The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1915-08-13
LESSON FOR AUGUST IS
JERoBoAM LEADS ISRAEL INTO
SIN.

JeHO0OAm 6eA0o I9HAEl lNIo
SIN.
LESSON TEXT Kings 12:25-a
GOLDEN TEXT-Thou shalt not make
unto thee a craven image, nor any like
ness of anything that Is in heaven above,
Or that II In the earth beneath, or that is
In the water under the earth; thou shalt
not bow down myself down unto them.
nor serve them. Elk. 204. 6a-
Whether Jeroboam melted Israels
rebellion or was summoned home be-
cause OF his being known ~ an op-
ponent to Israel. we cannot say He
must have remembered Ahijah's
prophecy t11:29-4O and he had anoth-
or prophet on his side. Shemaiah
(12:22-2D. though Ahijah afterwards
deserted him Q4:1-1S). 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 PEG
pie elsewhere than In Jerusalem
!. "caIvss 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 q tragic future for the
Hebrews. David's monarchy lasted
SCARCELY two generations. Rehoboam's
second attempt at coercion (12:21-2D
Ii rebuked and he settles down In
Judea but fortifies many cities III
Chron. 11:5-12: Kings 12:24; 14:1D.
Jeroboam likewise built cities, She
chem and Penuel, but the result Of the
schism was q weakened people and
Israel was the FIRST to be carried into
captivity and to extinction a. q ma
ton. Defensed cities are not adequate
safety for q nation (11:3s; 2 Chron.
1920: Zech. IA. 81. Witness Lege
and Antwerp. As q matter Of political
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 Ii 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 1t was regarded AZ best for
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 COD il to obey
him. Note Jeroboam took counsel. not
a. 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 1919.
Man 10 ''slow of heart" and that one
at all familiar with Hebrew history
should repeat the mistake Aaron made
is scarcely to be understood lex. 1894
81. The errors and "isms" Of today
are but q repetition of the false teach
ings of former days dressed in . new
garb, labeled with q new name; such
IL the deceitfulness Of the human
heart ,(Jer. 17:9). Jeroboam's excuse
was plausible enough ". 28) 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-
beam today would be classed AZ .
liberal" and held up as "broad.
minded man.
u. "Priests Of the Lowest" w. 1888
Jeroboam's real concern was not that
Of the people but the permanency OF
his kingdom. Jeroboam was not intro.
ducing q 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 So
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:1O
When the devil introduces a new re-
ligion, OF any false idea of Christ, OF
the Bible. he always appeals to ga
cred memories, or else claims mod
ern expression Of the truth" Zero
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 anC
stubbornness of the human heart thai
it readily follows its leaders into al
sorts of apostasy and error (Rom
SD. Jeroboam also changed ". 32l
the feast ordained Of God on the 15tf
day of the seventh month (Lev
1888, 34) to one occurring in thu
eighth month. No possible appeal o.
local interests warranted any sucf
substitution; to obey is better than t
modify (Matt. 1876; Mark 7:13).
III. 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