The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-12

IL
Ahijams Wicked Reign. --.--.----1 Kings XIV, Is
The Revolution of Asa.-.---..-.l Kings XIV: 9-24
The Acts of Nadab- ..-..-------.1 Kings XIV, 1854
The Evil of Omri and Ahab Remembered 49,.
Micah vi 1-16
Baal Worshped ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Judges ii, Lib
Gods Dspleasure with the Wicked Prov. XIV, 10
Fifty years had passed since the nation had
been divided into two kingdoms. We have the
record in l Kings xiii-xvi and Chronicles
| xiiixvii of the great facts of this period OF
history. 1t is grand illustration of the way
great nations are affected by their religious
beliefs There had been two long reigns in
Judah of kings who served God ard led the
people in honoring Jehovah. God blessed and
prospered them But the kings of Israel had
been selfish and wicked Every one of Jero-
boam's family had been slain, the throne had
| been usurped, and the people led further
and further away from God. Judah prospered,
While Israel knew little but disorder and unrest.
| Forty six years have interviewed since the last
lesson. Omri is now on the throne of Israel,
having wrested the crown from who was
| himself an assassin.
|. Omri-Omri was the sixth king of Israel,
and began to reign in the thirty first year of Asas
reign over Judah. There had been four years of
contest with Tibni, whom many of the people
| preferred as king, but from TibnIs death Omri
counts his real reign over Israel the thirty first
| of Asas being the beginning of the last eight
| years of his own reign
| He shows his sagacity by selecting the hill of
Samaria as the place for the capital of his king
| dom. 1t is far more beautiful than the situation
| OF Jerusalem, as easily defended, and it is far
more fertile. The place was retained by all the
kings of Israel. His reign of six years in Tir
zah was terminated when he decided to build
on the NIL Samaria,, after the destruction
easier to fortify and defend Samaria
| than the old capital of Tirzah. He gave two
| talents Of silver-about S., 285 in our money,
! equal to ten times that amount to-day--the old
owner clinging to his property, reluctant to part
| with his patrimony, and only satisfied with the
| assurance that the new city should be known by
| his name.
This brief record shows up the history of his
| life Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord
and did worse than all that were before him.
| His sins may not have been such in the eyes of
| men, but they provoked the Lord God of Israel
| to anger, for they led his people away into
vanities and sin, into the worship of idols and
into their hollow, heartiess service. He gives
| honor to these heather gods, and Jehovah will
allow no rival. The story of his life is one Of sin.
| and so of failure.
| II. Ahab was distinguished from lis father
| by his greater abilities, and by his longer reign
IN wickedness ard idolatry, for he did evil in the
sight of the Lord above all that were before him.
| In addition to the calf worship of Omri, he
added that of Baal, for he reared up an altar for
| Baal in the house that he had built in Samara.
His great sin, great because the source Of so
many others, was in his marriage to Jezebel, the
daughter of Ethbaal. king of the Sidonians.
For this king represented more than any other
| religion hostile and in complete con-
trast to that Of Israel at every
point Such marriage must lead Ahab
astray. Omri was responsible. for he could
| have prevented it, as it occurred while he was
| yet king. Jezebel, in her coarse brutal. Zero
cious wickedness, stands at the head of her class.
| When women are astray in their religion they
are very far astray, and when they turn perse
cutors they are the iercest kind Ahab made a
grove, or. rather, wooden pillar, that repre-
| scented the Ph0nician goddess Astarte. Baal
! and Astarte were the two great deities of this
false religion. and the rites and ceremonies were
| of the most licentious and obscene character,
and must have been most abhorrent to Jehovah.
Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel
| to anger than all the kings before him.
An incidental illustration is here given Of how
far they had forgotten the God of their fathers,
or possibly how openly they disregarded His
nounced a curse on any who would rebuild fallen
Jericho. For some reason Ahab was willing or
1t may be desired to rebuild the city, which was
| very important, so near the fords Of the Jordan
There were inhabitants in the place, but it did
| not have gates and Notifications q Sam Y, B.
| Hiel re established it, and it became important
y Chron. xviii, 15 but it was done at the fear
full cost of the lives of his Oldest and youngest
sons.
APPLICATION.
| l. Sin is the Transgression Of any Known Law
| of God.-This lesson affords us fine opportunity
| of teaching children what it is that makes sin
| such a sinful thing; they need. they desire, to
have this matter explained Sin often does not
| look base, low, wicked and so they reason it
! cannot be very bad, and does not deserve pun
| lshment. But the sin is in disobeying Gods
lawn knowingly doing what he forbids, or in
| neSlectlng to do what he has commanded. This
shows state OF heart on our part that is against
| God--We separate ourselves from him by our
| sins
| 2. Sin Is Sown by Our Example 1t is as
seed planted, and it takes root after many days.
! Bad kings had bad sons People high in position
| lead those under them to go astray. Profanity
or yulgarity matters Of imitation. The hab-
its of smoking and drinking plainly matters
of imitation. How easily children copy the
vices, rather than the virtues of their parents,
). Sin Comes Largely Through Worldly AS
| sociatiOns.-Hence the Bible warns us against
the world. We are to use self denial as to world
| ly amusements: we are to seek the company of
| Christians Many young people lose their relig-
| ion by marrying those who do not love
the church. A girl hazards her happiness in
marrying a man who is not a Chris
tian. She will not convert him; he will
very likely break down her religious life. And
the man who does not very greatly respect the
religious faith and character of woman after
marriage will make her unhappy in many ways.
Be warned in time. a Thousand times better not
to be married than to lose your religion.
4. Sin Grows More Sinful with Age and Or
portunity.-We notice the growth of sin in these
men. And SO in the heart. 1t may be restrained
by outward customs and laws, but it is worse
and worse in spirit
5. Sin Sometimes Punished in This Life
Hiel mourning over the death of his children illus
trates parents who cause the death of their
children by the associations aad marriages they
allow
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Fair Necbs and Cleaning Arms.
New York Tribune.
It is no longer questionable or considered bad
taste to allow the fairness of neeks and
arms TO CLEAN through the transparency of