The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-08-12
LESSON FOR AUGUST IS
JeeosoAm LEADS ISRAEL INTO
SIN.
LESION rrxr-I King. i2.S-u.

ness OF anything that ~ IN hesNeh $500
or that IL In the earth bsneath' OF 'ns'
a. en-. water under the earth; thou shalt
no, bow down myself down unto them'
nor serve them. En- @t' ia
Whether Jeroboam melted 1sraeIs
rebellion or was summoned home oe-
cause OF his being known as an OPP
ponent to Israel. we cannot say. ne
must have remembered Ahi)ahs
prophecy (ii:2s.40) and he had anoth-
er prophet on his side, shemaiah
ua:22.2p, though Ahijah Afterwards
deserted him ut:1.is). In Egypt.
Jeroboam had learned OF the worship
OF the bull Apis and upon setting up
his kingdom, saw at once the need OF
centering the religious life OF the peo-
pie elsewhere than In Jerusalem
4. "calves Of Gold" w. $3.50. Given
these ten tribes by God Oi:3l) the
people had chosen Jeroboam without
seeming consultation with God, ana
the result was tragic future Tor the
Hebrews. David's monarchy lasted
scarcely two generations. Rehoboams
second attempt at coercion u2:2l'2p
In rebuked and he settles down In
Judea but fortifies many cities I'll
Chron. II:5-i2: Kings 1924; l&;lD'
Jeroboam likewise built cities. She
chem and Penuel, but the result OF the
schism was a weakened people ana
Israel was the first to be carried INTO
captivity and to extinction as ma
ton. Defensed cities are not adequate
safety for a nation Ol:3s: 2 Chron.
! 20: 20. Zech. Ia, 81. Witness Liege
and Antwerp. As o matter OF politicai
prudence Jeroboam's scheme OF re-
moving the center OF worship from Je-
rusalem succeeded admirably. The
center OF gravity Of man and OF ma
ton In that place where he centers
his worship. The temple had no I'M
age, and his setting up OF his images
OF bulls was a backward step. though
! doubtless Il was regarded as best Tor
the nation. Jeroboam's fatal error
was In DETECTING the people from the
invisible Jehovah to the visible crea-
tons OF their own hands. Mankind al
ways prefers to trust to their own de-
vices and TO plan their own deliver
ance rather than TO trust In God. The
evidence OF our trust in God Is to obey
him. Note Jeroboam took counsel. not
as did Rehoboam. OF the aged or the
Young but I'm his heart" We are not
20 lean TO our own understanding but
upon the Holy Spirit John 1919.
Man IL slow OF heart" and that one
nj all familiar with Hebrew history
should repeat the mistake Aaron made
IL scarcely to be understood lex. 32:+-
81. The errors and 'isms" OF today
are but a repetition OF the false teach
ings OF former days dressed In q new
garb. labeled with a new name; such
In the deceitfuiness OF the human
heart (Jer. 1870. Jeroboam's excuse
was plausible enough ". 2s) and ap
pealed TO the everpresent weakness OF
the human heart to seek some easier
way OF serving God. But mans way al
ways becomes the hardest way. Zero
boam today would be classed as
liberal" and held up as a broad
minded man"
%. PRIESTS Of the Lowest" w. 3l-33
Jeroboam's real concern was not that
OF the people but the permanency OF
his kingdom. Jeroboam was not intro
ducing a new God but a new way OF
worship. One step always leads to
another, and to fully establish this
new way, and at the same time en-
tireiy to control the situation. he SO
lected from among all the people
: priests who were to carry on Jeho
yah's worship. God had selected the
sons OF Levi and specially ordained
them for this service Mum 3:l0)
When the devil introduces a new re
ligion. or any false idea OF Christ. oil
the Bible, he always appeals to sa
cred memories, OF else claims a mod
ern expression OF the truth" Jero
: boam not only chose those who would
be beholden TO himself, but he also
, selected positions In his kingdom, al
either end, each OF which was easily
accessible. Thus to build and thus tc
select others than the sons Of Aaror
as priests was expressly forbidden
But such is the natural perversity ant
stubbornness OF the human heart tina
II readily follows its leaders into al
sorts OF apostasy and error from
SD. Jeroboam also changed ". 32I
the feast ordained OF God on the 18Th
5 day OF the seventh month (Lev
$3.50. 3D to one occurring In thu
: eighth month. No possible appeal o.
local interests warranted any suct
substitution; to obey is better than Il
modify Matt. 1876; Mark 7:10.
~. The Main Teaching. Jeroboam'
chief purpose was not the glory o.
. God. but this new religion was for per
!, sonal safety and glorifcation. Hi
cunningly devised program became
the agent OF his own and the nation'I
}. destruction u3;S4; i4:7-ll; 2 King
q 1929. 3D. and his opprobious title hal
become Which made Israel TO sin.
Graft and trickery succeed for a time
but only those who obey God In al
= things build on a solid and lastinl
8 foundation. Nothing in this worl'
y is worth doing wrong for" Boys d.