The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1924-04-05
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Lesson
By REV. P. b. FITZwATER, DID. Teacher
OF English Bible in the Moody Bible Instl-
tute Of Chicago)
%. 1924. Western Newspaper Unlon.)
Lesson for April 6
THE KINGDOM RENT AsUNDER
LESSON TEXT Kings 12.1-33.

THE KINGDOM RENT AsUNDER
LESSON TEXT Kings 1918.
GOLDEN TEXT-"Pride goeth before
destruction. and an naughty spirit be-
fore a fall."-Prov. 1918.
PRIMARY ToPIC-The Story of a
Foolish King.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Rehoboam's Folly.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-The Division of the Kingdom.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-Why the Kingdom Was Divided.
The kingdom so g%loriously admins
tered In David's time reached its
climax in the time of Solomon. Soi.,
mon was led astray through the infu-
ence of his heather wives, and the
kingdom had begun to wane. God had
expressed his indignation toward him
and made known the fact that the
kingdom was to be rent from him, yet
not in his time, but In the time OF
Rehoboam q Kings II :9-13)..
/. The Demand of the People wv.
Ia.
This was occasloned by the burden
of excessive taxation and enforced Ia
Dor, which was required by Solomon
in order to build costly houses and
temples for his heather wives. Owing
to the multiplicity of his wives, this
became very burdensome. They prom
Used loyalty tt him on the condition of
lightened burdens.
II. R%ehoboam's Foolish Decision
wv. 5-15).
l. Rehoboam Consulted With the
Old Men wv. Sd. These were men
of experience who had been Solomon's
advisers. They advised that the peo-
pies request be granted.
2. Rehoboam Consulted the Young
Men wv. SID. These young men
had grown up with him, possibly We're
his ha~lf-brothers. sons of Solomon's
many wives. Being thus brought up in
the luxury of the harem, they were ig-
norant of the legal right Of the people.
Therefore, they advised even that the
burdens be increased.
3. Rehoboam Followed the Advice
of the Young Men (vv. 12-15). At the
appointed time he announced his pur-
pose to the people. He wen answered
them roughly, asserting his purpose to
increase their burdens and sorrows.
III. The Revolt of the Ten Tribes
wv. 1924.
Upon Rehoboam's announcement of
his rash purpose, all Israel cried out,
what portion have we in Davidf
to your tents, o Israel"
l. Rehoboam's Attempt to Collect
Tribute wv. IS. 19). Adoram, his
tribute gatherer, was stoned to death.
So violent was the opposition on the
part of the people that Rehoboam had
to flee to Jerusalem to save his life.
2. Jeroboam Made King over Israel
". 20l They seemed to hare lost TO
time in selecting a head so as to be
strong in their opposition TO Reho-
boam.
8. Rehoboam's Attempt to Compel
the Ten Tribes to Return to David
wv. 21-24). To effect this, he assem-
bled his army of 10000 men. Through
the prophecy of Shemaiah, which for
Ddut liiCln " SO against lhCli III StiiC III
they were persuaded to return.
~. J~eroboam's Scheme to Unity the
Ten Tribes wv. 25-33).
1. He Established Calf Worship wv.
25-30). His pretext for this worship
was his fear lest the religious unity
should heal the political separation.
His fear was that the people would
go back to Jerusalem to worship and
therefore would gradually be led to
acknowledge allegiance to Rehoboam
and his own life would be taken. He
was too shrewd a politician to do
away with religion. He knew that
religion was a powerful factor in
mans life. The prevailing religion
of the world today is a political n
1t is used as a sort of cement to hold
together people and political interests.
2. His Scheme of Worship wv.
31-33).
ID He built houses and high places
". 81. This was against the direct
command of God. God had directed
His people to destroy the high places.
to break down the idolatrous centers.
(2) He made priests of the lowest
of the people ". 81. God had set
aside the tribe of Levi to fill the office
of priesthood. In this again he dis
obeyed God.
go He changed the day of the Feast
of the Tabernacle ". 32). The time
of this feast was set by the Lord
(Lev. % :33, 34). Jeroboam argued
that the change in the time would be
better suited to their northern climate,
but God who made the climate or
dained the time Of the feast. 1t was
his business. therefore, to obey God.
(4) .Jeroboam himself intrudes into
the priests Office. This act of pre-
sumption on his part was the climax
of his goddess acts. which all grew