Oxford eagle., 1915-09-30

LESSON TEXT Kings r.f1-8
GOLDEN TENT-Be sure YOUR atm wiz
Ind you ouG-Num- TT
Ahab disobeyed God and failed tn
follow up his victory over Ben-Hadad
tch- 20: 3f-54l. Thereapon one Of ths
prophets resorted to a plan whereby
Ahab was rehuked and also received
a message that sent him TO his house
heavy and displeased'' tv. Al. All OF
this needs to be borne IN mind when
we study Ahahs course OF action re-
lated In this lesson Learn by heart
the tenth commandment. also Luxe
1z-15.
J. The Schemes sf Men. w. ff-fa-
Ahab had been king for twenty years
tB. c. sosgl- JezreeI was his summer
capital. about twenty miles northwest
Of Samaria- The chief actors In this
tragedy were Naboth. n weilto-do citf-
zen: Ahab. q petulant monarch to
whom Naboth refuses to sell his vine
yard. Jszeoei. the Lady Macbeth Of
Ahab's court; elders and mobiles OF
gezreei- willing tools In the transac-
tions false Witnesses. executioner, and
Elijah. the servant OF God. who con-
fronted the monarch In his newly
gained possession Ahab was con-
stantly In conflict with the purposes
Of God and with hts Word. Naboth
had no right to sell his vineyard Cses
Numbers 1851: Lev. s5.s3: also Ezek-
$3.50 and sturdily stood out for his
God-given rights These land laws
were rigid. but at the same time visa
and beneficial Instead Of yielding to
Gods law Ahab suExs Ike a petred
child (v- A. and thus again runs coun-
ter TO Gods Word (see tenth COM
mandnentl- AT this iuncture Jezsbel-
his wife. appeals to his pride and
power as the king w. y, and offers
% procure the coveted possession The
methods OF mankind whereby vast pos
sessions are accumulated do not al
ways bear Investigation. murder and
rapine. hruken hearts and shortened
lives. weakened bodies and stunted
children can largely be traced to the
sin or covetcusness. against which We
all need 70 be On guard Luke I2.f5.
Eph- 5:5l- The first sinner was ccvet-
chosen people Of God Josh T.3IJ. and
Il was this that caused the first dis
senston among Christian believers
tActs 5=1-5)- JezebeI most graciousIy
gave Ahab that which belonged to
others how free We all can be with
the property Of others She also
cioaked her designs with the mantle
or religion (s-I3l.
n. The Sentences ct God, W.. fZ-2o.
The dead Nahoth was happier than his
neighbors Of Jezreel. the king and
queen or any Of the other evil par
tictpantz- Ahab began by breaking
the first commandment II Kings Is. il.
Deut- 5.7l and thus laid the ground
work Of the whole train OF evil for
which he and hts household and his
reign are famous. The elders readily
obeyed the word Of JezeheI and Ahab
prodted thereby. but now he was to
hear the Word OF God and IL was not
to be so welcome Recently We saw
Elijah set aside. following his fight
from Jezehel. but ne Is not entirely
beyond use and God now gave him a
new commission. one more task in
connection with his old opponent.
There Is nothing indicating cowardics
in Eiiiah's bold challenge OF Ahab and
there Is also a suggestion OF a guilty
conscience in Ahah's exclamation,
Hast thou found me. o mine enemy"
fv 20ls Ahah had gone down to thu
vineyard Of Naboth" (v. 1sl to enjoy
the pleasure OF possessing his fIl-got-
ten treasure only to hear again his
word Of doom (ch- 20.4ss 21-Isl. Il
was a poor exchange Ahab made
MARK 8. .jIl. a throne and his life in
exchange for the carrying cut Of his
own viii and the possession Of n vine
yard In that exact spot where Ma
both had been fouIIy stoned the dogs
would Lick up the blood Of the king
As is usually the case. the guilty sin
ner called the righteous servant ot
God his enemy" yet had Ahab
obeyed the worSi Of Jehovah as 50
frequently spoken by Elijah he would
have discovered him To be his true
and best friend. not bis enemy Ahab's
SIN had found him CUT tGoIden Text
Mum 3s-25l.
not the mere destre for things We do
not possess. but a deep longing which
Is willing to do wrong. to iniure 9TH
ers. 70 profit by the evil deeds Of 9TH
ers In order TO come into possession
Covetousness seeks TO gain at the ex-
pense Of higher and better things: It
IL the extreme opposite Of the spirit
OF him who gave an
The greatest danger OF our land and
the chief sourre OF sin Is ccvetousness.
The source and fountain o. covet-
business Is selfshness- Hence the one
and only cure Is IN a changed seart-
one consecrated to God and devoted
to the service Of others
Love God. obey ms Word. strive
with all our ransomed powers to build
up and advance his kingdom and
covetousness viii vanish as mist be-
for the summer sun