North Park union., 1904-07-22

and German archaeOlOgistS stfOve toI
the possession OF 1t. the Arabs sus-
picions were aroused and they broke
1t up for amulets. Most Of the pieces,
however. have been recovered and put
together BY means of paper impress
sion that had been made. and the
tablet Is now in the Louvre, at Paris.
III. Ahab Falls Still Deeper in Evil.
VS.. 1884. Ahab's reign occupies the
remainder of First Kings. 1t is treated
at 30 great length because 1t con-
tained the ministry of the great
prophet Elijah. and because 1T was a
crisis in Hebrew history. q battle be-
tween Jehovah and Baal.
20. Tho thirty and eighth year OF
Asa" king OF Judah. with which king
dom Ahab became allied through the
marriage of his sister, Athaliah, to
Jehoram, Asas grandson. "Ahab =. :.
reigned twenty and two
years." He was egotistical. covetous.
selfish. cruel. the worst of Israel's evil
Kings.
30. Evil above all that
were before him." as was said also of
Omri ". 25). Ahab was worse than
preceding kings because he added to
their calf worship. which began. at
least, with pretense Of honoring Je-
hovah. the worship of foreign and
shameful deities.
His wife was the source Of Ahab's
chief sins. 81. He took to wife Jeze-
bel. the daughter of Ethbaal.", Her
name means chaste-the modern lsa-
bel. Her fathers name means with
Baal, l. e., under his protection. He
was priest OF the licentious worship
of Astarte, who assassInated the reign
ing king of Sidon. his own brother. and
usurped the throne for 80 years. Jeze-
bel inherited his wickedness. ferocity,
and idolatrous superstitions. Ahab
took no thought of this, but made "a
light thing of the sins of Jeroboam.
and added to them this evil marriage.
Considering the character of Jezebel.
and OF her fierce father, ex-priest OF
Astarte, 1t Is no wonder that Ahab
soon went and served Baal, and wor-
SHIPPED him." Baal means owner. or
lord. The Baals (BaalimD were local
deities OF fertility. connected at first
with agriculture, and the worship OF
them had developed into shameless
and cruel rites, including the burning
of little children.
32. He reared up an altar for Baal."
When Jehu came to destroy the Baal
temple e Kings 1O:2O, we learn that
.'besides this altar Ahab erected a
column or pillar In the temple Of Baal.
probably like the pillars in the great
temple at Tyre (Menandr. FIR. L.;
Herod, II. 4D."-Cook. THE house Of
Baal" "A temple. we can hardly
doubt. OF considerable. splendo1. .~Ial-
bel would not be satisfied with less: :.
Pulpit Com.
33. "And Ahab made a grove" r. ".
the Asherah," a wooden pole or pill
lar. of licentious form and abominable
significance. associated with the most
indecent rites. for which groves often
furnished the desired seclusion.
The Heart Of the Lesson.
The reigns Of Omri and Ahab are
notable illustrations Of the downward
and cumulative power OF sin.
Note, first, the inevitable momentum
of evil Just as a wise man stands on
the shoulders OF all the scholars that
have gone before. so that school girl
of to-day knows more mathematics
than Pythagoras knew, 80 all wicked
ness is added to the wickedness that
has gone before. The longer slaves
were kept In the United States, the
more cruel slavery became. The
longer we permit the saloon to exist,
the greater becomes its debauchery
and its baneful influence.
Illustrations.-Sin allowed, in man
or nation. is like the increased veloc-
ity OF a falling body.
Note. I'd the terrible guilt of those
that start evil deeds on their course.
Without Jcroboam, there might have
been no Omri; without Omri no Ahab
If no one had begun to bring slaves to
America, we should have been spared
our terrible civil war. The boy who
loosens the stone at the top of the hill
is responsible for all the damage the
stone does till it reaches the bottom
Observation-Disclosures are many places
in the Alps where the guides warn
travellers rot to shout, as the vibra-
ton of the air. even to so slight an
extent, will start a lightly poised avail
anche. and send it in its career of ruin
upon the houses below. Every least
sin is like an avalanche.
Note. third. that every man is re.
sponsible for his own sin. no matter
how much evil has gone before him.
1t Is possible to rise superior to It,
Asa conquered the temptations of his
fathers evil court and bad example
Josiah overcame the wicked influences
OF Manasseh his grandfather, and
Anon his father. Omri and Ahab
might have done as well.
lllnstration.-In one factory you will
see men take the beautiful, golden
grain and transform it into intoxicat-
ing liquor. sent forth to break hearts.
destroy homes. and ruin bodies and
souls. In another factory men take
the disgusting tarry refuse of the gas
maker. and get from 1t our loveliest
coloring dyes and sweetest perfumes
So some men turn into evil all the
good Influences God gives them, Whine
other men are strong to derive good
even from the worst fortunes and sur
roundings. Which will you be?