Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-09-06
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 8
CONQUERING EVIL.


May be used with temperance applica-
LESSON TExTs-I Kings 21:1-2s; Ephe-
slams 5:6-21
GOLDEN TExT-Have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather reprove them.-Ephesians ell.
DEVOTIONAL READING-Ronaans IL:
21 to 1910
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Deuteron 91S; Psalms
e4:16; Luke Alb; 1941-4S; Romans TIA; s:
IA: II Timothy Az.
The robbery and murder of Naboth
Is one of the darkest of human deeds.
Failure to recognize the righteousness
of Naboth's position, and to master his
own personal selfish desires, resulted
in this dark deed.
|. A Notable Example of the Tri.
urnph of Evil Il Kings 81 :1-29).
l. Ahab's covetousness (vv. 1-6).
Near the kings palace lay q plot Of
ground belonging to a simple farmer
which Ahab selfishly longer for. Ma
both, loyal to the law of God and exer
cising his personal rights, refused to
him what it was worth, or even bet
ter one in exchange. With Naboth it
was not matter of money value, but
of loyalty to God and his fathers. 1t
doubtless would hnve been gain to him
to have complied with Ahabs desire,
for he offered its worth in money, or
better one in exchange Naboth put
S1aln
a reputation with the king. Ahab in
stead of conquering his selfshness
sulkily refused to eat.
2. Jezebel's wicked plot wv. 5-16.)
When she found Ahab pouting she
took matters into her own hands. ~
She taunted Ahab ". .. A weak man
cannot stand to be taunted, especially
by a woman. (2) A mock trial given
wv. 8-13). The charge made against
Naboth was false. They played the
hypocrite. His death was secured IN
der the pretense of justice. Jezebel
desired Naboth out of the way, SO she
secured false witnesses against him.
81 He was stoned to death (v. 13).
az Jezebel informs Ahab of Naboth's
DEATH and instructs him TO take pos
session of the vineyard wv. 14-16).
8. The doom announced wv. 1929
"a BY whom-Elijah (vv. II, 1S).
| At the command of the Lord, elijah,
who had fed from Jezebel, goes to
meet the king as he entered upon the
| possession of Naboth's vineyard. He
| went to take possession but could not
God always finds a man to bring to the
f, sinner the fruit of his wrongdoing.
| (2) What it was wv. 1926. (a) A
/ shameful death ". 19). The dogs
were to lick his blood in the place
where they licked the blood of Ma
both. There is retributive justice in
the judgments which God metes out tc
sinners. Whatsoever a man soweth
that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:O
JeZebel was to share like fate. The
sinner should be assured that his sir
will find him out. fb) Obliteration Of
| posterity (vv. q, 22). 1t was bes
that the children of such a man SHOULD
be cut off so that there might be ar
end to such a wicked dynasty. /
would seem that the world has nov
come to such q state as this. The dy
nasty which is responsible for tht
blood and sorrow of the world at thi
time would better end and it's poster
/ ity be obliterated from the earth.
4. Ahab's repentance (vv. 27-29).
Through his humiliation he gained
respite from judgment. God allowe'
him to go for awhile before he permit
ted the Judgment to fall upon him. !
few years later he was slain in th
battle of Ramoth-Gilead (chapte
2o:37).
III How to Overcome Evil (Epf
II :1S).
l. By separation from it ". 11). TIL
only way to overcome evil is to refus
fellowship with it, to withdraw fror
it. Lot who had entered into fellow
ship with the Sodomites, was overtake
with. disaster; but Abraham, who wa
separated from it, was able to delive
him.
2. BY reproof ". 1D. 1t is nj
enough to merely refrain from pra
ticing evil. No neutral position is po
sible There must be victory over il
it must be defeated. Antagonism {
the evil is necessary.
3. By watchfulness (v. 14).
Living in the light of Christ is ne
essary in order to overcome evil. D
ception is on every hand.
4. By a circumspect walk wv. /
1G).
Pitfalls are all about US. To wa
without looking about us is most foe
ish, because the evil one is on Il
, alert, doing his best to cause US
stumble.
5. By a sober life ". 1s).
, 6. BY being filled with the Ho
t Spirit (v. 1S).
, Those who would overcome eN
= must abstain from intoxicating liquo
! and all the influences of the wor
which unduly excite.
The Spirit-filled believer has the wi
dom and power to overcome.