1 Kings 12:19
So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.
So to this day
This phrase indicates the ongoing nature of the division between the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. The split occurred after the reign of Solomon, around 930 BC, and persisted throughout the biblical narrative. The phrase "to this day" suggests that the division was still recognized at the time of the writing of 1 Kings, which is traditionally attributed to the period of the Babylonian exile. This enduring division highlights the long-lasting consequences of disobedience and poor leadership decisions.

Israel has been in rebellion
The term "rebellion" refers to the northern tribes' rejection of Rehoboam, Solomon's son, as their king. This rebellion was sparked by Rehoboam's harsh response to the people's request for lighter burdens, leading to Jeroboam's rise as the leader of the northern tribes. Theologically, this rebellion can be seen as a fulfillment of God's judgment on Solomon's idolatry and disobedience, as prophesied by Ahijah the Shilonite (1 Kings 11:29-39). The rebellion also signifies a spiritual departure from the Davidic covenant, which promised a united kingdom under David's lineage.

against the house of David
The "house of David" refers to the dynastic line established by God through David, with promises of an everlasting kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12-16). The division of the kingdom represents a significant breach in the unity of the Israelite nation, which was meant to be a single entity under Davidic rule. This division foreshadows the eventual coming of Jesus Christ, the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic covenant, who would unite all believers under His eternal kingship (Luke 1:32-33). The rebellion against the house of David also serves as a reminder of the human tendency to reject God's chosen leadership, a theme that recurs throughout biblical history.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Israel
Refers to the ten northern tribes that broke away from the united kingdom of Israel after the reign of Solomon. This division marked a significant turning point in the history of the Israelites.

2. House of David
Represents the lineage of King David, which continued to rule over the southern kingdom of Judah. The division of the kingdom was a fulfillment of God's judgment due to Solomon's idolatry.

3. Rehoboam
Solomon's son and successor, whose harsh policies and refusal to listen to wise counsel led to the division of the kingdom.

4. Jeroboam
The first king of the northern kingdom of Israel, who led the ten tribes in rebellion against Rehoboam's rule.

5. Shechem
The place where Rehoboam went to be crowned king over all Israel, and where the rebellion against his rule was solidified.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Disobedience
The division of the kingdom was a direct result of Solomon's disobedience to God's commands. This serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness and obedience to God's Word.

The Importance of Wise Counsel
Rehoboam's failure to heed the advice of the elders led to disastrous consequences. This highlights the value of seeking and listening to wise, godly counsel in decision-making.

Unity in the Body of Christ
Just as the division weakened Israel, division within the church can hinder its mission. Believers are called to strive for unity and peace within the body of Christ.

God's Sovereignty in Human Affairs
Despite human failures and rebellion, God's sovereign plan continues to unfold. The division of the kingdom was part of God's larger redemptive plan, ultimately leading to the coming of Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. What were the key factors that led to the division of the kingdom of Israel, and how can we apply these lessons to prevent division in our own communities?

2. How does the rebellion against the house of David illustrate the consequences of turning away from God's commands, and what are some modern examples of this principle?

3. In what ways can we seek and apply wise counsel in our lives, and how does this align with biblical teachings on wisdom?

4. How can the church today work towards unity, and what practical steps can we take to overcome divisions within the body of Christ?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's sovereignty in a situation that seemed chaotic or rebellious. How did this experience strengthen your faith and understanding of God's plan?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 11:11-13
God's prophecy to Solomon about the division of the kingdom due to his idolatry, which sets the stage for the events in 1 Kings 12.

2 Chronicles 10
A parallel account of the division of the kingdom, providing additional details and insights into the events and decisions that led to the rebellion.

Matthew 12:25
Jesus speaks about a kingdom divided against itself, which can be related to the division of Israel and the consequences of internal strife.
The Accomplishment of the Predicted JudgmentJ. Urquhart 1 Kings 12:1-20
Revolt of the Ten TribesM. R. Vincent, D. D.1 Kings 12:2-20
Revolt of the Ten TribesMonday Club Sermons1 Kings 12:2-20
The Kingdom DividedB. P. Raymond.1 Kings 12:2-20
The Kingdom DividedJ. B. G. Pidge, D. D.1 Kings 12:2-20
Tribal Causes of SchismA. Maclaren, D. D.1 Kings 12:2-20
The RevolutionJ.A. Macdonald 1 Kings 12:16-20
People
Adoniram, Adoram, Ahijah, Benjamin, Dan, David, Israelites, Jeroboam, Jesse, Levi, Levites, Nebat, Penuel, Rehoboam, Shemaiah, Solomon
Places
Bethel, Dan, Egypt, Jerusalem, Penuel, Shechem
Topics
David, Family, Rebelled, Rebellion, Transgresseth
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Kings 12:19

     6224   rebellion, against authority

1 Kings 12:1-19

     7236   Israel, united kingdom

1 Kings 12:1-24

     5366   king
     7245   Judah, kingdom of

1 Kings 12:16-19

     7240   Jerusalem, history

Library
How to Split a Kingdom
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. 2. And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt); 3. That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 4. Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Political Religion
'Then Jeroboam built Shechera in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. 26. And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: 27. If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. 28. Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

"This Thing is from Me"
"Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me."--1 Kings 12:24. IT IS VERY DELIGHTFUL to read a history in which God is made prominent. How sadly deficient we are of such histories of our own English nation! Yet surely there is no story that is more full of God than the record of the doings of our British race. Cowper, in one of his poems, shows the parallel between us and the house of Israel,
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS. The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud, Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supremacy; Abimelech, Jephihdh. The Philistines,
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6

How God Works in the Hearts of Men.
1. Connection of this chapter with the preceding. Augustine's similitude of a good and bad rider. Question answered in respect to the devil. 2. Question answered in respect to God and man. Example from the history of Job. The works of God distinguished from the works of Satan and wicked men. 1. By the design or end of acting. How Satan acts in the reprobate. 2. How God acts in them. 3. Old Objection, that the agency of God in such cases is referable to prescience or permission, not actual operation.
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Use to be Made of the Doctrine of Providence.
Sections. 1. Summary of the doctrine of Divine Providence. 1. It embraces the future and the past. 2. It works by means, without means, and against means. 3. Mankind, and particularly the Church, the object of special care. 4. The mode of administration usually secret, but always just. This last point more fully considered. 2. The profane denial that the world is governed by the secret counsel of God, refuted by passages of Scripture. Salutary counsel. 3. This doctrine, as to the secret counsel of
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Upbringing of Jewish Children
The tenderness of the bond which united Jewish parents to their children appears even in the multiplicity and pictorialness of the expressions by which the various stages of child-life are designated in the Hebrew. Besides such general words as "ben" and "bath"--"son" and "daughter"--we find no fewer than nine different terms, each depicting a fresh stage of life. The first of these simply designates the babe as the newly--"born"--the "jeled," or, in the feminine, "jaldah"--as in Exodus 2:3, 6, 8.
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Instrumentality of the Wicked Employed by God, While He Continues Free from Every Taint.
1. The carnal mind the source of the objections which are raised against the Providence of God. A primary objection, making a distinction between the permission and the will of God, refuted. Angels and men, good and bad, do nought but what has been decreed by God. This proved by examples. 2. All hidden movements directed to their end by the unseen but righteous instigation of God. Examples, with answers to objections. 3. These objections originate in a spirit of pride and blasphemy. Objection, that
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Of Civil Government.
OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT. This chapter consists of two principal heads,--I. General discourse on the necessity, dignity, and use of Civil Government, in opposition to the frantic proceedings of the Anabaptists, sec. 1-3. II. A special exposition of the three leading parts of which Civil Government consists, sec. 4-32. The first part treats of the function of Magistrates, whose authority and calling is proved, sec. 4-7. Next, the three Forms of civil government are added, sec. 8. Thirdly, Consideration
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House Officers, Taxation, Publicans
It was the very busiest road in Palestine, on which the publican Levi Matthew sat at the receipt of "custom," when our Lord called him to the fellowship of the Gospel, and he then made that great feast to which he invited his fellow-publicans, that they also might see and hear Him in Whom he had found life and peace (Luke 5:29). For, it was the only truly international road of all those which passed through Palestine; indeed, it formed one of the great highways of the world's commerce. At the time
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Figurative Language of Scripture.
1. When the psalmist says: "The Lord God is a sun and shield" (Psa. 84:11), he means that God is to all his creatures the source of life and blessedness, and their almighty protector; but this meaning he conveys under the figure of a sun and a shield. When, again, the apostle James says that Moses is read in the synagogues every Sabbath-day (Acts 15:21), he signifies the writings of Moses under the figure of his name. In these examples the figure lies in particular words. But it may be embodied
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.),
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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