The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-01-12

from u e. s25-9oi NGD.
| PLACE They were kings ~ Isruel.
with their capital at Samaril.
IN the thirty and first year of fsa
king Of Judah began Omri 10 reign
! over Israel Omri was the general OF
| Israel's army In the unsettled AMI
| troublous times that followed Baa
shas reign. Before his call to be king
| we know nothing about him. lie was
the sixth king Of Israel. and founded
the fourth dynasty. which lasted sixty
years. with four kings. when FIRST
brought TO notice he was fighting for
HIS country against the phillstincs NJ
| Gibbethon Another general named
| Tlmri was put forward as KING. and
there was war for several years be
! tween these two warriors FINALLY
Omri had full possession Of the kinr
dom
His first work was to choose a BET
ter site for his capital. for Tirzah had
doubtless been injured in the sicg,
| and It's location was not the best TO-
defense lie bought the hill Samaria
lbI MS fhllNhl. UlN fNblNf HFoNtfA
his sagacIty as general and states.
man. The superior strategic position
| OF Samaria. a conical hill standing 400
feet above the base Of the broad val
ley, Is evidenced by the long siege
which II endured, and the stosH resist
| ance which Il offered To the armies %
Sareon.
Omri wrought evil We are not told
the particulars Of Omri's sin. hut Nj
cab says For the statutes Of Omri
are kept" We cannot doubt that
these statutes Of Omri' we're measures
! adopted for more completely isolatlng
the people of Israel from tho services
Of the house OF the Lord at Jerusalem.
and of perpctuating-perha of H.
creasiug their idolatrous practices
Men thought him rich and prosperous
but God looks on the heart and not
on outward appearances
The retribution for Omri's course
did not come all at once for the ma
tion. but the seeds OF ruin were com
ing mp Ike upas trees. Ahab. the son
OF Omri. followed his father Omri iu
his military traditions and prowess
but still moro I'm the idolatrous ten.
denotes. the debased morality. the Al
lance with heather nations. the neg
leCt Of true religion. the downward
course toward ruin. which character,
lied Omris reign. Instead of being
a positive creative force for good. he
sailed with the downward tide. as "a
boat without engine or rover down
the rapids Of Niagara toward the falls
1T takes live Ash to swim up stream
"A boys will is the winds will
Ahab was a man not destitute Of
ability. not devoid Of patriotism. not
wanting In courage. at times not IN.
kingly. but perfectly indifferent to the
obligations under which he lay a.
ruler of n nation which God had taken
into covenant with himself" lie was
egotistical. covctous. selfish. cruel. the
worst OF Israel's evil kings lie took
70 wife Jezebcl. the daughter of Eth
baal
The shadow of Queen Jezebcl falls
dark Tor many years over the history
of Israel and Judah. She was one a.
those masterful, indomitable. implac
able women who when fate places
them in exalted power. leave a terri
BILE mark on the annals OF nations
What the Empress Irene was In the
history Of Constantinople. or the She
wolf of France in that Of England.
or Catherine de MediCi In that OF
France that Jezebel was In the his
tory of Palestine.
Jezcbel stands out on the page OF
sacred history as the first supporter
OF religious persecution. Such fanai
iclsm is frequent concomitant OF
guilt She il the authentic authoress
OF priestly inquisitions. II no king
so completely sold himself To work
wickedness" as Ahab, II was because
"Jezebel his wife stirred him up"
lie went and served Baal, and wor
shipped him. The downward cours.
OF religion ia marked II not measured
by the fact that while Solomon al.
lowed his heather wives to worship
their gods. but did not Join In the wor
ship. Ahab rejected Jehovah by Join
ing his wife In worshiplng the idol.
II Is OF the utmost Importance 10
avoid false friendships and compan-
ionship with the bad. Every power
for good In true friendship IL a power
for evil I'm the false. Our environ
ment, the persons with whom we come
In contact, especially IL We admire
them. are among the most potent fac.
tors for good or evil In our lives A
great deal Of evil comes from false
friendship, The danger is doubly
great because II comes under the
guise Of friendliness- wolf In sheep's
clothing. Give me-" says one, "a
roaring devil rather than sleeping
one; for "A sleeping devil makes me
slumber, but roaring ones provoke me
to run to my Master"
Many are ruined by bad com
partnership! How large part OF
drunkenness comes from the custom
Of social drinking! How many are
kept away from Christ and heavrn
by fear of their friends.