WITH THE DEATH OF SOLOMON AND THE ACCESSION TO THE THRONE OF HIS SON REHOBOAM, THROUGH FOOLISHNESS AND ARROGANCE, THE NATION IS DIVIDED INTO TWO KINGDOMS: THE NORTHERN 10 TRIBES AND THE SOUTHERN 2 TRIBES. THERE ALSO BECOMES THE KINGS OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH, REIGNING CONJOINTLY AND THE HISTORY OF THE TWO HOUSES IS SOMEWHAT INTERWOVEN AND OVERLAP IN VARIOUS PERIODS. THERE WERE 20 KINGS OF THE HOUSE OF JUDAH AND 19 KINGS OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. THE DYNASTY OF THE KINGS OF JUDAH (ON THE THRONE OF DAVID) IS ONE, WHILE THE DYNASTIES OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL CHANGE FROM TIME TO TIME, NONE BEING OF THE LINE OF DAVID. IN HOSEA 8, THE PROPHET SAYS IT SUCCINCTLY, “THEY (THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL) HAVE SET UP KINGS, BUT NOT BY ME …
SO THE NATION IS NOW DIVIDED IN TWO, AND YAHUAH SENT DIFFERENT PROPHETS WHO MINISTERED HIS WORD TO THEM. MOST KINGS HAD A YAHUAH-SENT PROPHET TO SPEAK TO THEM. IT SEEMS THAT REHOBOAM AND JUDAH WALKED IN THE STEPS OF DAVID OVER THE FIRST 3 YEARS, BUT THEN THEY FELL INTO IDOLATRY AND PROVOKED YAHUAH WITH HIGH PLACES AND PILLARS OF JEALOUSY. AND OF COUSE WE SAW HOW JEROBOAM TURNED AGAINST YAHUAH AND SET UP GOLDEN CALF IDOLS IN THE VERY TEMPLES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO HONOUR YAHUAH’S NAME.
THIS IS THE STATE OF THE TWO HOUSES AT THIS POINT - IDOLATRY AND DISAGREEMENT AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR … (AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED) !!