1. God’s one big plan: Divided Kingdom
St James, Taunton
6th November 2016

2. Do you know Rehoboam from Jeroboam?
Son of Solomon
Tribe of Judah
King of united Israel
Consulted with elders
Rejected advice
Caused the split of Israel
King of Judah
Jeroboam
Son of Nebat
An Ephraimite
Official of Solomon
Rebel (1 Kings 11:26)
Spokesman of 10 tribes
King of Israel

3. Do you know the 12 tribes of Israel?
Sons of Jacob
Reuben
Simeon
Levi
Judah
Dan
Naphtali
Gad
Asher
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
Manasseh
Ephraim
Benjamin

4. Sons of Jacob
Reuben
Simeon
Levi
Judah
Dan
Naphtali
Gad
Asher
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
Manasseh
Ephraim
Benjamin

5. History Jacob Slaves in Egypt Exodus Joshua King Saul 1st Temple
1800
1700
1600
1400
1500
1750
1450
1650
1550
1300
1200
1000
1100
1350
1050
1250
1150
900
950
800
850
700
750
Jacob
Slaves in Egypt
Exodus
Joshua
King Saul
1st Temple
King Solomon
King David
931
King Jeroboam of Israel
King Rehoboam of Judah
721
Israel destroyed
Moses
12 tribes lived in Egypt
12 tribes maintained identity for c.1000 years

6. North/South split 931 BC ISRAEL JUDAH Reuben Simeon Levi Judah Dan
Naphtali
Gad
Asher
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
Manasseh
Ephraim
Benjamin
Samaria
ISRAEL
Jerusalem
JUDAH

7. Israel struggled to remain independent
Assyria invaded in 721BC – people exiled
Exiled because of sin
worshiped other gods
followed practices of other nations
secretly did things against the Lord
set up sacred stones
as stiff-necked as their fathers
did not trust in their Lord
followed worthless idols
became worthless
practiced divination and sorcery

8. Israel struggled to remain loyal to God
For Israel, exile was more than geographic
“The Lord removed them from his presence”
‘The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers:
“Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.”
2 Kings 17:13
Amos
Micah
Zephaniah
Hosea
Isaiah

9. Do you have a sense of national or regional identity?

10. Are you loyal to a leader?

11. What about Christian sympathies?

12. How important is group identity?
How important is personal identity?
Reith Lectures this year are about
"Mistaken Identities"
Themes of :
Creed
Country
Colour
Culture
Which is most important to you?
Does it make you distinctive?

13. Pros and cons of identity
loyalty maintains standards
loyalty can become blind
patriotism vs nationalism
true devotion vs ‘pick and mix’
tradition vs insincerity
rituals vs spiritual sacrifice

14. Hosea 6:6
‘acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings’
Micah 6:6-8
‘walk humbly with God’
1 Peter 2: 9-12
‘you are ... a holy nation, ... aliens and strangers in the world, ... live such good lives among the pagans ... [that they] ... glorify God’