The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1915-09-30


follow up his victory over Ben-Hadad
(ch. 20:3l-34). Thereupon one OF the
prophets resorted to a plan whereby
Ahab was rebuked and also received
a message that sent him ito his house
heavy and displeased" ". 43). All OF
this needs to be borne in mind when
we study Ahabs course of action re.
lated in this lesson. Learn by heart
the tenth commandment; also Luke
1915.
!. The Schemes Of Men, w. 11-16.
Ahab had been king for twenty years
(B. C. 906D Jezreel was his summer
capital, about twenty miles northwest
Of Samaria. The chief actors in this
tragedy were Naboth, well-to-do citi-
zen; Ahab, a petulant monarch to
whom Naboth refuses to sell his vine
yard; Jezebel. the Lady Macbeth of
Ahab's court; elders and mobiles of
Jezreel, willing tools in the transac-
ton; false witnesses, executioner, and
Elijah, the servant OF God, who con.
lIOuttu luc LnOudiCh III hio htNly
gained possession. Ahab was con.
stantly in conflict with the purposes
Of God and with his Word. Naboth
had no right to sell his vineyard tsee
Numbers S6:7; Lev. 25:23; also Ezek.
46:16) and sturdily stood out for his
God-given rights. These land laws
we're rigid, but at the same time wise
and beneficial. Instead OF yielding tc
Gods law Ahab sulks like petteG
child ". ~ and thus again runs coun
ter to Gods Word (see tenth com.
mandment). At this juncture Jezebel.
his wife. appeals TO his pride and
power as the king ". n, and offers
to procure the coveted possession. The
methods of mankind whereby vast pos
! sessions are accumulated do not al.
ways bear investigation; murder and
rapine, broken hearts and shortened
lives, weakened bodies and stunted
children can largely be traced to the
sin or covetousness, against which we
all need to be on guard (Luke 1915;
Eph. 5:5). The first sinner was covet-
Gus (Gen. 3:6), so also we're the
chosen people of God Josh. 7:2D, and
1t was this that caused the first dis
sension among Christian believers
tActs SID. Jezebel most graciously
gave Ahab that which belonged TO
others; how free we all can be with
the property of others! She also
cloaked her designs with the mantle
OF religion (S-13). Notice she did not
go to Jezreel herself, but wrote let
ters" and intrusted the work to others
who did her bidding quickly, lest they
be prevented. Their readiness Is
proof Of the corruption which Jezebel
had wrought in Israel The worlds
most hellish atrocities have frequently
been enacted in the name of and by
professed disciples of God and OF his
Son. Unconscionsly Jezebel was
sharpening the iron which pierced her
own soul I'll Kings, l0:i-7). "Whatso-
ever a man soweth that shall he also
reap" Jezebel was a conscienceless
uedtucH, uut Audb udu ucSh III eouSu
with Jehovah, hence his was the
greater guilt when he profited by her
acts.
u. The Sentence Of God, w. 1920.
The dead Naboth was happier'tha his
neighbors OF Jazreel, the king and
queen or any OF the other evil par
Elephants. AhaL began by breaking
the first commandment Il Kings 1851;
Deut. $50 and thus laid the ground
work OF the whole train OF evil for
which he and his household and his
reign are famous The elders readily
obeyed the word OF Jezebel and Ahab
profited thereby. but now he was to
hear the Word of God and 1t was not
to be so welcome Recently we saw
Elijah set aside. following his flight
from Jezebel, but he Is not entirely
beyo nd use md God now gave him a
new commission. one more task in
connection with his old opponent
There is nothing indicating cowardice
In Elijahs bold challenge OF Ahab and
there is also suggestion Of guilty
conscience in Ahabs exclamation
Hast thou found me, o mine enemy"
" 20)? Ahab had gone down TO the
vineyard of Naboth" ". l6) to enjoy
the pleasure of possessing his ill-got-
ten treasure only to hear again his
word of doom (ch. 20:42; 21-19). 1t
was a poor exchange Ahab made
mark S;37). throne and his life in
exchange for the carrying. out OF his
own will and the possession Of vine
yard. In that exact spot where Ma.
both had been foully stoned the dogs
would lick up the blood OF the king.
AS Is usually the case. the guilty sin
ner called the righteous servant OF
God his enemy" yet had Ahab
obeyed the Word of Jehovah as so
frequently spoken by Elijah he would
have discovered him to be his true
and best friend, not his enemy. Ahabs
sin had found him out Golden Text.
Mum. S2:23). Having had his sin
discovered. Ahab hears from Elijah
his doom, though God graciously ex-
tended the time In response to his bit
ter repentance (vv. 27.29).
M. The Summary. Covetousness is
not the mere desire for things We do
not possess, but deep longing which
is willing to do wrong. to injure 9TH
ers, to profit by the evil deeds OF 9th
ers In order to come into possession.
Covetousness seeks to gain at the ey.
pense OF higher and better things; 1t
Is the extreme opposite Of the spirit
| of him who gave all"