Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-08-13
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDNSQIOM
LESSON
(By E. o. SELLERS. Acting Director 81
Sunday School Course, The Moody Bible
Institute of Chicago.)
LESSON FOR AUGUST IS
JERoBoAM LEADS ISRAEL iNTe
SIN.
,rssoN rExr.I Kines 12.25-ss


into thee craven image, nor any like
less of anything that is in heaven above
,r that is in the earth beneath, or that IS
n the water under the earth: thou shalt
Tot bow down thyself down unto them
Tor serve them Elk. 20:4. 5a-
Whether Jeroboam melted IsraeFs
rebellion or was summoned home be-
cause of his being known as an op-
ponent to Israel, we cannot say. He
must have remembered Ahfjahs
(11:29-40) and he had anoth-
er prophet on his side, Shemaiah
though Ahijah afterwards
deserted him (14:1-18). 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.
|. "caIves of Gold" w. $3.50. Given
these ten tribes by God 11:3D the
people had chosen JerobOam without
seeming consultation with God, and
the result was tragic future for the
Hebrews. David's monarchy lasted
scarcely two generations. Rehoboam's
second attempt at coercion (12:2l24l
is rebuked and he settles down in
Judea but fortifies many cities tli
Chron. 11:5-12; Kings 1924; 14:17t
Jeroboam likewise built cities. She
chem and Penuel. but the result of the
schism was weakened people and
Israel was the first to be carried into
captivity and to extinction as ma
ton. Defensed cities are not adequate
safety for nation (11:9S; 2 Chron
20:20; Zech. IA, 81. Witness LieEe
and Antwerp. AS matter of political
prudence Jeroboam's scheme of re-
moving the center of worship from Je-
rusalem succeeded admirably. The
center of gravity of a man and OF ma
ton is that place where he centers
his worship The temple had no i'm
age, and his setting up of his images
of bulls was backward step, though
doubtless it was regarded as best for
the nation. Jeroboam's fatal error
was in DETECTING the people from the
invisible Jehovah to the visible crea-
tions of their own hands. Mankind al
ways prefers to trust to the.r ownsde-
vices and to plan their own deiiyer-
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 ''in his heart" We are not
to lean to our own understanding but
upon the Holy Spirit (John 16. 13}-
Man is sslow of heart and that one
at, all familiar with Hebrew history
should repeat the mistake Aaron made
is scarcely to be understood (Eix. 81. f.
81. The errors and "isms' of today
are but a repetition of the false teach
ings of former days dressed in new
garb labeled with a new name; such
is the deceitfulness of the human
heart Ger. 17:9) Jeroboam's excuse
was plausible enough tv. 2S1 and ap-
pealed to the ever-present weakness OF
the human heart to seek some easier
way of serving God. But mans way si-
ways becomes the hardest way. Jeru-
.boam today would be classed as .
liberal" and held up as "broa6-
minded man. Note his cunning ar-'
peal to sacred memories (v. 28).
II. priests of the Lowest w. 3l-3s-
Jeroboam's real concern was not that
Of the people but the permanency OF
his kingdom. Jeroboam was not intro
ducing new God but new way cf
worship One step always leads to
another, and to fully establish this
new way, and at the same time en-
tirely to control the situation, he Sc
lected from among 'all the people"
| priests who were to carry or Jeho-
vah's worship. God had selected TIE
sons of Levi and specially ordained
| them for this service Mum. 3:1el-
When the devil introduces new re-
ligion, or any false idea of Christ, or
the Bible, he always appeals to sa-
cred memories, cr else claims 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, at
! either end, each of which was easily
| accessible Thus to build and thus to
select others than the sons of Aaron
as priests was expressly forbidden
stubbornness of the human heart that
it readily follows its leaders into ALI
sorts of apostasy and error from
/ SD. Jeroboam also changed (v. szf
the feast ordained of God on the 18th
| day of the seventh month (Lev-
1888, 34) to one occurring in the
eighth month No possible appeal of
/ Cd on CfIRh
substitution; to obey is better than to
| modify Matt. 1876; Mark 1919. The
last verse " 33) tells US whence all
Of these changes originated, ~of his
own heart''-hence it is not surprising
that lie finally assumed to himself the
priests Office Il Sam. 1912, 1S; z
Chron. 2:16), crowning act of apos-
tasy and presumption.
III. The Main Teaching. Jeroboam's
chief purpose was not the glory of
God, but this new religion was for per-
sonal safety and glorification. His
cunningly devised program became
the agent of his own and the nations
destruction (13:34; 14:7-11s 2 Kings
1929, 81, and his opprobious title has
become Which made Israel to sin. y
Graft and trickery succeed for a time.
but only those who obey God in all
things build on solid and lasting
foundation Nothing in this world
is worth doing wrong for" Boys do
not succeed by breaking the rules of
the game Bad habits and vice are
but defiance of Gods laws. There
is no sadder sight than that of ship
wrecked souls seeking their own gains
at the cost of the ruined bodies and
souls of their fellow men. To seek to
clothe the calves of Egypt with mod
ern religious inYentions is the devils
most cunning device.
True wisdom is to know God and to
obey him without hypocrisy. True
craftsmanship is to find out Gods will
and to set ourselves to the task OF
ushering in his kingdom.
|