THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL, AS ONE!

     God's people on earth was made up of the twelve tribes of Jacob and called  Israel.  When the tribes asked God for a King is when the nation officially became
a Kingdom.  But God warned them that it would come with its challenges,
                                                

                    THE GREAT DIVIDE

          In about the 10th century  BCE something took place that dramatically affected the people of Israel and still effects' them today.  It was the Great Divide.  This divide split the people into two kingdoms the northern part of the kingdom was called Israel.  The southern part of the kingdom was called Judah. 
          I Kings 12:16-19 tells us "And when all Israel saw that the King did not listen to them, the people answered the King, "What portion do we have in David?  We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse."  "To your tents, O, Israel! Look now to your own house, David."  Israel has been rebelling against the house of David to this day.  It was the Great Divide. 
          In that day, there was a great dispute in Israel.  The dispute was over who was to become King.  "Rehoboam", Solomon's son was to become king.  He was the rightful heir to the throne and reigned after Solomon's death.  Jeroboam, was a servant who rebelled against Solomon.
          Ten of the tribes of Israel made Jeroboam King and the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin along with the Levites remained with Rehoboam.  The split was prophesied by the Lord in I Kings 11:11-13, 29-39, because of Solomon's sin.  
          The northern 10 tribes kept the name Israel.  The once unified tribes of Jacob were now two nations.  They were two houses or you could say two brothers, that became enemies.  
          This nation was the people of God, but their pride and hunger for power took over.  In the rest of the Old Testament these two nations fought with one another.  They both became strong and independent nations.  Two distinct lineages in bible  history.  Each had their own King and their own prophets.
          The sad story of this split is that both nations, Israel and Judah fell into captivity, two different times.  God sent the Babylonians to capture the House of Judah.  He sent the Assyrians to conquer the House of Israel.
          The Babylonian captivity of Judah lasted a period of 70 years.  Israel never fully came out of the Assyrian captivity.  The Samaritans were considered half-breeds from the House of Israel.  Many tribes were considered lost.
          At first they were known as the "diaspora", which is a common name for the Jewish people who live away from their land.  Eventually, the northern tribes became the "lost sheep of the House of Israel."
          We know from scripture the kingdom lineage of the Messiah came through the House of Judah.  This divide happened centuries before Jesus was born on the earth, it was very relevant to History.  On more than one occasion Jesus brings up the tension between the two kingdoms.  Even though the nation of Israel's hearts were far from him.  This lays out the Northern Kingdom of Israel to be the younger son in the parable of the Prodigal Son.
          The prophet Jeremiah tells us that neither Israel or Judah were perfect.  Both had evil in their hearts.  It is Israel who first went out and sowed their wild oats., chose other gods and foreigners.  This doesn't sound like the younger brother who committed many sins in a foreign land. In Jeremiah's parable Jesus called those who surrounded Him to not be angry and stubborn of heart. 
          Next time when you read the parable of the Prodigal Son, try looking at it in a different light.  Consider the two brothers and their relationship.  Maybe Jesus was preparing the hearts of the Jewish people to receive their brothers who had went astray back into the fold with gladness.
          The northern 10 tribes of Israel were scattered and lost for a long time.  Jesus' death on the cross made a way for the "lost sheep of the House of Israel" to be brought back.  It happened several times, once when Jesus interacted with the Samaritan woman and the parable of the "Good Samaritan".  But perhaps the most overlooked reference and teaching was the parable of "The Prodigal Son."
          In this parable it is a story of an unbelieving family member who left his family and went into a foreign country.  Later he comes back home and to a relationship with his father and family.  Could there be a deeper message or meaning to this story?  Maybe the Messiah wanted to bring to attention the "two brotherly" nations. There were two brothers, the younger son asked for his inheritance and departs from his father and family.  The elder son remains, but doesn't walk in perfect harmony with their father.  Anger and bitterness settle within the elder brother.
          Possibly we could call the two kingdoms Israel and Judah as two prodigal brothers.  Judah the southern kingdom is like the first born, who never intended to abandon their father.  The kingdom of Judah carries the lineage of King David and Solomon.  Biblical history shows Judah remained closer to the LORD and into a relationship with the Father, even though their hearts were far from him.  This lays out the northern kingdom of Israel to be the younger son.  
          The northern tribes of Israel were scattered and lost for a long time.  Jesus' death on the cross made a way for the lost sheep of the house of Israel to be brought back into a relationship with the Father. 
          God wants to reunite His chosen people, Israel.  Christ's death clothed them once again in righteousness and gives them authority.  Just like in the parable, the father gives his younger son returning home, the best robe and the signet ring of his father.  God's desire is for Israel, the northern kingdom, to return to his house-hold, and for the older son, to receive the younger son, with open arms. 


I wrote this from an article I found online at FIRM "Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries".  I did not write it word for word.  I hope you enjoy reading this article as much as I enjoyed reading the original.

I am Connie Johnston James, my husband Rick and I attend the COG7 in Claremore, Oklahoma.  My grandpa Elder Ross Johnston was the pastor of the Claremore church from 1952 to 1973.  My great grandpa was Elder John H. Hinds and was the pastor of the Inola, Oklahoma COG for 18 years.