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of God。 But he hardened his heart and determined to follow a way of his own choosing。
At the time of the feast at Bethel the hearts of the Israelites were not fully hardened。 Many were susceptible to the influence of the Holy Spirit。 The Lord designed that those
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who were taking rapid steps in apostasy should be checked in their course before it should be too late。 He sent His messenger to interrupt the idolatrous proceedings and to reveal to king and people what the outworking of this apostasy would be。 The rending of the altar was a sign of God's displeasure at the abomination that was being wrought in Israel。
The Lord seeks to save； not to destroy。 He delights in the rescue of sinners。 〃As I live； saith the Lord God； I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked。〃 Ezekiel 33：11。 By warnings and entreaties He calls the wayward to cease from their evil…doing and to turn to Him and live。 He gives His chosen messengers a holy boldness； that those who hear may fear and be brought to repentance。 How firmly the man of God rebuked the king！ And this firmness was essential； in no other way could the existing evils have been rebuked。 The Lord gave His servant boldness； that an abiding impression might be made on those who heard。 The messengers of the Lord are never to fear the face of man； but are to stand unflinchingly for the right。 So long as they put their trust in God； they need not fear； for He who gives them their commission gives them also the assurance of His protecting care。
Having delivered his message； the prophet was about to return； when Jeroboam said to him； 〃Come home with me； and refresh thyself； and I will give thee a reward。〃 〃If thou wilt give me half thine house；〃 the prophet replied； 〃I will not go in with thee； neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place： for so was it charged me by the
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word of the Lord； saying； Eat no bread； nor drink water； nor turn again by the same way that thou camest。〃 1 Kings 13：7…9。
Well would it have been for the prophet had he adhered to his purpose to return to Judea without delay。 While traveling homeward by another route； he was overtaken by an aged man who claimed to be a prophet and who made false representations to the man of God； declaring； 〃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。〃 Again and again the lie was repeated and the invitation urged until the man of God was persuaded to return。
Because the true prophet allowed himself to take a course contrary to the line of duty； God permitted him to suffer the penalty of transgression。 While he and the one who had invited him to return to Bethel were sitting together at the table； the inspiration of the Almighty came upon the false prophet； 〃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； 。 。 。 thy carcass shall not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers。〃 Verses 18…22。
This prophecy of doom was soon literally fulfilled。 〃It came to pass； after he had eaten bread； and after he had drunk； that he saddled for him the ass。 。 。 。 And when he was gone； a lion met him by the way； and slew him： and his carcass was cast in the way； and the ass stood by it； the lion also stood by the carcass。 And； behold； men passed by； and
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saw the carcass cast in the way； 。 。 。 and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt。 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。〃 Verses 23…26。
The penalty that overtook the unfaithful messenger was a still further evidence of the truth of the prophecy uttered over the altar。 If； after disobeying the word of the Lord； the prophet had been permitted to go on in safety； the king would have used this fact in an attempt to vindicate his own disobedience。 In the rent altar； in the palsied arm； and in the terrible fate of the one who dared disobey an express command of Jehovah； Jeroboam should have discerned the swift displeasure of an offended God； and these judgments should have warned him not to persist in wrongdoing。 But； far from repenting； Jeroboam 〃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。〃 Thus he not only sinned greatly himself； but 〃made Israel to sin；〃 and 〃this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam； even to cut it off； and to destroy it from off the face of the earth。〃 Verses 33； 34； 14：16。
Toward the close of a troubled reign of twenty…two years； Jeroboam met with a disastrous defeat in a war with Abijah； the successor of Rehoboam。 〃Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah： and the Lord struck him； and he died。〃 2 Chronicles 13：20。
The apostasy introduced during Jeroboam's reign became more and more marked； until finally it resulted in the utter ruin of the kingdom of Israel。 Even before the death of
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Jeroboam； Ahijah； the aged prophet at Shiloh who many years before had predicted the elevation of Jeroboam to the throne； declared： 〃The Lord shall smite Israel； as a reed is shaken in the water； and He shall root up Israel out of this good land； which He gave to their fathers； and shall scatter them beyond the river； because they have made their groves； provoking the Lord to anger。 And He shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam； who did sin； and who made Israel to sin。〃 1 Kings 14：15； 16。
Yet the Lord did not give Israel up without first doing all that could be done to lead them back to their allegiance to Him。 Through long； dark years when ruler after ruler stood up in bold defiance of Heaven and led Israel deeper and still deeper into idolatry； God sent message after message to His backslidden people。 Through His prophets He gave them every opportunity to stay the tide of apostasy and to return to Him。 During the years that were to follow the rending of the kingdom； Elijah and Elisha were to live and labor； and the tender appeals of Hosea and Amos and Obadiah were to be heard in the land。 Never was the kingdom of Israel to be left without noble witnesses to the mighty power of God to save from sin。 Even in the darkest hours some would remain true to their divine Ruler and in the midst of idolatry would live blameless in the sight of a holy God。 These faithful ones were numbered among the goodly remnant through whom the eternal purpose of Jehovah was finally to be fulfilled。
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Chapter 8
National Apostasy
From the time of Jeroboam's death to Elijah's appearance before Ahab the people of Israel suffered a steady spiritual decline。 Ruled by men who did not fear Jehovah and who encouraged strange forms of worship； the larger number of the people rapidly lost sight of their duty to serve the living God and adopted many of the practices of idolatry。
Nadab； the son of Jeroboam； occupied the throne of Israel for only a few months。 His career of evil was suddenly stopped by a conspiracy headed by Baasha； one of his generals； to gain control of the government。 Nadab was slain； with all his kindred in the line of succession； 〃according unto the saying of the Lord； which He spake by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite： because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned； and which he made Israel sin。〃 1 Kings 15：29； 30。
Thus perished the house of Jeroboam。 The idolatrous worship introduced by him had brought upon the guilty offenders the retributive judgments of Heaven； and yet the
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rulers who followedBaasha； Elah； Zimri； and Omriduring a period of nearly forty years； continued in the same fatal course of evil…doing。
During the greater part of this time of apostasy in Israel； Asa was ruling in the kingdom of Judah。 For many years 〃Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God： for he took away the altars of the strange gods； and the high places； and brake down the images； and cut down the groves： and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers； and to do the law and the commandment。 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun ＇margin＇ images： and the kingdom was quiet before him。〃 2 Chronicles 14：2…5。
The faith of Asa was put to a severe test when 〃Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand； and three hundred chariots；〃 invaded his kingdom。 Verse 9。 In this crisis Asa did not put his trust in the 〃fenced cities in Judah〃 that he had built； with 〃walls； and towers； gates； and bars；〃 nor in the 〃mighty men of valor〃 in his carefully trained army。 Verses 6…8。 The king's trust was in Jehovah of hosts； in whose name marvelous deliverances had been wrought in behalf of Israel of old。 Setting his forces in battle