"I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you". Genesis 17:6
And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) 1 Kings 11:31- 32
There are two important character during the divided kingdom, their names were almost similar and the events that happened in their life were resemblance. They are both served for Kingdom of Israel, God may use them to warned and always remind them to their evil deeds.
Elijah- Prophet of Fire
1. His sudden appearance before King Ahab- he prophesied a prolonged drought. ( 1 Kings 17:1)
2. In the Brook Cherith- the Lord commanded him to stay there, in spite of famine he found himself well nourished, ravens, an unclean birds fed him, the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and evening and he drink by the brook. he stayed their until the brook dried up(1 Kings 17:2-7).
3. At Zarephath- according to the word of the Lord. He went to Zarephath of Zidon, a small town of Phoenicia, Jezebel's town. in here He meet a widow and his son, the town was stricken with famine, when he meet the woman, she is gathering sticks to cook their last meal. Elijah requested for water and bread, at first the woman was hesitate because the she got a handful of meal in a barrel and little oil in a curse. Elijah said "Fear not" and the widow listen and trust him and miracle came, the widow and his son had plentiful supplies of food until the famine ended. Elijah is sent by God to fed her.
4. At the widow's house at Zarephath- the widow' son was restored to life.
5. The False Prophet was summoned- The Lord told to Elijah to appears to King Ahab of Israeland announce that God will send rain, also commands him to summon the false prophet for a contest at Mt Carmel.
6. On Mt. Carmel- The Lord Prophet Elijah challenge the false prophets of Baal. He summoned them to go up to Mt. Carmel to have contest, He challenged the false prophet of a fiery test. The false prophet prayed, worship even cuts themselves until evening to their god Baal but it is failed. When Elijah' s turn, and finished to prepared his sacrifice, he just prayed and divine fire came down the Lord and burn the sacrifice of Elijah.
7. The end of the drought- Elijah's prayer for rain and he runs before king Ahab and of Jezebel.
8. Under a juniper tree- In the wilderness, having fled and discouraged, exhausted and desiring to die but an angel came and fed him and he journeys on to Mt. Horeb.
9. Complaint- he complained to the Lord and He was given a new revelation from the Lord, the Lord ask him to anoints a man to be king and his successor.
10. On the farm- He meet Elisha flowing and give his mantle, indicating that Elisha is his successor.
11. Vineyard of Naboth- He prophesied the awful demised of Jezebel.
12. The Last journey of Elijah- He was accompanied of Elisha and they travel through the places to places until they reach river Jordan and smite it and they both together walked on a dry ground. And here Elisha ask for the double portion of his spirit. the finally Elijah taken by whirlwind into heaven.
13. On the Mt. Transfiguration- His reappearance with Moses and conversation with Jesus.
He is the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, his ministry lasted for fifty years and he started his ministry in the reign of Jehoram until Jehoahaz. There were events that happened in his life that resemblance to Elijah, which includes the following:
1. Both smote the waters of the Jordan river and passed over on the dry ground (2 Kings 2:8; 2:14)2. They are both brought waters of refreshment in times of drought and famine. (1 Kings 18:41-45; 2 Kings 8:9-20)3. Both miracles of increasing widows' oil for food (1 Kings 17:10-16; 2 Kings 4:1-7)4. Both raise sons of a woman to life (1 Kings 7:17-24, 2 Kings 4: 8-37)5. Both perform miracles for persons outside the of Israel- Zarephath and Jordan. (1 Kings 17:9-16; 2 Kings 5:1-5)6. They are both declared prophesies upon kings (1 Kings 21:19-22; 2 Kings 8:7-10)7. Also both call down vengeance and curse (fire on the soldiers; two bears on the little children). ( 2 Kings 1:9-12; 2:23-25).
- Poisonous pottage healed
- Food multiplied during famine
- Lost axed recovered
- Defeat of Syrian
KINGDOM OF ISRAEL
2. Nadab (1 Kings 14:20, 15:25-31), he is the son of Jeroboam, he followed the footstep of his father, he reign for only two years because of death. the scriptures records that he reigned in the second year of Asa king of Judah. It might he reign with his father Jeroboam.
3. Baasha (1 Kings 15: 27- 34, 16:1-7) - He is the Son of Ahijah from the house of Issachar, He killed Nadab and sit on the throne of Israel for twenty-four years and began in the third year of Asa king of Judah. He is a wicked king, He killed the relatives of Jeroboam, he lives in the meaning of his name means, "wicked".
4. Elah (1 Kings 16:8-10) - The son of Baasha, reigns only for years, he was murder by the captain of the half of his chariots, Zimri.
5. Zimri, (1 Kings 16:11-20), He sit next to the throne but he reign only seven days. and He destroyed all the house of Baasha according to the word of Prophet Jehu ( 1 Kings 16:7,12).
6. Omri (1 Kings 16:16), He reigned in the 31th reign of Asa king of Judah, he reign for twelve years, he followed the evil ways of the kings before him. He move the capital to Samaria.
7. Ahab (1 Kings 16:29), He is the son of Omri and succeeded the throne. He begin his reign in the thirty-eight years of reign of Asa, King of Judah and reign for twenty-two years. He was a an evil king jus like his father Omri. He married a Phoenician princess, Jezebel, She is as evil woman, who worship Baal, she build an altar in Samaria for Baal and killed the prophet of the Lord. During the reign of Ahab, a prophet prophesied famine, and how long it takes, and he took the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. Jezebel his wife killed Naboth because of the vineyard. Ahaz was killed in a battle ( 1 Kings 22:29-40).
8. Ahaziah ( 1 Kings 22.40) - He is the successor of Ahab, he began his reign in the seventeen year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. He followed the ways of his parents. He reign only two years and died in his bed because of sickness after the Moabites rebelled. (2 kings 1:1-16).
9. Jehoram , or Joram (2 Kings 1:17) - he is the brother of Ahaziah, the son of Ahab and Jezebel because Ahaziah had no son. He reign in the eighteen year of Jehoshaphat of King of Judah and reign for twelve years. He may not as evil like his parents but cleave to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
10. Jehu ( 1 Kings 19.16) - Prophet Elisha anoint him as king of Israel, he is bloody man. According to the word of the Lord, he killed Ahab's family. He eradicates, Baal and killed the worshippers of Baal. However, he allowed to worship the golden calves which Jeroboam the son of Nebat brought and made Israel sin. He reign for twenty-eight years.
11. Jehoahaz (2 Kings 10:35) - the son of Jehu and succeeded the throne, he reign for seventeen years, he followed the steps of Jeroboam the son of Nebat and delivered them Hazael the king of Syria. He besought God for deliverance and God answered him, the deliverance was happened in the reign of his son, Jehoash.
12. Jehoash (2 Kings 13:10) - He reign during the thirty-seven years of reign of Joash, King of Judah. He reign for sixteen year.
13. Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:23) - He reign in the fifteen year of Amaziah, King of Judah. He did evil in the sight of God and followed Jeroboam.
14. Zachariah (2 Kings 14.29, 15:8-12) - He reign for thirty-eight year of Azariah, king of Judah. and he reign for six months, he did evil and followed Jeroboam the son of Nebat. Shallum killed him and he sit on the throne.
15. Shallum (2 Kings 15:10) - He reign in the thirty-nine year of Uzziah, king of Judah. he reign only a month.
16. Menahem (2 Kings 15:14) - he is the son of Gadi, he succeeded the throne and began his in reign thirty-nine year of Azariah, king of Judah. He was an evil king like Jeroboam the son of Nebat.- reigned for ten years.
17. Pekahiah (2 Kings 15:23) - He began his reign in the fifteenth year of reign of Azariah, king of Judah and reigned for two years only. He was killed his captain, the son of Remaliah, Pekah.
18. Pekah (2 Kings 15:25) - He reign in fifty-two year of Azariah king of Judah, reigned for twenty years
19. Hoshea (2 Kings 15:30, 18:9-10) - The son of Elah, he conspires against Pekah, he killed him and take over the throne of Israel. He reign for nine years, In his seventh year of his reign Shalmaneser king of Assyria came and besiege Samaria and after three years he carried Israel away to Assyria.
- The Prophets who serve: Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Micah
1. Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1) - The son of Solomon who succeeded him in throne, he is weak and foolish and followed the lavish lifestyles of Solomon, the people request him to lighten the their taxes that his father imposed, he rejected the people's request. He listens to the council of the younger people rather the council of the elders, the advise were, "My little finger shall be thicker that my father's loin", My father chastise you with whips but I will chastise you with scorpions" (2 Chronicles 10:11), the people cry out and ten tribes revolted, and it cause of the division of the Kingdom, they enthroned Jeroboam as the first King of Israel, and Rehoboam reign over two tribes Judah and he reign for seventeen years as King of Judah.
2. Abijam, or Abijah (1 Kings 14:31, 15: 1-8 )He reign in the eighteen year of Jeroboam, king of Israel and reigned for three years. The Kingdom of Judah recovered some boarder cities of Israel by war against the Kingdom of Israel, led by Jeroboam. Abijam walked in the sins of his father, Rehoboam.
3. Asa (1 Kings 15.8-). For David' sake the Lord blesse Jerusalem and He set a godly king. The scriptures record that Asa did what is right in the eyes of the Lord. He reign in the 20th year of Jeroboam king of Israel. He drive away the Sodomites and destroyed all the idols that his father and grandmother made. He reigned for forty-one and during his old age he suffered disease in his feet and died.
4. Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 15:24) - reigned for twenty-five years, he followed the steps of his father Asa, a godly man. However, he made a grievous mistakes, he made alliances to his contemporary kings of Israel. Ahab and Ahaziah and Jehoram.
5. Jehoram (2 Kings 8:16-24, 2 Chronicles 21.1)- Jehoram began his reign in the fifth year of Joram king of Israel and last for eight years. Jehoram followed the steps of the kings of Israel for he married to Ahab's daughter, Athaliah, because of the influence of his wife he built a temple of Baal in Jerusalem, he killed his brothers.
6. Ahaziah (2 Kings 8:25-29) - Ahaziah begin his reign in the twelfth year of Joram king of Israel and reign for one year only. He followed the steps of House of Ahab, and worship Baal. He was killed by Jehu (2 Kings 9:27)
7. Athaliah (2 Chronicles 24:7) - She reign for six years.
8. Josh or Jehoash (2 Kings 11:20)- He begin to reign at the age of seven, and at seventh year of Jehu king of Israel. He reign for forty years, by the help of his guardian, Jehoiada the priest, he did what is right before God. He prepared the temple to repair and Jehoiada raises money to repair the Temple. After the death of Jehoiada, Joash bribes Hazael king of Sryia by the hallowed of the Temple, the rest of his acts was evil.\ and he was killed by his servants in his bed.
12. Amaziah (2 Kings 15:38)- Son of Joash, reigned for twenty-nine years, just like his father, he did good at first but ended bad.
13. Uzziah or Azariah (2 Kings 15)- He was sixteen years old when he begin to reign and reign for two years only.
14. Jotham (2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 20)- He reigned for sixteen years, he was good king and the kingdom is prospered.
15. Ahaz (2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 28)- He reigned for sixteen years, he is the most wicked and idolatrous king of Judah, he offered and sacrificed his own children, he died at young age, thirty-eight years old.
16. Hezekiah (2 Kings 18-20)- He is twenty- five years old when he began to reign, he reign twenty-nine years. He did was is right before the Lord and destroyed idols worship and re-open the Temple and celebrated Passover, also he rebelled against Assyria. In the fourteen year of his reign he refused to pay tribute to Assyrians and there is a time in his reign that he was sick, the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz pronounce his death but because of his earnest prayer to the Lord, the Lord add fifteen years more to his life.
17. Manasseh, (2 Kings 21:1)- Son of Hezekiah, he is twelve years old only when he reign Judah, he reign for fifty-two years and he is one of the worst king, he worship idols and he did evil however he experienced repentance and tried to put away the idols and cut idolatry
18. Amon (2 Kings 21:19)- He was twenty-two when he reign and reigned for only two years. He followed the evil deeds of his father, his servant killed him in his own house.
19. Josiah (2 Kings 22)- He is eight years old when he begin to reign and reign for thirty-one years. He did was is right before the Lord and when he is twenty-six years old, he repair the house of the Lord, and found the book of the Law and ask the scribe to read before King Josiah. After hearing, he seek an answer from the Lord for he found the great sins of the people. Then Josiah gather all the elders and all the people of Judah, and he read the book of the Law, then destroyed all the items for worshipping Baal and eradicate the idolatrous priests. Moreover, he push through reformation in the land of Judah and he keep the Passover. In 2 Kings 23:25 Josiah describes "And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might". see: TIMELINE
CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH
20. Jehoahaz or Shallum (2 Kings 23:30, Jeremiah 22:10-12)- Son of Josiah, reign for only three months for he did evil before the LORD, during his reign the captivity took place. Pharaoh-nechoh of Egypt came and took Jehoahaz and carried captive to Egypt and died there.
21. Eliakim/Jehoiakim ( 2 Kings 23:34) Pharaoh-nechoh put him to throne and during this time the land of Judah was in tribute, they pay their tribute to Pharaoh- nechoh. He begin to reign at the age of twenty-five and reigned for eleven years, he was an evil king. During his reign, the King Nebuchadnezzar - King of Babylon came, Jehoiakim became a servant for three years and then rebelled.
22. Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:6)- the son of Jehoiakim. He begin his reign at the age of eighteen. He reign for eight years. He was an evil king too, he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
23. Zedekiah/Mattaniah (2 Kings 24:17)- At twenty-one years old when he begin to reign and last for eleven years. He followed the steps of his father, in the eleventh year of his reign, the king of Babylon came and besiege Judah. and He rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, and Nebuchadnezzar killed his sons, took off his eyes and carried him to Babylon.
- The Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, Zephaniah, Micah, Nahum and Habakkuk
THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE
The captivity of Judah were foretold by prophecy 2 Kings 20:17, 18 also prophets like Isaiah, Micah and Jeremiah pronounce the same thing that they will taken captive. Judah will served Babylon for seventy years(Isaiah 11:11, 39:6,7, Micah 4:10, Jeremiah 25:11,12). Nebuchadnezzar son of Nabopolassar, defeated Egypt and became the world leader.
552 BC - The first captivity of Judah by Babylonian took place during the reign of Jehoiakim, he made alliance to Nebuchadnezzar and later to Necho king of Egypt, by his action, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and took them away to Babylon, Daniel was taken captive, carried all the vessels of the Temple and Jehoiakim also taken captives.
544 BC - Second phase of captivity took place, King Nebuchadnezzar took captive Jehoiachin king of Judah and his people.
533 BC - King Nebuchadnezzar appoints Zedekiah to be king of Judah. Instead of listening to the prophet Jeremiah he listened to and he revolted against the king of Babylon. He then carried captives to Babylon with his eyes took off and died there. During this time the temple and most of the building in Jerusalem were destroyed.
DANIEL
A prophet -the meaning of his name means "God will judge" his life is remarkable. He was carried captive to Babylon and was chosen with three young men to serve King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1) . He became a statesman and when King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, Daniel interpret the dream. He life is resemblance to Joseph, both were carried captive at young age, unjustly persecuted and interpreted dreams which brought them to rulership, also, they both live just in the midst of Gentile land, and one of the most popular events that happened in his life at the kingship of Darius of Persian. Daniel was thrown to a lions den because of a decree, but the following day he came out to lion dens unharmed. Moreover he lived until the King Cyrus captured Babylon. (read: Book of Daniel)
THE RETURN FROM THE EXILE
The return were also foretold by a prophecy. (Jeremiah 29: 10).
482 BC - 442 BC- King Cyrus - made a decree during in his first year, he encourage the Jews to return to Israel, the building of the Temple of God and financial assistance were included in his decree. Moreover, One notable that was happened before his birth, Isaiah called his name by hundreds years before (Isaiah 44:8).
Zerubbabel- after the decree was made the first wave of Jews return took place, Zerubbabel - a priest usher the Jews, Ezra records that there are nearly 50,000 in all. It took four months to reach Israel and waited for a year to began to rebuild the Temple, but stopped because of the opposition by Samaritans.
King Darius- descendant of Cyrus. During his reign he found the decree of Cyrus of rebuilding the temple. Haggai and Zechariah rebuked the people for building their houses and urge to continue the building of the Temple.
Ezra- He is an scribe and he lead the return of second wave of Jews took place in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes of Persia. He deals also the buildings of the Temple and spiritual restoration of the people.
NEHEMIAH
4o9 BC - 369 BC - Seventy- three years after the first decree of rebuilding the Temple of God by King Cyrus. Nehemiah the King Artaxerxes ’cup bearer- A position with great honor and entitling him with luxury but he sacrifice all of these to help his brethren in Jerusalem, He prayed, fasted and mourned for days because of the condition of Jerusalem. In his distress, he gain favor before the king Artaxerxes granted him to return to Israel, he was granted with financial and materials helps.
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