Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-02-06
AHAB'S COVETOUSNESS.
LESSON VI, FIRST QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, FEB. 8.
Text of the Lesson, Kings xxi, lie.
Commit Verses, 10, 16--GoIden Text,

Luke xii, documentary by Rev. ID.
NJ. Stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per
mission of II. S. Hoffman, publisher, Phadel-
phia
l. "And it came to pass after these
shings."
The previous chapter gives record of
two remarkable victories of Ahab and his
army over the king of Syria and his army;
the army of Ahab being like two little
1ocks of kids before the Syrians, who filled
the country Xxx, 90; but it was all the work
of God, that Ahab might know that God
was Jehovah Xxx, 10, 2S), and act accord
ingly. Ahab is however, so little in sym
pathy with God that he after all made
friends with the king of Syria, and let him
escape. For this he was rebuked by a
prophet, and went to his house heavy and
displeased Xxx, AZ, 43).
"Naboth the Jezreelte."
We are now introduced to a man who is
mentioned only in this chapter and in ii
Kings tx. His name is given here nine
teen times, and six times it is Naboth the
Jezreelite.
9 Give me thy vineyard be-
cause it is near unto my house"
righteous life is constant rebuke to
unrighteousness and cannot be tolerated.
especially when the spirit of God is striv-
ing with the impenitent
3. 1.-THE Lord forbid it me that | should
give the inheritance of my fathers unto
thee"
Although Ahab offered him better
vineyard or its full value in money, this is
his reply. Naboth fears Jehovah, but does
not fear Ahab and the inheritance of his
fathers is more to him than money or than
any other Inheritance. Had he been like
Esau he would have sold it cheap
4. And Ahab came into his house heavy
and displeased."
In the last chapter we saw him in his
house, heavy and displeased because the
Lord by the prophet had rebuked him; and
now he is in the same place and in
the same state of mind because the
Lord has again rebuked him through
Naboth. Had he frequented the house
of the Lord and in his trouble gone like
Elijah into the sanctuary ops. lxxiii, 10
he would have found cure for his sadness:
but he was not that kind of a man.
5. "Why is thy spirit so sad?"
Sad" is just the same word as heavy"
in verse and Xxx, 43, and it is only found
these three times in the Bible This
is his wife's question to him.
6. 81 will not give thee my vineyard"
He rehearses to her his request of Ma
both and this, Naboth's reply. Thank
God for all who say to the world, the flesh
and the devil: am the Lords property,
you cannot have me or anything belonging
to me; and no money nor any other induce
ment can persuade me to give to any but
my Lord that which is truly and only His.
Z. Il will give thee the vineyard of Ma
both the Jezreeite."
Thus speaks this woman of Satan, this
defer of the true God and His servants.
s. $50 she wrote letters in Ahab's name,
and sealed them with his seal"
Thus did Hannah, another adversary of
the people of God (Esth. iii, 49, Thus will
the beast and the false prophet act in the
power of the dragon, that old serpent, the
devil, in the last days before Jesus comes
in His glory Rev, xiii, 4, = Is, etc.
o. proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on
high among the people"
Or as in r. V. margin, lat the head of
the people" \ child of God may conclude
that something is wrong when the enc
mics of God do him an honor or in any
way set him on high
TO- And set two men, sons of Belial be-
fore him to bear witness against him.
Sons of Belal" signify worthless, reck-
less, lawless fellows. They abound every.
where, and are ready to every evil work.
II, II. And the men of his city
did as Jezebel had sent unto them"
Were the servants of Christ only half as
ready and obedient as the servants of the
adversary, how the name of Christ would
be magnified, God glorified, the elect
church called out and the kingdom hast
ened These men did just what Jezebel
said-took her TO mean what she said and
went about it.
10 "Naboth did blaspheme God and the
king"
This is the lie which these false witnesses
give utterance to. Naboth could say with
David and with Jesus: False witnesses
did rise up; they laid to my charge things
that knew not. They hate me without a
cause" Ops. xxxv, IL; Xix, A. Matt. XVI,
50-G1; John XIV, 25). Naboth is accused Of
blasphemy because he loved his inheritance
more than the favor of Ahab. James was
accused of blasphemy because he declared
himself the Son Of God, fearing not the
wrath of the rulers
They stoned him with stones that he
died"
1t would seem from II Kings tx, 26, that
his sons also were murdered. Thus in later
days they stoned Stephen and Paul
IA. "Naboth is stoned, and is dead"
Or as in the next verse, "Naboth is not
alive, but dead" Satan had done his
worst Jesus taught His disciples not to
fear those who could only kill the body
The Spirit, through Paul, says that "to die
is gain" ito depart and lie with Christ is
far better" Jesus tells us that when Laz-
arus died the angels carried hm-not his
poor corrupting body, but himself, apart
from the frail tabernacle in which he had
been sojourning-to Abrahams bosom;
and He said to the thief on the cross, ITO
day shalt thou be with me in Paradise
Matt. X, IS; Phil. i, 81, %; Luke xvi, %;
xiii, 49,. So while Naboth's body was
overcome by the cruel stones. Naboth him
self had gone off in glorious company, for
ever beyond the reach of all prosecutors.
Is. Arise, take possession of the vine
yard Of Naboth the Jezreelite which he re-
fused to give thee for money"
Thus speaks Jezebel to her heavy and
displeased husband. The prominent seed
of God is no longer in his way as rebuke
to him, and the coveted vineyard is now
his without money. Compare with this
the gifts and merry making of Rev. XII, 10,