The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-10-02

ind you out.-Num. S2:23.
Ahab disobeyed God and failed TO
follow up his victory over Ben-Hadad .
(ch. 20:31-34. ThereupOn one of the .
prophets resorted to a plan whereby .
Ahab was rebuked and also received .
message that sent him Ito his house .
heavy and displeased" ". 43). All of .
this needs TO be borne in mind when .
We study Ahab's course of action re- I
lated in this lesson. Learn by heart /
the tenth commandment; also Luke /
1915.
I. The Schemes Of Men, w. 11-16. |
Ahab had been king for twenty years
! (B. c. 906?). Jezreel was his summer
| capital. about twenty miles northwest
| of Samara The chief actors in this
| tragedy were Naboth, a well-to-do citi-
zen; Ahab, a petulant monarch TO
whom Naboth refuses to sell his vine
| yard Jezebel, the Lady Macbeth of
! Ahabs court; elders and mobiles or
JeZreel, willing tools in the transac-
ton; 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 his Word. Naboth
had no right to sell his vineyard (see
Numbers 1861; Lev 1928; also Eek.
1870 and sturdily stood out for his
God-given rights. These land laws
were rigid. but at the same time wise
and beneficial. Instead of yielding TO
Gods law Ahab sulks like a petted
child w. A. and thus again runs coun-
ter to Gods Word (see tenth COM
nandment). At this juncture Jezebel,
mis- wife, appeals to his pride and
power as the king ". y, 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 l2:lo;
Eph. $50. The first sinner was covet-
GUS (Gen. $3.50, so also were the
chosen people of God Josh. 7:21), and
It was this that caused the first dis
sension among Christian believers
Acts 5:1-3). Jezebel most graciously
gave Ahab that which belonged to
others; how free We all can be with
he property of others, She also
,loaked her designs with the mantle
If religion (S-13). Notice she did not
90 to Jezreel herself. but wrote let
: :ers" and intrusted the work to others
l who did her bidding quickly. lest they
De prevented Their readiness is
proof of the corruption which JeZebel
aad wrought in Israel The worlds
most hellish atrocities have frequently
: been enacted in the name Of and by
: protested disciples of God and OF his
Son. Unconsciously Jezebel was
sharpening the iron which pierced her
own soul Oh Kings. 10:1-O "Whatso
4 ever a man soweth that shall he also
reap" Jezebel was a constituencies
heather, but Ahab had been in touch
g with Jehovah. hence his was the
s greater guilt when he profited by heI
acts.
e u. The Sentence of God, w. 1870
t The dead Naboth was happier than his
neighbors of Jezreel, the king anc
queen or any of the other evil par
ticiparfts. Anal began by breaking
a the first commandment Il Kings 1881
Deut. SD and thus laid the ground
d work of the whole train of evil TO
which he and his household and hi
reign are famous The elders readil.
obeyed the word of Jezebel and Aha
profited thereby, but now he was 4
hear the Word of God and it was no
to be so welcome. Recently we say
a. Elijah set aside, following his figh
ii from Jezebel, but he is not entirel
beycnd use and God now gave him
new commission. one more task I
connection with his old opponen
- There is nothing indicating cowardic
in Elijah's bold challenge of Ahab an
there is also a suggestion of a guilt
conscience in Ahab's exclamation
Hast thou found me, o mine enemy
". 2O)? Ahab had gone down to tn
vineyard of Naboth" ". 16) to EMO
| the pleasure Vi pObSccoih6 ~ o.
ten treasure only to hear again b
word of doom (ch. 20:42; 21-1s).
was a poor exchange Ahab mao
MARK SGD, a throne and his life
exchange for the carrying out of n
own will and the possession OF win
ward. In that exact spot where n
both had been foully stoned the dol
would lick up the blood of the kin
As is usually the case. the guilty 81
ner called the righteous servant
God his enemy" yet had Ahi
obeyed the Word of Jehovah as
frequently spoken by Elijah he wou
have discovered him to be his tn
and best friend. not his enemy. Ahat
sin had found him out Golden Tel
Mum. 1929. Having had his
discovered. Ahab hears from Elili
his doom. though God graciousiy
tended the time in response to his 0
ter repentance (vv. 27-29).
y M. The Summary. Covetousness
. not the mere desire for things we
not possess, but deep longing viii
il willing to do wrong. to in1ure o.
ers. to profit by the evil deeds of o.
m, In ordar IN come into pOSseSsl(