The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-08-04

Text of the Lesson, ! Kings xii:e-1e.
Memory Verse, 10 Golden Text,
Prov. xvi, 1s-commentary Prepared
by Rev. o. M. stearns.
In this record of the division of the
kingdom and its cause we still see God
over all controlling and in all working,
for He has foreseen everything from
the beginning and provided for every
so called emergency and always tells
the final outcome. This division of the
kingdom has never been healed till
this day, but it will be in His time, ac-
cording to Eek. xxxvii, 81, %, Il
will make them one nation in the land
upon the mountains of Israel; and one
king shall be king to them. all, and
they shall be no more two nations,
neither shall they be divided into two
kingdoms any more at all" The i'm
mediate cause of this division is found
in chapter XII, 8, 10, THE Lord was
angry with Solomon because his heart
was turned from the Lord God of Isra-
ell, which had appeared unto him twice
and had commanded him concerning
this thing that he should not go after
other gods Therefore was the king
dom rent in twain. Departure from
God and disobedience to Him is back
of all trouble, as a rule, and the devil
is back of that, but the time will come
when ON this earth there shall be no
more trouble, and from this earth and
this atmosphere the devil shall have
gone forever Rev. Xxx, 10; xxi, Ii;
xxi, 80. Whether it be providing a
king for Israel, as we have seen in the
case of Saul, and David, and Solomon,
or dividing the kingdom, as we are
about to see, the Lord generally works.
by ordinary human instrumentality.
In our lesson story today we see
Hadad Recon and Jeroboam and Re
hoboam and old men and young men
all doing seemingly as they saw fit,
but behind the scenes is an unseen
hand controlling. 1.-The Lord stirred
up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad,
the Edomite." God stirred him up
another adversary, Recon, the son of
Eliadah." 'Thus saith the Lord, the
God of Israel, Behold L will rend the
kingdom out of the hand of Solomon
and will give ten tribes to thee" THE
cause was from the Lord, That He
might perform His saying, which the
Lord spake by Ahijah, the Shilonite.
unto JerobOam, the son of Nebat."
'+Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go
up nor fight against your brethren, the
children of Israel: return every man to
! his house, for this thing is from Me"
| q Kings XII, II, %, ST; xii, 10, 2D.
Even the devil cannot touch q child of
God without Gods permission, as we
see in the case of Job and of Simon
Peter.
The believer who aims to walk with
| God in humility and obedience may
live in continual peace and quietness,
assured that all things are Gods best
for him and that no real evil can ever
befall him. But if there is disobedi-
ence or willfulness God will in love
and wisdom chasten for our good Sol
ONION being dead, RehObOam, his son,
reigned in his stead, all Israel having
made him king at Shechem (xii, 1; II
Chron. X, u. When Jeroboam heard
in Egypt that Solomon was dead he
returned and, with a deputation, wait
ed upon Rehoboam with a request that
he would tighten the burdens which
his fathers magnificent reign had
caused to be placed upon them. He
asked for three days to consider their
request, and meantime he consulted
first with the old men and then with
his young men. The former advised
moderation and that he speak kindly
to the people, but the latter advised
increased severity. So when the third
day came and Jeroboam and the peo-
pie came again for his reply he spake
to them as the young men had advised
for the Lord was by their evil counsel
working out His purpose (verse 15), as
He also wrought by the counsel OF
Hushai, which was evil toward Absa
lom, to overthrow him. 1.-The counsel
of the Lord standeth forever, the
thoughts of his heart to all genera
tions," but all other counsel or device
He bringeth to nought ops. xxxiii, 10
III. whatsoever the Lord pleased
that did He in heaven and in earth. in
the seas and all deep places" ops
cxxxv, o..
However people may associate them
selves against Him or take counsel to
/ ECLiCI Lis ptOliANs an ShoAA TX
broken to pieces and come to nought
Qsa. viii, 8, 1O. For ''the Lord OF
hosts hath sworn. saying. Surely as
have thought. so shall it come to pass
and as I have purposed, so shall il
stand" Qsa. xiv, pa. He maketh the
wrath of man to praise Him, and the
remainder BE restraints. He saith t.
the sea, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but
r no further; and here shall thy proud
waves be stayed" Cps. lxxiv, 10; Jol
xxxviii, III. If our hearts are whole
toward Him He viii hold strongly
with us and cause others to see ,ant
know that He is with us; but If We
are self wiIled and rely on human wis
dom He viii work against us and
overthrow US, though He may beal
long with us. He has a purpose fol
every individual life of His redeemed
/ as well as for the church. which il
His body. and for His people Israe
and for all nations; and he win &C
eomplish His purpose through His viii
ing people individually and collectively
We never heard OF anything so grea
as the love Of God.
= There Is No Question
e but that indigestion and the distressed