The Power of Division is an Old Trick of Satan
From Emperors to Popes cont.
Verse and Thought of the Day
“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”(1 Peter 3:8)
MAP FROM 44 BC (Source)
A Jewish diaspora had migrated to Rome and to the territories of Roman Europe from the land of Israel, Anatolia, Babylon and Alexandria in response to economic hardship and incessant warfare over the land of Israel between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires from the 4th to the 1st centuries BC. (source).
Yesterday as we saw Pope Francis comparing the Roman Emperors to the Roman Popes, in order to understand this transition - especially as it will affect the spread of Christianity - we need a little backdrop on the development of Rome in order to eventually see how ancient and deep roots are relevant to church in America today.
Briefly About Rome
“Rome went from being one of many city-states in the Italian Peninsula to being the center of the most powerful empire in the world between the fifth century BC and the first century AD.”(source)
The Roman Republic began in 509 BC when some noblemen overthrew the last king of Rome. They created a new political system by replacing the king with two consuls. These were elected men from the “elite class” who had many of the same powers as the king, but only served one year terms. The two counsels could veto each other if they didn’t agree. The idea was to keep just one person from having absolute power (source).
While Israel’s Northern Kingdom and Judah’s Southern Kingdom began to crumble (Bible study below), the power of Rome as a city state began to rise. It was busily growing into a united republic (509 BC to 27 BC).
The Republic of Rome began to grow through conquest and expansion, making all of the conquered people citizens of Rome. This was a political move designed to try and unite all the various people groups in the lands that Rome conquered.
This new political method was the concept that America’s founders adopted when they created a separation of political powers. This was one move that lead to the success of the growing Roman Republic. Everyone was united under the banner of Rome. Today we too are united as citizens of the United States.
“And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.”(Mark 3:25).
The rise of the Empire
The political aspirations of Rome eventually turned again to absolute power, however, this time by Emperors who would rise to supreme authority, with governors and others overseeing the various lands, including Jerusalem, on behalf of the Emperor.
“It is I [God] who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me.”(Jeremiah 27:5).
This lead to the eventual establishment of the vast Roman Empire that emerged in 27 BC, not long before Jesus came on the scene. The Roman Empire covered thousands of miles of the then known world.
“To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”(Romans 1:7).
In the New Testament, when Paul said he had to travel to Rome, it would be a very long journey. Rome, Italy was about 1,400 miles from Jerusalem. Sailing to Rome was often treacherous, but much shorter than traveling over land. God wanted the apostles to reach all the known Gentile nations with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
“Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”(Acts 19:21)
The Roman Empire was one of the largest empires in history,
It went from “Hadrian's Wall” in England to the Euphrates River in Syria, and from the Rhine-Danube river system (Bavaria, Germany), to the Nile Valley in Egypt. It eventually encompassed territories throughout all of Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East.
Roman emperors began ruling under Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). The last republican dictator, Julius Caesar, was also Augustus’ adoptive father. So in a sense, a “son” usurped the empire.
To be continued…
Bible Study
After the kingdom split
The northern ten tribes now established the Kingdom of Israel, and the southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin, with Levi serving in the Temple, formed the Kingdom of Judah with Jerusalem as its capital. The Kingdom of Israel’s capital was Shechem, and then later established in Samaria.
The Northern Kingdom
Jeroboam, the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, set up idols in Bethel and Dan, to keep Israel from going to the Temple in Jerusalem, now ruled by Judah of the Southern Kingdom. Jeroboam was afraid that if the people went to Jerusalem to worship, they would abandon his rule and rejoin with Judah.
“So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, ‘You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’ And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites.”(1 Kings 12:28-31).
Over the years, the Northern Kingdom experienced many internal struggles among the people. They also faced threats from surrounding nations, especially from the Assyrian Empire that was bent on conquest and expansion.
During these years, prophets like Elijah and Elisha played significant roles challenging the Israelite kings and declaring the need to return to worshiping Yahweh, God Most High.
The Southern Kingdom
The Kingdom of Judah in Jerusalem had benefited from the past efforts of David and Solomon. King David’s line that God promised would continue forever, raised up kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, who became known for their religious reforms and efforts to centralize all worship in the Temple.
However, Judah, like the Northern Kingdom, faced apostasy from the people and threats from the Assyrians, followed later by the Babylonians. The fate of the two kingdoms diverged dramatically in the late 700s BC.
“Lack of political leadership and the continued process of losing one province after another to Assyria completely demoralized the population. Under the circumstances, there seemed no hope for the Northern Kingdom to survive.” (source).
The Northern Kingdom Israel was taken by the Assyrian King Tiglath-Pileser III and later Shalmaneser V. The culmination of these campaigns was the siege of Samaria by Sargon II around 722 BC, leading to the exile of most of the population, and to the end of the rule of the Northern Kingdom.
The Southern Kingdom survives
The Kingdom of Judah, managed to survive the Assyrian onslaught, but eventually faced threats from Babylon as well. Babylon’s invasion would fulfill a prophecy by the prophet Jeremiah (650 BC - 570 BC).
“I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a lair of jackals, and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”(Jeremiah 9:11).
Despite periods of alliances, political tensions reached a breaking point in the early 500s BC. Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Babylon sacked Jerusalem, resulting in the city's fall in 586 BC, the destruction of the Temple, and the beginning of the Babylonian Exile for the Southern Kingdom.
The fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE to Nebuchadnezzar II marked a profound shift in the history of the Israelites. When the city was destroyed, most of the population of the Southern Kingdom went to Babylon. This caused nation’s life to change dramatically.
To be continued…
Verses to Explore
“Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.”(Matthew 12:25).
“For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three”.(Luke 12:52).
Today’s Prayer
Father, it is so clear to me how important it is that we strive for unity. As I witness the grumblings taking place in our country, I am keenly aware that our enemies don’t care about any particular group or cause, they just want the United States to become the divided states. As a nation Father, I ask for your forgiveness. I repent of the sins of our people. I pray we humble our hearts today and stop listening to those who want to divide us. But Father, I especially for your church. We are to be one as you commanded. It starts with our marriages, our families, our houses of worship, and then our society. But we are divided today by Satan’s trickery. I pray that your Holy Spirit will fall on all who call on your name, and urge them to have a heart of unity. But this unity must be in truth; not a false unity of tolerance and compromise. We have one job on this earth, and that is to represent your kingdom. I pray that as your people, unlike Israel of old, that we all ban together and stand under your banner in love and truth. Together all your children will eventually rule in your kingdom. I pray that we gain wisdom and insight on how to be the best representatives that we can in this fractured world. I pray that all we do will bring glory and honor to your name. Amen.❤️
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