than in the bringing forth of them. 2. His Ability. Contracted to forti- f y Jerusalem he was " o n to his j o b ." He was ( ' industrious, better, ' ' a man who did things," I Kings 11:28. Sol- omon set him " o v er the whole house of J o s e p h" (11:28), the tribe of Eph- raim, chief of the ten. This gave him great influence. 3. His Treason. " L i f t ed his hand against the k i n g ," 11:26. That he "does things" is no sign that a man is trustworthy. Ability, like heredity, does not guarantee stability. An able man is valuable or dangerous as he is good or bad. , Character as well as capacity should count in promotion. When the king backslid in piety he lapsed, too, in wisdom. A clear con- science is a sensitive test of character. Solomon should have seen the dynamite in this "mighty man" and not have placed the bomb that split the king- dom where it could do so much damage. 4. His Conceit. Young men who can "do things" can hardly stand being pushed on. They get the " b i g h e a d ." Instead of grateful ?ea) for their ben- efactors they grow discontent, disloyal. Deeming themselves ill-paid, they be- come slack, or dishonest, or branch out for something better, and usually come to grie*. If the boss gives you a boost, young man who does things, do better, stand by, be loyal. You'll get your desserts. Don't force things. The due time will prove the best time. Jeroboam concluded that he could king it better than Solomon, and Pro- ceeded to pervert the tribes over which his royal benefactor had set him. 5. His Incentive. " I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to t h é e ," 11: 29-39. The favors of heaven impel a man forward in good or ill as he is right or evil minded. David's anoint- ing to displace Saul brought out all the good and great that was in him. Loy- ally, magnanimously, he bided God's time. But Jeroboam took matters into his own hands, he went ahead of God, and fell into the snare of thé devil. " H e lifted up his hand against the k i n g ," r H:26. The dull glow of trea- son in hie breast was fanned into flame by that" breath of heavenly promise
that should Imve cooled his ambition with divine patience. God meant it for good, he changed it for evil. Not many are able to endure the favors of Providence. XI. JEROBOAM THE KING. 1. His Policy. (a) Political. He " b u i lt Shechem." That is, he fortified it to be a safe, he beautified it to be a fit, seat of his government. He " b u i lt P e n u e l ." He constructed a stronghold at a strategic point at the fords east of the ojrdan. Thus does the man who can do things with worldly wisdom. But he forgets that " e x c e pt the Lord builds the house . . . . except the Lord keep the c i t y ," Psa. 127:1. Jacob at Penuel "prevailed with the a n g e l ," there he was crowned a Prinee with God, having power with men, Gen. 32: 24-32. It is the man of prayer who can do things. Jeroboam built even at Pen- uel in vain, (b) Religious. Jerobo- am's religion, like his politics, was a matter of policy, part of his politics. A principle common with men who "do things." David "inquired of the L o r d ," but Jeroboam "said in his heart," 12:26: "Now shall the king- dom return to the house of David." Could not God who gave it keep it? But he could not feel that God had given, what by conspiracy he had tak- en; he could not feel that God would keep, since he had done things wrong- fully. There is a sweetness in receiv- ing, and an assurance in possessing, that men who take things out of God's hand into their own never have. "If this people go up to sacrifice at Jeru- salem, then shall the heart of this peo- ple turn a?ain to their Lord, even to Rehoboam," v. 27. Note the guilty conscience between the lines. His crown was already a thorny one, for he knew that he was an usurper and a robber. Ah! that he had let the Lord do things. He altered the worship: (1) Its Principle; " H e made two calves of g o l d ;" God had forbidden graven images. (2) Its Place; to Bethel and Dan; God had forbidden any save Jerusalem. (3) Its Periods; he put the Passover in the eighth month; God had exclusively fixed the seventh. (4) The Priesthood; God had specified the fam- ily of Aaron; he " ma de the lowest
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