The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1911-01-20


TIME-Omri reigned y years from B. G.
e25 tor seq to 92j tor So. Abah. his son,
from r. G 935-904 tS6D.
PIaCE-They were KINGS of Israel
with their capital at Samaria.
In the thirty and first year Of Asa
king OF Judah began Omri 10 reign
over Israel Omri was the general of
IsraeTs army in the unsettled and
troublous times that followed Baa-
sha's reign Before his call to be king
we know nothing about him. He 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 Philistines at
Gibbethon. Another general named
Timri was put forward as king. and
there was war for several years be-
tween these TWO warriors. Finally
Omri had full possession Of the king
Som
His first work was to choose a bet
ter site for his capital. for Tirzah had
doubtless been injured in the siege,
and its location was not the best for
defense. lie bought the hill Samaria
for his capital This choice proved
his sagaeity as general and states
man The superior strategic position
Of Samaria, eoniCal hill standing 400
feet above the base of the broad val
ley, is evidenced by the long siege
which It endured, and the stout resist
ance which 1t offered TO the armies of
Sargon.
Omri wrought evil We are not told
the particulars of Omri's sin, bat MI
cah says: For the statutes of Omri
are kept" We cannot doubt that
these statutes of Omri' were measures
adopted for more completely is0latlng
The people of Israel from the services
Of the house of the Lord at Jerusalem,
and of perpetuating-per of In
creasing 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
ton, but The seeds of ruin were com
ing up like upas trees. Ahab, the son
OF Omri. followed his father Omri in
his military traditions and prowess;
but still more in 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,
ICED Omri's reign. Instead of being
a positive. creative force for good. he
sailed with the downward tide, as
boat without engine or rover down
the rapids OF Niagara toward the falls.
IT takes live fish to swim up stream"
~ boys will is the winds will"
Ahab was man not destitute of
ability, not devoid of patriotism, not
wanting in courage. at times not TN
kiugly hut perfectly Indifferent to tho
obligations under which he lay as
ruler Of a nation which Ged had taken
into covenant with himself" He was
egotistieal eoyetous, selfish, cruel. the
worst of Israel's evil kings. lie took
TO wife Jezebel. the daughter of Eth
baal
The shadow of Queen Jezebel falls
dark for many years over the history
Of Israel and Judah She was one OF
those masterful, indomltahle. implac-
able women who, when fate places
them in exalted power, leave terri
Bile mark on the annals of nations.
What the Empress Irene was in the
history Of CoHstautinople or tho She
wolf of France in that of England,
or Catherine de Mediei 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 fanat-
icism is a frequent concomitant Of
guilt. She is the authentic authoress
of pricstly inquisitions. If no king
so completely sold himself to work
wiekedness' as Ahab, 1t was because
'Jezebe his wife stirred him up"
He went and served Baal, and wor-
shipped him. The downward course
of religion is marked if 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 worshiping the idol
It is of the utmost Importance to
avoid false friendships and compan-
ionship with the bad Every power
for good in true friendship is a power
for evil in the false Our environ
ment, The persons with whom we come
in contact, especially If 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 1t comes under the
guise of friendliness-a wolf in Sleeps
clothing. Give me-" says one, "a
roaring devil rather than a sleeping
one. for a sleeping devil makes me
slumber, but roaring ones provoke me
to run to my Master"