The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1904-07-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON n, THIRD QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY 10.
Text of the Lesson. 4 Kings xii, 20
33-Nemory Verses, 2s-30-Golden
Text, John v. - Commentary
Prepared by Rev. ID. vi. stearns.

Text, , John v, IL - commentary
Prepared by Rev. ID. vi. stearns.
copyright, 1901, by American Press Association.
The Lord, the God of Israel, had just
given To Jeroboam the ten tribes to be
his kingdom, with the assurance that
If he would be obedient and do right
in the sight OF the Lord He would be
with him and build him a sure house
Chapter XII, 29-3S, and especially verse
3S), but at the very beginning Of his
reign, as recorded in tOday's lesson, he
turned his back upon God, as IL there
was no God and his own hand had
got him all this. His record is sum-
med up in the words which are re-
peated more than twelve times i'm the
two books of Kings, "JerOboam, thou
son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin"
Il Kings xiv. 10; XIV, 26, 80, "a; xvi. 10,
26, etc.)
Both Shechem and Penuel, mentioned
I'm the first verse Of our lesson as hav-
ing been built by Jeroboam. had been
laid in ruins in the days Of the judges
(Judg. viii, IL tx, A., 46). At Shechem
the Lord first appeared TO Abram in the
land, and there Abram built his first
altar unto the Lord Gen. xii, g, -.
There lie the bones of Joseph awaiting
the resurrection of the just, and there
the Lord Jesus first announced Himself
as the Messiah Josh. xiv, 81; John iv).
At Penuel the Lord wrestled with ia
cob and broke him down and blessed
him as he clung to Him in conscious
weakness, and changed his name to
Israel (Gen. XXI, 2S, 30, 81.
Jeroboam waited not for the counsel
Of God. He contemned the counsel of
the Most High CPs. cvi, 10; evil, IL
He took counsel, but not of God, for
he desired none of Gods counsel Qsa.
XXX. |; Prov. i, 300. lie devised of his
own heart this great sin Verse 80. He
seemed wholly unconscious of the fact
that God gave him the kingdom and
fancied that he must take care of his
own life and the kingdom, too; so he
said, IF they 20 TO Jerusalem to wor-
ship they will turn back to the king Of
Judah and kill me- Oversees 6, y. The
thought of helping the Lord to manage
His affairs by some help or advice of
ours is very old. Abram and Isaac and
Rebekah and Jacob all tried ii. Simon
Peter also was not wanting in this line
of things, and there are many who
still think that without some of their
common sense and good judgment the
Lord will hardly be able to accomplish
His purposes. Will the Lords people
never learn to obey Prov. iii, ;, &?
Jeroboam must have known the story
of the golden calf in the wilderness
sands who fell because of that sin, yet
he disobediently, deliberately and pre-
sumptuously commits the same sin
and procaims the same lie Verse %;
Elk. xxi, 1, 81. If any one had re-
minded him of Gods judgment upon
Israel and had suggested that his pres
ent conduct was both dangerous and
openly wicked he might have replied, if
he had the wisdom of some professed
defenders of the faith today: "Oh, that
was 800 years ago, and we do not know
whether there was any truth in it or
not. That is an old story and perhaps
only a tradition. Look at those idol
groves and high places on Olivet which
the great Solomon built for his wives,
and where he worshiped also, and yet
he prospered and died peacefully"
Jeroboam had the spirit of Cain, who
preferred his own thoughts and ways
to those of God and feared not to dis
obey. When he said to the people, ut
is too much for you to so up to Jerusa
lem" (verse 2S) he talked like the devil
in the garden of Eden when he sug
gested to Eve that God demanded too
much of her. or when he suggested To
Achan that it was too much self denial
not to take that garment and gold, or
when he suggested to the Lord Jesus
through Simon Peter that ii was too
much for Him to think of suffering and
dying at Jerusalem. The devil is ever
talking on the same lines. He says ii is
too much for you to go twice to church
on Sabbath or to go so far to church
at all; too much to shut yourself up on
Sunday when you have been shut up
in the store or office all the week; too
much to ask you to give back to God
any of your hard earned money when
you need it ALL and more. for yourself
and family.
Think of golden calf at Bethel,
where the Lord had revealed Himself
to Jacob in the vision of the ladder.
Contrast this work of sinful hands
with the God Of Jacob and the ministry
of holy angels. What a desecrator of
holy places and things this man was
who had sold himself to do evil in the
sight of the Lord! QI Kings xvii, 10
1t Is not enough for him to despise
the only true God, the God of Israel,
and the Holy City and the temple, the
only appointed place of sacrifice, but
he also despises Gods chosen priest
hood and sets up one of his own. There
may be man made priests, so called,
even now. who worship golden eagles
and are in Gods sight of the lowest of
the people. Let us rejoice that God
takes the lowest and most sinful and
by the blood of the Lamb makes them
true priests unto Himself and gives
them the assurance that they shall yet