Solomon’s disobedience in the latter part of his reign plunged the nation back into apostasy. In view of this they made themselves worthy of receiving the Second Course of Punishment. Though the First Course was resumed near the end of Solomon’s reign, for David’s sake God said He would not bring the Second Course upon them at that time. The “pride of their power” would be broken by the division of the kingdom following Solomon’s death.
I Kings 12-22 records Israel’s history during the increased judgments of the Second Course of Punishment. Breaking the pride of their power was not the only judgment. God also judged their weather and environment, as stipulated in Leviticus 26:18-20. This began to occur in the days of King Ahab. Elijah was used to manifest the chastisements of the Second Course. This he did by causing it not to rain for three and one half years. Other of Elijah’s miracles and works were also significant in view of the Second Course of Punishment.
Breaking the pride of Israel’s power was the most significant judgment of the Second Course. In view of the fact that the Five Courses of Punishment would be cumulative, the division of the kingdom, along with the division of Israel’s brotherhood, would be a factor in their history until the end of the Fifth Course. It would also mean that the chastisements of the remaining courses of punishment would not necessarily be experienced by the two kingdoms at the exact same time.
With few exceptions, the kings of both Judah (Southern kingdom) and Israel (Northern kingdom) responded negatively to the chastisements of the Second Course. As I Kings closes it is evident that they would not be reformed. They, therefore, merited the further judgments of the Third Course, which II Kings begins to describe.
