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1 Kings 12:16 - Kingdom is divided until restoration under David's greater son - Day 282

Good morning fellow exiles and sojourners,

Today we are confronted with the division of Israel just one generation after David, the man after God's own heart. Making sense out of moments like this is not easy when we think in human terms.  Reality is that God's plan of salvation includes this rather disastrous turn of events.  It only make sense in light of God acting for his glory and our good.

Blessings,

Jeff

The fragile relationship between Israel and the house of David.  All the tribes followed Saul up to his death in spite of the fact that they all knew that God had rejected him as king.  After Saul's death all but Judah remained loyal to Saul's line until Abner makes a deal.  When Absalom rebels, almost all Israel goes with him.  All this despite the great victories that David had won.  And now because of Solomon's disobedience, God tears the 10 tribes away from his son Rehoboam.

US history kind of did the same thing.  Washington was elected unanimously to both terms.  Has never happened since and never will.  The Federalists and anti-Federalists went to war against each other and the party politics that founders feared has been with us ever since.

This division of the kingdom was God's sovereign will.  He told Jeroboam that he would get 10 tribes before the folly of Rehoboam brought the division about.  All the bad kings that would reign in the Northern Kingdom were also part of God's plan.  Yet the tribes freely chose to desert David's line and each succeeding generation freely chose to remain in rebellion.  Despite the fact that everyone knew the promise to David that his sons would sit on his throne forever.  

I sometimes wonder what choice I would have made in this situation.  When faced with two bad options, what do I do?

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