The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-07-28
Omri and Ahab.


for half a century. Seven kings had
, it and four of them got it by violence
and murder. Reigns were brief and
dynasties interrupted The exodus
of the Levites deprived the nation of
saline element. Civil war broke
out, Conditions waxed worse and
worse, until one king set the torch 10
his own palace and Tirrah, that syn
onym of beauty, lay in ashes.
The history o: the Southern King.
dom presents marked contrast. AL
most the entire period is covered by
the reign of a single monarch, Asa,
one of the noblest men who ever wore
a crown. No such black succession
maintained as did in Israel One
need not go far to find the cause of
the opposite fortunes of Israel and
Judah. The former drifted further
and faster from that national recti-
tude which alone brings national
peace and joy.
1t has been APPLY said that every
age thinks itself a crisis but no one
can doubt but that the advent of
Ahab brought a supreme issue in the
history of Israel. The chronicler
feels justified in giving all the balance
of his book to the narration of these
dark and stirring scenes. Ahab's
name means Fathers brother" the
suggestions being that Ahab is Omri's
other self in impiety.
Just at this juncture, Jezebel, a
female Judas Iscariot, cast her black
shadow on Hebrew history. She is
another Irene of Constantinople, or
Catharine de Medicis of France, or
Shakespearian Lady Macbeth. She
is the inventor of priestly inquisition
and first supporter of religious perse-
cution. She was masterful, indOmit-
able, and implacable. Her father
had killed his brother in order to get
the Zidonian throne. Such was the
fierce and fanatical blood that flowed
in her veins.
1t was an evil day for both Israel
and Judah when Ahab took the wo-
man to be his wife. The pains and
penalties of that choice perpetuated
themselves for thousand years. 1t
was under her malign influence that
positive idolatry was established.
Calf-worship. had, it is true, been
previously established and was I'M
-asthorized and corrupt. The calf
was, however, everywhere recognized
as a symbol of Jehovah, and under
this sign he was still worshiped. But
with the advent of Jezebel, the Baals
supplanted Jehovah. A great Baalite
temple was built in Samaria with the
evident purpose of surprising that of
Jehovah in Jerusalem. Eight hun
dred priests in Gorgeous regalia served
at the affairs. The pomp of sem
suous cult was substituted for the
simple and speaking rites of an ele-
waited theistic religion. The essence
of the faith of Israel, found it's ex-
preston in the simple creed Jehovah,
lsraels God; Israel, Jehovah's peo-
pie" But in place of the revered
name of Jehovah it was deliberately
proposed to substitute the name of
the Baals. 1t was a blow at
monotheism. In the place of the one
God were substituted gods many"
namely, all the local deities of fertil-
ity-with all their shamful and MUIR
derous rites, including the burning
of children. To such foul depth
had Israel fallen!
The cumulative nature of sin has
a startling illustration in that the
same superlalive terms are used to
describe the sin of son of we'll as of
father. Each did worse than all be-
fore him.
The Teachers Lantern.
With Ahab new and vivid section
OF Hebrew history begins. 1t closes
with the destruction of the house of
Omri by Jehu. Its Importance is in
dicated by the fact that its incidents
are recorded at length The advent
of Elijah makes it an epoch of alb
sorbing interest. 1t is the descrip-
ton of one of the decisive battles of
the world-the battle between Jeho-
yah and Baal. 1t is both the glory
and the shame of the nation.
Ahab's foolish choice of a wife re-
suited in lasting dishonor. Com
partnership stamps character. "a
companion of fools shall be destroy
ed" There was ageneral law against
marriage with heather. For a king
to violate the law was all the more
reprehensible because of the exem-
plary power of his high position.
Yet Ahab considered it light thing.
He was unwarned by all previous
visitations-which were in vain as
far as he was concerned.
Jezebel is odious in the last degree,
but she must be treated with historic