The Monarchy~ The Journey Takes a New Direction ~

CHAPTER SIX

- Samuel warned Israel about the eventual, long-term consequences of having a king:

Introduction

1.) The sons would run before his chariot

2.) The people would have to be his soldiers

3.) They would be required to do his farming and plowing

4.) Make his military and farming equipment

7.) Servants and work animals would be taken for the king

Introduction

5.) Daughters would be ointment-makers and cooks

6.) Best produce would feed his officials, and profits given his servants

- Positive aspects of David’s monarchy

• Israel became a nation with a strong central leadership

• Holy city was built in Jerusalem

• Dynasty formed with ancestral line leading to birth of a messiah

Introduction

Introduction

- Negative aspects of David’s monarchy

• Abused his power and had Bathsheba’s husband killed after they had an affair

• Compromised his faith in God for the sake of political alliances

• Historical books complain that Kings encouraged polytheistic worship

• Allowed an economic system to develop that rewarded rich and punished poor

- Pagan and polytheistic practices still occur

• Ruins of Ugarit

- Kings criticized for excessive spending

- Jezebel - Canaanite princess

- Pagan worship: stability and an explanation for why things were the way they were

Religious Developments

• David

• Saul

• Solomon

• Josiah

• Baal

• Ugarit

• Jezebel

Vocabulary

Saul and the Philistines:

- First king of Israel

- Deeply troubled leader who failed to establish a centralized government

- During his rule Israel was not an organized entity

- A warrior, but with limited success against the Philistines

- Saul’s unfaithfulness to Yahweh and rise of one of his assistants lead to David’s anointing

The “United” Monarchy

Two versions of how David comes to power:

1.) He becomes Saul’s “armbearer”

2.) He comes to Saul after killing Goliath

The “United” Monarchy

- David’s path to the throne contained a great deal of blood:

• Eliminated rivals to the throne from Saul’s family

• Engaged in military conquests against Philistines

The “United” MonarchySolomon: son of David

- Great builder

• Built a temple and palace in Jerusalem

- Settled a dispute between two women claiming an infant

- Asked God for an understanding heart

- Downfall: many political marriages, (creating polytheistic religious practices among Israelites)

- Forced his own people into labor

- When Solomon died, Israel divided into two kingdoms:

Divided Monarchy

1.) Judah

2.) Israel

Divided Monarchy

Judah

- Southern kingdom after the split

- Kings considered themselves the legitimate rulers because their ancestors could be traced to David

Divided Monarchy

Israel

- Made up of ten of the original 12 tribes

- Founded by Jeroboam

Divided Monarchy

- Jeroboam feared reunification of Judah and Israel that could arise through continued worship in a single Temple in Jerusalem

- He brought gold calves and built temples in the northern cities of Dan and Bethel

- The rise of the Neo-Assyrian Empire difficult for all regimes in the Palestine area

- The empire used brute force to dominate

- By 722 B.C. the Assyrian Empire conquered all of the northern kingdom

Divided Monarchy

Divided Monarchy- Rivalry between Judah and Israel could be

described as a conflict between types of Yahweh worship:

1.) Belief that Yahweh alone should be worshipped

2.) Bible was identified as a form of paganism

Divided Monarchy

1.) Belief that Yahweh alone should be worshipped:

• More radical orientation on Law of Moses

• Social balance very maintained

• Justice was practiced

• Land distributed fairly to all

Divided Monarchy

2.) Bible was identified as a form of paganism:

• Closely identified with ancient polytheism

• Might be called an Establishment Religion

- When the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, they practiced a military strategy of deportation:

• Removed upper class and elite and exiled them in order to crush any revolts

• Exiles often called the “Ten Lost Tribes of Israel”

The Last Days

- Final days of Judah largely determined by the rivalry between Egyptian and Babylonian Empires

- Zedekiah was persuaded to attempt a revolt with Egypt against Babylonian power

- The results were catastrophic and ended in the fall of Judah

The Last Days

The Last Days

- Hebrew fate was largely determined by the ambitions of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian powers

- There is also fault in the Chosen People for choosing kings for themselves other than Yahweh and for breaking the covenant and worshipping false gods.

• Ark of the Covenant

• Showbread

• Judah

• Neo-Assyrian Empire

• Establishment Religion

Vocabulary