The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-09-18

take away the understanding. Hos. All
r. V.
We feel somewhat like questioning
the title of this lesson. 1t can be used
as a temperance lesson no doubt, but
to attribute B~en-hadad's defeat entire
ly to drunkenness is not quite true to
the facts. Jehovah's jealousy Of his
name ". 49, and the enemies con
tempt for Jehovah wv. 20, 2S) are the
fundamental causes of the defeat of
the Syrians though, of course, drunk
enness, as an exhibition of ~self-indulg-
ence and therefore of weakness, was
a natural accompaniment of that con.
tempt for God.
!. Ahab's Predicament, w. 1912.
The Syrian kings contemptuous treat
ment of Ahab wv. 10 at last became
so great that in sheer desperation the
people refused to listen to his demands
". -. His forces far overwhelmed
the little army Of Israel wv. 1, 10,
~, but n was on Ahab's side who
had not yet withdrawn his mercy from
Israel and with whom Ben-hadad could
not cope ". 10; Rom. S:31; Phil.
4:1S). 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
like "a tempest of hail, an overwhelm-
ing scourge' with un~restrained power.
The effect was worse than the plaques
OF Egypt. But Ben-hadad was a drunk
ard, a habitual one wv. 12-l6).
Samaria was rich and this king want
ed it even as intemperance always
lusts after the wealth of youth and
h gold of a nation (vv. 8, 12). Drink
always makes a fool of its victim and
dooms to ultimate defeat all who yield
to its power (ch. 1863; II Sam. 1928;
Prov. S1:4, 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
ind he had committed both of the
crimes.
l~ntemperance 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 $5,945 is the average cost to
the taxpayer for each saloon. But
that is not all. The saloon takes also
the very joys its cup promises and
turns its visions into torments.
II. Gods Prophet, w. 1915. 1t was
indeed dark for Ahab. He saw ". 13)
the host confronting ' m but he also
heard the word Of Jehovah. AS con-
trasted with Jehovah that multitude
was but as a handful of dust. God
is 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 mes who are the source Of our
victories over all principalities and
powers Of evil. Ahab's predicament
is answered by Gods Il will deliver"
(v. 49, and so today we have his sure
promise of victory (Eph. 6:1O-12).
God has today set forth his prophets
Il Cor. 1929 to proclaim his mes
sage of salvation and power to over
come intemperance. This is not a
necessary evil" Experts and scien-
fists have clearly demonstrated its be-
ing unnecessary and a drag upon So
ciety, and God has taught US how to
overcome it. Ahab's unfortunate char.
acter appears at it's 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 nc suggestion of his doubling
Gods word.
III. 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, as leaders of an army of 1000,
all who could be found in the capital.
God delights to work through young
men | John 2:13, 14) and the pages
of history are strewn with the victori-
ous achievements of youth. More
precious than gold and silver are the
youth of the nation" and 1t is upon
the youth the prosperity industrially,
morally and spiritually of a nation de-
ponds. 1T is a holy sight to see a
nation saved by it's youth; it is a
grander sight to Christian students
combined to save the world. DIR.
John r. Mott.
Two-thirds of Lincoln's army we're
under twenty-one years of age at their
enlistment; the Union was preserved
by an army of boys.
Ahab himself is the leader ". 14)
and they began at once by carrying
the battle into the enemies territory,
Ben-hadad and his drinking compan.
ions never dreamed of being attacked
at hat hour. Like Gideon and his
army these young men smote the
Syrian host in overwhelming defeat.
lsrael's enemies had incapacitated
themselves. A drunken mob is no
match for even a handful of organized
and sober men. These ~thirty-three
kings courted their own defeat prov.
23:29-32; Eccl. 1l:10; Hos. AID. Ben.
hadad's kings who helped him" ". I6)
proved to be a reed for all the strength
and support they rendered him in the
moment of his need.
1t was the young men who went
first. e. T.. struck the first blow BEN.