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complicated iniquities. Further than the fact, and the solemn warnings given, and judgments denounced, the sacred history is silent here. The reason, doubtless, is, to teach us to be on our guard; to walk humbly and prayerfully; and to beseech the Lord to keep us from all sin; that accursed thing which God hates, which mars our peace, obscures the character, and destroys the souls of men. That Solomon was pardoned and restored we cannot doubt, from the nature of previous promises, and other parts of scripture. (2 Sam. vii. 12—17.) That point, however, must be left for another place. Here we are to improve what is brought more immediately before us.

Observe the first little word in this important chapter, but; it gives a complete turn to all that had been said before. With one or two exceptions, Solomon's previous course had been pre-eminently successful and happy. Highly-favoured of God; extensively useful in his service; a man of rare attainments and singular piety; he, notwithstanding, turned grievously aside from the ways of the Lord. He loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh (v. 1). This the Lord had forbidden. Thus his heart was turned aside; and thus he became the patron and partner of open and avowed idolatry.

Alas! when you once forget, or deviate from, the path of duty, no tongue can tell what the consequences may be. In the present instance, he had forgotten what the Lord had spoken for their direction and guidance. His first deviation was in his marriage with Pharaoh's daughter, and making affinity with her father. This was wrong. It was expressly forbidden. (Deut. xvii. 14-20.) That act lay at the root of all his subsequent He had deviated in one transgressions. respect; then, perhaps, he thought he might deviate in another; and then, why not go on as he pleased? Such is the artfulness of Satan in the exercise of temptation. Such is the deceitfulness of sin, when pleading for continued commission and indulgence. Such is the sinner's course, when out of the right path.

What was the consequence? "The Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel,

which had appeared unto him twice” (v. 9). This was a fearful aggravation of his crime. Twice had the Lord appeared unto him. Twice had he mercifully encouraged him. Twice had he solemnly warned him. Yea, the Lord "had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded" (v. 10). His sin was, therefore, so much the greater; his transgressions so much the more aggravated; his complicated iniquities so much the more hateful in the sight of God. He was sinning against knowledge, against mercies, against warnings, against commands. Who will not hearken and fear? Who will not watch and pray?

What ensued? Trouble, vexation, and misery. Enemies began to spring up. Professed friends fostered their rebellious movements. His kingdom was rent from his hand; and ten parts were given to another. One of his own servants would become the means of this humiliation. His remaining days were wretched and miserable; and dark clouds hung over his latter end. Again we ask, Who will not hear and fear? Who will not watch and pray? Who will not be humble and lowly? Who will not stand in awe? Who will not beseech the Lord to keep him from every deviation from the truth, and to keep his heart steadfast in the faith, and in the obedience of Jesus Christ, even unto the end? Blessed is the man that feareth always!

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4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?

7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

12 ¶ So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

13 And the king answered the people 'roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;

14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16¶ So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 So Israel 'rebelled against the house. of David unto this day.

20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

21 ¶ And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again. to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

24 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.

30 And this thing became a sin for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

31 And he made an house of high places,

and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made.

33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

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You have here, in this portion of Scripture, the assembling of the people for the coronation of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, to be king in his father's stead; whose death is recorded at the end of the last chapter. You are also told what took place on that occasion; how the people, finding no redress for their grievances, and Rehoboam, hearkening to the advice of vain and foolish companions, separated ten tribes from the house of David, forming another kingdom; and what means the head of that new kingdom adopted for securing the authority in his own hands. Here are many things for our learning and improvement.

What a dangerous thing is it to hearken to rash and headstrong advisers! There appears to have been nothing unreasonable, on the part of the people, in praying for the redress of their grievances. It is very likely they laboured under many hardships. The mode of life pursued by Solomon must have greatly impoverished the land. It would have been, therefore, wise and just, on the part of Rehoboam, had he at once acceded to the request, and promised a considerate attention to their claims. The wise men of observation and experience advised him so to do. But he forsook their counsel; called in the aid of his young companions; and they recommended him, in an evil moment, to speak unkindly to the people, and to threaten them with an increase to their burdens. The consequence was, as the Lord foretold, and as the event is here recorded;

ten tribes immediately revolted, and formed themselves into a separate kingdom under Jeroboam. Does not this teach you the danger of hasty and rash proceedings; and the peril of hearkening to vain and foolish advisers? Take care what companions you associate with. Beware of the advice they may give you. Always be sure of one thing, that to disregard the counsel of grave and experienced friends for the sake of adopting the foolish fancies of gay and giddy associates, merely because their advice may be more in accordance with your own wishes, is not only a dangerous course to pursue, but, generally speaking, must end in the most sad and disastrous consequences. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." (Prov. xiii. 20.)

On the other hand, is it not an equally dangerous thing for any person, in critical circumstances, to follow the bent of his own mind, when he may most need the best aid, and when the step he takes may be attended, for good or evil, with the most portentous results? These two lessons stand openly contrasted with each other in the chapter before us. Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, and followed the advice of his gay companions. Jeroboam asked no one's advice. He consulted with his own heart (v. 26), and acted accordingly. See the consequences. The act of the one was marked by the greatest folly; and he lost the kingdom! The scheme of the other savoured of the deepest worldly policy; but he offended God, and brought down the curse of heaven upon himself and his posterity, till they were all cut off! The setting up of the golden calves, in Beth-el and in Dan, was the open establishment of avowed idolatry. The plea for his doing so was to prevent the people from going up to Jerusalem, fearing, thereby, they might return to the house of David. Thus, the fear of one thing, contrary to God's express promise, led him to the commission of another thing in open violation of God's express command. How deceitful is the heart! How subtle are the workings of sin! How deeply laid are all the snares of the devil! By that one act of state policy, but real idolatry, which he "devised of his own

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AND, behold, there came a man of God

out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar 'to burn incense.

2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.

3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured

out.

4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.

7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:

9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.

10 So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Beth-el.

11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Beth-el; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Beth-el: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.

12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.

13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and

he rode thereon,

14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.

15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.

16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:

17 For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.

18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.

20 ¶ And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:

21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,

22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.

23 ¶ And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.

24 And when he was gone, a lion met him

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26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.

27 And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.

28 And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass.

29 And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.

30 And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!

31 And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:

32 For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Beth-el, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.

33 After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but 'made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.

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and the conduct of Jeroboam. The apostasy being now openly established, God sent a prophet to denounce his judgment for what had been done. An awful visitation would come; and, that they may be assured of the certainty, a sign was given, at the time, that it would surely come to pass (v. 1-3). Was the king alarmed at the message? Was he humbled for his sin? He was sorely displeased; and commanded that some one should lay hold of the man of God, and take him as a prisoner. Behold the power of God! The arm that was stretched forth to give that command was dried up; so that he could not pull it in again to him. The altar, also, was rent, and the ashes poured out, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord (v. 4, 5). Is he awakened now? Does his wicked heart relent now he is under the hand of God, who had thus stricken him? He asks the man of God, indeed, to intreat the Lord, that his hand may be restored him again. But not the least symptom of repentance, or prayer for mercy, can you find. Nay, at the end of the chapter, it is said, "After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way." He still so persisted in his wicked course, that this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from the face of the earth" (v. 33, 34). Such is the hardening nature of sin. Such is the awful career and awful end of hardened sinners. No threatenings awaken them. No judgments alarm them. Though they feel the wrath of God in present calamities, and tremble in the dreadful expectation of it hereafter, they still proceed; till, in the end, the measure of their iniquity is filled up; and wrath comes upon them to the uttermost. "The way of transgressors is hard." "He, that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." (Prov. xiii. 15, and xxix. 1.)

But other sad and awakening matters are brought before us, in the remaining parts of the chapter. The conduct of the old prophet, and the disobedience of the true man of God, afford lamentable proofs of the frailty and depravity of human nature, in another way. Who was this old prophet? Was he a true, or a false one? How came he at Beth-el,

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