He committed the same sins as his father before him, and he was not faithful to the LORD his God, as his ancestor David had been. But for David’s sake, the LORD his God allowed his descendants to continue ruling, shining like a lamp, and he gave Abijam a son to rule after him in Jerusalem.

1 Kings 15:3-4

But even after this, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil ways. He continued to choose priests from the common people. He appointed anyone who wanted to become a priest for the pagan shrines. This became a great sin and resulted in the utter destruction of Jeroboam’s dynasty from the face of the earth.
1 Kings 13:33-34

• Leadership Matters: The kings shaped the spiritual direction of the nation. Good leadership led to God's blessing; bad leadership led to judgment.
  
  
• Compromise Leads to Idolatry: Israel’s first king set up golden calves to make religion more convenient. This compromise led the whole nation into sin.
  
  
• Faithfulness Is Rewarded: Though Judah had evil kings, those who were faithful (like Asa) brought blessing and peace.
  
  
• God Sends Warnings Before Judgment: God repeatedly sent prophets to call both nations back to Him.
  
  
• Division Weakens God’s People: The split between Israel and Judah weakened the once-unified kingdom.
  
  
• External Success ≠ Spiritual Health: Both nations sometimes appeared politically or economically successful, but their spiritual state was what mattered to God.

Start marking throughout 1 and 2 Kings as you read. Pick one color for Israel, and another color for Judah. This will help you keep the nations separate, and it will show you how God is keeping His promises to the throne of David. 

Define success not by outward gain, but by inward faithfulness to God.