The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-09-17

LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 10
DEFEAT THROUGH DRUNKEN,
NESS.
By o. 4. SELLERS. Acting Director oe
the Sunday School Course OF the Moody
Bible Institute.)

NESS.
LESSON TEXT Kings 2o:l0-el.
GOLDEN TExT-Wine and new wine
< is.1 y. away tne an0~ef''anoins' Hos an
We feel somewhat like Questionina
the title OF this lesson. It can be used
as . temperance lesson no doubt, but
to attribute Ben-hadad's defeat entire
~ to drunkenness Is not quite true to
the facts. Jehovah's jealousy Of his
name ". 13) and the enemies con-
tempt for Jehovah CIV. %, 2S) are the
fundamental causes OF the defeat Of
the Syrtans though. Of course. drunk
enness, Is an exhibition of self-indulg-
ence and therefore of weakness. was
Q natural accompaniment of that con-
tempt for God.
I !. Ahab's P~redicament, w. 1912.
The Syrian kings contemptuous treat
ment of Ahab wv. Id at last became
SO great that In sheer desperation tho
people refused to listen to his demands
". -. His forces far overwhelmed
the little army of Israel wv. /. 10.
I'D. but one was on Ahab's side who
had not yet withdrawn his mercy from
Israel and with whom Ben-hadad could
not cope ". Is; Rom. S:31; Phil.
A:1S). Ben-hadad was the most pow
erful monarch of his time Of those ma
lions bordering upon the Mediter-
ranean. The march OF his army was
K "a tempest Of hail, an overwhelm-
ing scourge" with unrestrained power.
The effect was worse than the plaques
Of Egypt. But Ben-hadad was a drunk
ard. a habitual one (vv. 1916.
Samaria vas rich and this king want
ed 1t even as intemperance always
lusts after the wealth Of youth and
the gold Of a nation wv. 3, 12). Drink
always makes q fool Of its victim and
dooms to ultimate defeat all who yield
to its power (ch. 1863; II Sam. 1928:
Prov. 31:4. 5: Luke 21:34; Eph.
5:1S).
Tradition tells of a monk who was
offered the alternative Of committing
n of two crimes or Of getting drunk.
Choosing drunkenness as the lesser
evil he awoke from his debauch to
find he had committed both of the
crimes. ,
Intemperance becomes too greedy in
its demands and it's results so terrible
that thoughtful people are at last
moved with indignation. There is no
drinking in moderation. There Is no
such thing as regulating the liquor
traffic. For every $500 received by
license $5,S45 is the average cost to
the taxpayer for each saloon. But
/ that fu ~0< oil 6rl,> cn1-o~ k~1pa~ n1o~
the very joys it's cup promises and
turns its visions into torments.
II. Gods Prophet, W.. 1915. It was
indeed dark for Ahnb. He saw ". 49,
the host confronting m but he also
heard the word Of Jehovah. As con-
trasted with Jehovah that multitude
was but as q handful OF dust. God
10 on the side OF temperance. All of
Gods laws favor temperance. Our
everything gloriied leader and the
energizing power OF the holy spirit are
the ones who are the source of our
victories over all principalities and
powers Of evil. Ahab's predicament
is answered by Gods Il will deliver"
". 49, and SO today we a his sure
promise of victory (Eph. 6:10-12).
God has today set forth his prophets
Il Cor. 1929 to proclaim his mes
sage Of salvation and power to over
come f-ntemperance. This Is not Q
necessary evil" Experts and scien-
fists have clearly demonstrated its be-
ing unnecessary and a drag upon 30
ciety, and God has taught us how to
overcome it. Ahab's unfortunate char.
acter appears at its best in this story.
but alas he and his successors soon
forgot the lesson. To his eager in.
Quiries God made full answer and
there Is NO suggestion Of his doubling
Gods word.
30. Victorious Princes, w. 1921. To
Ahab's question by whom" is this de
~liverance to be wrought. God answers.
by the young men of the princes OF
the provinces" ". 14). These choice
young fellows are mustered In. 232 Of
them, 40 leaders Of an army of 1000.
all who could be found in the capital.
God delights to work through young
men I John 2:13. 14) and the pages
Of history are strewn with the victorf-
Gus achievements of youth. more
precious than gold and silver are the
youth of the nation" and IL is upon
the youth the prosperity industrially.
morally and spiritually of a nation de-
ponds. 1T is q holy sight to see .
nation saved by its youth: it IL q
grander sight to Christian students
combined to ave the world."-Dr
John r. Mott.
Two-thirds of Lincoln's army were
under twenty-one years OF age at their
enlistment: the Union was preserved
by an army OF boys.
Ahab himself il the leader ". 14)
and they began at once by carrying
the battle into the enemies territory.
Ben-hadad and his drinking con,pau.
ions never dreamed of being attacked
at that hour. Like Gideon and his
army these young men smote the
Syrian host in overwhelming defeat
Israel's enemies had i~ncapacita.ed
themselves. A drunken mob is NO
match for even q handful of organized
and sober men. These thirty-three
kings courted their own defeat prov,
23:29-32; Eccl. 11:1O; Hos. AID. Ben.
hadad's kings who helped him. ". ~
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