Solomon, the first heir to this dynasty, was known for his wisdom, documented in his collection of Proverbs. Yet he let his emotional and physical feeling overwhelm his better judgment, as anyone who allowed themselves to be overwhelmed by sex hormones can attest.
“Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination / hybrid demi-god of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination / hybrid demi-god of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice…he kept not that which the LORD commanded.” (I Kings 11:7-12)
But God had covenanted with Solomon’s father to guarantee an everlasting kingdom.
“[this is how] I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever…If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men…And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever.” (II Samuel 7:1-14)
Rehoboam followed Solomon. (I Kings 12)
“And Jeroboam [leader of the tribe of Ephraim] and all the congregation of Israel came [under Ephraim’s leadership], and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous [in taxation and compulsory construction service for all his splendid palaces for his wives]: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee…”
Rehoboam’s answer: “I will add to your yoke.”
The peoples’ answer: “So Israel departed unto their tents [this means war].”
Jacob had split the Melchizedekian blessing between Judah and Joseph.
- The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” (Genesis 49:10)
- And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head…The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name / Isra-el / Prince of God / Melchizedek be named on them, and the name / titles of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth…and his seed [like Abr-ah-am] shall become a multitude of nations…I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren.“” (Genesis 48:14-22)
Note – that’s one portion above Judah as well. And it shows when Jeroboam the Ephrathite is awarded political rule over 10 out of the 12 tribes of Israel.
This certainly didn’t stop these ten tribes from making the Passover pilgrimage to YHVH in Jerusalem. This was reinforced by specific invitations to worship at Jerusalem by a series of messengers from God’s anointed Melchizedeks like Hezekiah and Josiah where the worshippers are called “all Israel”.
“And Abijam his son reigned in his stead…And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam [to keep his people from going to Jerusalem to worship]” (II Chronicles 13)
“and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.”
Asa his son reigned in his stead. (II Chronicles 14)
- And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears…580,000
- [against] Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a 1,000,000 and 300 chariots…
“And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, [drawing his faith-in-action from Jonathan’s] it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude….So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa…Asa…took courage, and…he gathered all Judah and Benjamin…with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him…And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul.”
And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel… (II Chronicles 17)
“And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David…Also…he sent to his princes…to teach in the cities of Judah. And with them he sent Levites…And they had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people…And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store...And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.”
Jehoram his son reigned in his stead… (II Chronicle 21)
“And he walked in the way of…the house of Ahab: for he had [Athaliah] the daughter of Ahab to wife…the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians…And they came up into Judah…and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jeho-ahaz / Jehovah has taken possession of, the youngest of his sons…after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: and he died of sore diseases.”
This sounds exactly like AIDS and is surely associated with the sexually aberrant behaviors intrinsic to paganism. Historical documentation of STIs dates back to at least the Ebers papyrus around 1550 BC.
Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. (II Chronicles 22:21-23)
This king has his own post.
Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign… (II Chronicles 24)
“And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him…[but] after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and…the king hearkened unto them.…the host of Syria came up…and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus…his own servants conspired against him…and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him…not in the sepulchres of the kings.
And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead. (II Chronicles 25)
“he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them. Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah…And Joash the king of Israel…brake down the wall of Jerusalem…And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. And…they made a conspiracy against him…and slew him.”
Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah…and made him king in the room of his father… (II Chronicles 26)
Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem…as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper...And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims. And the Ammonites gave gifts / tribute to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense...And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death…and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.”
Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, (II Chronicles 27)
“and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok / Righteous, as in Melchi -zedek. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD…So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.”
Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign (II Chronicles 28)
Ahaz is simply the Hebrew pronunciation of Canaanite Ahab, and his affiliation with the Canaanites is demonstrated in his practices.
“he burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.”
Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him…And into the hand of the king of Israel… At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings / sons of gods of Assyria to help him.
And this is the first, but not the last time we find the utter corruption of YHVH’s sanctuary. This becomes a repeating pattern in Jerusalem requiring cleansing by fire.
“And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and…Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent…the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon…and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD.
Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, (II Chronicle 29-32, II King 18-19)
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done…in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD…And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and…said unto them…sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers..that his fierce wrath may turn away from us…
Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.”
In the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it…they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah…And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria.. and in the cities of the Medes: Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
Kingdom Come 