OT Divided Kingdom
prophet definition
-God's voice, communication to His people -not inherited position like priests; more important, replacing priests -clear call experience -often appear in times of crisis -present and immediate future -confrontation -often solitary figure -often conflicting with king, often suffered
Theological reasons for destruction of Judah according to historian
-Zedekiah did evil and didn't listen to Jeremiah -leaders of priests and people were unfaithful -didn't listen to God's warnings -stiff-necked and hard-hearted -bad practices of other nations -defiled temple
reformer kings
-listened to prophets; repented, trusted in Lord -restored monotheism -temple restoration; destroyed idols and altars of other gods/goddesses, worshipped at temple -read and meditated on law; did what was right in eyes of Lord, renewed commitment to Covenant -Asa, Jehoshophat, Hezekiah, Josiah, (all 4 from Judah) almost Jehu (Israel)
how do prophets communicate God's message?
-spoken word: straightforward; direct word; eg Jeremiah, Amos, Isaiah -symbolic acts or dramatic visualizations; Hosea, Isaiah, Ezekiel -writings: Hebrew Scriptures, major and minor prophets; eg all the Bible books of prophets, like Micah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc.
Give a list of sins named in II Kings 17 as reasons for division, scattering, and captivity.
-worshipped other gods -secret sins kept from God -high places, sacred stones, Asherah poles -burned incense at high places -worshipped idols -wouldn't listen to prophets like ancestors -rejected God's ways and imitated other nations -forsook God's commands and served Baal -human sacrifice -followed sins of Jeroboam
king of Judah who led a reform by removing high places and commanded the people to seek the Lord God
Asa
examples from Jeremiah about repentance and confrontation
prophet of doom; went to people God sent him to say God's words; confronted kings and people of sins and judgement on Judah; end of the southern kingdom; repent from sins and evil
Samaritans
Israel is scattered into other nations in 722. people intermarried among those from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath, Sepharvaim and settled in Samaria in Israel. shrines for own gods; wanted to learn to worship Lord, God of that land; also served their own laws; didn't obey God's laws. syncretism and polytheism. desired to know God
Hezekiah
reformer king of Judah during fall of Israel; right in eyes of Lord; removed high places, sacred stones, Asherah poles, bronze snake; followed God, who was with him; listened to Isaiah, purified temple
Asa
reformer king of Judah; good and right in eyes of Lord; removed foreign altars, high places, sacred stones, incense altars, Asherah poles; sought God, obeyed His laws; called on God for help in battle; etc. however, he made a treaty with the king of Aram without asking God; he put Hanani the seer in prison; didn't seek the Lord in His illness and died
Rehoboam
first king of Judah; son of Solomon. people asked him to lighten the harsh labor and yolk from slavery, taxes, tribute of building temple + palace by Solomon; refused. harsh, strict, evil, disliked. people called for Jeroboam to be king. averts civil war when Shemaiah, man of God, told Rehoboam to go home and not fight.
Jeroboam
first king of divided Israel. he was an Ephramite official in Solomon's court in charge of the labor force of the tribes of Joseph. rebelled against Solomon. Ahijah prophesied to him: Solomon's kingdom will be torn from his son; 10 tribes for Jeroboam; shows it by ripping cloak into 12 pieces and giving 10 to J.; in essence, a covenant to Jeroboam. wished to keep Israelites from going south to Jerusalem (Rehoboam's capital city) to worship; golden calves in Bethel and Dan, shrines and non-Levite priests, and festival to calves; evil king, standard for all other kings of Israel
foretell vs forthtell
foretell--seers, predicting future; more rare forthtell--telling it like it is; confrontational; repent, return to God, be faithful to covenant
examples from Micah about repentance
he confronts the following sins: prostitution, covetousness, robbery, evil, hating good, loving evil, false prophets, witchcraft, idols, dishonesty, violence, liars, deceit, bribery, etc.; repent from sins and evil
hope from Jeremiah
he told Judah that they'd only be captive in Babylon for 70 years. later Babylon would be defeated.
Solomon's ___ turned away from God
heart
hope from Elijah
hope to widow with oil and flour; raised her son; helps servant see cloud after 7 times; blesses Elisha
words by the prophets which confronted the kings and people and called them back to God and the covenant
*forth*telling
Big picture of divided kingdom (dates, kings, prophets, conquerors, bible books)
1 nation (12 tribes) to 2 nations to 1 again; United monarchy splits 931 BC. North: Jeroboam, Israel, Samaria as capital. Ended in 722 with scattering or dispersing or exile. South: Rehoboam, Judah, Jerusalem as capital. Fall from 606-586 and end of captivity 536, 70 years. I and II kings and II Chronicles give historical view; theological in prophet writings, especially 722 and 600.
What country conquered, destroyed, or deported Israel? What happens to this country?
Assyria, under king Shalmaneser, attacked Hoshea of Israel and scattered, dispersed, and brought to exile the northern kingdom. Assyria was later defeated by Babylon, God's judgement for their sins.
What country conquered, destroyed, or deported Judah? What happens to this country?
Babylon (the Chaldeans), under Nebuchadnezzar, captured Jerusalem (Judah) in 597 and the final destruction of Jerusalem occurred in 586. later Babylon was defeated by the Persians; judgement from God for sins.
because of ___, Judah and Jerusalem would be a nation
David
Political events causing fall of judah
During the fall of ISRAEL, Hezekiah was King of JUDAH. he was a good reformer King. Isaiah prophecied the downfall of Judah. REMOVED from God's presence, REJECTED Jerusalem and temple, but a REMNANT of Judah will survive and keep faith. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon (Chaldeans), had control ish of Judah. Last Judah kings were Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. Refused to pay tribute; attempted alliance with Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem in 597. Final destruction in 586. Exile in Babylon, thrust from God's presence.
hope from Micah
God will gather Israel like sheep; go up before them for deliverance; temple will be established; gather lame and exiles and restore them; rescue, deliverance, God visits you; out of Bethlehem, a ruler: Jesus
Political events causing fall of Israel
Hoshea, son of Elah and King of Israel, was the last king of the north. He attempted and alliance with So, the Egyptian King. He stopped paying tribute to Shalmeneser, King of Assyria. Shalmeneser attacked and kept Hoshea in prison, invaded Israel, scattered and into exile.
destroyed Baal worship in Israel, obeyed the prophet Elisha
Jehu
use syncretism, repent and reform, rejected, removed, and remnant to explain Divided Kingdom period
Judah and Israel were divided because of sin and syncretism. They continued with many evil kings and idolatry, adultery, and sin. Prophets were called to confront kings and people about repenting from sins and reforming their ways. In the end, the sin brought God's judgement. He rejected Judah and Israel and removed them from His presence. Israel was totally scattered, but a remnant of Judah still remained surviving and faithful.
Compare Israel and Judah as nations and by their kings.
Judah: -southern kingdom, 931-586, tribes of Judah (Simeon), Benjamin, plus Levites -capital Jerusalem with temple; worship God of covenant and history -davidic covenant; continued dynasty of David, God's chosen? -Kings - some good reformer kings, return to God, law, covenant -compared to David; good, covenant -345 yrs for 20 kings, about 17.25 yr per King; longer reigns, Davidic dynasties with political stability Israel: -northern kingdom, 931-722, 10 tribes -capital Samaria, worship cities in Bethel and Dan -Population 2x bigger, resources; territory 3x bigger, ports, rivers, resources, trade, fertile land -kings - all unfaithful, unrighteous, evil; allowed+ encouraged polytheism, contradicting Shema -compared to Jeroboam; bad, rejected covenant -209 yrs for 19 kings, about 11 yr per King; shorter reign, different dynasties, political chaos. Both had generally same end: apostasy, syncretism, polytheism, idolatry; sought alliances with other foreign kings, compared to David or Jeroboam, walking in ways of Lord, what is right in His eyes, way of father
Jehoshaphat
Judah; least reformer-ish out of 4 reformers of Judah; sought God; removed Asherah poles and male shrine prostitutes; taught God's laws; asked for prophets and listened. however, he ruled during Ahab's reign in Israel and married Ahab's daughter Athaliah; let Judah follow Baal; high places were not removed; made an alliance with Ahaziah, an evil king
What is the theological reason for the division?
Punishment for sin. Solomon's sins; tear the kingdom from Solomon's son. Covenant offer to Jeroboam rejected. Civil war; God tells them to go home.
Theological reasons for destruction of Israel according to historian
Sin, sin, sin. Idolatry, high places, disobedience, ignored prophets, following sins of Jeroboam, etc.
What political events caused the division?
Solomon sinned; intermarrying, led astray from God, polytheistic. Jeroboam gets 10 tribes. Rehoboam said he'd be a harsh King; people rebelled. wanted Jeroboam as king. this splits the kingdom. Rehoboam wants to fight Jeroboam, but Shemaiah told him to stop and averted civil war. Rehoboam only king of 2 tribes, Judah and Benjamin. Jeroboam king of Israel, 10 tribes. rejected God; idolatry.
Josiah
best reformer king of Judah; right in eyes of Lord, followed David's ways; repaired temple; found Book of Law, read it, obeyed it; remove Baalism, Asherah poles, prostitutes, shrines, holy places, idols, etc.
hope from Elisha
cleaned, healed water; olive oil for widow, raised her son from dead; feeding of 100; Naaman healed; Lord's army and blinded enemy
Elisha
confronts jeering boys; servant Gehazi; Ben-Hadad's recovery and then death by Hazael; Jehoash won against Aram 3 times; cleaned water; olive oil; raised widow's son; feeding of 100; Naaman; floating ax head; Lord's army, blinded enemy; anointing of Jehu; Israel?
examples from Elijah about repentance and confrontation
confronts: Ahab, who abandoned God's commands and followed Baal; God vs. Baal sacrifice on Mt. Carmel; sins of Ahab and Jezebel, punishment; repent from sins and evil
examples from Elisha about repentance and confrontation
confronts: jeering boys; servant Gehazi for dishonesty; against sins; repent from sins and evil
Isaiah
during end of Israel; said God is directing the way of the Assyrians; Jerusalem will be saved. king of Assyria will withdraw, Jerusalem will not be handed to Assyria. God will eventually REMOVE Judah from His presence, REJECT Jerusalem and the temple, but a REMNANT of faithful, surviving people of Judah
Shalmaneser
king of Assyria during fall of Israel; Hoshea had paid him tribute; he stopped and tried alliance with Egypt. Shalmaneser invaded and put Hoshea in prison. scattered, dispersed, put into exile the Israelites in 722
Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon or Chaldeans. invaded Judah, requested tribute. spanned last 4 kings of Judah. first attack on Judah 606, conquest of Jerusalem 597, final destruction 586. took them into exile for 70 years (except for poor), burned temple
So
king of Egypt during fall of Israel; Hoshea asked to ally with So before Shalmaneser invaded
Jehu
king of Israel; in part obeyed prophets. killed the Lord's enemies and destroyed Baalism, but he kept the golden calves and idolatry. almost a reformer king. killed evil kings and descendants and servants of Baal
Hoshea
last king of Israel, northern kingdom; evil king; attempted to make an alliance with So, the Egyptian king and stop paying tribute to Shalmaneser of Assyria. Shalmaneser got mad and invaded. exile, scattered, dispersed, away from God's presence, 722 BC
Zedekiah
last king of Judah; evil; fall of Jerusalem during his reign; 586; taken captive
Solomon
last king of united Israel. sins: foreign wives when God had forbidden intermarriage; too many wives led him astray from God; polytheistic; did not keep covenant law. his kingdom was torn from his son (Rehoboam), though not completely for David's sake; 2 tribes of Judah would be left for Rehoboam
Jeremiah
means "the Lord exalts," "the Lord establishes," or "the Lord throws," as in "hurling" prophet into hostile world or of "throwing down" or "thrusting" nations to judgement; prophet of doom; weeping prophet; 5 kings during his life; during fall of Judah; reluctance to call; 2 signs; disaster from north, judgement of Judah, destruction; suffered for prophecies
prophets confronted the kings and people for their ___ and injustices against the poor
oppression
Elijah
predicts drought; to Ahab and Jezebel; God vs Baal on Mt. Carmel; tells Obadiah to tell Ahab; fled to Mt. Sinai, then returns; confronts Ahab and Jezebel; punishment; widow oil, flour, son; servant sees cloud after 7 times
Micah
prophet during fall of Israel; predicts fall of Israel and of Judah; confrontation of many sins of Judah; hope in midst of doom
Ahijah
prophet of Solomon; offered "covenant" to Jeroboam; ripped cloak, 12 pieces, 10 to Jeroboam
scattered vs. captivity
scattered: in Israel; Assyria invaded Israel and either took them into exile or dispersed them. they were no more, except for a few who intermarried and became Samaritans captivity: in Judah; Babylon invaded Judah and took them into exile or captivity. however, it was not permanent. they returned after 70 years
speaking prophets
spoke prophecies and things, didn't write them down; eg Elijah and Elisha
___ acts by the prophets to dramatize their words from God
symbolic
minor prophets
the 12 shorter written prophets; eg Hosea, Amos, Micah, etc.
major prophets
the 5 longer written prophets; eg Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Isaiah
during what times did God send the most prophets?
times of crisis, political disaster, threatening times; eg 931, 722, 606-586
Shemaiah
told Rehoboam not to go to civil war; listens, goes home, doesn't fight
Ahab
worst king of north, of Israel. evil king. sinful, didn't trust God. married even more evil Jezebel. served Baal and Asherah. competition with him and Elijah, Baal vs God. covetous of Naboth's vineyard. murdered Naboth (by Jezebel's scheming) to get it. Ahab came to repentance after Elijah confronts him. God moved punishment to his son. but then he doesn't stay repentant. died in battle because he didn't trust Micaiah, prophet of God.
___ of the prophets become the 17 books of OT prophecy
writings
writing prophets
wrote down prophecies and things; became Hebrew Scriptures; Major (5) and Minor (12) prophets; eg Jeremiah, Micah, Isaiah, etc.