The National tribune., 1885-10-08
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties TaaInsht by Study of the Inter.
national Sunday School Lesson Appointed for
Oct IS--. Ki 10 Ia-gl

|
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
| indicated abovel
Our last lesson was an account of the close
of the seven years famine in the city of Sama-
ria. We are now to Study the history of .Je-
hu's destruction of the followers of Baal the
last act in the dratna Of Ahab.
Benhadad had sicketed and, while sick been
| assassinated by Haza&l We remember how
discouraged Eriah was at Mt. Horeb. Il XII.
| 10: 9-17) How God Visited and encouraged
him, telling him that Ahab and Jezebel would
| be punished for their idolatry, by Elisha, Ha-
zael. and Jehu. Abont % years have passed,
bringing the fatal time 1t is noticeable, Eli
| jah did not in person set apart Hazael and
Jchu, as prophesied. (See / Ri, 10: 10, I6 J
The fact stated in ] XII, 81 80, probably ac-
counts for the delay. Nine years after the
| prophecy to Elijah, Ahab was killed by a Syrian
arrow. Il XII, % :3i.) Just before our lesson,
Hazael became King of Syria, having murdered
| Benhadad by smothering or suffucatng him.
| (9:15) He at once began attacks on the Is
raelites. Jehoram King of Israel, was wounded
and retired to Jezreel. Ahaziah was King Of
Judah. Both Kings were related. Ahaziah
was the son of a sister of Ahab, and Jehoram
was son of Ahab. Knowing Jehoran was
wounded, Ahaziah went to Jezreel to visit
| him.
Now we reach the story of Jehu. Recall
the fact that two decades before God told
| Elijah at HOreb that he would employ Jehu to
ayenge the idolatry of Ahab, Jezebel, and all
the family. II XII, 10 :17.) The time has ar
rived for the furious driver to begin his work.
Elisha's servant anoints Jchu King. (9: lib }
! Jehu falls upon the two Kings, Jehoram and
Ahaziah, at Jezreel, and slays both. Jehoram
was buried in Naboth's vineyard. This had
been predicted. q Ki 81 10, 21, 29.) Then
| Jezebel was cast from q window, killed, and
the corpse eaten by dogs Jehu now proceeds
to extermnate the entire family of Ahab. Q0
LII; XII, 21:21.)
| We are ready for an examination in special
of the lesson.
| great reformation has been going on, led
| by Jehu. He seemed to drive moral and polit-
| ical measures furiously, as he did his chariot
| horses. (9:20) Jehonadab, very devout
man, so admired the King actions as to 60 and
congratulate and encourage him. (On Rechab
and JehOnadab, read Jer.. 35th chapter, and 1
Chron. 2: 55.) Jehonadab did not perceive
| that Jehu was not totally freed from idOatry,
and joined him probably in the hope that
the true worship might be established in
Israel as in Judah. He did not see that
| Jehu's idea was rather political than
religious; that his great aim was rather
to exterminate Ahab's family, as future
| seekers of the throne, than to re-establish
monotheism; that he wanted the religion of
Baal totally routed, since it was so associated
with the Ahab dynasty. Jehonadab might have
suspected Jehu when he considered how Elisha
was ignored in the seeming reformation. What
Ahab did was well so far as it went toward
driving out Baalism. 1t was defective in the
fact it did not along with the heresies and
evils of the Baaites, expel the two golden
calves, one at Bethel and the other at Dan,
90: 29,) set up by Jeroboam. We see Jehu
was looking more to his own honor than to
Gods rights. It was thought by all the Kings
OF Israel lmpolitic to allow the people to go TO
Jerusalem for worship, lest their hearts should
be won over to the King of Judah. Hence the
calves at Dan and Bethel were never removed
until taken off in the captivity of the 10 tribes.
Jehu found Jehonaaab and he were as one
in the work Of reform.I For further consulta-
ton and to gain popularity with the people,
who all had confidence in Jebonadab, Jehu n=
vited him to enter the chariot and ride into
Samaria- He was Jealous not only for the Lord,
but for the King, ,Tless for God than for Jehu.
God commended Jebu for thoroughly clear
ing the country of Baalism (it was never re-
established in that land), and rewarded him
accordingly by granting him the most continu
Gus succession Viz, four generations) OF any
King of Israel. But this was only temporary
reward. Jehu took 10 heed to walk in the
law of the Lord q God of Israel with all his
heart" Hence, BY divine permission and to
punish Jehu, Hazael fearfully annoyed the
Kingdom of Israel, 20 :32, 49,
Now let MS pluck some of the ears of corn
growing in the field over which we have been
strolling, seek some practical thoughts as food
for our ethical appe,iteS.
l. Encourage reform cheer men who lead
of in grand moral movements. Jehonadab
wanted to stimulate Jehu in his work of drv-
ing out doIatry and to show him the enterprise
was appreciated Jehonadab believed Jehu
was devout and in earnest for monotheism. He
knew how possible it is to become disheartcned,
and specially when opposing great national
and popular sin. So he decided to seek out Jehu
and profer him aid join in good measures
aid heroes for right.
2. Seek unity of heart; be of one mind. Here
is the secret of genuine hand d-shaking. In the
act of shaking hands, the two hands become in-
tertwined and as one; common currents of feel
ing run through both. Jehu, finding Jehona-
dab agreed with him, felt drawn toward him.
3. Be Jealous; but let your zeal always
be in good cause, in a right spirit, with
proper means. Even zeal for the Lord may
be carried to excess or lead to wrong measures.
Ostentatious display of zeal is not Christian,
not even tasty. PRO, 27:2) Zeal will speak
for itself. Jehu need not try to show it OF be-
fore Jehonadab.
4. Root out evil. Wehave Gods warrant and
example for removing the wicked from society,
SO as to check their influence and stop their
evil practices in community. 1t would not be
proper, except in great national turning points
involving military action, to proceed to meas
ures of determination. To go to the length
Jehu did, would require special command from
God. The Mosaic law was very severe III the
case of idolaters. (Deu., 13: IS; IS: 20.) Idoatry
was a mortal sin. That was an early day, and
it was necessary to make lessons plain and en-
force them with authority. Allowing the pun
ishments were harsh almost to cruelty, yet
idolatry abated but little.
5. Be truthful. No reform depends for sue
cess ON the lying of its abettors. 1t was not
simply strategy, but actual falsehood which
Jehu practiced. The Staying of the Baalites
could have been effected without violating a
moral law. the eternal principle of truth. Do
not commit one evil TO stop another doing evil
even if it be sure that good may come, it is
wrong. We must keep faith even with heretcs.
6. Obey God. Jehu did according to the
saying Of the Lord" ". 17) God commended
him for executing that which was right and
according to Gods heart. (V. 30) The Lord
directed that the Israelites be punished and
Jehu obeyed. Do Gods will, study his laws
and conform to them. Perform every duty he
dictates. Walk in his ways. ". 31.)
z. Fear sin. See its fearful results and pun
ishments. Do not slight prophecies All that
befeil Ahab, Jezobel and the Baaites, through
Jehu and Hazacls had been foretold to Elijah as
sure to be inflicted, and not an item failed.
Look out for all of Gods threateuings.
8. See to church attendance. The house of
Baal was full FROM one end TO another" ". 2l.)
II is sad to see places for evil purposes crowded
and Gods house quite empty. Gods sweet in
!, ,,p Oh