Part 9 (2/2)

Subjects for Special Papers

THE CHARACTER OF SOLOMON

WAS AN EMPIRE FOR ISRAEL DESIRABLE?

THE WRITINGS OF SOLOMON

TARshi+SH AND OPHIR

THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON

SOLOMON IN ORIENTAL LEGENDS

[Illustration: THE DIVISION OF SOLOMON'S EMPIRE]

FOOTNOTE:

[H] Notice that while the prophets had been friendly to David, they were strongly opposed to Solos 11 29-39)

SEVENTH STUDY

THE RIVAL THRONES--ISRAEL

The splendors of Solon passed away even more suddenly than they arose In less than a year after his death his e principalities were all that was left of Israel

I Let us ascertain the =CAUSES OF THE DIVISION OF ISRAEL= These were:

1 =The oppressive governs 12 3, 4) How far the coree they were the pretexts of an a But it is evident that the governs, and its splendor, must have borne heavily upon the people Probably, also, the luxury of living a the upper classes, so suddenly introduced, led to financial crises and stringency of overnment was held responsible by the discontented people

2 =The opposition of the prophets= (1 Kings 11 11-13, 29-33) It is a suggestive fact that the prophets were opposed to Solo resentn custon idolatries which Soloypt The old kingdoms were not friendly to this Israelite empire, which loomed up so suddenly, and threatened to conquer all the East Soloe (1 Kings 3 1) was a failure, for two enee in Egypt, were ad, and stirred up conspiracies against Solos 11 14-22, 40)

Another center of conspiracy was Damascus, where Rezon kept up a ses 11 23-25)

4 =Tribal jealousy=; the old sore broken out again Notice that Jeroboas 11 26), always envious of Judah, and restless under the throne of David The kingdoh the influence of this tribe

5 =The ambition of Jeroboam= was another force in the disruption It was unfortunate for Solo man of that time in Israel, a wily political leader and an unscrupulous partisan, belonged to the tribe of Ephrai governypt to the assembly at Sheches 12 2, 3)

6 But even all these causes ht have been insufficient but for =the folly of Rehoboas 12 13, 14) If David had been on the throne that day an eht up in the purple, ithout sympathy with the people, tried to act the part of a tyrant, and lost his ancestral reals 12 16)

II =THE RESULTS OF THE DIVISION= These were partly political, partly religious, and were neither of unood nor unmixed evil

1 The =political results= were: 1) The entire _disruption_ of Solodoms took the place of one; Syria on the north, Israel in the center, Judah west of the Dead Sea, Moab east of the Dead Sea, and Edom on the extreme south Moab was no kings, like Ahab in Israel and Jehoshaphat in Judah, could exact the tribute (2 Kings 3 4; 1 Kings 22 47) 2) With the loss of empire came _rivalry_, and consequent _weakness_ For fifty years Israel and Judah were at war, and spent their strength in civil strife, while Syria was growing powerful, and afar in the north-east assyria was threatening 3) As a natural result can domination_ Both Israel and Judah fell under the power of other nations, and were swept into captivity as the final result of the disruption wrought by Jeroboaious results= of the division were ion_ A great empire would inevitably have been the spiritual ruin of Israel, for it must have been worldly, secular, and, in the end, idolatrous The disruption broke off relation with the world, put an end to schemes of secular e their mountains In this sense the event was fro purposes than an earthly eion_ Israel on the north stood as a ”buffer,” warding off the world from Judah on the south It was neither wholly idolatrous nor wholly religious, but was a debatable land for centuries It fell at last, but it saved Judah; and in Judah was the unconscious hope of the world 3) _Concentration of the true religion_ The departure of Israel fro of the priests, Levites and worshi+ping element of the people in Judah (2 Chron 11 13-16) Thus the Jewish kingdoht otherwise have been

III =THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL= From the division the nadoeneral aspects of Israel during its history, from B C 975 to 721

1 =Its extent= It embraced all the territory of the twelve tribes except Judah and a part of Benjas 12 19-21), held a nominal supremacy over Moab east of the Dead Sea, and embraced about 9,375 square miles, while Judah included only 3,435 Israel was about equal in area to Massachusetts and Rhode Island together

2 =Its capital= was at first _Sheche several reigns, at _Tirzah_ (1 Kings 15 33; 16 23); then at _Sas 16 24), where it reave its nas 21 1), and after the fall of the kingdom to the province in the center of Palestine (John 4 3, 4)

3 =Its religion= 1) Very soon after the institution of the new kingdoion, the _worshi+p of the calves_ (1 Kings 12 26-33) This was not a new form of worshi+p, but had been maintained in Israel ever since the Exodus (Exod 32 1-4) In character it was a ion and the abominations of the heathen 2) Ahab and his house introduced the Phenician _worshi+p of Baal_, an idolatry of the s 16 30-33), but it never gained control in Israel, and was doubtless one cause of the revolution which placed another fah the history of Israel there remained a remnant of _worshi+pers of Jehovah_, atched over by a noble array of prophets, and though often persecuted res 19 14, 18)

4 =Its rulers= During two hundred and fifty years Israel was governed by nineteen kings, with intervals of anarchy Five houses in turn held sway, each established by a usurper, generally a soldier, and each dynasty ending in a murder

1) _The House of Jeroboaeneral s 15 29, 30)