Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-04-15
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u. '.RIBLE. STUDIES.
EASTER SUNDAYS LESSON.
II k;nos 11:1-2o-ApriJ 16.

Blessed are they that keep his
testimony. and that seek him with the
whole heart. - Psalm 1872.
Jezebel's daughter, Athaliah, on the
death of her husband, became Queen
Dowager of the Kingdom of Judah,
her son AhaZiah becoming King. In
Oriental lands the Kings mother is
Still the highest authority in the
Kingdom, as, for instance. in China.
This was the custom with the Jews.
AS Queen Dowager, Athaliah had ex-
crcised Il powerful and baneful in
tluence against the true God and His
worship and in favor of Baal wor-
ship. Hers is not the only instance
in which the intermarrage of the
kings of Israel with the daughters of
foreign kingdoms brought great in
jury. Her mother Jezebel was an
other notable illustration. And we
RENE mber that it was Solomon's for
cig'l wives who ensnared him.
In line with all this we remember
that the Divine command to all Jews
was that they should not intermarry
with other nationalities. Every de-
Walton from the Divine Law seems to
have brought with it serious penal
ties. This is strictly in harmony
with Gods arrangement with that one
nation alone. that they should be His
people in peculiar sense, that other
nations were not His people and that
obedience to His laws would bring
them blessings and dsobedience bring
thcm adversitics. That Law is still
upon the Jews, but it is not upon
others
Ln Uni
fion of the antitype, or spiritual
significance OF that item of Jewish
law by all Christians. who consti-
tute. from the Divine standpoint. "a
holy nation. a peculiar people" Chris
tians are not to be uncqually yoked
with unbelievers. Christians are to
come out from the world and be
separate. This, however. does not
apply to nominal Christians, but only
10 the spirit begotten class, who have
made full conservation of them
selves to the Lord. These are coun-
selied to marry only in the Lord
only the consecrated Those who dis
regard this Divine injunction endan-
ger their own spiritual development,
as well as their own happiness and
tn" h4ppiness of the worldly person
Numbering For Power.
When King Ahaziah was slain by
Jehu, his mother. the Queen DuWagcr,
realized instantly that this meant her
loss of rank and poWer-thc power
and honor and riches which her self
iah, proud heart SO loved She
realized that the moment her grand
son ascended the throne she must va
cate her position in favor of her
. uaughter- law. Her selfish, proud
heart resolved that on no account
should this be. Rather. she would
he murderess Forthwith she caus-
ed her grandchildren to be slain, cX-
cept one. an infant, who Was hidden
by has aunt in room used for the
storage OF sleeping mats. and, in our
lesson, styled bed chamber. Sub
sequently, he was nurSed until his
seventh year, in one of the rooms
connected with the old temple, which
was IN disuse during Queen Athaliahs
reign. as she favored and upheld the
Worship of Baal.
We may we'll hope that many could
not be influenced to become murder
trS, even with such Inducements. But
not many viii ever have temptation
TO grasp throne or to retain one
one lesson for us here is the power
oi pride We may we'll hope that
many could not be influenced to be-
come murdererS. even with such in
aucements. But not many of us will
ever have such temptation tn grasp
throne or to retain hold of one al
ready possessed.
other illustrations of the power of
pride leading to murder. IN the his
tory of a throne, are mentioned in
history. For instance King Herods
murder of all the infants of Bethlehem
of two years and under was to pre-
serve to himself and his heirs the
throne of Israel. History tells us of
now Laodicc poisoned her six sons,
one by one, that she might be En-
press OF Constantinoplc Another
mother named Irene, which name
signifies peace, gougcd out the eyes
of her own son that he might be in
capable of ruling the Empire over
which she sought o reign alone.
No wonder the Bible declares that
the heart of man in his fallen condi-
tion is deceitful above all things and
desperately wicked No wonder the
Bible tells us that the blessing of the
New covenant which God will estab-
ilsh with the world through Israel,
during Messiah's reign. will operate
TO the taking away of the stoniness of
The heart and to the return to man
KIND of heart of flesh-a proper hI
man sympathy such as the perfect