North Park union., 1904-07-22

under only four kings Of an unbroken
dynasty. was growing steadily In
strength and influence. Israel was dis
tracted by civil wars. resulting In three
dynasties and the accession Of eight
kings. hvc OF whom re.gned but brief
ly. We have seen how. during Jero-
boam's reign. the introduction Of idol
airy drove the best citizens into the
southern kingdom. Jerobam's son Ma
dab fulfilled in his brief reign and
tragic death the doom which Ahijah
had prophesied. as punishment for his
tathers sins and his own. Baasha. a
common soldier Of the obscure tribe OF
lssachar. conspired against Nadab and
murdered him. and. in Oriental fash
lon, all his kindred with him. 30 that
the family OF Jeroboam became ex-
tinct. and Baasha came to the throne.
But Baasha did no better during his
reign OF twenty-four years. He fol
lowed in all way the evil example of
Jeroboam and the doom of the extinc-
tion OF his house was pronounced by
the young prophet Jehu. just as Ahi-
jah had threatened Jeroboam. Elah.
history Of Nadab. reigning but two
years. and meeting a violent death in
the midst of q drunken revel at the
hands of Zimri. one OF his generals.
Zimri ruled. after the assassination,
only a week, and perished miserably,,
setting FIRE to his palace over his
head; for the army chose Omri, its
commander-in-chief. to succeed Elah.
The people. however. preferred Tibni,
and there was civil war for four years
between the two claimants Of the
throne. AS might have been expected.
the army was victorious. and the death
of Tibni gave Omri the undisputed
sovereignty.
The Lesson for Us.-While all this
turmoil and terror. this sin and sor-
row. il crowded into the history Of
Israel. one king. Asa. was ruling wise
ly In Judah. and was to rule ten years
longer. This contrasted history shows
us:
That godliness is rewarded even in
this world.
That the punishment Of the wicked
also begins here.
That a mans sons. and his kindred,
and sometimes his entire nation, must
suffer for his sins.
That the doom God pronounces upon
the unrepentant sinner Is certain to
fall. though 1t may be averted by pen
itence.
That idulatry-any departure from
the true worship of Jehovah-produces
Inevitable results of ruin. peverting
the judgment. enfeebling the will,
breeding dissension. planting fertile
seeds of crime and death.
That tho tsndo,roytc ssn Ia nHvor
along a level. but always downward.
going from bad to worse. as We shall
see in the remainder Of the lesson.
II. Omri Goes Farther in Evil-Vs.
23-2s. 2s. "In the thirty and first year
Of Asa" The flftieth year Of the di.
vided kingdom. Began Omri to
reign And reigned (R. W twelve
years" From his election as king.
"Tirzah'' The name probably means
delight. Jeroboam at first chose She
chem for his capital. but soon removed
to Tirzah. which was only few miles
distant. Its exact site being unknown.
"a. He bought the hill Samaria." :"
Samaria remained the capital of Is
rael ms long as the kingdom lasted
For two talents OF silver" Equiva-
lent to about $4,000 in our money; but
the purchasing power Of money was
at least ten times as great then as
now. After the name of Shemer
l.. Samaria."
%. "Omri wrought evil" R. ", "Std
that which was evil in the sight Of
the Lord" &c. Walked in all the
way of Jeroboam." So did Nadab Jer-
oboam's son II Kings 1920. and
Baasha q Kings 1890, and Zimri Il
Kings 16:19). and doubtless the
drunken Elah Il Kings 1913. Oh,
the fearful power of an evil example!
And in his sim" R. ", "sins."
Provoke the Lord to anger.
Not passion. but Indignation against
sin. God loves the sinner but hates
the sin: and so should we. with
their vanities." This word is often
employed in the Old Testament of
false gods. and the worship paid to
them. Cambridge Bible
81. "The rest of the acts of Omri."
He founded the most conspicuous dy-
nasty OF Israel and so completely
Identified his name with the northern
kingdom that 1t was known to the
Assyrians as BeIt-Khumri. or the
House OF Omri '"-Farrar. And his
might" He warred with Syria, and
made heroic efforts to rid himself Of
the pressure of his northern foe."-
Hastings Dict Book of the chron.
icles." Not the Book Of Chronicles in
our Bible. but historical annals now
lost. written probably by the prophets.
and gathered up In large collections,
which afforded the materials of the
Books of Kings and Chronicles that
| we possess.-Cambridge Eible.
2S. 80 Omri slept with his fathers" /"
The customary formula in speaking
Of the death of the kings. whether
good or bad.
The Moabite Stone.-This marvel
ously preserved witness to the accur-
| acy of the Bible is a stone of BLUSH
black basalt. two feet vide. nearly
| four feet high. and l4h inches thick.
It was found at Diban (the ancient
Dibon. Mum. 1913; lisa. I:2) by Rev.
|