The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-05-01

have drawn the people but it was
offensive to Jehovah.
Danger OF False Gods
Dean Stanley explains the dan.
ger from the Asherim when he
says, "The mere fact of setting
up such a likeness broke down the
awe which had hitherto marked
the Divine Presence, and accus.
toned the minds of the Israelites
to the very sin which the new
form was intended to safeguard.
From worshipping God under a
false and unauthorized form, they
gradually learned to worship other
gods altogether; and the venera-
BILE sanctuaries at Dan and Bethel
prepared the way for the temples
of Ashtoreth and Baal at Samaria
and Jezreel; and the religion OF
the kingdom of Israel sank lower
even than that of the kingdom OF
Judah, against which it had re-
volted."
For his transgression and way.
wardness the wife of Jeroboam
was told that her husband must pay
the price of sin. She too must
suffer, for the son so desperately
i'll would die just as soon as she
reached the city. The innocent o.
ten suffer with the guilty. Not only
would the child die, but God pro-
missed that the whole house or dyn-
asty of Jeroboam would die, and
the remnant would be swept out
the same as farmer cleans out
his barn. Trouble was in store for
this man who once promised to be
great king. The cause of this
sin may have been the influence
Of heather wife, and also from
envy and fear of Rehoboam. His
fear of Rehoboam was unfounded
since the king of Judah was dead
within some seventeen years while
Jeroboam continued on for some
five years more. It is strange that
many of our fears never material
lie and the worry is all for
naught.
Jehovah Will Smite"
Ahijah predicted that Jehovah
will smite Israeli Il Kg 14:15) It
is regretable that the innocent must
suffer with the guilty. Jeroboam
had been a fool and his wife had
to suffer with him. So also must
those of his people who had re-
manned loyal to their faith and
worship, together with the guilty
of Israel, suffer with their way
ward king. The faithful few were
not enough to keep the worship
pure. It takes united effort to
maintain sincere and pure worship.
When an old church was about to
be sold in Oregon the newspapers
and the people raised a storm Of
protest since it was a landmark.
A former minister expressed him.
self by saying that If that many
people would have taken that
much interest in the church a
short time before the building
would not have been put up for
sale. What are we doing to keep
our religion alive in America?
What would my church be if every
member were just like me?
The punishment came in the per.
son of Abijam, the son of Reho.
boam, who invaded Jeroboam's ter.
ritory and inflicted a singing de-
feat to the northern tribes. Bethel
Jeshanah and Ephraim fell into
the hands of the invaders and it wa!
q fearful blow draining the very
life blood from the north. Israe
could not recover for some time
but her sons were dead and the
seeds of war were Sown Which
later bore destructive fruit in such
a manner that both Israel ant
Judah were scattered beyond the
Euphrates.
Divine judgement was meted Out
to King Jeroboam. Many people
believe we pay for our sins here
on earth. Others believe all thai
comes in the next world. Faith
Baldwin wrote a little article or
"You'll Pay for it" in which she
states that she believes we pay fol
the evil we choose to do. Whether
it be an ungenerous thought and
act, a sin of omission or commits
sion, anger, injustice, unkindness
untruth, she says she's paid for it
as did Jeroboam. We can't chea'
God. Whether we accept the the
DRY of some that punishment
awaits hereafter, or like the Quak
ers contend that divine justice il
melted out here and now, we cal
be well assured that our sins viii
find us out and that we will be call
ed to account sooner or later.
| Based on copyrighted outlines
produced by the Division of Christ
ian Education. National Council o.
the Churches Of Christ In the U.
| A. and used by permission.
lE'uerlastino