(Re)-Building Programs 101

Scripture Deut. 7:1-6

C.I.: Learning from the Past

Today we begin a new series of lessons. – On my first day of “preacher school” they gave us a test…(“Divided kingdom”???)!
In order for us to understand the purpose of the O.T. books – we need to understand their historical context (today's lesson).

I. “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” George Santayana

•  From Moses to the Post-Exilic Period…

•  The Exodus to the Promised Land

a. God wanted to bring His people into the Promised Land – but they lacked the faith to enter into it.
1) It only took a few days to get Israel out of Egypt – but it took 40 years to get Egypt out of Isr.
2) This was a 40 year period during with Moses wrote the “Books of the Law” (Torah = Law),
( Deut. 31:24-26 ) , “When Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book that Moses commanded
the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, ‘Take this book of the law and place
it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God that it may remain there.'”

2. The Period of Conquest (of the Promised Land)
a. Joshua led God's people for 40 years. – It was during this time they conquered the Promised Land.
1) ( Josh. 23:14 ), “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts
and in your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke to you has
failed; all have been fulfilled for you.”
2) The book of Joshua was written during this time.

3. The Period of the Judges
a. After Joshua died the people sinned with the people of the land. So God raised up deliverers (Judges).
1) ( Jgs. 2:10-11 ), “…there arose another generation after them that did not know the Lord, nor yet the
work He had done for Israel. – Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord & served the Baals
2) The “Sin Cycle” in Judges: People sin – Foreigners enslave – People Repent – Judge is raised.

b. The last of the Judges and the first of the prophets was a man named Samuel.
1) It was during his days the people sinned and asked for a king.
2) ( I Sam. 8:5-7 ), “‘Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.' – But this thing was
displeasing in the sight of Samuel … and Samuel prayed to the Lord. – And the Lord said to Samuel,
‘Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but
they have rejected Me from being king over them.'”
3) The books of Judges and Ruth were written about the events that occurred during this time.

4. The United Kingdom
a. Saul was the 1 st king (served 40 years) – David was 2 nd (40 yrs.) – followed by Solomon (40 yrs).
1) Each of these kings had their good points and each had their difficulties (name them).
2) After 120 years the people of God had gone from a collection of tribes to a super power!
3) During the entire Old Testament history of God's people – this period is the high-water mark.
4) ( I Kgs. 11:4-5 ), “It came about when Solomon was old that his wives turned his heart away after other
gods … for Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Milcom the detestable god of
the Ammonites.”

b. The books that were written about and during this period include the historical narratives of
I, II Samuel, I Kings, I Chronicles, and Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon.


5. The Divided Kingdom
a. Solomon's son, Rehoboam, was unwise. He promised to hugely tax the people.
1) The people rebelled and divided into two kingdoms; Israel (north) and Judah (south).
2) Israel's king, Jeroboam, saw the people returning to Jerusalem to worship. – So he created
“convenient (though false) worship” to retain the people.
3) ( I Kgs. 12:26-29 ), “Then Jeroboam said in his heart, ‘Now the kingdom will return to the house of
David. – If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of their Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of
this people will return to Rehoboam king of Judah; - and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king
of Judah.' – So the king made two golden calves, and said to the people, ‘It is too much for you to go up
to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.' – And he set one
in Bethel and the other he put in Dan.” – IDOLATRY!!!

b. The kingdom of Israel continued to sin by worshipping the gods Jeroboam had set up.
1) God raised up the Assyrians & defeated Israel. – They were deported out of Israel at that time.
2) ( II Kgs. 17:18 ), “The Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; none was
left except the tribe of Judah.”
3) Books of Hosea, Amos, Obadiah and Jonah were written.

6. From the Deportation of Israel to the End of the Babylonian Captivity
a. Sadly, Judah did not learn from Israel's experience – and they also turned to idolatry.
1) ( Jer. 3:6-8 ), “ The Lord said to me, ‘Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on
every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there. – And I thought, “After
she has done these things, she will return to Me”; but she did not return, and her treacherous
sister Judah saw it, - And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her
away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she
went and was a harlot also.'”
2) For the next 120 years God tried to turn Israel back from her idolatry – but to no avail.

b. Ultimately, God had to discipline Judah, ( II Chron. 36:16-17 ), “Therefore He brought against them the
king of the Chaldeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no
compassion on the young man or virgin, old man or infirm; He gave them all into his hand.”
1) 2 Kings & 2 Chronicles, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk & Zephaniah.

7. The Babylonian Captivity
a. The people of Judah who survived were deported to the kingdom of Babylon.
1) Yet God remembered His people and sent to them His prophets, (Ezekiel and Daniel).
2) The books of Ezekiel, Daniel and Esther were written about this time.

8. The Post-Exilic Period
a. God's people came out of their exile just as God had promised (an unheard of feat!).
b. Yet God made a promise (years before his birth) that a king named Cyrus would release them!
1) ( Isa. 44:28 ), “It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd.! – And he will perform all My desire.' –
And he declares of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built.' – And of the temple, ‘our foundation will be laid.'”
2) ( Ezra 1:1 ), “In the 1 st year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord….”
3) But because of the ruin and destruction which had taken place – Jerusalem had to be rebuilt.
4) During this period the prophets Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi prophesied.

Lessons to Learn:
1. God blessed His people when they obeyed – but disciplined them when they disobeyed Him, ( Heb. 3:18-19 ), “And to
whom did He swear they should not enter His rest, but to those who were….”

2. God's prophets/preachers have the responsibility to call God's people back to the word of God, ( II Kgs. 17:13; II Tim.
4:2 ), “The Lord warned Israel and Judah, through all His prophets, saying, ‘Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments
… which I sent you through My servants the prophets.'” – “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove….”.

3. When the people returned they were blessed. This is still true today; ( Acts 3:19; 2:38 ). NEXT WEEK…!