Dissatisfied, Rehoboam turned to younger men who had been his companions during his youth: “What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us?’” 1 Kings 12:9. The young men suggested that he deal sternly with his subjects and make plain to them that he would tolerate no interference with his personal wishes.      So it happened that on the day appointed for Rehoboam to make a statement concerning his policy, he “answered the people roughly, ... saying, ‘My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’” Verses 13, 14. Rehoboam’s expressed determination to increase the oppression of Solomon’s reign conflicted directly with God’s plan for Israel. In this unfeeling attempt to exercise power, the king and his counselors revealed their pride of position and authority.    ...

 T hou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness. Psalm 30:11. Not all that this world bestows can heal a broken heart, or impart peace of mind, or remove care, or banish disease. Fame, genius, talent—all are powerless to gladden the sorrowful heart or to restore the wasted life. The life of God in the soul is man’s only hope. The love which Christ diffuses through the whole being is a vitalizing power. Every vital part—the brain, the heart, the nerves—it touches with healing. By it the highest energies of the being are roused to activity. It frees the soul from the guilt and sorrow, the anxiety and care, that crush the life forces. With it come serenity and composure. It implants in the soul joy that nothing earthly can destroy—joy in the Holy Spirit—health-giving, life-giving joy.—The Ministry of Healing, 115. When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, e...

  C ast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22.      The Lord's care is over all His creatures. He loves them all, and makes no difference, except that He has the most tender pity for those who are called to bear life's heaviest burdens. God's children must meet trials and difficulties. But they should accept their lot with a cheerful spirit, remembering that for all that the world neglects to bestow, God Himself will make up to them in the best of favors.42The Ministry of Healing, 199.      We are in danger, by worrying, of manufacturing yokes for our necks. Let us not worry, for thus we make the yoke more severe and the burden heavy. Let us do all we can without worrying, trusting in Christ.43Letter 123, 1904.      With the continual change of circumstances, changes come in our experience; and by these changes we are either elated or depressed. But the change of...

      “Solomon rested with his fathers. ... And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.” 1 Kings 11:43.      Soon after coming to the throne, “Rehoboam went to Shechem,” where he expected to receive formal recognition from all the tribes, “for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.” 2 Chronicles 10:1. Among those present was Jeroboam, who during Solomon’s reign had been known as“a mighty man of valor,” and to whom the prophet Ahijah had delivered the startling message, “Thus says the Lord, ... ‘I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you.’” 1 Kings 11:28, 31.      Through His messenger, the Lord had spoken plainly to Jeroboam. This division must take place, He had declared, because Solomon “has forsaken Me, ... and has not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and keeping My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did.” Verse 33, NRSV. Yet Jeroboam had also been instruc...

 T hen shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13.      “Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” 1 Samuel 7:12.      Let us look to the monumental pillars, reminders of what the Lord has done to comfort us and to save us from the hand of the destroyer. Let us keep fresh in our memory all the tender mercies that God has shown us—the tears He has wiped away, the pains He has soothed, the anxieties removed, the fears dispelled, the wants supplied, the blessings bestowed—thus strengthening ourselves for all that is before us through the remainder of our pilgrimage.      We can but look forward to new perplexities in the coming conflict, but we may look on what is past as well as on what is to come, an...

 T hey that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Psalm 9:10.      A soul whom God had forsaken would never feel as you have felt and would never love the truth and salvation as you have loved it. Oh, if God's Spirit ceases to strive with a soul it is left in an indifferent state, and all the time thinks that it is well enough off.... You must not gratify the enemy in the least by doubting and casting away your confidence. Said the angel, “God leaves not His people, even if they err. He turns not from them in wrath for any light thing. If they sin they have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”      This Advocate pleads for sinners and the Father accepts His prayer. He turns not away the request of His beloved Son. He who so loved you as to give His own life for you will not turn you off and forsake you unless you willfully, determinedly forsake Him to serve the world and ...

     Solomon’s repentance was sincere, but he could not undo the harm that his example had brought. During his apostasy some people in the kingdom maintained their purity and loyalty, but the repentant king could not easily stop the forces of evil that idol worship and worldly practices had set in operation. He had greatly weakened his influence. Many hesitated to place full confidence in his  leadership. The king could never hope to destroy entirely the terrible influence of his wrong deeds. Made bold by his apostasy, many continued to do evil. And in the downward course of many of the rulers who followed him we can see the sad influence of Solomon’s corrupting of his God-given powers.      In anguish as he reflected bitterly on his life choices, Solomon declared, “Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.” “Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odor; so does a little folly to o...

 Y e now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. John 16:22.      The last hope of the disciples seemed swept away as Jesus died. Many of His followers witnessed the scene of His sufferings and death, and their cup of sorrow was full.—Early Writings, 178.      Lonely hours they spent in weeping over their disappointment. They had expected that Jesus would reign a temporal Prince, but their hopes had died with Him. In their sorrow and disappointment, they doubted whether He had not deceived them. Even His mother wavered in her faith in Him as the Messiah.—Early Writings, 180.      Jesus arose from the dead, a triumphant conqueror. In solemn awe the angelic host gazed upon the scene. And as Jesus came forth from the sepulcher, those shining angels prostrated themselves to the earth in worship, and hailed Him with songs of victory and triumph.—Early Writings, 182. ...

  F or I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Isaiah 41:13.      For a few weeks past I have had a deep sense of the promises of God and the hope of the Christian. The Bible never seemed to me so full of rich gems of promise as within the last few weeks. It seems that the dews of heaven are ready to fall upon us and refresh us, if we will only take the promises to ourselves. We can never overcome our own natural tendencies without the help of Heaven, and the precious Jesus places Himself right by our side to help us in this work. He says, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). We want to believe just what Christ has said. We want that our faith shall compass the promises....      It is a great thing to believe in Jesus. We hear many say, “Believe, believe; all that you have to do is to believe in Jesus.” But it is our privilege to inquire, What does this belief take...

      Those who heed the warnings of Solomon’s apostasy will shun the first approach of those sins that overcame him. Only obedience to Heaven’s requirements will keep anyone from apostasy. As long as life lasts, we will need to guard the affections and passions firmly. Not for a moment can we be secure except as we rely on God, the life hidden with Christ. Watchfulness and prayer are the safeguards of purity.     All who enter the City of God will enter through the narrow gate, for “there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles.” Revelation 21:27. But none who have fallen need to give up in despair. Aged men and women, once honored of God, may have defiled their souls, sacrificing virtue on the altar of lust, but if they repent, forsake sin, and turn to God, there is hope for them. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abund...

  V erily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. John 16:20.      When they should see their Lord betrayed and crucified, the disciples would mourn and fast. In His last words to them in the upper chamber, He said, “A little while, and ye shall not see Me; and again, a little while, and ye shall see Me. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.”      When He should come forth from the tomb, their sorrow would be turned to joy. After His ascension He was to be absent in person; but through the Comforter He would still be with them, and they were not to spend their time in mourning. This was what Satan wanted. He desired them to give the world the impression that they had been deceived and disappointed; but by faith they wer...

  F ight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12.      There are continuous battles to fight, and we are not safe a moment unless we place ourselves under the guardianship of One who gave His own precious life to make it possible for everyone who will believe in Him as the Son of God, while meeting the strain of Satan's varied science, to escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust. He is fully able, in response to our faith, to unite our human with His divine nature. We are, while trusting in and partaking of the divine nature and strengthening our own efforts, proclaiming Christ's mission on earth to be peace on earth and good will toward men. We are bound to speak of the dangers of the warfare with invisible foes, and to keep the armor on, for we war not merely against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and spiritua...

      Solomon’s later writings reveal that as he realized more and more the wickedness of his actions, he gave special attention to warning the youth against the errors that had led him to squander Heaven’s best gifts. With sorrow and shame he confessed that in the prime of manhood, when he should have found in God his comfort, his support, his life, he put idolatry in the place of the worship of God. And now his greatest desire was to save others from the bitter experience through which he had passed.      With touching appeals he wrote concerning the privileges before the youth: “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into  judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity.” Ecclesiastes 11:9, 10. Remember now your...

  B lessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.      Many were the messages of comfort given the church by the prophets of old. “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people,” was Isaiah’s commission from God; and with the commission were given wonderful visions that have been the believers’ hope and joy through all the centuries that have followed. Despised of men, persecuted, forsaken, God’s children in every age have nevertheless been sustained by His sure promises. By faith they have looked forward to the time when He will fulfill to His church the assurance, “I will make thee an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations.”—Prophets and Kings, 722.      Then let us not mourn and grieve because in this life we ar...

  I , even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins, Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. Isaiah 43:25, 26.      Satan will come to you saying, You are a sinner. But do not let him fill your mind with the thought that, because you are sinful, God has cast you off. Say to him, Yes; I am a sinner, and for that reason I need a Saviour. I need forgiveness and pardon, and Christ says that if I come to Him I shall not perish. In His letter to me I read, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). I will believe the word He has left for me....      The moment you grasp God's promises by faith and say, I am the lost sheep that Jesus came to save, a new life will take possession of you, and you will receive strength to resist the tempter. But faith to grasp the promise...

      In repentance Solomon began to retrace his steps toward the high position of purity and holiness from which he had fallen. He could never hope to escape the terrible results of sin, but he would humbly confess the error of his ways and warn others so that they would not be hopelessly lost because of the evil influences he had set in operation. The truly repentant person thinks of those he or she has led into evil and tries to lead them back to the true path. Such people do not gloss over their own wayward course, but lift the danger signal so that others may take warning.      Solomon acknowledged that “the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts.” “Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God. ... But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days.” Ecclesiastes 9:3; 8:12, 13.      By inspirati...

  G reat is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. 2 Corinthians 7:4. All who stand unshrinkingly in the forefront of the battle, must feel the special warfare of Satan against them. As they realize his attacks, they will flee to the Stronghold. They feel their need of special strength from God, and they labor in his strength; therefore the victories they gain do not exalt them, but lead them in faith to lean more securely upon the Mighty One. Deep and fervent gratitude to God is awakened in their hearts, and they are joyful in the tribulation which they experience while pressed by the enemy. These willing servants are gaining an experience and forming a character which will do honor to the cause of God.—Testimonies for the Church 2:510. “I am overflowing with delight, for all the trouble I have to bear.” 2 Corinthians 7:4, Moffatt. Let me know that Jesus smiles upon me; let me know that...

  A nd why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Matthew 6:28, 29.      The courtly robes of the greatest king that ever sat upon an earthly throne could not compare, in their artificial splendor, with the spotless beauty of the lilies fashioned by the divine hand. This is an example of the estimate which the Creator of all that is beautiful places upon the artificial in comparison with the natural.      God has given us these things of beauty as an expression of His love, that we may obtain correct views of His character. We are not to worship the things of nature, but in them we are to read the love of God. Nature is an open book, from the study of which we may gain a knowledge of the Creator and be attracted to Him by the things of use and beauty which He has provided....  ...

 At last a prophet delivered to Solomon the startling message, “I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.” Verses 11, 12. Awakened as from a dream by  this sentence of judgment, Solomon began to see how foolish he had been. With mind and body enfeebled, he turned from earth’s polluted water sources to drink once more at the fountain of life. Because he seemed unable to turn from folly, the fear of utter ruin had long troubled him. But now, in the message given him, he detected a ray of hope. God stood ready to deliver him from a slavery more cruel than the grave, and from which he had no power to free himself.

 U nless Thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. Psalm 119:92.      Christ’s true disciples follow Him through sore conflicts, enduring self-denial and experiencing bitter disappointments; but this teaches them the guilt and woe of sin, and they are led to look upon it with abhorrence.—The Acts of the Apostles, 590.      “Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet Thy commandments are my delights.” Psalm 119:143.      God has given us His holy precepts, because He loves mankind. To shield us from the results of transgression, He reveals the principles of righteousness. The law is an expression of the thought of God; when received in Christ, it becomes our thought. It lifts us above the power of natural desires and tendencies, above temptations that lead to sin. God desires us to be happy, and He gave us the precepts of the law that in obeying them we might have joy.—The Desire of Ages, 307, 308.

       B ehold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Matthew 6:26.       As we look upon the lofty trees waving with fresh, green foliage, and the earth covered with its green velvet carpet, and the flowers and shrubs springing from the earth, we should remember that all these beauties of nature have been used by Christ in teaching His grand lessons of truth. As we look upon the fields of waving grain, and listen to the merry songsters in their leafy homes, and view the boats upon the water of the lake, we should remember the words of Christ upon the lakeside, in the groves, and on the mountains, and the lessons there taught by Him should be repeated to us by the similar objects of nature which surround us.35The Sanitarium Patients at Goguac Lake, 10.       He made use of the lofty trees, the cultivated soil, the barren...

      God gave Solomon plain instructions and wonderful promises, yet the Bible says, “He did not keep what the Lord had commanded.” “His heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods.” 1 Kings 11:10, 9. His heart was so hardened in transgression that his case seemed nearly hopeless.      From the joy of fellowship with God, Solomon turned to the pleasures of the senses. He says, “I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. ... I bought male and female slaves. ... I also gathered for myself silver and gold. ...     “So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. ... Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure. ... Then I considered all that my hands had done and...

       B ehold, happy is the man whom God correcteth, therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. Job 5:17.      Many of your afflictions have been visited upon you in the wisdom of God, to bring you closer to the throne of grace. He softens and subdues His children by sorrows and trials. This world is God’s work-shop, where He fashions us for the courts of Heaven. He uses the planing-knife upon our quivering hearts until the roughness and irregularities are removed, and we are fitted for our proper places in the heavenly building. Through tribulation and distress, the Christian becomes purified and strengthened, and develops a character after the model that Christ has given.—Testimonies for the Church 4:143.      The fact that we are called upon to endure trial shows that the Lord Jesus sees in us something precious, which He desires to develop. If He saw in us nothing whereby He might glorify His name, He would not spend...

     Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Matthew 6:25.      While you do your best, weary not your body and mind with the cares of this life. Do not spoil your religious experience by worry, but trust the Lord to work for you and to do for you what you cannot do for yourself. The life is more than meat....      There is much needless worrying, much trouble of mind, over things that cannot be helped. The Lord would have His children put their trust fully in Him. Our Lord is a just and righteous God; His children should acknowledge His goodness and His justice in the large and small things of life. Those who cherish the spirit of worry and complaint are refusing to recognize His guiding hand.      Needless anxiety is a foolish thing, and it hinders us from sta...

      In striking contrast to Solomon, the Savior possessed “all power” but never used this power to exalt Himself. No dream of worldly greatness marred the perfection of His service for others. Those who enter the service of the Master Worker should study His methods. He took opportunities to meet people along the great highways of travel.      In His journeys here and there, Jesus lived at Capernaum. Located on the highway from Damascus to Jerusalem and Egypt and to the Mediterranean Sea, it was well suited to be the center of the Savior’s work. People from many lands passed through the city. There Jesus met people of all nations and all ranks, and they carried His lessons to other countries. This awakened interest in the prophecies pointing to the Messiah and brought His mission before the world.      In our day, such opportunities are much greater than in the days of Israel. The routes of travel have multiplied a thousandfold. Like C...

       I will be glad and rejoice in Thy mercy: for Thou hast considered my trouble; Thou hast known my soul in adversities. Psalm 31:7.      O, how precious is the sweet influence of the Spirit of God as it comes to depressed or despairing souls, encouraging the faint-hearted, strengthening the feeble, and imparting courage and help to the tried servants of the Lord! O, what a God is ours, who deals gently with the erring, and manifests His patience and tenderness in adversity, and when we are overwhelmed with some great sorrow!—Patriarchs and Prophets, 657.      The Lord permits trials in order that we may be cleansed from earthliness, from selfishness, from harsh, unchristlike traits of character. He suffers the deep waters of affliction to go over our souls, in order that we may know Him, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, in order that we may have deep heart-longings to be cleansed from defilement, and may come forth from the trial...

     By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Hebrews 11:8.      God selected Abraham as His messenger through whom to communicate light to the world. The word of God came to him, not with the presentation of flattering prospects in this life of large salary, of great appreciation and worldly honor. “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee” (Genesis 12:1), was the divine message to Abraham. The patriarch obeyed.... He forsook his country, his home, his relatives, and all pleasant associations connected with his early life, to become a pilgrim and a stranger.32Testimonies for the Church 4:523.      Abraham ... might have reasoned and questioned the purposes of God in this. But he showed that he had perfect confidence that God was leading him; he...

 Another perversion of the divine plan accompanied the drift toward self-glorification. God had designed that the glory of His law was to shine forth from His people. To carry out this plan, He had placed the chosen nation in a strategic position among the nations of earth. In the days of Solomon the kingdom extended from Hamath on the north to Egypt on the south, and from the Mediterranean Sea to the river Euphrates. Many natural highways of the world’s commerce ran through this territory, and caravans from distant lands were constantly traveling on them. Because of this, Solomon and his people had opportunity to reveal to all nations the character of the King of kings and to teach them to reverence and obey Him. Through the sacrificial offerings, Christ was to be uplifted so that all might learn about the plan of salvation. Solomon should have used his God-given wisdom and influence in directing a great movement to enlighten those who were ignorant of God and His truth. Multitude...

       M ake me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice. Psalm 51:8.      It is true that God loves us, that He is working for our happiness, and that, if His law had always been obeyed, we should never have known suffering; and it is no less true that, in this world, as the result of sin, suffering, trouble, burdens, come to every life.... This world is not a parade-ground, but a battle-field. All are called to endure hardness, as good soldiers.—Education, 295.      Our sorrows do not spring out of the ground. God “doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” When He permits trials and afflictions, it is “for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.” If received in faith, the trial that seems so bitter and hard to bear will prove a blessing. The cruel blow that blights the joys of earth will be the means of turning our eyes to heaven. How many there are who would never ha...

       B ut the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. 2 Thessalonians 3:3.      How many there are who go through life under a cloud of condemnation! They do not believe God's word. They have no faith that He will do as He has said. Many who long to see others resting in the pardoning love of Christ do not rest in it for themselves. But how can they possibly lead others to show simple, childlike faith in the heavenly Father when they measure His love by their feelings?      Let us trust God's word implicitly, remembering that we are His sons and daughters. Let us train ourselves to believe His word. We hurt the heart of Christ by doubting, when He has given such evidence of His love. He laid down His life to save us. He says to us: “Come unto me, ... and I will give you rest....” Do you believe He will do as He has said? Then, after you have complied with the conditions, carry no longer the burden of your sins...

     It was still this way when the Queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon. Hearing of his wisdom and the magnificent temple he had built, she determined to “test him with hard questions” and to see his famous works for herself. Attended by many servants, she made the long journey to Jerusalem. “And when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.” Solomon taught her of the God of nature, of the great Creator, who dwells in heaven and rules over all. And “Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king, that he could not explain it to her.” 1 Kings 10:1-3; see 2 Chronicles 9:1, 2.      “When the Queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, ... there was no more spirit in her.” She acknowledged, “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and inde...