The National tribune., 1885-07-16
ABBATH MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by Study Of the Inter-
national Sunday-Sc!iool Lesson, Appointed for
July 49, Hi, 16: 1924.

Practical Duties Taught by Study Of the Inter-
national Sunday.Sc!iool Lesson, Appointed for
July 49, XII, 16: 1924.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
Indicated abOveI
We find ourselves in Samaria, Palestine, in
the year 919 B. G. Omr is King of Israel. He
was the sixth King of that land Jeroboam
reigned % years, Nadab 2 years, Baasha "a
years, Elah 2 years, Zimri days. Then,
Omri began his reign of II years. His Capital
for the first six years was Tirzah. He then
built Samaria and made that his principal city
Ahab followed Omri and ruled % years. All
these Kings did evil and displeased God Ahab
exceeded all the rest in sin. His greatest sin
was his marriage to Jezebel, who was heather
woman, and very wicked one at that.
Studying the paragraph, we gather the fol-
lowing suggestions:
1. We admire the spirit of enterprise in
Omri. He built up Capital of his own. He
was evidently very aspiring man. Many
think he married Jezebel so as to widen his po-
litical influence. Enterprise and sharpness
often go beyond wisdom. Go-a-head-a-tive-
ness is good, if you go in the right direction.
The case of Hiel is another illustration. If he
knew beforehand of the curse pronounced by
Joshua on the person who should try to restore
Jericho Joshua 6: 26l, he was fOolhardy; if
he did not, he was really we'll intentioned in
his spirit Of enterprise. From his severe pun
ishment, we would think him knowing and
guilty. That is always stupid enterprise
which attempts to thwart any of Gods plans
Nothing succeeds against Providence.
2. We should not divide our worship between
God and idols. Surely. we should not turn our
backs on God and go over to Baal. The spirit
of idolatry developed. In Jeroboam's time the
attempt was made to worship the real God
through images. By Ahab's time God is for
gotten entirely and the images have become
gods. So sin grows. Stop it on the start. or it
will soon get the start of you.
g. nation cannot prosper which does not
recognize the true God. We see a wonderful
contrast in the Kingdoms Of Judah and Israel.
Rehoboam ruled IL years. and was followed by
Asa, who reigned Al years. These Kings did
not become ido!atrous. On the other hand, the
Kingdom of Israel, up to the time of our lesson.
had seven Kings. Asa began to reign while
Jeroboam was still King of Israel Six Kings
succeeded JerobOam while Asa still lived. JO-
sephus, noticing this contrast, says: By these
events we may learn what concern God hath
for the affairs of mankind, and how he loves
good men and hates the wicked and destroys
them root and branch; for many of these
Kings of Israel, they and their families were
miserably destroyed and taken away one by
another in a short time for their transgresson
and wickedness; but Asa, who was King of
Jerusalem and of the two tribes, attained, by
Gods blessing long and blessed old age for
his piety and righteousness and died happily
when he had reigned forty and one years"
Cart. 8, IL, g.
L. Omri made Israel sin. ". 26) We do
not act separately. Each has influence. They
in higher stations have great power by their
examples Some think Omri enacted laws COM
pellng his subjects to be idOlatrous. So we
read of the Statutes of Omri." Mic. 6: 49,
Liberty of religious conscience should be al
lowed subjects by their rulers.
s. Rely on Gods word, promises or threaten
ings. Compare Joshua g.: 26 with Kings Is ::
81. Remember, the interval was much over 400
years. The curse fell on Hiel. The lesson
speaks of Gods anger. There is some sense in
which we can offend Deity. He is brave
man, indeed, who dares the vengeance of
Heaven.
g. Marriage should not be between the Chris
tian and the heather. The grossest evil of
Ahab was his marriage to Jezebel, woman
violent, characterleSs. For Jew to marry
Phenician was a presumption which should
have been past possibility. For King
to set such an example was Remembering.
Many a law of the Jewish system was pointed
against such a sin. Even if Jezebel had been a
have done great wrong in marrying her.
But when we find her stubborn, vile person,
we see the sin of Ahab in its grossness. If she
had been willing to marry Ahab and be reserved
about her heathenism, there would have been
more hope of joy and success in the marriage;
but she was fiercely- Jealous advocate of idol
airy, and would allow no chance to pass for
building up false worship.
1t is best for married persons to be as similar
as possible in religious belief and taste. They
even of the same denomination (as Christians)
will find help thereby toward domestic hap
piness. 1t is we'll to make this matter con-
sideration in forming the married relation.
The editor of the Examiner was asked by
"Le Votre" whether the marriage of be-
lever with an unbeliever is disciplinable
otfense." He replied: So 1t would be, if it was
lust the same thing to be an unbeliever now
that it was in PauPs time. Our unbelievers
are not idolaters, and many of them have very
sincere respect for religion and all its observ-
ances So the churches leave the matrimonial
question to be decided by the parties most in
terested." After ALL there is vast difference
between a believer and an unbeliever. Happy
the Christian woman who weds Christian
husband! The Church should help young peo-
pie in adjusting such an important matter. Mr..
Spurgeon will not Otficiato at the marriage of
one of his members to q person who is not
believer in the Christian religion. That was a
bold, but yet reasonable, refusal of the daugh-
ter of the Presbyterian House of Argyle to be-
come the wife OF the Marquis of Butte, because
he would not assure her that he would not
sccede to the Romish Church. His income is
81 100000. Since, he has gone over to the Latin
Communion. The Roman Catholic Church is
very concerned about this question, and makes
great effort to secure adherence to the Church
as condition Of marriage. That communion
thus studies peace and seeks permanence and
happiness in the marriage relation. There is
no way to cover up the fact that much domestic
unhappiness is caused by differences as to re-
ligious belief. Thsis specially so in the case of
children.
Z. Stop SHINING 1t is harmful to the perpetra-
tor IL is injurious to society. But more still
and worse yet, it is provoking to God. U.s. 26,
49, No human being should have the herdi-
hood to offend the Deity. God has a wish, we
do right. He sees US, and so it is declared:
"Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord" We
should remember God witnesses our conduct.
And he, who is thus omniscient, is also omnip-
otent Shall we not fear to stir up the OPP
position of the Almighty? Do not dare to pro-
woke power.
We have in the case of Hiel a Sad illustration
of Gods retributive justice. Thro' Joshua, God
had pronounced curse on the man who should
attemDt to rebuild Jericho tJoS 6260 Yet