Dark days were fast settling down upon God's beloved people when Rehoboam came to the throne,- all the darker because in such marked contrast with the brilliant reign of Solomon. David had left everything stable,- neither adversary nor evil occurrent; and the first years of Solomon's rule almost seemed to give promise of blessing "so long as the moon endureth." But alas for man! Left to himself, his privileges do but raise him to an elevation which makes his fall all the more terrible. After building and dedicating the temple, having been endowed with amazing wisdom, king Solomon "loved many strange wives," who stole away his heart,- gradually, no doubt, but surely, until he turned away from his God to worship the abominations of the heathen. His position and endowments only mark the more clearly for us the lesson of man being but vanity, even at his best estate; and remind us of that Only One who has never failed, and who will yet restore to Israel her long-looked-for glory and blessing.

Even in Solomon's lifetime some of the results of his wrong-doing were manifest, and the Lord's chastening hand had been felt. The word had gone forth, through the prophet, that the kingdom was to be disrupted, and the instrument for its accomplishment was being prepared. As long as the king lived things were allowed to take their course,- partly, no doubt, because of a measure of administrative skill and energy still preserved in him, and partly because of the prestige of his great name.

With his death, however, and the accession of Rehoboam, the spell is broken, and there must be a fresh putting forth of power, or the hidden seeds of disintegration will soon bear their legitimate fruit. such crises are not uncommon among God's people at all times, the circumstances varying with the special conditions existing. How often has a great name held God's people together until some time of resting came. They were brought face to face with some question of faith or duty,- a question requiring immediate guidance, where tradition, no matter how exact, was impotent to help. Then it was that the latent weakness was brought to light:we may -be sure, however, that it had existed long before.

Would Rehoboam rise to the emergency ? Would He prove to be the man for the time ?

The place of his coronation is significant. David had been made king at Hebron, a city of Judah, and meaning "communion." Solomon had. gone to Gihon, apparently in great haste to anticipate Adonijah. It was a name given to a suburb of Jerusalem, from the fountain of water there. The name signifies "a breaking forth," as of a fountain from the earth. One of the four rivers of Paradise was so called. It might, therefore, fittingly represent that outflow of the Spirit of God which is to characterize the millennial reign of Christ, of which Solomon's was a type. Shechem means shoulder, suggesting service and perhaps rule ('' the government shall be upon His shoulder.") Its position in the tribe of Ephraim, fruitfulness, emphasizes the thought of service.

No doubt expediency suggested the choice of the place of coronation in a tribe where the evidences of disaffection were already but too manifest. Again and again had the tribe of Ephraim shown its jealousy of the others. When Gideon pursued the defeated Midianites and overthrew them, he had to meet with the envious chidings of the men of Ephraim. His wisdom and soft answer averted a collision,- which, later on, in Jephthah's day, and under similar circumstances, was precipitated by the want of grace in that stern man. During all the time of David's rejection, and again after the rebellion of Absalom, this same spirit of tribal jealousy, with Ephraim doubtless in the lead, prevailed. The flames might only smoulder, but they were never quenched, and will not be until the restored nation will forget all else under the blessing of our Lord's gracious and wise rule. Then "the envy, also, of Ephraim shall depart, . . . Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim." (Isa. 11:13.)

The spiritual meaning of this is plain, whether in the history of the individual or of the Church. Works are arrayed against faith, service against worship, and the very blessings of grace too often made to appear antagonistic by Satan and his ready ally, the flesh. Judah, "praise," however, must lead; and Ephraim will find abundant fruit in the true spirit of subjection. '

It would seem, as has been said, that some sense of impending danger had taken hold of Rehoboam; and he seeks to avert disaster by this clumsy and apparent pandering to the jealousy of Ephraim. We may remark that in so doing he left the place of communion, Hebron, and of refreshment, Gihon, and so was in reality unfitted for service, Shechem, as the sequel shows.

Ephraim was not to be mollified by this. Real grievances were to be righted; and at Shechem the new king meets with a firm demand, in form as vet loyal:"Thy father made our yoke grievous; now, therefore, ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee." There need be no surprise that one who had forsaken his God as Solomon had, should oppress his fellow-men.

This is a critical moment with King Rehoboam, and he rightly asks time for a decision, applying to his counselors (did he also seek wisdom from God?) for advice. Their answers are characteristic. The older men, who had doubtless marked a gradual weakening of the bonds of loyalty, counseled gentleness:"If thou be kind to this people and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants forever." On the other hand, the young men, with a rashness that usually accompanies inexperience, put into form the thoughts, doubtless, of his own heart:"My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. . . . My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

Little need be added. The schism is consummated; a few hot words, and the union of the twelve tribes, which had survived the chaotic independency of the times of the Judges, falls before the imperious will of this young man. In vain does he attempt to stem the torrent:the outraged pride of Ephraim refuses to listen to any overtures, and to restore peace by war was expressly forbidden.

Well may we pause here and contemplate the ruin thus wrought. That the ten tribes were guilty of revolt, that they soon deserted the temple of God for the calves of Dan and Bethel-starting upon a down-ward course of unbroken evil-stands out upon the face of the history of those times. Equally is it plain that the crown belonged to David's line:God's name had been put at Jerusalem, and the promises were centered there. But was not Ichabod written upon it all ? True, obedience to God would be shown by the recognition of His house, but the eye could never be closed to the fact that Israel was divided.

And as we look around at the divisions among the people of God, shame and sorrow become us rather than the pride of position, too common in all our hearts. The Lord give His people to see their common shame and weep over it,- realizing, each of us, our responsibility in having contributed to the general state. Nor is this in the least inconsistent with the maintenance in all firmness of those principles laid down in the word of God for the guidance of His people as to their corporate relationships.

But there are lessons of grave importance in connection with Rehoboam's action. There can be no question that his harshness precipitated the division. It is equally true that both Ephraim and Judah were ready to seize upon any pretext to separate:they were already divided in heart. Above all, the state of the whole nation, of the individuals composing it, rendered such a thing possible. What was needed was a man for the time,- a man who first of all would humble himself personally, and thus fit himself to be the instrument God could use to restore His people,- a man with a large and tender heart, as well as an enlightened conscience, who on the one hand could realize the claims of God, and on the other the weakness and needs of the people. Rehoboam, alas! was not such a man. His mother's name and lineage suggest the principles which governed him,- Naamah, an Ammonitess,- pleasure, at the expense of righteousness, a practical lapse into the heathenism of the children of Lot.

Then, too, a man for such emergencies must be one who inspires confidence. In his darkest days, the people believed in David, his sincerity and devoted-ness. Blundering, failure, there might be; but behind all that there was the conscience toward God, and a love and care for His people. Such characteristics seem to have been entirely wanting in Rehoboam.

And this brings us to look at the true principle of rule. It is service. Jotham's parable (Judges 9:) illustrates this. The trees want a king over them, and invite the olive, the vine, and the fig, successively, to take that place. But each is already engaged in fruit-bearing, supplying man's need, and will not leave the place of service "to wave over the trees." The healing, nourishing ministry of the Holy Spirit; the cheering, life-giving ministry of the precious blood of Christ; the varied fruits produced in the believer's life, are suggested by these trees; and what position or authority can compare with such service ? Only the thorny, worthless bramble, will consent to be king, and it only to devour the best. Naturalists tell us that the fruit of a tree is simply an arrested branch,- checked from bearing leaves and spreading further, and its strength given to the production of fruit and seed. Strange to say, the thorn is similarly a branch, but instead of the check upon its growth being turned to fruit and blessing, it shrinks into a useless spine which can only wound. God would arrest our growth in such a way, that, instead of making a show we might bear fruit; but we may be sure He would never have that arrested growth changed into a useless bramble that can but wound.

The true spirit of leadership is service. " I am among you as he that serveth " were? the words of the true king. All who would imitate him must walk in the same lowly path:" By love serve one another." "Neither as being lords o-ver God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock."

One of the greatest needs of the church of God today is pastors. Men who love and yearn over God's beloved people, because they are His; who will take the sorrows, cares, follies, and failures of the saints, and lay them before God alone; who can minister comfort where it is needed; who can heal the breach between brethren; who go in and out amongst the Lord's dear people, helping, guarding, cherishing them, as a nurse cherisheth her children. "Though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers." The reverse of the true pastor is seen in that solemn passage in Ezekiel:"The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and cruelty have ye ruled them." (Ezek. 34:4.)

Rehoboam followed the advice of the young men, whose lack of experience sadly unfitted them for such delicate work. Naturally God would use those whose maturity would give a breadth of view, a gentleness coupled with firmness, which come with years. Sad it is that these things should ever be lacking with gray hairs; and that God must pass by unprepared old age to use consecrated! youth, for a work most suited to mature years.

Rehoboam means "Room for the people." How sorrowfully he contradicted his name we have seen. Instead of breadth we have found narrowness; instead of enlargement, cutting off. The Lord give us grace to shun the errors into which he fell, for we are living in times which much resemble those days.