The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 264

in this crisis. [Give examples fi:om history of kings ruined by their favourites.] We should al 9,ays suspect those who gratify our vanity, or seek to further om· lower pleasures. Show the evils which arise, especially to weak characters, from foolish associates. " He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." "Forsake the foolish, and live." '' Blessed is he that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.'' IV. HEBOBOAM's BOASTFULNESS OF BIS POWER. " My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.'' A proverbial expression to denote the.t his power was greater than his father's. Such bragging is no sign of courage. At the first outbreak of rebellion, this boaster "made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.'' A strong character expresses itself not in great words, but in great deeds. The boastful Peter fails, the silent John stands firm. The Pharisee is rejected, the publican justified. "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalteth himself shall be abased." V. REHOBoill's ABUSE OF HIS AUTHORITY. "My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke," &c. This was not the speech of one who felt himself to be a shepherd of God's flock, but of one who assumed despotic authority. This was never permitted to a king of Israel, nor is it intended by God that any man should thus rule. It would be an evil to the ruler himself as well as to his people. Least of all is it to be tolerated in the Christian Church. The highest in ecclesias- tical office are forbidden to be '' lords over God's heritage," but are to be "examples to the flock." Christ said, " The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them . . . but ye shall not be so" (Luke xxii. 24-29). VL REHOBoili:'s NEGLECT OF PRAYER. How differently he began his reign from his father ! Solomon went first to God ; Rehoboam went hither and thither for connsel, but never turned to God at all. How often we act thus in our temporal perplexities, in our theological difficulties, &c. How sadly we forget the words, "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God," &c. (J as. i 6-8). Throw the lurid light of this story on Proverbs i., and make personal application of the warning given there.-A. R. Ver. 16.-The Revolt. This was the song of the insurrection. It is the Marseil- laise of Israelitish history. We heard it first after the revolt of Absalom (2 Sam. xx. 1). It appears to have originated with "Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite.'' The revolt described in our text was more serious, beginning as it did the ruin of Solomon's splendid kingdom. All such national events (the wars of the Rose~, the civil war of the sixteenth century, the revolution of 1688, the French Revolution of the last century, &c.) are worthy of study. Moral call.688 lie at the root of them all, e.nd the baud of God is over them all. The moral and Divine are more clearly revealed in Old Testament history ; hence in part its value. In tracing this great revolution to its causes, we do not forget, though we do not dwell upon, two factors to which our attention is called by Scripture-(!) the design of God, and (2) the ambition of Jeroboam. We must remember, however, in regard to the former that God expressly declared the.t He would base future events on the king's obedience or disobedience to His law. And as to the ambitious designs of Jeroboam, they would all have been futile if (as God had foreseen) there had not been popular dis- content, combined with princely folly. What, then, were the ultimate causes of the event described ? I. TB.IBAL JEALOUSY. This had always existed. Ephraim and Judah had specially displayed it. The jealousy of Ephraim had asserted itself both against Gideon and Jephthah (Judg. viii 1; xii. 1). The pride of this tribe was fostered by such facts as these: Joshua sprung from it, Samuel was born within its borders, Saul was of Benjamin, hereditary with Joseph ; its geographical position g9:ve iii power, &c. Hence, till David's time, the leadership of the nation was practically in the hands of Ephraim. He reigned eeven years over Judah before he coulcl obtain supremacy over the other tribes. He dealt wisely with those who belonged to Ephraim, selecting some of them for special favour, &c. Solomon, however, OD. XII. 1-24.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 267