THE FIRST CRACK
Which king’s harsh response to the people’s request triggered the split of the kingdom?
A: Rehoboam
Who became the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel?
A: Jeroboam
Which king is described as the most wicked ruler Israel ever had?
A: King Ahab
Which prophet confronted Ahab by declaring a multi-year drought?
A: Elijah
Which prophet described Israel’s unfaithfulness as an adulterous marriage?
A: Hosea
What specific request did the northern tribes bring to Rehoboam before the split?
A: To lighten the heavy tax and labor burden imposed by Solomon
What fear motivated Jeroboam to change Israel’s worship system?
A: Fear that people would return to Jerusalem and shift loyalty back to Rehoboam
What foreign influence did Queen Jezebel introduce into Israel?
A: Worship of Baal
Why was the drought a direct challenge to Baal?
A: Baal was believed to be the god of rain and fertility
Which prophet confronted King Jeroboam II during a time of prosperity?
A: Amos
Who did Rehoboam reject for counsel, and whose advice did he choose instead?
A: He rejected the experienced elders and followed his young, arrogant peers
Where were the two new worship centers established?
A: Bethel in the south and Dan in the north
How did Ahab and Jezebel treat those who remained faithful to Yahuah?
A: They persecuted and hunted them
Where did Elijah confront the prophets of Baal in a public showdown?
A: Mount Carmel
What was Amos’s central accusation against Israel’s religious life?
A: Their worship was empty because they oppressed the poor
How many tribes broke away from Rehoboam, and what did they form?
A: Ten tribes broke away and formed the northern kingdom called Israel
What objects were placed at these worship centers, and why was this forbidden?
A: Golden calves, which violated Yahuah’s commands against idolatry
What made Baal worship especially offensive in Israel’s context?
A: It replaced Yahuah as the official state religion
What dramatic action did Elijah take to remove doubt during the contest?
A: He drenched the altar with water before praying
How long did Israel persist in this pattern before destruction came?
A: Over 200 years, spanning more than 10 generations
Identify the full political domino effect that began with Rehoboam’s decision.
A: Harsh leadership → rejection of wise counsel → tribal revolt → national division → two rival kingdoms
Why is Jeroboam’s decision described as the seed of Israel’s long-term collapse?
A: It institutionalized idolatry, turning a political fear into a permanent spiritual compromise that shaped generations
Explain why Baal worship represented more than just a religious change.
A: It symbolized political power overriding covenant loyalty and fully corrupted national identity
Despite overwhelming evidence on Mount Carmel, why did Israel not change course?
A: Their hearts remained unchanged; spiritual rebellion had become systemic, not circumstantial
Describe the final chain of events that ended the northern kingdom.
A: Rebellion against Assyria → three-year siege of Samaria → conquest → mass deportation → loss of national identity