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(3 ) He was a g reat organizer, bu t his plans were not original; they were Satanic. (4) His pretense of pity for the people was an appeal to th e weakness of th e ir natu re. (5) Jeroboam went Aaron one b et ter;;—he made two calves of gold; bu: he had to d rink th e dregs of sin ju st the same. (6) He fixed up a feast which had no favor w ith God, and left th e h earts of th e people famished. (7) He altered God’s a lta r; he pro faned the priesthood; he sacrificed the most sacred in terests of God’s people to his selfish desire. (8) Jeroboam ’s name is a synonym for sin. v. 1. Rehoboam. The word means “ enlarger of the people.” He was th e only son of Solomon mentioned in the Bible (I Chron. 3 :1 0 ). In Ecc.l. 2:18, 19; 4:13-16, th e re seems to be a h in t th a t his fath er COMMENTS FROM was fearfu l a- MANY SOURCES bout his reign in K eith L. Brooks his. stead. In II Chron. 10:13, we find the history of Rehoboam more fully. During th e first th ree years he was outw ardly faithful, b u t afte r th a t he drifted, like his fath er, into idola try and its moral evils (I K ings 14:23, 24; II Chron. 11:13, 17). He forsook th e law of the Lord and the people followed him (II Chron. 1 2 :1 ). The polygamous tendencies of his fath e r and g rand fath er were also indulged by him. (II Chron. 1 1 :2 1 ).— gel. v. 3. Jeroboam spake u n to Reho boam. Note th a t he did not p ro test against the dishonor to God, or ask for a cleaner adm inistration. He only asked for an easier tim e for themselves. —Haldeman. v. 5. D epart th re e days. Is it necessary to delay or to ask anybody’s advice about a plain duty?— S. & W. v. 6. The old men. Old men do no t usually line up on the side of evil. Jer. 6 :1 6 ).— Johnson. v. 7. Be a servant. The tru e road to greatness (see Mk. 10:42-45; Phil. 2: 7-11).— Davis. Serve them . Here
we have the principle underlying the sarcifice of Calvary (Rev. 5 :9 ). Be cause Jesus girded H imself and washed our sins in His own blood, He ascended to the throne. He teaches us th a t if we would be g reat we m ust become the servants of all.— Brooks. v. 8. Consulted w ith young men. Taking th e counsel of unspiritual men always spells blunder. If we make God the source of our counsel, we will avoid all folly.— Sum.’ Bible. Grown up w ith him . Agreeable companions are not necessarily safe advisers.— Eliot. v. 10. Young men said. It is of great consequence to young people th a t are setting out in th e world, whom they as sociate w ith, accommodate themselves to and depend upon for advice. If they reckon those th a t feed th e ir pride, g rati fy th e ir vanity and fu rth e r them ' in th e ir pleasure, th e ir best friends, they are already m arked for ruin.— Henry. L ittle linger shall be thicker. The Re vised Version makes the sentence not a th re a t bu t the foundation of th e fol lowing th re a t in an arro g an t and empty assertion of g reater power th a n Solo mon ( “My little finger is th icker.” ) The fool always th ink s him self wiser, th an the wise dead. The living dog fancies th a t his yelp is louder th an the ro ar of th e dead lion. W hat can be done w ith a Rehoboam who brags th a t he is b etter th a n Solomon?— Maclaren. v. 11. Chastise w ith scorpiohs. Scor pions were rods or lashes used in scourging.—-Dummelow. v. 13. Answered roughly. The king’s haughty and violent answer to a people already filled w ith a sp irit of discontent and exasperation, indicated so g reat an incapacity to appreciate the gravity of th e crisis, so u tte r a w ant of good sense, as to create a belief th a t he was struck w ith judicial blindness. It was received w ith m ingled scorn and derision.— J. P. &. B. Rough answers are sure to bring divisions. The way to catch a horse is w ith oats, not a whip, — S. &W. Learn to speak civilly or not' a t all. Curses are like boomerangs. They come back on the man th a t throws them .—Meyer. v. 15. Cause was from th e Lord. Note th a t th ere was an overwhelming cause why Rehoboam hearkened to th e young men, for God intended to inflict punishment. Solomon had oppressed th e people but the people had become p artak ers of his sins. They too loved
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