How did Israel’s decline begin? At first, King Solomon reigned well. But in his old age, he turned away from God, resulting later in the kingdom’s division (1 Kings 11:9-13). Solomon’s sons ruled over the south, called Judah, while other Israelites ruled over the north, called Israel. Civil war often raged between the two kingdoms. Eventually, God used the Assyrians to defeat and drive into exile idolatrous Israel. Later, He used Babylon to do the same to Judah.
After 70 years of captivity in Babylon, God let His people return to their land. He used godly leaders—priests, prophets and governors—to unite the returned exiles into one nation again. The Bible books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi describe their struggles.
This period in Israel’s history teaches us much about biblical unity. The Assyrians, after defeating and deporting Israelites, replaced them with imported foreigners who intermarried with the remaining Israelites. They developed a mixed religion, based in Samaria, that worshipped Israel’s God along with idols (2 Kings 17:24-41). This mixed race and other hostile nations resented the return of the Jews, and especially their efforts to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Before threatening violence against the Jews, they tried a clever ploy—an offer of assistance.
They approached Zerubbabel [the Jewish governor] and the heads of fathers’ houses and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him” (Ezra 4:2).
What could be better than local cooperation? Unlike other nations, the Samaritans at least acknowledged the true God. But Israel’s godly leaders refused to compromise. They replied, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the LORD, the God of Israel …” (Ezra 4:3 cf. Ezra 9:12-14; Nehemiah 2:20). They would not dilute the unity among Israelites that God required.
Later, Nehemiah led in rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. Local enemies sent him an invitation, “Come and let us meet together” (Nehemiah 6:2). What could be better than discussions and negotiations? But, knowing their hostile beliefs, Nehemiah flatly refused to meet with them. He remained unmoved by their threats (Nehemiah 6). To reject their compromised form of unity proved difficult and dangerous. But true unity was for God’s covenant people who “separated from Israel all those of foreign descent” (Nehemiah 13:3). True unity was firmly based on God’s Word (Ezra 10:3;Nehemiah 8:1-18).