The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-05-01
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
BY RALPH ROGERS

IOO1yDA i ON1j
BY RALPH ROGERS
Judgement Of Jsroboam. Back.
ground Scripture Kings 12:2s-33
I4:l-20
Last Sunday we recall the pro-
mise to promise to Jeroboam des-
tined to be king Of the northern
kingdom including ten tribes of Is
rael, eff thou wilt hearken unto
all that I command thee. I will
be with thee" Today we find that
this promising king turned from
the worship of Jehovah and Ahi-
JAN the Prophet fearlessly told his
king the bad news that he would
lose the kingdom which he had so
unwisely governed.
Jeroboam turned to idolatry as
so many do even to this day. It
may not be a wooden or stone
idol, but this modern generation is
inclined to have other gods before
the Lord our God thus breaking the
very first commandment. Tempta-
tons today are tremendous. But
there are fearless and bold pro-
phets of God who proclaim the wa
ges of sin Is death and the ira
gedy is that we fail to heed the
counsel until too late. The wife of
Jeroboam is chosen as the mes
senger of the bad news.
Apparently neither Jeroboam or
his wife are proud Of their reign.
They have made for themselves
molten images and turned to other
gods. The wife, an Egyptian prin-
cess, must have been Inundated
to be forced to turn to the aged
prophet, Ahijah, for comfort and
assistance In time Of grave illness.
Abijah, the son of Jeroboam felt
sick, and the King knew full well
that the heather gods could be of
little help. He also knew that the
prophet of God could tell what
would happen.
Jeroboam Hides
Jeroboam was ashamed to 60
himself so he sent his wife. It is
a common custom to hide behind
a wife's skirt when in trouble. Even
then he did not want Ahijah to
know that he, the King, was seek
ing to know "what shall become
of the child" Il Kg 14:3). He there
fore tells the good wife to disguise
herself and to take modest offer
ing as she seeks some hopeful in
formation. As this arrogant daugh-
ter of the Nile walks down the dus-
ty road disguised as a poor coun-
try woman, she soon is to learn
that the prophet, almost blind as
he is, can see through the decep-
ton.
Through this poor woman, Ahi-
jah speaks to Jeroboam saying,
Go, tell Jeroboam, thus saith Je-
hovah." Il Kg 14:7). Here was a
young man who had all the quail
ties Of a great king. He had the
courage to lead a rebellion against
the great Solomon and had the
training in the religion of his ia
theirs which should have been his
security and guide. Ahijah as
much as tells him he has been a
fool.
| We must note here that Jeho.
ram was the king in the south and
Jeroboam sought to compete with
him. In order that his people
would not have to 60 to Jerusalem
to worship the king of the north
ern kingdom set up sanctuaries at
Dan and Bethel. He was envious
of the southern king and sought to
out-do him in extravagant places
of worship. The Israelites had been
contaminated more than once with
heather practices and so we find
again they resorted to idols and
false gods. Even the Asheriin Il
Kg 14:15) or poles representing
trees were used in the worship.
These were associated with Ashto-
reth, the goddess of productive
ness and fertility, and while not al
ways connected with a particular
deity, they were used by the Israe-
lites in connection with the wor.
ship of their own God. This may