72. Solomon's Enemies. His Repentance. 1 Kings xi. 29-43. Ecclesiastes. Ahijah, the prophet, declared God's purposes against Solomon to Je roboam, saying, that God would take the kingdom out of the hand o. Solomon's son, and give ten tribes to Jeroboam, the servant of Solomon. Ahijah also declared that if Jeroboam did right, and kept God's commandments, God would build him a sure house, and give Israel to him. God also said He would afflict the seed of David, but not for ever. Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, but he fled into Egypt.5 Solomon is supposed to have written the book of Ecclesiastes just before his death, after he had repented of his sins. He says "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and 'vexation of spirit." Solomon finishes all his instructions by saying, "Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Solomon reigned over all Israel forty years, and was buried in the City of David. GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE. City of David-that portion of Jerusalem which David added; it was built on Mount Zion. (Les. 68.) EXPLANATIONS. QUESTIONS. God's purposes-to rend from Solomon's To whom did he make known God's In what does man's duty consist? What do you mean by the City of David? We learn, THAT punishments are measured by, and accord with, offences; as Solomon revolted from God, a part of his kingdom will revolt from his son. THAT Solomon sinned in attempting to frustrate the purposes of God; he did not, like his father, acknowledge that it was good that he should be afflicted. THAT though it is probable that Solomon repented, yet it is not expressly stated; no one may presume to "continue in sin, that grace may abound." THAT human greatness, possessions, and knowledge, are but sources of trouble and anxiety. THAT the doctrine of a future state was believed under the Jewish dispensation. F PERIOD VI. THE KINGS OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL. B.C. 975-B.C. 606. 369 years. Containing the History of the two Kingdoms of the Hebrew nation;-The Revolt of the Ten Tribes-The establishment of Idolatry in Israel-The successive Kings of Judah from the Royal line of David-The successive idolatrous Kings of Israel-The Captivity of Israel-The alternate decays and reforms of religion in Judah—The final Captivity of the Jews. 73. Revolt of the Ten Tribes. 1 Kings xii. 1–24; xiv. 21. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was forty-one years old when he began to reign. Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel complained to Rehoboam of their heavy burdens under his father, and desired him to make their burdens lighter, and they would serve him. The king answered them roughly, for he forsook the counsel of the old men, who had advised him to answer the people kindly, and he followed the counsel of the young men, who had advised him to make their burdens heavier. On hearing Rehoboam's answer the tribes of Israel 'sent for Jeroboam, and made him king over all ·Israel; Rehoboam ·reigning over Judah only. Rehoboam assembled at Jerusalem the tribes of Judah and Benjamin-180,000 men who were warriors, to fight against the ten tribes of Israel. But Shemaiah, the prophet, was instructed to go and tell Rehoboam and his people, that they should not go to fight against their brethren, people of Israel. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and departed. GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES. Israel-the kingdom of the ten tribes which revolted from Rehoboam. Its principal city was at first Shechem and afterwards Samaria. Judah—the kingdom of Judah was separated from that of Israel after the death of Solomon; its metropolis was Jerusalem, its first king Rehoboam, It embraced the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and parts of those of Simeon and Dan. EXPLANATIONS. the congregation-headed by Jeroboam. national name of Israel. sent for, &c.-to attend a council of the several heads of Israel. reigning, over, &c.-the kingdom was therefore called the kingdom of Judah. Benjamin was a small tribe compared with the thousands of Judah. QUESTIONS. PRECEPTIVE LESSONS. Though the subjects of Solomon enjoyed peace, happiness, and wealth, we find that there were dissatisfied people among them, who found a leader, and complained of their burdens. The advice of the aged should be generally preferred to that of the young, for they can speak from their experience of the past. Rashness of language often produces rashness of conduct. Rehoboam spoke intemperately, and the Israelites acted rebelliously. It is better to submit to crosses and losses than attempt to remove them by injury and violence to brethren. Finally we see how God brings about His purposes by the follies and vices of men. 74. Jeroboam's Idolatry. 1 Kings xii. 24; xiii. 32. 32 Jeroboam built Shechem, in Mount Ephraim; and to prevent the tribes from going to Jerusalem56 to sacrifice, he set up golden calves at Bethel and at Dan.31 He also made priests of the lowest of the people, and he offered sacrifices on an altar which he had set up in Bethel. A man of God came out of Judah to Bethel; he reproved Jeroboam, and cried against his altar. When Jeroboam heard the words of the prophet he stretched out his hand to lay hold on him, and his hand dried up, so that he could not pull it to him again. The altar was also rent, and the ashes poured out. The king asked the man of God to pray the Lord that his hand might be restored; he did so, and the king's hand became as it was before. The man of God refused to go home with Jeroboam to eat bread, saying had he been commanded neither to eat bread nor drink water at Bethel. But an old prophet of Bethel followed him, and told him that an angel had appeared to him, desiring him to bring him back to Bethel to eat bread, and drink water. The man of God returned with him. Afterwards, as he was going home, a lion10 slew him by the way for his disobedience. GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE. Mount Ephraim-this name was given to a range of hills running through the allotment of Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph; they extended into the portion of Benjamin. EXPLANATIONS. Shechem-Jeroboam made this city the chief city of his kingdom; his capital. golden calves-he had seen similar worship in Egypt, whither he had fled from Solomon. (Les. 72) Aaror. had made a golden calf. (Les. 23). he offered-he unlawfully assumed the priest's office,not fearing God's anger. cried against, &c.-in crying against the altar, he cried also against its founder and its worshippers. dried up-became rigid or stiff, withered. restored-he did not ask him to pray that his sin might be pardoned. neither to eat, &c.-as a sign to them that God esteemed them unworthy the friendship of His prophetic messenger. returned he ought to have known that God would not give contradictory commands to his servants. QUESTIONS. What place did Jeroboam build? How was he prevented? We see that Jeroboam had not faith in God's promises to build him "a sure house," if he would keep His commandments-that he undertook to establish himself on the throne, by instituting a mode of worship, and an order of priests, in opposition to those of divine appointment; that consequently, his want of faith led him into acts of direct rebellion against God. We also see that favours may be granted to wicked men, as evidences of the truth declared by God's prophets; and that false professors may mislead the faithful, and bring on them God's anger and punishment. 75. Rehoboam and his people forsake God. 1 Kings xiv. 22-21; 2 Chron. xi. 13-17; xii. The priests and Levites that were in Israel73 left their possessions, and resorted to Rehoboam, for Jeroboam had cast them off; and out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seck the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem56 to worship. All these strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they walked in the good ways of David and Solomon. After this Rehoboam forsook the law of the Lord, and the people of Judah provoked God, and committed greater sins than their fathers had done. 73 God then permitted Shishak, king of Egypt, to invade Judah. Shemaiah announced to Rehoboam and the princes, that because they had forsaken God, He had delivered them into the hands of Shishak. The king and the princes humbled themselves, and God said they should not be destroyed by Shishak, but that they should be His servants. Shishak took away the treasures of the house of the Lord; he carried away also the golden shields which Solomon had made, and Rehoboam put shields of brass in their place. Rehoboam reigned seventeen years, and was succeeded by his son Abijah. EXPLANATIONS. cast them off-they had several cities in his dominions (Les. 32). Jeroboam could not have done his people greater injury than to expel their religious teachers. such as set, &c.-those faithful men who would not worship the idols of Jeroboam. walked in, &c.-conducted themselves; maintained the public service of God. forsook, &c.-and practised a worse idolatry than that followed in Israel -the idolatry of the Canaanites. their fathers-they who had sinned in the last years of Solomon's reign, when idols were worshipped in Judah. Shemaiah-lest they should not understand the cause of their affliction, God sent a prophet to instruct them, in the ways of His providence. humbled themselves-they acknowledged that God was righteous in afflicting them, but their reformation was only partial, therefore God restricted their deliverance. took away, &c.-thus, only 33 years after the dedication of the temple, it was plundered. QUESTIONS. Why did the priests and Levites resort What other people came up toJerusalem? any other place? What good effect had this increase of the people on Rehoboam's kingdom? How long did the king and people conduct themselves well? Tell me the words in which Rehoboam's transgression is related. PRECEPTIVE LESSONS. We here are reminded, that as we pray that we may not be suffered to fall into temptation, so it is our duty, like the priests and Levites, to flee from the way of it. We see that it adds greatly to the strength and prosperity of a country, if its rulers grant protection and encouragement to the servants of God, who take refuge there, in order to avoid persecution. We also learn, that when men prosper they sometimes forget God, and that they need severe correction to keep them in an humble and a submissive spirit. |