The Division of the kingdom

1Kings 2:1-4 David’s Charge to Solomon

1Kings 9:1-5 God’s terms for Solomon’s greatness - God’s Promise of Greatness

1Kings 9:6-9 The end of rejecting God’s terms. - God’s Promise of Judgment

1Kings 10:14-29 Solomon’s Greatness - God’s Promise of Greatness Fulfilled

1Kings 11:1-8 God forsaken
Strange wives brought strange gods.
Strange means much more than just foreign -  strange, in a variety of degrees and applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous, different, wonderful):--alien, foreigner, outlandish, strange(-r, woman)  - something strange, i.e. unexpected calamity:--strange
The wives of Solomon were not just foreigners (non-Jews) but were outlandish and brought calamity to the house of David. Their religions were also outlandish and violent often involving human sacrifice.
Solomon followed these gods and forsook the God of His Fathers.

1Kings 11:9-13 God’s rebuke of Solomon’s way - God’s promise of Judgment restated
God was going to rend most of the nation away from the hand of Solomon’s son.
For David’s sake left it intact until Solomon died.

1Kings 12:12-15 Solomon’s legacy Rehoboam
He reject council of the elders.
Promised great oppression of Israel

1Kings 12:16-19 God’s Promise of Judgment Fulfilled
Rehoboam’ oppression cause people to rebel
Israel rejects the Rehoboam as King and selects Jeroboam as their King rending most of the nation from house of David.

1Kings 12:20-21 Tribe of Judah remained true to the House of David Joined by the tribe of Benjamin
Levi portion when the  Joshua divides the land was service as the priestly tribe. They would have been in Jerusalem serving in the temple and would also have been part of the southern kingdom of Judah.

They remain with Rehoboam as their king
God would not allow them to fight the other tribes
Kept Jerusalem as their place of worship.

1Kings 12:21-33 The Northern 10 tribes follow King Jeroboam into worship in a false temple
Jeroboam afraid of what could happen if his subjects went to Jerusalem to worship in the temple
Builds a false alter in Bethel and Dan (divide and keep control) See Note#1
This strengthen the division of Israel.
What really finalized the division was over true worship and false worship -
God’s way in His city - chosen by Judah (southern kingdom)
Man’s way their own cities - chosen by Israel (northern kingdom)

True worship and false worship is what really divides the world today
It is what divides churches

Under David & Solomon the nation of Israel became the greatest nation this world has ever seen. Solomon recognized this and named his son - Rehoboam - (a people has enlarged)

When Israel rejected the house of David they chose a king Jeroboam - (the people will contend)

Being true to God will bring enlargement - rejecting God’s is contention and leads to judgment.

Note #1
The 10 tribes of the northern kingdom left their LORD when they rebelled and took for themselves a king not form the royal line of David and set up two alters for sacrifice not in Jerusalem where the temple was. This was open rejection of God's command. But is was also a rejection of something else. There was  something else in the temple that was nowhere else on earth - The Mercy Seat - Where the Glory Of The LORD dwelled among the people. Israel decided they did not need the presence of The LORD, the presence of His mercy. Their sacrificing was not what covered their sin it was God's mercy. God did not remove his mercy from them, they removed themselves away from His mercy. 

Questions? Twelve Tribes of Israel? - The rending brought upon Israel after Solomon.
How many sons did Jacob (Israel) have?
How many tribes came out of Egypt?
How many tribes received possessions (land) in the Promised land?
Where is the tribes of Dan and Ephraim in Revelation 7:4-8