1 Kings 16:21

Jeroboam's son Nadab reigned only two years. One of his captains — Baasha — then murdered him, during the war with the Philistines at the siege of Gibbethon. Baasha occupied his bloodstained throne twenty-four years... Baasha's son Elah succeeded his father, but an officer named Zimri murdered him two years later. This man hoped to establish himself in Tirzah — the capital of the ten-tribe kingdom. But another captain — Omri — wanted the throne. Within a week he captured Tirzah. Zimri died in the flames of the royal palace, which he himself set on fire when he saw that his cause was hopeless. But even this did not settle the country. Yet another man reaching for the throne appeared — Tibni the son of Ginath... We are speaking, not of pagan nations, but of God's chosen people. He had done great things for them from Egypt onward, and He had made His holy will known to them. Israel had the Scriptures; no other nation was so privileged... A downward course is always slippery. Let us all beware of the first small step away from the revealed will of God.

Another feature marks the decline of the kingdom. Israel is divided against itself: how shall it stand?

Only a few years before — probably within living memory — the twelve tribes of Israel were one people. God's goodness had set them high among the nations, and all the kings around paid homage to their king. The country was wealthy and peaceful... Now — they were divided into two nations hostile to each other. Two ruthless military leaders were fighting for control in the Northern State.

The people, camped before Gibbethon on the day of Zimri's grab for power, choose Omri, the captain of the army, for their king. These facts always repeat themselves in the decline of empires. When a people is without God, His will is counted as nothing. What He established at the beginning is set aside. The one who has might reigns. Since might lies in the army, the empire is at the mercy of the military power. Conspiracy on one side, a soldiers' revolution on the other.

Civil war — the most terrible of all forms of armed conflict — followed Omri's taking of the throne of Israel... "All Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp," it says — that is, the army camped against Gibbethon. But part of the tribes took up Tibni's cause. During the four-year contest Omri would be in the position of a military dictator. With the soldiers behind him, he was almost sure to win in the end against his rival. His rival's death probably ended the conflict.

Confusion marked the whole history of Israel from Jeroboam on. Kings fell from power, and evil men fought over the throne. Tibni, the son of Ginath, challenged Omri, and both of them had large followings (v. 21). Omri's side prevailed, however, and Tibni died... Of course this was in opposition to God's decree that Jerusalem was the centre of the nation Israel. Judah recognised this, but the ten tribes had given themselves up to accept any substitute.

In the history of Israel the people failed. In their low condition they insisted on a king, and then the kings led them astray. So in the history of the Church. In 1 Corinthians 3 and 4, the Apostle Paul traces all division back to the low, fleshly condition of the people. That condition led them to line up under certain leaders. Paul also foresees that after his death leaders would arise who would bring about open division.