|
Did Jeroboam repent, and forsake
his wicked idolatries? No, he went on in his sins; he grew worse and
worse every day. And now God sent sorrow into the family of
Jeroboam. His little boy became very ill. Sickness and death
are sad things. It makes us very unhappy to look at those we love,
and to see them in pain and suffering. But who sends pain, and
sickness, and sorrow? God sends them all: sometimes he sends
trouble, in anger, to punish sinners for their wickedness; sometimes He
sends it in kindness, to His own people, to teach them to love Him more,
and to seek comfort in Him, and not in a vain and foolish world.
When we are in sorrow and sickness, we should tell God all our trouble,
and ask Him to be our friend and comforter; and He will hear us. He
says, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver
thee." Psalm 1:15. Had
Jeroboam any to comfort him? God was not his friend; he did not go
to Him in his trouble; but Jeroboam remembered the prophet Ahijah, who had
told him, many years before, that he should be king of Israel; and
Jeroboam said to his wife, "Go to the prophet Ahijah, we will ask him
about the child. He will know whether our poor little boy will live
or die." So Jeroboam's wife took a present with her, and went
to Shiloh, where the prophet lived. Ahijah was an old man now; and
his eyes were become dim, so that he could not see. But God told him
who was coming, and gave him a message for Jeroboam and his wife.
Jeroboam's wife disguised herself, because she did not wish to be known;
but Ahijah heard her coming to the door, and he cried out, "Come in,
thou wife of Jeroboam. Do not diguise thyself; I know who thou art,
and I have a fearful message to tell thee from God. Go home to
Jeroboam, and say, Thus saith the Lord; I made thee king over my people
Israel; I took away ten tribes from Rehoboam, and gave them to thee.
But thou hast been rebellious and ungrateful; thou hast disobeyed my
commands; thou hast forsaken me, and served new gods, and taught the
people to be idolatrous too. Now, therefore, I will punish thy
sin. I will send evil upon the family of Jeroboam. They shall
die by the sword, and not be buried. The dogs shall eat their flesh
in the city, and the birds shall eat their dead bodies in the field.
The child of Jeroboam, who is now ill, shall die. He only shall die
in peace, and be buried; and all the people shall mourn for him, because
he alone loves God, and tries to serve Him, in the family of
Jeroboam." Then Ahijah said to Jeroboam's wife, "Go home
now. Thy child shall not recover. When thy feet come to the
door of the house he shall die." The wicked queen arose, and
went home full of sorrow; and when she came to her house, she asked,
"Is the child better?" No, the poor little boy was just
dead. God, in kindness to
the child, made him die. His wicked parents had not taught him to
know the Lord; but the Holy Spirit had taught him, and, therefore, he was
ready to die. Are you, like
this little boy, ready to die? Perhaps you may die very soon; for
God often calls the young away; they do not always live to grow up to be
men and women. Children, therefore, ought to be ready for death;
they should pray for new hearts, and choose God for their father and their
friend now. And then, when called to die, they will be glad,
as Jeroboam's little son was; and when their parents and friends mourn
over their graves, it will comfort those parents and friends to think that
their dear children are gone to a world of glory, to be happy there for
ever.
|
