121 And Rehoboam goeth to Shechem, for to Shechem hath all Israel come to make him king. 2 And it cometh to pass, at Jeroboam son of Nebat's hearing (and he 'is' yet in Egypt where he hath fled from the presence of Solomon the king, and Jeroboam dwelleth in Egypt), 3 that they send and call for him; and they come—Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel—and speak unto Rehoboam, saying, 4 'Thy father made hard our yoke, and thou, now, make light 'some' of the hard service of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we serve thee.' 5 And he saith unto them, 'Go—yet three days, and come back unto me;' and the people go. 6 And king Rehoboam consulteth with the elders who have been standing in the presence of Solomon his father, in his being alive, saying, 'How are ye counselling to answer this people?' 7 And they speak unto him, saying, 'If, to-day, thou art servant to this people, and hast served them, and answered them, and spoken unto them good words, then they have been to thee servants all the days.' 8 And he forsaketh the counsel of the elders which they counselled him, and consulteth with the lads who have grown up with him, who are standing before him; 9 and he saith unto them, 'What are ye counselling, and we answer this people, who have spoken unto me, saying, Lighten 'somewhat' of the yoke that thy father put upon us?' 10 And they speak unto him—the lads who had grown up with him—saying, 'Thus dost thou say to this people who have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and thou, make 'it' light upon us; thus dost thou speak unto them, My little 'finger' is thicker than the loins of my father; 11 and now, my father laid on you a heavy yoke, and I add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I—I chastise you with scorpions.' 12 And they come—Jeroboam and all the people—unto Rehoboam, on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, 'Come back unto me on the third day.' 13 And the king answereth the people sharply, and forsaketh the counsel of the elders which they counselled him, 14 and speaketh unto them, according to the counsel of the lads, saying, 'My father made your yoke heavy, and I add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I—I chastise you with scorpions;' 15 and the king hearkened not unto the people, for the revolution was from Jehovah, in order to establish His word that Jehovah spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam son of Nebat.
16 And all Israel see that the king hath not hearkened unto them, and the people send the king back word, saying, 'What portion have we in David? yea, there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse; to thy tents, O Israel; now see thy house, O David!' and Israel goeth to its tents. 17 As to the sons of Israel, those dwelling in the cities of Judah—over them reign doth Rehoboam. 18 And king Rehoboam sendeth Adoram who 'is' over the tribute, and all Israel cast at him stones, and he dieth; and king Rehoboam hath strengthened himself to go up into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem; 19 and Israel transgresseth against the house of David unto this day. 20 And it cometh to pass, at all Israel's hearing that Jeroboam hath returned, that they send and call him unto the company, and cause him to reign over all Israel; none hath been after the house of David save the tribe of Judah alone. 21 And Rehoboam cometh to Jerusalem, and assembleth all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight with the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. 22 And the word of God is unto Shemaiah a man of God, saying, 23 'Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people, saying, 24 Thus said Jehovah, Ye do not go up nor fight with your brethren the sons of Israel; turn back each to his house, for from Me hath this thing been;' and they hear the word of Jehovah, and turn back to go according to the word of Jehovah.
25 And Jeroboam buildeth Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelleth in it, and goeth out thence, and buildeth Penuel; 26 and Jeroboam saith in his heart, 'Now doth the kingdom turn back to the house of David— 27 if this people go up to make sacrifices in the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem, then hath the heart of this people turned back unto their lord, unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they have slain me, and turned back unto Rehoboam king of Judah.' 28 And the king taketh counsel, and maketh two calves of gold, and saith unto them, 'Enough to you of going up to Jerusalem; lo, thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.' 29 And he setteth the one in Beth-El, and the other he hath put in Dan, 30 and this thing becometh a sin, and the people go before the one—unto Dan. 31 And he maketh the house of high places, and maketh priests of the extremities of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi; 32 and Jeroboam maketh a festival in the eighth month, in the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival that 'is' in Judah, and he offereth on the altar—so did he in Beth-El—to sacrifice to the calves which he made, and he hath appointed in Beth-El the priests of the high places that he made. 33 And he offereth up on the altar that he made in Beth-El, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month that he devised of his own heart, and he maketh a festival to the sons of Israel, and offereth on the altar—to make perfume.
131 And lo, a man of God hath come from Judah, by the word of Jehovah, unto Beth-El, and Jeroboam is standing by the altar—to make perfume; 2 and he calleth against the altar, by the word of Jehovah, and saith, 'Altar! altar! thus said Jehovah, Lo, a son is born to the house of David—Josiah his name—and he hath sacrificed on thee the priests of the high places who are making perfume on thee, and bones of man are burnt on thee.' 3 And he hath given on that day a sign, saying, 'This 'is' the sign that Jehovah hath spoken, Lo, the altar is rent, and the ashes poured forth that 'are' on it.' 4 And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the word of the man of God that he calleth against the altar in Beth-El, that Jeroboam putteth forth his hand from off the altar, saying, 'Catch him;' and his hand is dried up that he hath put forth against him, and he is not able to bring it back unto him, 5 and the altar is rent, and the ashes poured forth from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of Jehovah. 6 And the king answereth and saith unto the man of God, 'Appease, I pray thee, the face of Jehovah thy God, and pray for me, and my hand doth come back unto me;' and the man of God appeaseth the face of Jehovah, and the hand of the king cometh back unto him, and it is as at the beginning. 7 And the king speaketh unto the man of God, 'Come in with me to the house, and refresh thyself, and I give to thee a gift.' 8 And the man of God saith unto the king, 'If thou dost give to me the half of thine house, I do not go in with thee, nor do I eat bread, nor do I drink water, in this place; 9 for so He commanded me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Thou dost not eat bread nor drink water, nor turn back in the way that thou hast come.' 10 And he goeth on in another way, and hath not turned back in the way in which he came in unto Beth-El.
11 And a certain aged prophet is dwelling in Beth-El, and his son cometh and recounteth to him all the deed that the man of God hath done to-day in Beth-El, the words that he hath spoken unto the king,—yea, they recount them to their father. 12 And their father saith unto them, 'Where 'is' this—the way he hath gone?' and his sons see the way that the man of God hath gone who came from Judah. 13 And he saith unto his sons, 'Saddle for me the ass,' and they saddle for him the ass, and he rideth on it, 14 and goeth after the man of God, and findeth him sitting under the oak, and saith unto him, 'Art thou the man of God who hast come from Judah?' and he saith, 'I 'am'.' 15 And he saith unto him, 'Come with me to the house, and eat bread.' 16 And he saith, 'I am not able to turn back with thee, and to go in with thee, nor do I eat bread or drink with thee water in this place, 17 for a word 'is' unto me by the word of Jehovah, Thou dost not eat bread nor drink there water, thou dost not turn back to go in the way in which thou camest.' 18 And he saith to him, 'I also 'am' a prophet like thee, and a messenger spake unto me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with thee unto thy house, and he doth eat bread and drink water;'—he hath lied to him. 19 And he turneth back with him, and eateth bread in his house, and drinketh water. 20 And it cometh to pass—they are sitting at the table—and a word of Jehovah is unto the prophet who brought him back, 21 and he calleth unto the man of God who came from Judah, saying, 'Thus said Jehovah, Because that thou hast provoked the mouth of Jehovah, and hast not kept the command that Jehovah thy God charged thee, 22 and turnest back and dost eat bread and drink water in the place of which He said unto thee, Thou dost not eat bread nor drink water—thy carcase cometh not in unto the burying-place of thy fathers.'
23 And it cometh to pass, after his eating bread, and after his drinking, that he saddleth for him the ass, for the prophet whom he had brought back, 24 and he goeth, and a lion findeth him in the way, and putteth him to death, and his carcase is cast in the way, and the ass is standing near it, and the lion is standing near the carcase. 25 And lo, men are passing by, and see the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing near the carcase, and they come and speak 'of it' in the city in which the old prophet is dwelling. 26 And the prophet who brought him back out of the way heareth and saith, 'It 'is' the man of God who provoked the mouth of Jehovah, and Jehovah giveth him to the lion, and it destroyeth him, and putteth him to death, according to the word of Jehovah that he spake to him.' 27 And he speaketh unto his sons saying, 'Saddle for me the ass,' and they saddle 'it'. 28 And he goeth and findeth his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion are standing near the carcase—the lion hath not eaten the carcase nor destroyed the ass. 29 And the prophet taketh up the carcase of the man of God, and placeth it on the ass, and bringeth it back, and the old prophet cometh in unto the city to mourn and to bury him, 30 and he placeth his carcase in his own grave, and they mourn for him, 'Oh, my brother!' 31 And it cometh to pass, after his burying him, that he speaketh unto his sons, saying, 'At my death—ye have buried me in the burying-place in which the man of God is buried; near his bones place my bones; 32 for the word certainly cometh to pass that he called by the word of Jehovah concerning the altar which 'is' Beth-El, and concerning all the houses of the high places that 'are' in cities of Samaria.' 33 After this thing Jeroboam hath not turned from his evil way, and turneth back, and maketh of the extremities of the people priests of high places; he who is desirous he consecrateth his hand, and he is of the priests of the high places. 34 And in this thing is the sin of the house of Jeroboam, even to cut 'it' off, and to destroy 'it' from off the face of the ground.
221 And the feast of the unleavened food was coming nigh, that is called Passover, 2 and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they may take him up, for they were afraid of the people. 3 And the Adversary entered into Judas, who is surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve, 4 and he, having gone away, spake with the chief priests and the magistrates, how he might deliver him up to them, 5 and they rejoiced, and covenanted to give him money, 6 and he agreed, and was seeking a favourable season to deliver him up to them without tumult.
7 And the day of the unleavened food came, in which it was behoving the passover to be sacrificed, 8 and he sent Peter and John, saying, 'Having gone on, prepare to us the passover, that we may eat;' 9 and they said to him, 'Where wilt thou that we might prepare?' 10 And he said to them, 'Lo, in your entering into the city, there shall meet you a man, bearing a pitcher of water, follow him to the house where he doth go in, 11 and ye shall say to the master of the house, The Teacher saith to thee, Where is the guest-chamber where the passover with my disciples I may eat? 12 and he shall show you a large upper room furnished, there make ready;' 13 and they, having gone away, found as he hath said to them, and they made ready the passover. 14 And when the hour come, he reclined (at meat), and the twelve apostles with him, 15 and he said unto them, 'With desire I did desire to eat this passover with you before my suffering, 16 for I say to you, that no more may I eat of it till it may be fulfilled in the reign of God.' 17 And having taken a cup, having given thanks, he said, 'Take this and divide to yourselves, 18 for I say to you that I may not drink of the produce of the vine till the reign of God may come.' 19 And having taken bread, having given thanks, he brake and gave to them, saying, 'This is my body, that for you is being given, this do ye—to remembrance of me.' 20 In like manner, also, the cup after the supping, saying, 'This cup 'is' the new covenant in my blood, that for you is being poured forth.
21 'But, lo, the hand of him delivering me up 'is' with me on the table, 22 and indeed the Son of Man doth go according to what hath been determined; but wo to that man through whom he is being delivered up.' 23 And they began to reason among themselves, who then of them it may be, who is about to do this thing.
24 And there happened also a strife among them—who of them is accounted to be greater. 25 And he said to them, 'The kings of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those exercising authority upon them are called benefactors; 26 but ye 'are' not so, but he who is greater among you—let him be as the younger; and he who is leading, as he who is ministering; 27 for who is greater? he who is reclining (at meat), or he who is ministering? is it not he who is reclining (at meat)? and I—I am in your midst as he who is ministering. 28 'And ye—ye are those who have remained with me in my temptations, 29 and I appoint to you, as my Father did appoint to me, a kingdom, 30 that ye may eat and may drink at my table, in my kingdom, and may sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'
(Read Luke 22:1-6)
Christ knew all men, and had wise and holy ends in taking Judas to be a disciple. How he who knew Christ so well, came to betray him, we are here told; Satan entered into Judas. It is hard to say whether more mischief is done to Christ's kingdom, by the power of its open enemies, or by the treachery of its pretended friends; but without the latter, its enemies could not do so much evil as they do.
(Read Luke 22:7-18)
Christ kept the ordinances of the law, particularly that of the passover, to teach us to observe his gospel institutions, and most of all that of the Lord's supper. Those who go upon Christ's word, need not fear disappointment. According to the orders given them, the disciples got all ready for the passover. Jesus bids this passover welcome. He desired it, though he knew his sufferings would follow, because it was in order to his Father's glory and man's redemption. He takes his leave of all passovers, signifying thereby his doing away all the ordinances of the ceremonial law, of which the passover was one of the earliest and chief. That type was laid aside, because now in the kingdom of God the substance was come.
(Read Luke 22:19-20)
The Lord's supper is a sign or memorial of Christ already come, who by dying delivered us; his death is in special manner set before us in that ordinance, by which we are reminded of it. The breaking of Christ's body as a sacrifice for us, is therein brought to our remembrance by the breaking of bread. Nothing can be more nourishing and satisfying to the soul, than the doctrine of Christ's making atonement for sin, and the assurance of an interest in that atonement. Therefore we do this in rememberance of what He did for us, when he died for us; and for a memorial of what we do, in joining ourselves to him in an everlasting covenant. The shedding of Christ's blood, by which the atonement was made, is represented by the wine in the cup.
(Read Luke 22:21-38)
How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than self-confidence, with disregard to warnings, and contempt of danger. Unless we watch and pray always, we may be drawn in the course of the day into those sins which we were in the morning most resolved against. If believers were left to themselves, they would fall; but they are kept by the power of God, and the prayer of Christ. Our Lord gave notice of a very great change of circumstances now approaching. The disciples must not expect that their friends would be kind to them as they had been. Therefore, he that has a purse, let him take it, for he may need it. They must now expect that their enemies would be more fierce than they had been, and they would need weapons. At the time the apostles understood Christ to mean real weapons, but he spake only of the weapons of the spiritual warfare. The sword of the Spirit is the sword with which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves.
