lamp always before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen for Myself to put My name. 

The one unconditional promise from God is that His Son will come through the line of David and reign on the throne of David. Sadly, Jeroboam also did evil in God’s sight. Eventually ‘Israel’ was soon to just become Samaria.

11:37  'I will take you, and you shall reign over whatever you desire, and you shall be king over Israel. 11:38  'Then it will be, that if you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight by observing My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build you an enduring house as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. 11:39  'Thus I will afflict the descendants of David for this, but not always.'" 

He also did not listen. Are you listening?

11:42  Thus the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 11:43  And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place. 

More next Saturday.