The Wars Amidst Civil War

When Solomon took over the reigns from David, it is reported he ruled with wisdom.  Because of this wisdom, he experienced very little internal insurrection from the inhabitants of Israel who were all then still one nation.  Solomon spent the time of his reign making strong alliances with border countries and countries of wealth of strength in Africa, Egypt and surrounding Israel.  He often did this though, in a way that many questioned: by taking wives from the royal families of the Allied Countries.

This practice was forbidden by the Scriptures, and there were already seeds of contention internally, left from the fractioning of Israel and bitternesses at the end of David's reign from the divisions with Absalom.  Additionally Solomon began to levy taxes, which some felt burdensome, and others questioned whether he was the same man of faith his father was, trusting in God or on the alliances he had built.  (It was all to be gone soon after)

As his son Rehoboam took the reigns from his father,  rather than appeasing the people of Israel he made things worse by listening to the wrong advisors. He taxed and burdened them even more in the days of Solomon, creating dissent.  The son of one of his fathers concubines, Jeroboam, led an insurrection against the reign of Rehoboam and managed to take 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel north with him.   While he had an immediate 'righteous cause' in releasing Israel from oppression, the division was seen by God as such a serious sin, that it led to the judgment of war and captivity, and was forever after called "the sin of Jeroboam, son of Nebat". 

In the Wars which will come shortly in this section, we see a beleagured Israel, struggling internal and against external foes, weakening from the stresses and strain of division.  Until the rest of the studies are in place (we will try to do at least one a week, refer to the index for a list and begin your own studies with this global view in mind, and the dear price Israel and we all have to pay for division, even in a righteous cause.

Elizabeth Kirkley Best PhD

Web Director