The Indianapolis journal., 1885-10-11

Eunday-Sehool Lessons for Oct. 1S, 1885.
JEHUs FALSE zEAL-II KINGS z, 1871
Golden Text-Blessed is the that walketh not
IN the counsel of the ungodly.-Psa. j, l.
The two chapters viii and ix. that follow the
last lesson are full of great and important
events, and they abound in incidents of cruelty
and bloodshed. The two kingdoms of Israel
and Judah had been kept distinct, but now the
influence and spirit of idolatry that characterized
che house Of Ahab. took possession of Judah,
also, as King Jehoram married Athaliah, the
daughter of Ahab and his heathen Queen
.Jezebel The times were ripe for change. a nd
The purposes that God had indicated to Elijah
{1 Kings xix, 15-17) were now to be realized, and
idolitry was to be destroyed.
The prophet had anointed Hazael to be king
of Syria in place of Ben hadad. King Jehoram,
Of Israel, had been wounded In battle, and his
great captain, Jehu, had taken his place. Elisha
'sent one of the children of the prophets to
anoint Jehu" as king, and to command him to
smite the house of Ahab (ix. y, to destroy 'the
whole house." and he declared that the dogs
should eat Jezebel (ix, 1O) The army gladly
accepted Jehu as king. He started Immediately
for Jezreel to begin the destruction of the house
of Ahab. He slays JeEoram, the king, and
orders Jezebel, the queen mother thrown from
the window, and the dogs so ate her flesh that
there was hardly enough left to bury. He
causes all the sons and nephews of the king to
be slain, and now that the house of Ahab was so
nearly extinct he felt safe on the throne
APPLICATION.
l. Give me thy hand: The need and beauty
of thorough union among those who work for
God. We may with a great profit give our hand
TO those who work for the good cause. Many
feel right in their hearts, but it encourages the
teacher and minister to give him your hand of
sympathy You do not know how much he needs
1t in his heart
2. Made it draught house: There are forms
Of evil that can only be met successfully by their
complete destruction. There are no halfway
methods that will at all answer. They grow
with every year more proud and defiant. Such
was the worship of Baal. Such is to-day the
rum power. It must be destroyed, root and
branch. And for this purpose ordinary zeal and
ordinary men do not avail. They need the
"Scourge of God"
g. Come and see my zeal for the Lord: There
Is a zeal in good cause that is selfish and har-
dening to the heart, and that ministers to PRIDE
Many Jealous when they be prominent
and do things for which they have TASTE Some
are very Jealous when they are asked to lead
and they will work nowhere else. Others are
very jealous for some special doctrine char
ity. In many ways religious zeal is very selfish
and self-willed in the name Of the Lord.
4. With all his heart Jehu did not really
love Gods law. There is no power in zeal to
purify the heart and one may have the name
of being very Jealous in some Christian work,
when it is all a matter of pride and selfshness
that does not reach the heart at ALL These are
the church people who are found out to be de-
faulters, and who commit some great crime.
These are the men who crowd their religion into
Sundays and fast days.