The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-03-16
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson XII.-First Quarter, For
March 10, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Kings Xxx, 1921.
Memory Verse, 13-Golden Text,
Prov. XXI, +Comnnentary Prepared
by Rev. o. M. Stearns.

Prov. xxi, +Comnentary Prepared
: by Rev. D. NJ. Stearns.
When godly people seek the help OF
and rely on the ungedly it is not only
testimony against God on the part
of those who bear His name, but it
encourages the ungodly in their un-
godliness. In II Chron. xvi we read
that Asa, king Of Judah, was rebuked
by the Lord through Hanani the seer
because he relied upon Eenhadad.
king of Syria.
1t may have been that this fellow
ship of Asa with him afterward en-
collraged Benhadad to ill treat Ahab.
king Of Israel. as lie did. first demand
ing of him his silver and his gold and
his wives and children and then
threatening to send his servants to
search the houses of the king and his
servants and take away all their de-
sirable things oversees 5. O.. Ahab
. seems to have borne the first demand
with wondrous submission, but the
second was too much. and Ahab by
the advice of his elders so returned
answer to Benhadad. This drew from
him /. great threat. to which Ahab re-
piled in these words: Let not him
that sirtleth on his harness boast him
self as hc ilat putteth it off, verse III.
We cannot but be impressed with
the pains which God takes to win peo-
pie to Him and to deliver them from
the wrath to come. and we are amazed
to see Him working even on behalf OF
such IA one as Ahab. But it was all
| for His great namesake that Ahab
| might know Him as Jehovah verses
Is, 2s). Compare Job Xxxiii. 1880.
and remember always II Pet. iii, O..
What He has done for Israel in the
past and will yet do for them in the
future was and will be wholly for His
names sake that He may be known
and trusted tEzek. xxXvi %; xXxvii.
%; xxxviii %; xxx. 27-29. Even
to this day He is wont to show Him
self strong on behalf of very unworthy
representatives If only He may be
known through them as the living
and true God, who loves to save and
is net willing that any should perish.
The great hindrance to His saving
and blessing people and showing Him.
self strong on their behalf is their uli-
willingness and unbelief How often
He has had to say: "And -ye would
not lisa xviii. -; xxx. 10: Matt.
xiii. 81; John V, 4O). 'My people
would not hearken to My voice. and
Israel would none of Me-" "They be.
lieyed not in God and trusted not in
, His salvation" FPS. xxi, II; lxxviii
22).
Ahab's record is, '"rhere was none
| like unto Ahab, who did sell himself
to work wickedness in the sight of the
Lord" chapters xxi, xxv). The only coed
thing written of him is his penitence
which caused the Lord to delay judg
ment on him Xxi, 27-20). And vet il
this lesson the Lord gave the Syrians
: into his hand twice. though his people
were but few and the Syrians a great
host He even caused wall to fall
upon $1,000 of the Syrians. Such :
manifestation of the power of God OF
behalf of such as Ahab is most I'M
usual We must think not of Ahah
but of Israel as the people of God
! though in rebellion against Him. con
q corning whom He said: How shall
give thee up. eEphraim? How shall
deliver thee. Israeli Hos ri. 8.
80 Israel. thou hast destroyed thy
self. but in me is thine help.' 4
Israel return unto the Lord thy Cod!
(Hos. xiii. .: xiv, ~
AS to the Syrians, who were at thi
time overthrown. it is plain tina
drunkenness was one of tue sins o
their leaders. for Benhadad and hi
thirty-two royal comrades were drink
ing themselves drunken verses xii. ii
even while they were boasting ;lgains
= the God of Israel. 1t was not sinfr
/ Israel that they were talking against
but the wonder working God of Israe
who counts all that is done TO Hi
z people. however unworthy they ma
! be. as done to Himself Czech ii, s
S. After the first defeat of the Syrian
they said that the God of Israel wa
a God of the hills, but not of the va
leys, and for this they suffered thei
second defeat. though the children Q
It Israel were like two little flocks o
II kids. while the Syrians filed the cour
e try oversees %. 20. The Lord love
: to show Himself strong on behalf @
y all who trust in Him I'll Chron. xvi o
IT hc1 ~
n people will always be overthrow
II There is nothing that develops the sci
/. in man like wine or strong drink. an
W self or the carnal mind is that pan
II of us that is incorrigibly bad and ca
e never be improved from. viii. u. 4
10 to the way in which wine or. stron
drink works-and some instances q
it in the Scriptures-the cases @
Noah, David and Uriah. Nabal. Ella
. and others might be studied with pro,
: it tGen. il, 90 81: II Sam. ri. 10:
- Sam. XIV, SO; Kings xvi. o.. Til
: record stands that drunkarls shall nc
Inherit the kingdom of God
And even such guilty ones hav
been and may still be saved. The
: there is that staggering and drunken
ness of unbelief always to be consit
: cred in which neither wine n3r stron
a drink is at all In evidence Gsa xxi.
9-13. Sinners Of all grades and kind
are all about us, whom God is read
= to save. and we do well to console
$ whether while We are busy here an
II there they get beyond our reae
Verse 4O.