Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-06
SCHOOL LESSON
FOR Jan 9th. Kings 12:25-13:6
GOLDEN TExTThou shalt not make unto thee any craven
image" Ex. 204


AS God had warned Solomon, the king
dom was taken away from his son. ex-
cept the small tribe Of judah, which
God left Rehoboam for David.s sake. La
ter on the tribe of Levi also Joined Re-
hoboam became of Jereboam's sin; so
that to this latter were left the ten
northern tribes.
Jereboam was a descendant of Eph-
rain, one Of the sons OF Jospeh, you
viii remember; for this reasonthe north
ern kingdom, or the ten tribes who re-
volted, are frequently spoken as Ephraim;
e. e., ..Ephraim is Joined to his Idols;
let him alone" Jereboam was very
shrewd: he recognized that the tribes
had followed him, not for any love OF
him, but because Of their Indignation at
the way Rehoboam had treated them.
He was ambitious, and determined TO do
all he could to keep them loyal TO nm
and opposed to their rightful ruler Re-
hoboam.
JEREBOAM'S WISDOM.
He set about Immediately fortifying
the country. He rebuilt Shechem, max
ing 1t strong against attack. IL was
wise in him to choose this place for
his capital, for 1t had been intimately
associated with Israe~L early history.
Then he crossed the RI Sr Jordan, and
fortified PenDel. city o tre north bank
of the Jabboh river, about 20 miles from.
where # empties into the Jordan. This
city was on the direct route from AS
syria and Syria to Egypt going through
.Jl1dsh He could command 1t and smut
off from the east or north; for there
we're wars continually during all or he
boboam,s reign between the two kings.
II was wise also for him TO select TINS
place, for it was here Jacob mad wres-
tied with the angel, and naluraliy. -
was one of the. sacred spots to the
people. .n,r,
nm recognizing the great power man 8
religion has over him; however unwise
he was in the method he took to curD
the threatened danger to him. ne well
knew that these people would still go up
to Jerusalem, right in the center OF nus
opponents territory, to worship. Iney
had revolted from the civil power OF
Rehoboam. but they were still loyal 10
49, ter,nIe ana its worship. All the for
tiaAd cities he could build would be m
effective as long as their religious feel
AnpS centered in the city OF his enemy
He therefore set about to find some way
10 wean them away from there. he
tool counsel with his leaders, and fnal-
~ they decided upon plan. Ihey oiu
not take God into their counsel. Jere-
boarn had been promised great Things oy
Cod and he should at least have con-
suited Him as to HIS plan. ne was ~.
urs1iIny To wait Gods time and way, but
enerpetic and ambitious as he was, set
about his own way.
JEROBOAM'S MISTAKE.
ua huIlt high places throughout the
where affairs were erected up
on which sacrifices could be made. He
placed at Dam in the extreme north OF
his territory, and at Bethel, near lts
southern border, two calves OF golo.
which he instructed the people 10 Wor-
shin. II is probable he selected these
symbols because of his residence In
Egypt during the years he was fleeing
from Solomon They may have been.
chosen because of the fact that the
laver in the temple was supported on
images of oxen At any rate 1t is sig
nificant that when he called the people
to worship, he used the same words
that Aaron had used when he made the
golden calf in the wilderness, He was
very shrewd in his choice of Bethel. Tor
here Abraham had built an aitar
here Jacob had had his dram. here
Samuel had judged Israel; 1t was full
Of associations. and it became the pop
ular place. for the record is that the
people came even from Dan to worship
at Bethel.
Jereboam dissembled. He had to give
the people some reason for this change
they would not have given up their pill
grimages to Jerusalem without some
reason. He could not give them his real
reason. so he dissembled. He led them
to believe that 1t was out of considera-
ton for them that he had done this, ~
was more convenient for them to go to-
these places nearer them than to make
long piIgrimages to Jerusalem Like
some office seekers and politicians to-
day. he loved the dear people so much,
while all along he was working to fur
Their his own ends. He would not have
heen able to do this had ii not been
fo- the sin of Solomon IN building high
there Solomon accustomed the people
to idolatry it was not hard for Jere-
bosm to lead them into it.
This sn led to others. He was not
content with worshIpping the calves,
but. as we learn from Chronicles, he in
stituted the worship of devils in many
places OF couse the Leyites we're not
going to serve in this idolatrous wor-
ship. They had taken God as Their por-
ton, and while by no means sinless,
were Sufficiently holy to refuse to par
ticipate in this idolatrous worship of
devils and golden calves. So he drove
them out of the lard, they going to Ju-
dab and serving under Judah's kings
henceforth. To take their places, hej
chose and appointed priests from the
worst of the people. The place had its
emoluments, and he made merchan-
cise of it. Any man who could bring
bullock and seven rams could get an
anpoin tment. whether he had any other
qualifica tons or not.
JEREBOAM'S SIN.
Under the cover of convenience again
he changed the time of the feast from
the 1hth dav Of the 1fh fnnnfh to the 15th