The Tupelo journal., 1915-08-13
INTERNATIONAL
LESSON
LESSON FOR AUGUST IS
JERoBoAM LEADS ISRAEL INTO
SIN.
tBy f. o. SELLERS, Acting Director OF
Sunday School Course, The Moody Bible
Institute Of Chicago)

ness of anything that Is in heaven above.
or that is in the earth beneath. or hat Is
in the water under the earth; thou shalt
not bow down myself down unto them,
nor serve them. Elk. 2O:4, 5a-
Whether Jeroboam melted Israels
rebellion or was summoned home be-
cause of his being known as an op-
ponent to Israel, we cannot say. He
must have remembered Ahijah's
prophecy Q1:29-40) and he had anoth-
er prophet on his side, Shemaiah
Q2: 22-24), 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.
4. "caIves Of Gold" Wv. 25-30. Given
these ten tribes by God Q1:31) the
people had chosen Jeroboam without
seeming consultation with God, and
the result was a tragic future for the
Hebrews. David's monarchy lasted
scarcely two generations. Rehoboam 8
second attempt at coercion (12:2l-24)
is rebuked and he settles, down IN
Judea but fortifes many cities GIL
Chron. 11:5-12; l Kings 1924; l4:l1).
Jeroboam likewise built cities, She
chem and Penuel, but the result OF the
schism was a weakened people n
Israel was the first to be carried into
captivity and to extinction as a ma
ton. Defensed cities are not adequate
safety for a nation (11:3S; 2 enron.
20:2 0 Zech. IA, 81. Witness Liege
and Antwerp. AS a matter OF polltlcal
prudence ~Jeroboam's scheme OF re-
moving the center of worship from Je-
rusalem succeeded admirably. me
center of gravity of a man and OF a 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 a backward step, though
doubtless it was regarded as best lot
the nation. Jeroboam's fatal error
was IN DETECTING the people from the
invisible Jehovah to the visible crea-
items of their OWL hands. Mankind az
waxs prefers to trust to their v de-
vices aud to plan their deliver
aree rather than ID trust in God IRe
apsds ID Gpd
AIN took ccansels los
IS did Rehoboam. 81 tie aged Or the
young, but .in pis<heart." Ne are not
to lean TO our own understanding but
upon the Holy Spirit tJohn 1919.
Man is slow of heart and that one
at all familiar with Hebrew history
should repeat the mistake Aaron made
is scarcely to be understood lex. 32:4-
81. The errors and "isms" OF today
are but a repetition of the false teach
ings of former days dressed IN a new
garb. labeled with a new name: such
is the deceitfulness of the human
heart Ger. 1870. Jeroboams excuse
was plausible enough ". 2Sl and ap-
pealed to the ever-present weakness OF
the human heart TO seek some easier
way of serving God. But mans way al
WAYS becomes the hardest way Jero-
boam today would be classed as a
liberal and held up as a broad
minded man."
II. PRIESTS of the Lowest" Wv. ol-53'
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-
tirely to control the situation, he Sc
lected from among all the people
priests who/were to carry on Jeho-
vah's worship. God had selected the
sons of Levi and specially ordained
them for this service mum. S:lO).
When the devil introduces a new re-
ligion, or any false idea of Christ, or
the Bible. he always appeals TO sa-
cred memories, or 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, at
either end, each of which was easily
accessible. Thus to build and thus to
select others than the son Of Aaron
as priests was expressly forbidden
But such is the natural perversity and
stubbornness of the human heart That
it readily follows its leaders into all
sorts of apostasy and error (Rom.
SD. Jeroboam also changed ~. 32)
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
local interests warranted any such
substitution; to obey is better than to
modify Matt. 1876; Mark 7:13).
III. The Main Teaching. Jeroboam's
chief purpose was not the glory of
God. U this new religion was for per
sonal safety and g~lori1cation His
cunningly devised program became
the agent of his own and the nations
destruction {13:34; 14:7-11; 2 Kings
1929, 3lr, and his o%pprobious title has