.><>...Jack, ISRAEL and JUDAH continued...><>
To return to David's reign we saw that he reigned for 7 yrs. over the House of Judah only and then for 33 yrs. over all Israel and Judah... 2 Sam.5:4-5
During his reign while Israel kept the laws of God, prosperity was the result. Of that time it is recorded in;
IKing 4:25
25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
A perfect social order existed. So wonderful and glorious the Kingdom, that Kings and Queens came from all parts of the earth to see the glories of the Kingdom. But,alas, Solomon, to whom David passed the throne, fell into sin causing the people of the 13 tribes to sin also, and because of their sin, God caused the kingdom to be divided into two kingdoms....1 Kings 11:29-36
The 10 tribes under the leadership of Ephraim formed the Northern Kingdom of Israel with Samaria as it's capital and Jeroboam as it's King.
The other two tribes and Benjamin, with most of the tribe of Levi, formed as the southern Kingdom of Judah, with their capital located at Jerusalem, and Rehoboam as it's King,...1 Kings 12:16-20
Although Judah had received a large part of the tribe of Levi, she was still referred to as the "two-tribed" Kingdom. The tribe of Levi, having received no inheritance with Israel,( Deut.18:12) was portioned among all the tribes for priestly duties.
The titles "House of Israel" and the "House of Judah" are used to designate the two kingdoms, as they stand separated and in opposition to each other.
The Birthright tribes, Ephraim and Manesseh, went with the ten-tribed kingdom....and Judah, to whom pertains the Throne or "Sceptre" through God's covenant with David, formed the other Kingdom.....The Sceptre and the Birthright were separated then and there.... Each became a separate entity. All the seed od Abraham,Isaac, and Jacob gathered around either one or the other.
The King of Judah asembled his army to use force to unite the Kingdoms, but God would not allow it, saying He had divided the Kingdoms (1 Kings 12:21-24)...Thus each was free and independent of the other to fulfill it's God appointed destiny; One to fulfill the first covenant which the Lord made with their father Abraham, that of having multitudinous seed, spreading abroad and becoming many nations having Kings over them;...The other to fulfill the second covenant of bringing forth the Messiah.
And remember, Paul could say he was a Jew as the tribe of Benjamin which he was from joined up with Judah to form one Kingdom, the southern Kingdom.... Also Jew is used to describe anyone from the land of Judea, the tribe of Benjamin arose directly from the area of Jerusalem, whereby he could Geographically be known as a Jew.
For further documentation on this see #2453 Gr. Strongs
Consider the following, for purpose of God's plan as it related to the two Kingdoms....One Israel and the other Judah
John 1:11
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
He was the of the tribe of Judah!
Now compare:
Matt 15:24
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
There is yet more, will get back to you later.
Have a wonderful God Blessed weekend
Shalom...><>
BTW..You have a great smile...and thanks for your kind words, you too are a gentle man.
|
