The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-07-29
NABOTH'S VINEYARD.
Sunday school Lesson In the insees
national Series for July II.
I>os-i Kings 2It-I0-

BIASED upon Peloubet's Select Sotesl
GOLDEN TENT. Thou shalt not covet
thy neighbours house.-t.x a.l7-
THE SECTION Includes the res, Of I
Kings chaps. 20-2s brief glance AZ
| the silent progress Of the reforms Elijah
sought. and al the steps OF Ahab toward
| his doom and toward the destruction OF the
ldolatry ne upheld.
| PLACE.-Samaria the capital and me-
tropolis of Israel and Jezreel. y miles
TO the north fayorite royal residence.
1.-The Windsor OF Israel. "
EXPLANATORY.
This story is given because II was
the outward expression Of Ahab's de-
PRAYED character, which led 10 his doom;
as a boil expresses bad blood. or
furred tongue the inward fever.
Scene /. Discomfort in Palace.-V. T.
Adjoining Ahab's palace grounds in
Jezreel. on one of the spurs Of Mount
Gilboa. was the homestead vineyard OF
a native Jezreeliie named Naboth. Ahab
wanted 10 buy this vineyard, 10 enlarge
or complete his pleasure grounds. Ma
both refused TO sell. The refusal OF
Naboth threw Ahab into a fiji Of the
sulks.
g. "And Ahab came" from Jezreel.
Into his house," In Samaria. And
he laid him down upon his bed" The
bed chamber was in the mos; retired
and secret part Of the palace. And
turned away his face. and would eat no
bread:" Such a manifestation of i'll
temper is thoroughly characteristic OF
an oriental king.
Scene H. Bad Counsel at Home
VS.. 81. s. But Jeze bel his wife, like
Clyiemnesira. of Aeschylus, and Lady
Macbeth. Of Shakespea came forward
TO help her husband TO sin. no; to co
right
z. "Dost thou now govern Are you
king? and can You not get possession
of this pretty vineyard? Why not use
Your power? .Arise. and eas bread:"
Ahab is fit only to desire and to revel;
IL is for bolder spirits TO act for good
or for evil. II will give thee the vine
yard" Compare the words of Shakes
peare's parallel character "Infirm OF
purpose. give me the dagger"
Scene III. The Trial and Execution
of Naboth.-Vs. SID. 5. $50 she wrote
letters in Ahab's name:" Ii is custom
airy in the east now. as then. for the
govern inent 10 proclai IN one thing pub
licly. and at the same time 10 give pri-
waite instructions to the officials. of a
very different nature, with the de- gn
of binding the eyes of European gov
ernmenis. And sealed them with his
seal" Documents OF every kind, from
royal decree TO private letter, are
never signed -,iih pen and ink in tbs
east, bui are simply sealed with mans
signet.
9. "Proclaim a fas;:" As If some great
calamity were o,erhanging the city fol-
their sins, ike black cloud portendine
storm. set Nabcih on high Or
the platform Of the court, 10 be tried.
I 10. "Set two men. sons Of Behalf
+ Belial is not proper noun, but simpl,
i means wor;hlessnes :. "recksessness,
= "Blaspheme Cod" The true oriental
d however careless his life. is fanaticall,
= jealous for the honor Of Gods name
To blaspheme Allah in any place wher
Mahom medans congregate would prob
ably resu, in the death of the bias
9 phemer on the spot. "And the king:
II would be easy 10 find some fan
9 foundation for this charge in piou
ID man whose whole soul was opposed Z
= the course of the king in iniroducih
idolatry. And carry him out:>
y stoning always took place outside ih
:. city .And stone him. The legal pun
> ishmeni OF bla sphemy was indeed deaf
= by stonirg (Lev 24:i6). and Nabot
would have persisted justly had he bee
guilty Of the crime. "Tha, he ma
i, die:" 1t appears from Kings 9:2
" that Naboih's sons were put TO deaf
at the same time. Thus, there bein
:, no heirs, the property would revert
the crown.
=. Scene ". Ahab Meets Elijah in II
o. Ill-Gotten Possession.-Vs. IS To- ]
-Ahab rose 10 90 down 10 the vinegar
ne OF Nabo;h:" The Septuagint adds til;
ia, he rent his clothes and put on sac
cloth, rs though shocked at his Grim
n and anxious 10 prove his innocence
rst his own conscience and TO the peopl
But the hypocrisy of the act was how
IN. by his Willingness 10 accept the frui
&C. Of his crime.
zen At the same time news of the bla'
&c crime had come TO Elijah. probably
ac- his lonely retreat in some cave at Ca
mel. God bade him go down and me
:. Ahab in the vineyard. When Ali
n. came 10 the vineyard ito take posse
sion of IT," there stood the prophet
o'' his hairy garb.
Half in anger, half in anguish. All
cried: "Has; thou found me. o mi
M enemy"
Law II have found thee" said the propb
M. speaking in Jehovah's name. ''Th
tn has, sold thysef 20 work evil befc
me. and will requite il and extingui
ate ! thee before me. Surely the Lord 81
cen yes;ernght the blood of Naboth a
t is the blood Of his sons."-Septuagint.
ms Voices from Naboth's Vineyard
ties Ahab's heart was a nest OF vipers.
ain Avarice. t2) discon tentment. () oppr
sion. ca impieiy. 60 abiect mo
yer weakness. (6) base hypocrisy. Cd r
'oi berry. (sl lying, 90 murder.
| bo v,rnrr.4Ec NJ eli from coy