1 Kings 11:26-28

1 Kings 11:26‑28
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Address—A. Barry
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276.
276.
Guide us all, thou gracious failure.
Hilton Through this barren land we are weak, but thou mighty hold us without powerful hands. Bread of heaven, lead us now and evermore while we tread this veil of souls. May we in Thy love abide, keep us ever great and Savior. Leaving closely to thy side, you'll rely on the Father's changing love.
276.
Thai thou.
Grey heart wake, heart. Woah.
Oh.
Our garden understand that this is a young people's need.
And yet I see all ages before me.
Oh, may the Lord give something.
For the young people especially.
And made through the seeking to help and encourage the young people.
That we may be given something that will help and encourage the older ones too. That includes the speaker himself.
Well, since it's a young people's meeting, I have before me to speak on two young men.
The first young man that I will call your attention to.
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Was given a wonderful opportunity.
What would have been the greatest blessing on earth in his day and time?
And a name and a blessing hereafter.
But this young man, I'm about to speak to follow his own reason and what he devised out of his own head.
The other young man that I'm going to tell you about or read from the word about.
Of a young man of whom we read that the holy fall of the Lord.
I'm sure everyone here that acquainted with the word has already decided who the second person surely is. Or is Caleb, the son of Stefani.
But now you may be questioning in your mind who is the first young man that you're about to speak up.
Well, if you turn with me to the first Book of Kings, you will soon find out.
First book of King and the 11Th chapter.
First Kings, Chapter 11.
All the time that I'm calling your attention to was a very bad time.
In the history of God's people, the children of Israel.
Or he had set up David, and then following his son as king over his birthday people, and given King Solomon the greatest wisdom that any man ever possessed.
And yet he forsook the God from whom he received his wisdom and actually bowed down to ice.
Well, there's a verse that tells us whatsoever a man thought that shall he also reap, and that and Solomon, although in the highest position and the wisest man, couldn't escape.
But the government of God, for he had to read he also consequences of his failure.
Well, now, the person I have in mind is a man named Jared Bowles, a son of Nita.
And if you will read.
In the 26th verse.
And hear a bone, the son of Nebat and Ephraimite, of Zerida, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Ruah, a widow woman even he lifted up his hand against the king.
And this was the cause and so on. When we look at the 28th verse. And the Manjeroba was a mighty man of valor. And Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him roar over all the charts of the House of Joseph. Well.
It's it's very encouraging to read it of a young man who.
Mighty amount of power and an industrious young man.
Well, we admire those policies.
Well, for us to be diligent or there's a verse in Proverbs that tells us whatsoever thy hand finest to do do it with our might. God doesn't.
Encourage laziness in.
They're a student. Well do your your best to get on and make your grades. Got our position where you can work and please the Lord.
In your best efforts to serve your company or your employee.
Well, that was the kind of a young man that you're a boomer. And Solomon, who had a keen discernment, he singled this young man out of a very.
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Has a very useful young man and he set him up and very honorable position.
Though everything starts out very fair and bright.
And so if you young people are making the best of your opportunities.
Well, things look very bright and promising for you.
But let's get the whole story.
So we read in the 29th verse, and it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah, the Solanite, found him in the way, and he had clad himself with a new garment, and they too were alone in the field. And the Hydra caught the new garment that was on him, and ran it from 12 pieces. And he said to Jeroboam, take these ten pieces, for thus that the Lord God of Israel.
All I will rend the Kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give 10 tribes to thee.
But he shall have one try for my servant David Spake, and for Jerusalem's sake the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, because they have forsaken me, and have worshiped after of the goddess of the Zaidonian chimash, the God of the moral bias from Malcolm, the God of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways to do that which is right in my eyes, Keep my statutes and my judgments.
As is David, his father.
Well.
In the 36th verse we read.
Over the 37th verse, and I will take the end. Thou shalt reign according to all of thy soul desire, and shall be king over Israel.
Well, that was no small promotion.
You'll be taken from just the ordinary.
Things of life and be advanced to be the king over Israel.
And when you think that Israel was God's earth with people, there could not be a more honored place here on earth at that time.
Then we read the 38th verse, and it shall be a foul hearken on the wall that I command thee, and will walk in my ways and do that which is right in my sight to keep my statues and my commandment, as David my servant did.
That I will be with thee and build the ashore House of our built for David, and I will give Israel unto thee, and I will for this.
Our will for this afflict the seed of David, but not forever.
Well, you see, there were certain conditions.
If thou will hearken unto all that I commanded.
As we said that you dear young people are starting out with life before you and some I'm sure have some of the qualities that we see in Jeroboam were industrious and are making the best of your opportunities.
But what he just were this little word if.
Now if you are to receive the blessing of the Lord, there are conditions. Thank God there are no conditions as to your salvation if you have really, from your heart, accepted Christ as your Savior.
You're saved and can never perish, but as to your walk and your happiness down here, and as to your reward hereafter, they are definite conditions. Then this if comes in.
If thou will hearken unto all that I command thee, and will walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my fight, to keep my sexy in my commandments.
Well, we have the commandments of the Lord for our guide and for our instruction.
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And are continuing on and getting blessing in this life, and a reward hereafter depends.
On whether no, we're obedient.
To the commandments of the Lord.
And do that which is and walk in my ways. Oh yes, do we want to walk in the ways of the Lord, or look at the pathway of Jesus?
Through this dark trouble scene, friends, there's the way the Lord has marked out for your feet.
Well, let's get better acquainted with his life and his walk. And let us be imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us. And I can assure you, dear young prayer, if you follow the word of God.
You'll approve.
Therefore, he has promised he is able also to perform.
Oh yes, we often get disappointments in connection with things are promises or the world may promises. There's plenty of disappointments in that, but I can assure you that there's no disappointment in connection of what the Lord has promised.
Or what a opportunity, what a future was stretched out.
Before this young man.
Well, now let's see how he responded to it.
Look at the.
12Th Strategy now.
Well, I'll just relate, without reading it, that it happened just as God has told.
Jerebaum who is prophet Hydra that God rents the Kingdom out of, out of.
Baldwin's hand.
All right, Louis, at the time when Reabon is bundle scheme.
And 10 tribes went off with Jeroboam. Well, let's not forget that when God speaks his word is true. Here the Prophet told this young man, seemingly an impossible farmer for him just one of the thousands of Israel to become king. But it all happens and it finds justice factory.
God by Papa his word and told, and now he was in that position of special honor and privilege.
But let's read on in the now in this 12Th chapter in the 25th verse.
It says, And Dearborn built Shecom in Mount Ephriam, and dwelt there, and went out convinced and built new oaks. And Derebourne said in his art. Now shall the Kingdom return to the House of David. If their people go up to do sacrifice in the House of the Lord at Jerusalem, then tell the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord, even unto reabone king of Judah.
And they will kill me and go again to reborn king of Judah. Therefore 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 of Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Now there is a very striking and a very solemn effect.
Of allowing these minds of ours to reason on divine things.
We have a verse like this in Second Corinthians. I believe it's chapter.
Well, I think it's chapter 10, but casting down of imagination. Read that first, as it is in the new translation, passing down of reasoning that every high thought that exhausted itself against the knowledge of God.
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And bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, passing down of reasoning.
All of these reasoning minds of ours how we like to reason ourselves out of this situation and that situation instead of just quietly looking to the Lord. And when we have a scripture or scriptural principle to guide it, just simply submit.
What the Word of God teaches us.
And to leave the consequences in the hands of the Lord.
Instead of that, Jeroboam said, why the children of Israel go up to Jerusalem to worship there. It won't be too long before they all go back to a real bomb and then they'll kill me, I wanted, the Lord told.
Garibald and the chapter we're just reading, did he tell Jeroboam that?
Such a thing could happen to him if he was obedient.
Instead of that he tells us, And I will be with thee, and build the assure House of our built for David, and I will give Israel unto thee. Now that was what the Lord told him, but when he let his mind get the reasoning on this subject.
As reason turned him directly away so that he feared to lose his life.
Well, we can't sit in judgment on Jeroboam and not remember that.
We have minds no better than his and dear young friends. Remember this that if you allow your mind to guide you.
In your affairs of life, it will lead you just as far astray.
As Jeroboam was led astray by his mom all, let's consider this that we must settle every question by thus Beth the Lord. And this may seem rash and imprudent sometimes to submit to His word, but remember that if we trust him, God will take care of it.
He will carry us through the most difficult, the most dangerous situation that we could ever find ourselves confronted with.
Well, let's read a little farther on. It says he set up these two golden calves, and it says in the 31St verse, and he made a House of high places and made priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the 15th day of the month, like on to the feast that is in Judah.
And he offered upon the altar, though did he and Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the order which he had made in Bethel the 15th day of the 8th month, even in the month which he had devised out of his own heart, and ordained a feast of the children of Israel. And he offered upon the altar, and burned the inspect.
Well, there's just the fruits. There's just the logical outcome of one following his own reasoning instead of trusting in the Lord.
And we find all over today man has his religion.
Well, man wants some certain amount of religion because it's far easier to to have some kind of a belief and no belief at all. Even an infidel has some kind of a belief. Everybody has a belief that governs his life.
Well, if it isn't, if it isn't a belief or a faith that comes directly from the word of God, then.
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When man's mind begins to invent his own religion.
Oh, we we find everywhere religion that man has devised out of his own heart.
I've talked to Jules, who hated Christ.
Oh, he said to me. I think if we're if we try to live an upright life and do the best we can, that everything is going to turn out all right in the end.
Well, the view is a much different than.
Perhaps a majority in Christmas on the day.
Or they're saying if you're if you live according to the Golden rule, and if you're if you're honest and if you're upright in your ways. And so on, the dear neighbors.
That you stand just as good a chance it hasn't as anybody else.
Well, that the world is just filled with religions like that. That leaves out the the the value of the blood of Christ.
Put away all terrible sins that must shut those who are in their sins out of heaven and leaves all that out. So we just have endless religion, just like Jeroboam invented the religion of his own so that he could save his his life and keep the as he thought, the people of Israel.
Under his power.
Well, we can't.
Emphasize.
Too strongly those those words.
It says, which he devised out of his old heart.
All he set up, all this religious system, and I suppose it was very attractive. And these calves, he might say, oh, they represent just what the lamb and the and the cap which was offered as a sacrifice.
Do your whole work, what they represent. I wonder if the one back there wouldn't take that little one out of disturbed the meeting.
Yeah.
So we find that.
That.
Devolved what he divides out of his own heart and.
We find that he had very solemn warnings.
You know when the next chapter when the young prophet went to him and he reached out his hands to do harm to that prophet of the Lord that handles withered.
And then the Lord restored his hands to him again. And still it tells us after all that.
That he turned off from his.
The course he had taken. Look at the 33rd verse of the 12Th chapter, or the 13th chapter. After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the loss of the people, afraid for the high places. Whosoever he would go on, he turned not away, he.
Started on of course, and warning. After warning was given, he lost the son who was the favorite of all Israel. God smoked down that young man and still he continued on and spared and fallen hard. All young friends, all present. Let's be warned of the danger of starting out on.
A wrong course.
And disobedience to the word of God.
No one ever knows where that course may lead you to. May God solemnly warn every one of them of that thing.
Well, we find that.
Jeroboam's name is connected on down through scripture with this word.
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The son of need, that which led Israel to sin.
What a fallen record is connected with his name.
Well, now I told you I was trying to help you. Or Bob, another young man. Oh, this is so much happier. It's so much according to.
The desire of my heart to occupy your with better things.
In the.
Book of Numbers and the 13th chapter.
I have to just give a little picture of of the scene that's to be before us.
There were 12 men that were chosen out of the 12 tribes to go up and spy out the promised land.
To which the children of Israel were journeyed.
How two of those men were?
Caleb, the son of Giovanni, and Joshua, the son of Nun.
And when they came back and they carried a bunch of grapes that carried 2 men to carry, they put something, a stick between these this bunch of grapes, and these two men carried it on their shoulders.
I thought perhaps those two men were Caleb and Joshua that carried the grapes of ash. Call to show the people who bought grand fruit there was and the land of promise.
Well, they gave their report and then these other.
Five they tell the people in the this 13th chapter and the around the 29th verse.
Says the Amalekites dwell in the land of the South, and the Hittite and the Jebusite from the Amorite dwell in the mountains, and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and by the coast of Jordan and Caleb. Still the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able to possess.
Well, they in telling about.
The the enemies they saw in the land, and these Amalekites and these Amorites are the people who were thrown into fear and dreaded to the whether they would succeed in subduing these enemies. So Joshua still the people. Isn't that a lovely word of Caleb had for the people?
Let us grow up at once and possess, for we are well able overcome.
The midst of all the unbelief of the people, why they thought to steal them with the assured that if the Lord had given them that Lamb, that he was abundantly able to bring them into the land.
Well, they that night they they wept all night. And then in the morning the people were assembled together, and they were saying, asking why Moses had bought them up out of the land of Egypt, to perish by those enemies.
And again Joshua and Caleb appear, and Joshua the son of Nun, and Cable, the son of Giovanni, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes. And they speak unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, the land which we passed through to search it is an exceeding good land. If the Lord enlighten us, then He will bring us into this land and give it.
Us, a land which floats with milk and honey, only rebel. Not here.
The Lord neither theory the people of the land, for they are bred for us, their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Fear them not, but all the congregation bad stones.
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Well, we.
We find that.
Caleb and Joshua.
Encouraged the people to go up. Wasn't that a lovely word that they had to say?
That.
If the Lord delighted us, then he will bring us into the land. Well, that was a beautiful, lovely, encouraging word. A lot of the people say in response why they they badly.
People, that they should be stolen. Well, sometimes, you know, if we're faithful to the Lord, we may even bring the displeasure of our brethren upon us.
Well, if we went on with the subject, which we hadn't time to go too far into, God told Moses to tell the people to turn back into the wilderness and that those rebellious.
People who had.
Had refused to believe that he was able to bring them in to the promised land, that they were all to die there in the wilderness.
Oh, what a solemn judgment fell upon.
That unbelieving nation. Just think, all that nation 600,000 died because of their unbelief. But there were two men that God said would be brought in the land of Canaan and that was Joshua.
And Caleb, but in order to.
To go in and possess the land, they had to share the sorrows of the unbelief of the nation of Israel. They had to go on with their 40 years of wandering there in the wilderness.
Just notice a verse now in the.
In the 14th chapter in 24th verse.
Just what the Lord says about healing. But my servant Caleb, because he hath another spirit with him, and has followed me fully. Him will I bring into the land where unto he went and his feet fell the vet.
And the reason why Caleb has given such a promise to this because he always follows the Lord.
Now some of you dear young people may say, oh, that word belongs to you preachers or servants of the Lord. You're the ones that and make claims in such a problem, or you belong to a special class.
Well, far be the thought.
There isn't one here that isn't just as much privilege to only follow the Lord. Have Caleb holy fall of the Lord and the way Caleb followed the Lord is the same way that you can wholly follow the Lord. And we can ask the question, how did Caleb Holy follow the Lord? There he went on with all the murmurs of the children of Israel.
When they despise the manner that God gave them, and time after time asked why they hadn't been left in Egypt, they were better off in Egypt. He had to hear all those murmurings and go steadily, incessantly on what was it that sustained him all along his journey.
Was because he believed the word of God. God told his people he was going to bring them into that land, and Caleb simply believed it. And dear young friends, the reason why I say here this afternoon, that you have just the same privilege.
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Caleb, because you have the word of God yourself, and if you're submitting to God's word, if you take that as your God, and when the Lord makes his mind known through his words to you, if you submit to it, you can be truly.
As devoted a follower of Christ, as it was said of Caleb.
That is all, and follows the Lord.
Well, now let's see the outcome of the whole subject. We'll turn now to the book of the office.
The 14th chapter of the book of Joshua.
Are you favorite when we get to this 14th of Joshua?
The Lord has fulfilled his promise and defeated all those seven nations in Canaan and given the land to the children of Israel.
And now the land is subdued. We find Caleb appearing again in the sixth verse. Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua and Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Giophonic. The Canozite said unto him, Thou N the thing that the Lord said unto Moses.
God concerning me and thee, and Katie Barnier, 40 years old as I. Then when Moses, the served of the Lord, sent me from Katie's Barney Hill, buy out the land, and I brought him word again, as it was in my heart. Nevertheless, my brethren that went up with me, made the heart of the people milk, but I wholly followed the Lord, Oh my God, And now if you will turn over to the.
15th chapter Here is what Joshua gives.
The land is divided among the people.
The 15th chapter in the 13th verse, and under Caleb the son of Gifani, he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even the city of Arbor, the father of Anich.
Drove then for three sons of annex.
Well, the 15th person, he went up from then to the inhabitants of D Bar, and the name of the city was Courageous Giram.
Well, we'll have to complete our talk with.
Just calling attention to this.
That the very people that the frightened the whole congregation of Israel in such a way that they wouldn't go up and possess the land, those sons of ants, those terrible giants are which they said, while we just look like grasshoppers and the side of them and we look like grasshoppers.
Through those animals, well after 40 and five years.
That very mountain of those giants, Caleb, went up and took the victim, Proving that the Lord keeps his word and that he will not let us down, He will not disappoint us. If we go on in faith and faithfulness, there is surely a true and right reward.
At the end of the journey now, as we know dear young friends, that our blessings are not earthly, God is not going to offer any gear to be king over a nation in this world.
This world is ruined. This world is under the judgment of God, and we're just waiting for God's Son from heaven. Our blessings are up there, where Christ has taken his feet.
And if we all have followed the Lord like heaven.
We will surely find when we reach the shores of eternal glory.
Our purpose, our marvelous, was His word. For God's word, friends never failed, for heaven and earth will pass away with my words, will not pass away. Now may the Lord give us exercise hard.
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You will take the warning of Jeroboam and take the lesson that we have in Caleb.