September 14, 2025 - Sunday School 

​Sunday, September 14, 2025

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Summary Notes

The United and Divided Kingdom

Key Takeaways

  • The division of Israel into northern and southern kingdoms was ultimately from God, highlighting the critical need to trust His sovereign plan even when circumstances are fearful.
  • Disobedience to God's law, as warned by prophets from Moses onward, directly led to the downfall and captivity of both kingdoms—first by Assyria, then by Babylon for a prophesied 70 years.
  • God remained faithful to His promises, using prophets like Jeremiah to foretell the restoration and Gentile rulers like Cyrus to enable the Jews' return to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem.
  • The experience of exile was transformative for the Jewish people, leading to the establishment of synagogues as centers for worship and the formal study of the Law away from the temple.

Core Principle

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope... When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you... and I will restore your fortunes.'" (Based on Jeremiah 29:11-14)

A Kingdom Divided by Disobedience

Following the reign of Solomon, his son Rehoboam's harshness led to the division of the kingdom. The Northern Kingdom, Israel (also called Samaria or Ephraim), was led by Jeroboam, who immediately established idolatry to prevent the people from returning to Jerusalem to worship. All of its subsequent kings were evil in God's sight, leading to its eventual conquest by the Assyrian Empire.

The Southern Kingdom, Judah, remained under the line of David. While many of its kings were also unfaithful, there were periods of revival under good kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, who led the people back to God. Despite these reforms, the nation's persistent sin ultimately led to its downfall.

The 70-Year Exile in Babylon

As prophesied, God used the Babylonian Empire to discipline Judah. The conquest occurred in waves, with three major deportations. The first deportation included key figures like the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel. After years of rebellion, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed, and the majority of the remaining people were carried into a 70-year exile in Babylon, just as the prophet Jeremiah had foretold.

God's Prophetic Warnings and Promises

God did not allow these events to happen without warning. From the time of Moses, who laid out the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience in books like Deuteronomy and Leviticus, God consistently sent prophets. Men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and Hosea warned both kingdoms of the coming judgment but also spoke of God's ultimate promise of restoration for a remnant who would seek Him.

Return and Restoration

True to His word, after 70 years, God stirred the heart of King Cyrus of Persia to allow the Jews to return to their homeland. The return happened in three main stages:

  • Led by Zerubbabel: This first group returned to rebuild the temple, facing opposition but encouraged by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
  • Led by Ezra: A priest and scribe, Ezra led a second return focused on teaching the Law of God and restoring spiritual purity among the people.
  • Led by Nehemiah: As cupbearer to the Persian king, Nehemiah was given permission to lead a third group to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, a task completed in a remarkable 52 days despite intense opposition.

The Promised Land Under Gentile Rule

Even after their return, the Jewish people did not regain full national sovereignty. The Promised Land remained under the control of a succession of dominant world powers. After the Persians came the Greeks under Alexander the Great, whose empire was later divided among his generals (creating the Ptolemaic and Seleucid periods). This was followed by a brief period of independence under the Maccabees before the Roman Empire took control, setting the stage for the world into which Jesus Christ was born.

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Fix the Timeline — The United & Divided Kingdom

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Timeline Events
    Study notes & sources
    These events follow your Sept 14 class on the United & Divided Kingdom: good kings like Hezekiah and Josiah in Judah; the Assyrian exile of the northern kingdom; the 70-year Babylonian captivity of Judah; Cyrus permitting return; three returns under Zerubbabel (temple), Ezra (Law/reform), and Nehemiah (walls/public reading). [oai_citation:3‡KOTB_-_Sep_14_-_The_United_and_Divided_Kingdom-.pdf](file-service://file-ESoVr9ntZJS1kKY9dcgHMN) [oai_citation:4‡KOTB_-_Sep_14_-_The_United_and_Divided_Kingdom.pdf](file-service://file-4sGjLByvaNTJBV1K6b7gbh) [oai_citation:5‡kotb-sep-14-israel-and-judah-history-overview-quiz.pdf](file-service://file-9tsDkN81V6GHaKH3HSSm7X)

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