The Elbert County tribune., 1910-12-30
JEROBOAM
MAKES IDOLS
ssaday sehss' Lssss. f~ Js.- .. 1911
Specially Arranged for This Rapsr

LESSON TEXT Kings i2:1-ls:e
Memory versen. $3.50
GOLDEN TExT-"Thou shalt not make
unto thee any craven imaEe."-Ex. 34.
TIME-JeroboRm rcigncd % years from
b. c. ss2. the date of the Disruption
PLAcE-The Disruption took place at
schechem, between Mounts Ebai and
Gerixim. He built up this town and made
II his capital The two religious ccnters
or capitals were % Bethel. Il miles north
west Of Jerusalem. which was ancient
place OF worship. co Dan was In tho
extreme north. also an ancient seat Of
worship. Bethel on the line or travel
was admirably located to intercept pill
Erims to the feasts who would otherwise
have gone on to Jerusalem.
Jeroboam belonged to the tribe Of
Ephraim. He was born Mt Zereda In
the Jordan Valley. His fathers name
was Nebat and his mother was Zeru-
ah. He was one of the common peo-
pie. as distinguished from Rehoboam
OF the royal family and son of one OF
the greatest monarchs the world has
known. He was a man OF great abil-
ity. sclf-made man like so many of
the greatest men In history. So mark
ed as controller of men, of such
business capacity and energy, did he
~
fortress of Jerusalem. that Solomon
placed him at the head OF the forced
labor hands of the northern tribes
Thus Jeroboam became acquainted
with the needs and harsh. unjust
treatment of the people. Just as David
did during his seven years OF exile
during the reign OF Saul. Thus he had
a splendid opportunity for training in
true hngship.
Jeroboam made the mistake of start
ing a rebellion against Solomon. But
Solomon quickly put an end to that
scheme, and Jeroboam escaped into
Egypt, where It is said that he mar
died the daughter of Shishak the king
who afterwards invaded Judah. The
announcement was made In order that
Jeroboam might be prepared for the
time when Gods providence opened
the way. Moses made a similar mis-
take when he began the deliverance
of his people by killing an Egyptian
in defense of one of his countrymen.
He had to wait 40 years before the
time came. But in both cases the mis-
take was overruled for good.
Jeroboam's opportunity lay in tho
condition God laid down, that he must
| obey God. keep his. commandments
and uphold the true religion. II he
would succeed. There was no hope
OF success In any other way, from the
very nature of things. Al. religion
that inspired obedience to God alone
could unite the people. aIone could
keep them from the vices and corrup-
ton which are the sources OF ruin.
Jeropoam in his desire 70 retain his
kingdom adopted a plan which would
destroy its very foundations. and
make 1t house built on the sand and
not on the rock. He was politician.
4. e. one who seeks his own welfare
first; not statesman, who makes his
country's good supreme. He trusted
his own wisdom, and proposed to sue
coed by defying Gods conditions OF
success when he offered him the king
dom. 1t was the story OF Adam and
Eve. repeated. ~.
He feared that he would lose his
kingdom. and the two be- united un-
der Rehoboam. II his people should so
up to Jerusalem to attend. the annual
Jewish feasts prescribed by the law
Of God; that unity of religion would
lead to unity of state. He had also
the excuse that Rehoboam was a bad
man. and cruel oppressor. II the
two Kingdoms should unite under him,
they would lose all they had gained
by the revolt.
He made two calves of gold. They
we're probably of considerable size.
and represented young but full
grown BULL The Hebrews were fa-
miliar with figures of bulls, and the
most conspicuous object in the courts
of Solomon's temple was its molten
sea, supported on the backs of twelve
bulls" The ox-symbol of God was
most natural for an agricultural peo-
pie, for whom the great animal, SO
powerful yet SO docile. was the bread
winner, a material embodiment OF the
divine strength and beneficence. And
he set the one in Bethel. near tho
southern border of the kingdom. And
the other put he in Dan, an ancient
place of heather worship near the
northern extremity of the kingdom.
And this thing became sin. The
doing this was sin, and a means OF
sin. Jeroboam "pandered to the rude
and sensuous instinct which makes
materialism in worship SO much more
attractive, to all weak minds. than
spirituality"
Jeroboam's sin was disobedience.
The necessity OF obedience was plain
ly set before him. In the face of this
condition. he disobeyed. He persuad-
ed himself that he was obeying. He
was tempted as Christ was tempted
when Satan offered to give him all
the kingdoms of the world. II only he
would worship him. Jeroboam was
ensnared and yielded to the glftterfn1