2 Kings 17:21

And Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord.

Jeroboam

I. The character of Jeroboam before he was king. He early discovered some of those distinguishing natural and moral qualities, which formed him for the extraordinary part which he finally acted on the stage of life. His natural genius was sprightly, bold, and enterprising, which he evidently cultivated, notwithstanding the peculiar disadvantages and embarrassments which attended his education. Though he lost his father in his youth, and was left to the care of his mother, who was a widow, yet by the mere dint of his brilliant talents and close application, he recommended himself to the notice and patronage of his wise and sagacious sovereign, We read, “Jeroboam was the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruiah, a widow woman. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.” His appointment to such an office, by such a penetrating prince, is an infallible evidence of his popular talents and pleasing address. These excellent and amiable accomplishments, had they been properly directed to the public good, would have rendered him a great blessing to the nation. But it appears from his history that a base, turbulent, ambitious spirit led him to prostitute his fine abilities to the vilest purposes.

II. To represent the state of the nation, when a base and unprincipled majority raised him to a supreme power. His two immediate predecessors were great and illustrious princes, who reigned long and prosperously.

III. How it came to pass that ten tribes out of twelve should raise such an impious and dangerous man to royal dignity. Jeroboam had not the least claim to the crown, either by birth or by merit. How then should it ever enter the minds of the nation to make choice of the son of Solomon’s servant to reign over them? The answer to this is easy. Jeroboam the son of Nebat had long been a man of intrigue. He had secretly employed every artifice to prejudice the people against the former administration of government, and had openly presumed to lift up his hand against the king. All this he had done before he fled into Egypt; and it is extremely probable that during his residence there he kept up a secret and traitorous correspondence with the disaffected in Israel, and only waited for the death of Solomon to return and seize his throne. It is certain, however, that as soon as Solomon expired, his disaffected subjects immediately sent to Egypt for Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and set him up as the rival of Rehoboam, the proper heir to the crown.

IV. What methods Jeroboam the son of Nebat employed to corrupt and destroy the people who had given him his power. It is a melancholy truth that he did “drive Israel from following the Lord,” and involve them in a series of calamities, until they were dispersed and lost among the nations of the earth. There is something so extraordinary and so instructive in this part of Jeroboam’s conduct, that it deserves the deep attention of both rulers and subjects. The question now is, what methods did he employ to “drive Israel from following the Lord”? His character and conduct before he came to the throne will not admit of the supposition of his acting ignorantly or inadvertently. And it appears from his history that he exerted all his talents to devise the most effectual means of extinguishing every spark of true religion and virtue in the minds of his subjects. Here, then, it may be observed--

1. That he prohibited the worship of the true God, by substituting in the place of it the worship of graven images. The inspired historian gives us a particular account of this bold and impious method to banish all true religion and morality from his kingdom.

2. He appointed new times as well as new places of public worship. These two measures were intimately connected, and calculated to render each other the more effectual. To change the day as well as the places of religious worship, had a direct tendency to distinguish Israel from Judah, and to draw a lasting line of separation between the two kingdoms. His policy clearly appears in what the sacred historian says concerning his appointment of new holy days.

3. To make new appointments to office. As his darling object was to corrupt and destroy the true religion, so he discarded the regular and faithful priests of the Lord, and appointed others to supply their place who were attached to his person and cause, though of the vilest character and of the meanest condition.

4. That he enforced these measures by all the weight and influence of his own example. It appears from his character and conduct in early life that he possessed, in a high degree, the art of captivating and corrupting all sorts of people with whom he conversed. And when he was clothed with the ensigns of royalty his power and opportunity of corrupting his subjects greatly increased. He became the standard of taste, and the model of imitation. His sentiments and manners became a living law to his subjects. In his familiar intercourse with all around him he undoubtedly seized those soft moments, which were the most favourable to his malignant design of seduction. This he could do without departing from the dignity of his station; but it appears that he did more than this, and even stooped to mingle with the priests, and “to burn incense upon the altars of the golden gods of his own making.” Improvement:

(1) The character and conduct of Jeroboam may lead us to form a just estimate of good rulers. Everything appears in the truest light by the way of contrast. Folly is a foil to wisdom; vice is a foil to virtue; false religion is a foil to that which is true; and wicked rulers are a foil to those who are wise and faithful. These, however, are often despised and reproached, when they deserve to be esteemed and admired.

(2) The character and conduct of Jeroboam plainly teach us what a dreadful scourge wicked rulers may be to their subjects. We can nowhere find the character of a hypocritical and unprincipled sovereign so fully delineated as in the history of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

(3) It appears from the intriguing character described in this discourse, how easily any people may be led into civil and religious delusion by artful and designing politicians. The people of God, one would have supposed, were proof against every species of delusion, especially in the days of Solomon, who instructed as well as governed them with superior wisdom and integrity.

(4) It appears from the character and conduct of Jeroboam, that corrupt rulers will always aim to corrupt the faithful ministers of religion,

(5) We learn from the character, conduct, and history of Jeroboam, that it is the duty of the public teachers of religion to bear public testimony against all attempts of those in authority to destroy the religion and morals of the people.

(6) The nature and effects of Jeroboam’s conduct show us what we have to fear, should our civil rulers embrace and propagate the principles of infidelity. We have not so far lost our virtuous and religious habits but that wise and virtuous rulers might, under Providence, restrain us from total declension and apostacy.

(7) It appears from what has been said in this discourse that civil and religious delusions are the great evils which more especially call for our humiliation and mourning this day. Though we have been uncommonly happy and prosperous under the late administration of government, yet the people have loudly complained of public men and public measures, and by a majority of suffrages, placed the supreme power in different hands.

(8) This subject teaches us the propriety and importance of praying for a general effusion of the divine Spirit. Without this, we have no ground to expect to be reclaimed from our deep declension. (N. Emmons, D. D.)

People who discourage others

It was a current saying concerning Lord Eldon that “he prevented more good than any other man ever did.” God save us from being mere obstructives, wet blankets, dampers, and discouragers! If we cannot help, may we never hinder!

Hindering and helping

We were struck by a thought of Elihu Burritt’s, that thousands of our fellow-creatures will yearly enter eternity with characters differing from those they might have carried thither had we never lived. “The sunlight of the world,” says he, “will reveal my finger-marks in their primary formations, and in their successive strata of life and thought.” A party of seamen believed they had gained sixty miles in one clay in their course, but it was proved by observation they had lost more than thirty; the ship had been urged forward by the wind, but driven back by an undercurrent. How many undercurrents of trivial actions, or even looks and manners, influences scarcely heeded, may be hindering the Christian progress of others! But, on the other hand, how many an example that deems itself unnoticed has been honoured by the Master as the means of doing immortal work for Him! Our concern must be constant fidelity to God, leaving all consequences with Him.

Causing others to sin

They tell me there is a public-house in Glasgow where there is a showcase that is a great cause of sport and laughter and joking to the tipplers who frequent the place. In the case there is a shelf, and on the shelf a heap of blue ribbons. Some of them are faded and have been worn a considerable time; some of them, alas, are glistening new--they tell that a few days was all the length of time they were worn. There are remnants of the old Blue Ribbon temperance crusade in this city, when the blue ribbon was put upon the breasts of thousands in the enthusiasm of temperance reform. And this publican boasts of how many trophies he has in that case. He gets his blear-eyed customers to look there. “There are the blue ribbons: that is what I do with them.” He looks at them the same way as an Indian would look at his horrible scalps that he has plucked from his victims. To tempt a weak soul, to set himself with all the infernal machinery of the devil to drag poor souls down, what else can be his fate? The tempter will be judged by God the most severely. (J. Robertson.)