Evening star., 1924-04-06
Sunday School Lesson

ed the course OF Hebrew life and
thought into such entirely new chan
nels that that which followed consu-
tuted two separate histories me
rending OF the kingdom sapped It's
political powe', although in response
to the national war cry, that starteu
the revolution against Rehoboam:
which resulted in the separation OF
the kingdom. only few OUTSIDE ot
the t.ibe of Judah remained loyal TO
Rehoboam. In reality only one trloe
rallied to the house Of David. al
though small part OF the tribe or
BENJAMIN followed his standard ana
later the Levites united with Judah.
In the beginning the wealth was
with Judah. but aside from that all
the factors that go to make sue
cessful nation were with the northern
Kingdom OF Israel, which in terrltoty-
TEMPLES and raditiOns surpassed the
southern kingdom. When all Israel
made Jeroboam their king he ruled
over nearly all the territory tnat
Solomon had controlled. 1t extended
from the Mediterranean sea to the
Euphrates. The soil and scenery were
in the north The sacred shrineS or
Bethel. Shachem. Mahanaim. JeIlcho,
Gilgal, at times even Bcershebd' pe-
longed to IS'ael while Judah possess
ed only the ancient patriarchal burial
place at Hebron and Jerusa lem. which
really was Judah. Unlike the capltal
of the northern kingdom, Jerusalem
had none of the advantages of a great
city. Israel had wonderful record
in it's traditions Of natlonai herees
and heroines TO build up 4 great ma
tional spirit in the stories of Joshua:
Deborah Barak. Jepthah. Gideon and
Abimelech Cnhampered by the ira
ditions of the court. the spirit OF
freedom manifested itself In the Ut
erature of Israel and the influence al
the prophets. who had fostered the
revolution in their opposition 10 tyr
amy and the hopes to re-eSta ollSh
pure religion in the northe' n KING
dom. free from the contaminatng m
fiuences Of a polygamous and idola-
trous court.
ROYAL BIunder~.
Rehoboa1n saw his mistake too late.
In his effort to remove the spirit Oh
dissatisfaction and discomfort. ne ap-
pointed the tax collector, whose et-
forts se"ved to increase the diHer-
ences between the two Kingdoms.
While Judah lost its pre- eminence
among the tribes and the Hebrew ma
tion--itS life-yet. in truer sense. II
found its life. 1t soon lost its Weaith
to Shishak, the layhian commando;
who captured Jerusalem ana carfieu
its treasures including the wealth
accumulated by David and solomon
to Egypt. Its barren rocks ohered no
surplus of food for its m"n or stoch-
1t was a united and homogeneous peo-
pie, who supported Loyalty us SITous
central government. 1t outlaSted IS
rael and learned in its poverty ana
uenury the lessons God wished thefn
to pass on to coming genera tons.
Jeroboam. the military leader OF the
revolution. is usually referred TO IN
the Scriptures as the man VINO Ihaue ,
Israel to sin" He faced great op-
portunity, but he failed because ne
did not place his trust in God. Re-
ligion apparently was secondary 10
conquest He revealed this when IN
an effort to win the support OF the
nriests he took a backward step in
establishing the new Sanctuarles AT
Bethel and Dan He was unwilling
10 trust his people TO visit Jerusa EN-
and worship in the temple. lie loi-
lowed precedent in opening the
shrines, so that he secured the sup
port of conserva tive religious leaders;
like Elijah and Elisha. He showed
that he did not trust Jehovah pro-
lection by his building fortified cities.
He revealed it in his religious ap-
pointees, who came from the lower
classes instead of the highest. Pom
tics took precedence over religion, as
it is apt to do in the union OF churcn
and state \ few generations later
Amos refers to the public WorShlp az
Bethel i'm a manner that would SnS
oest that the song and music used
there had certain licentiuuS practices
united with il. -,
Although JerOboam probably uId
not recognize that the national re
Iigion. which he desired to develop:
was hindrance to the exercising OF
the pure religious worship of Jehovah
ii led Israel into sin that finally re-
suited in its downfall and disappear
ance from the roll of nations. Both
Israel and Judah needed one and an
other just as we recognize in our
country that every state needs the as
Sjstance and aid of the other states.
Divisions are usually disastrous IN
clubs, countries or churches. The
same pusillaniTnity OF expensive and
sanscless pride that disregards the
wisdom of age to carry out ones own
plans to rule or ruin precipitates the
: divisions that have proven so dls-
: astrous. When the colonies separated
! from the mother land in our revoiu
| tionary war England learned to rule
her colonies through service. THIS
=; was the method of Jesus and is the
: only way to win and preserve intact
| the nation that we love. If either
! Rehoboam or Jeroboam had beer
! willing to serve their people they
! would have perpetuated their prestige
: and power among their countrymen.