The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-09-29

Adult Department ................
...... Mrs f. l.. Hoffman, Denison
Teacher Training NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
....... Rev. A. Il. Adams. Dow City
Temperance ................
Miss Mnetta Jorgenscn, Vail
Missions Mrs. Anna Williams, Dcnison
Home Department .......... .......
...... Mrs. T.. W. Pierce, Denison
Executive Committee
r. L.. Hoffman, Denison; VIM. Lindherg,
Kiron: A. NJ. Mcintosh, Manila; H. j.
Cook, Denson: Frank Woolston, Deni-
son: Seth Calderwood, West Side.
Oct. 3.-Elijah in Naboths Vineyard.
l. Kings 81.
We have for our lesson this week
one of the most interesting lessons of
the year. Three persons have pronli-
nent place. King Ahab, Jezebel his
wife, and Elijah, the prophet OF God.
Those who have followed tic les
sons just previous need no. to he told
that Ahab was the king over the ten
northern tribes OF Israel, that he was
weak, corrupt and dominated over by
his wife, .Jezebcl, who WIS heather
woman. a follower of the false god.
Baai. We have before seen how she
drove Elijah out of the land, after ne
had made the great test showing that
Jehovah was the true. living God,
threatening his life, and we are thus
prepared for further evidence OF SUI
preme evil on her part.
1t would appear that King Ahabs.
while rich and owner of large posses
sions, coveted or wanted the little
vineyard owned by a humble subject,
Naboth by name. The king made
known his want to Naboth, but he did
not want to sell, and stood on his
rights as Jew under the law as found
in Lev. rs. which said the birthright
freehold should be kept from sale.
Ahab did not feel he dared overthrow
the plain law of the land, yet he did
want the vineyard SO showed his dis
appointment by withdrawing from the
public, and as we would say now
"pOuting like a child"
Now the woman comes to the front.
Jezebel heard the king was down in
shirts, and went to learn the cause.
When she found out, she turned on
tile king with rtliculc, for one who is
in his position could not rave his own
way, and announced that on the mat.
ter being left to her, she would ar
range for the coveted vineyard 10
come into possession OF the Ring. IN
her heart She PLANNED murder. Under
the guise of being very jealous Tor the
sacredness of the Jewish Jehovah. she
carried out plan to have Nabotn
killed. A provision-of the law OF
Moses as found In Low 24-16, said that
one who blasphemed God and the King
should be taken out of the% city and
stoned to death by his fellow, Jews.
Jezebel wrote letter to certain3 eak-
kneed IcwisllSelders telling}.them to
proclaim a feast&or solemn religious
festival and make Nabotil prepayment
in the affair Then she had Two OF
her heather men. sons OF BaaE come
forward tC state that Naboth had bias
phemed God and the king, whereupon
he was taken outside the city and put
to death. When this was done, Je2e-
bel went to Ahab, telling i,im that now
he was free to take possession OF the
coveted vineyard,
We now come to the great dramatic
incident of the lesson. King Ahab
turned from his weeping and went 10
the vineyard to enjoy the fruits OF the
murder which his wife had directed to
he committed Without doubt IT was
an hour Of triumph to him, although
he may have had some lnisgfvings
over the way the affair had been man
aged BY his wife It was at this time
when the fruits Of crime were to be
taken possession of that the Almighty
,s-1 l,,,1 int n
Ahab. The fearless prophet, El'lah'
was again to confront the king. me
lesson verses say. "The Word OF the
Lord came to Elijah, the Tishbite,
and he was commanded to, meet the
king in the vineyard. of Naboth and to
speak forth the following: Hast thou
killed and also taken possession? IN
the place where the dog licked the
blood OF Naboth shall dogs lick thy
blood even thine
Picture that meeting ip the vine
yard, the king triumphant over posses
sion. when there came before him the
+ person he most dreaded to meet, Eli
iab, the prophet of God. Ahab said,
.'Hast thou found him, mine enc
N.Y." and the reply came, 81 have
found thee" With how few words
and with what yividness is the bible
record set forth. 1t was indeed a crit
ical moment when subject met king
and denounced him without mercy.
Elijah added THAT the family OF Ahab
should be cut off from the kingship
forever as punishment for his wrong
doing. Further history tells OF the
death of Ahab, the dogs licking his
hired ond the miserable death of JeZe-
bel as an abandoned woman on the
streets Of the city, her body being par
TALLY eaten by dogs.
The golden text of the lesson could
be nothing else but the verse in Num-
bers 1928, BE sure your sins will
And. you out" 1t was written for the
benefit of the Jews. but is good now.
Nilmberless things can be thought OF