The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-30
Sunday School Lesson for July 81.
d.. .-- NabotF1's Vineyard.
Kings XXI: 4-16
BY j. e. GILBERT, D. D., IL. D.,
Secretary OF American Society of Religious Education

righteousness was involved. (verses II
and 12).
TRIAL.--The elders made their an
nouncement, that great offense had
been committed. and that the people
must fast and pray to deliver themselves
from Judgment. Naboth was brought
forth as a culprit and seated in the pris-
oner's box in the gate. Venerable men.
elders of the city, were summoned to sit
in the case, the jurymen of those days.
The scribe read with solemn voice the ac-
cusation. Then came the two hirelings.
men ready to do for money any dirty
work, and took their seats In places as
signed for witnesses. When all was ST.
lent they testified that Naboth had BIAS
phemed. That was enough. Two wit
nesses were sufficient In those days to es-
tablsh any matter. (Deut. xvii: g. There
was no examination or rebuttal. The
practice in the courts of Israel was very
simple, and liable to result in injustice.
There may have been a pleading. But
the verdict was soon rendered. and there
was no delay in the execution. Naboth
was taken outside the city, and stoned
that he died. VERSES 13 and IA The
scribe made the entry in the public re-
cords, and the crowds dispersed, reflect
ing upon the fact that another blasphe-
mer had justly suffered, and that Gods
wrath would be turned away.
POSSESSION.-Those who had been
charged with this hellish business re-
ported afterward to Jezebel who had Or
dered it. Verse IA With that informa-
tion she sought out her husband, the
pitiful weakling. and directed him to take
the possession which he was unable to
purchase, because its owner had died es
| a basphemer, and because the property
now belonged to the throne. Verse 15)
She had fulfilled her promise. but at d
fearful cost. Through falsehood and bri-
berry, through corruption of courts ami
perversion of justice. she had committed
murder. stained the name of a good man,
deprived the community of a valuable
citizen, and all this with hypocritical pro-
fessions of love for the sanctity of the
law and a disposition TO punish Jaw
breakers. And Ahab, perhaps ignorant
| of the facts, perhaps Indifferent to the
deeds of blood If aware of them, rose up
! from the feast, where, by his wifes di-
rection his heart had been made merry,
and went down toward the vineyard, late
| another's, now supposed to be his. (Ver5c
| 49, But the eye of God had witnessed
| this transaction, and the prophet was
sent to meet king Ahab in the way and
| pronounce his doom. Verse 49,
REFLECTIONS.-Thi lesson shows
| how necessary righteousness is to the Sc
| curity and enjoyment of earthly good
Naboth's vineyard was dear to him or
| it's fruit he expected to partake as his
| ancestors had done, until the close of
| life. and at death he purposed to leave II
to his children. Its possession was guar
| anteed to him by the law Of God. Because
| of that law he was able to stand up like
| a man and say to the king, "The Lord
| forbid that l should give thee the inher-
| itance Of my fathers" He had a right
| greater than that of anv subject in any
heather land. And yet through the COW
| etousness of weak king, the hypocrisy
| and iniquity of a tyranical woman, and
| the perjury of two base hirelings, Ma
| both's rights are tramped upon, his good
| name is assailed, his family is bereaved,
| his wife is made widow and his chill
dren orphans, and pile of stones out
side the city gate tells the passer-by that
he perished as a criminal. He who lives
near the wicked may discount all his
| treasures. Good government is impossi.
BILE in the hands of bad officers. Every
evil thought is a menace to every worldly
blessing.