T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
1241
JANUARY l , 1922 THE REVOLT OF JEROBOAM
Golden Text: “Thou sh alt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any like ness of any th ing th a t is in heaven above, or th a t is in the earth beneath, or th a t is in th e w ater under th e earth : thou sh alt not bow down thyself unto them , nor serve them .” Ex. 20:4, 5. , LESSON TEXT •to T1 (Read 1 K ings 11:28-43; 13:7-14:20; 2 Chron. 12 and 13; Isa. 44:9-20.)
(12) So Je ro b o a m a n d a ll th e p e o p le cam e to R e h o b o am th e th ir d d ay, a s th e k in g h a d a p p o in te d , sa y in g . Com e to m e a g a in th e th ird day. (13) A nd th e k in g a n s w e re d th e p eo p le ro u g h ly , an d fo rso o k th e 'old m e n ’s co u n se l .th a t th e y g a v e h im ; (14) A nd sp a k e to th e m a f te r th e co u n sel o f. th e y o u n g m en, sa y in g , My f a th e r m ad e y o u r y o k e h eav y , an d I w ill a d d to y o u r yoke,: m y f a th e r a ls o c h a s tis e d y o u w ith w h ip s, b u t I w ill c h a s tis e y o u w ith sc o rp io n s. (15) W h e re fo re th e k in g h e a rk e n e d n o t u n to th e p eo p le; fo r th e c a u se w a s fro m th e LORD , th a t ne m ig h t p e rfo rm h is sa y in g , w h ich th e LORD s p a k e by A h ija h th e S h llo m te u n to Je ro b o a m th e so n of N eb at. (16) So w h en a ll I s r a e l sa w th a t th e k in g h e a rk e n e d n o t u n to th em , th e p eo p le a n s w e re d th e k in g , sa y in g , W h a t p o rtio n h a v e w e in D av id ? n e ith e r h a v e w e in h e rita n c e in th e so n of Je ss e : to y o u r te n ts , O ’ I s r a e l: n ow se e to J h in e ow n Outline: (1) The Severing of th e Kingdom, vs. vs. 12-17. * ' (2) The Shaken F aith of Jeroboam , vs. 25-27. (3 ) The Sacrilegious Sin, vs. 28-31. (4) The Shameful F east, vs. 32,33. (1) The Severing of th e Kingdom, vs. 12-17. Solomon was a wise man and had a g reat leader. He had a thousand wives and one son, who was a , fool. We have in this passage a lesson on th e failu re of k i n g s . LESSON “Whom t h e g o d s EXPOSITION would destroy, they T. O. H orton first make mad” is a trite saying and exem plified in th e a ttitu d e of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, who m ight have been king over all Israel had he been wise enough to listen to the request of the people.
h o u se, D avid. u n to th e ir te n ts . (17) B u t a s fo r th e c h ild re n of Is r a e l w h ich d w e lt in th e c itie s o f Ju d a h , R eh o b o am re ig n e d o v er th em . (26) A nd J e r o b o am sa id in h is h e a rt, N ow sh a ll th e k in g d o m r e tu r n to th e h o u se of D av id : (27) I f th is p e o p le g o u p to do s a c rific e in th e h o u se o f th e LORD a t Je ru s a le m , th e n s h a ll th e h e a r t o f th is p eo p le tu r n a g a in u n to th e ir lo rd , ev en u n to R e h o b o am k in g o f Ju d a h , a n d th e y sh a ll k ill m e, a n d g o a g a in to R e h o b o am k in g of Ju d a h . (28) W h e re u p o n th e k in g to o k co u n sel, a n d m ad e tw o c a lv e s of g o ld , a n d sa id u n to th em , I t is to o m u ch fo r y o u to g o u p to J e r u sa lem : b eh o ld th y g o d s, O Isra e l, w h ic h b ro u g h t th e e up o u t o f th e la n d of E g y p t. (29) A nd h e s e t th e o n e in B e th e l, a n d th e o th e r p u t he in D an. (30)A nd th is th in g b e cam e a sin . fo r th e p eo p le w e n t to worship b e fo re th e one, even Unto D an. “Rehoboam” means “ freer of the peo ple,” b u t he belied his name and be came a divider of the people and of th e kingdom ; and his actions laid th e foundation for the disruption of Israel as a united people, and for its political and religious downfall as a nation. “Be hold, how g reat a m atter a little fire kind leth .” The character of th e king is made clear in his proud boast of wisdom g reater th an th a t of his fath er, and of the possession of an iron fist w ith which he would ru le them . (v. 11) Solomon had laid th e foundation for a revolt in th e closing years of his life The streng th of a nation lies in its unity. Rich and poor m ust have one ideal. Capital and labor must see eye to eye. Church ru lers must give heed to th e voice of the people whom they represent. So I s r a e l d e p a rte d
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