Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-09-05
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 8
coNQuERiNG EVIL.

LESSON TExTS-I Kings a;1-2e; Ephe-
slams 5;6~21
GOLDEN TExT-Have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness.
but rather reprove --Ephesians 5:ll.
DEVOTIONAL Neutrality-suspicious. IL:
q to 1910.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
Observation-Disclosures 9:lS; Psalms
s4a6; Luke 4:1-1s; ls;41-4S; Romans TIA; s:
IA; IL 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 Trl.
umph of Evil q Kings q :1-29).
i. Ahab's covetousness (vv. 1-6).
Near the kings palace lay plot Of
ground belonging to simple farmer
which Ahab selfishly longer for. Ma
both, loyal to the law of God and exer-
cising his personal rights, refused to
part with it, though the king offered
him what 1t was worth, or even bet
ter one in exchange. With Naboth it
was not a matter of money value, but
of loyalty to God and his fathers. 1t
doubtless would have been gain to him
to have complied with Ahab's desire,
for he offered Its worth In money, or a
better one in exchange. Naboth put
principle before worldly gain, or even
reputation with the king. Ahab In
stead of conquering his selfishness
sulkily refused to eat.
2. Jezebel's wicked plot (vv. 5-16)
When she found Ahab pouting she
took matters into her own hands. ~
She tainted Ahab ". ~. A weak man
cannot stand to be tainted, especially
by woman. (2) A mock trial given
ivy. S-13). The charge made against
Naboth was false. They played the
hypocrlte. His death was secured I'M
der the pretense Of Justice. Jezebel
desired Naboth out of the way, so she
secured false witnesses against him.
(3) He was stoned to death ". 49,.
(4) Jezebel informs Ahab of Naboth's
death, and instructs him to take pos
session of the vineyard Wv. 14-16).
3. The doom announced wv. 1920.
(D BY whom-Elijah wv. IT, 49,.
At the command of the Lord, Elijah,
who had fled 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 fifids man to bring to the
sinner the fruit of his wrongdoing.
(2) What 1t was wv. 1926. (a) A
shameful death ". 19). The dogs
We're to lick hts blood in the place
where they licked the blood Of Ma
both. There is retributive justice In
the judgments which God metes out to
sinners. whatsoever man soweth,
that shall he also reap (Gal. $50.
Jezebel was to share like fate. The
sinner should be assured that his sin
win find him out. ID Obliteration Of
posterny wv. 81, 22). 1t was best
that the children of such man should
be cut off so that there might be an
end to such wicked dynasty. 1t
would seem that the world has now
come to such state as this. The dy-
nasty which is responsible for the
blood and sorrow of the world at this
time would better end and its poster
ity be obliterated from the earth.
a. Ahab's repentance wv. 27-29).
Through his humiliation he gained
a respite from judgment. God allowed
him to go for awhile before he permit
ted the. judgment to fall upon him. A
few years later he was slain in the
battle Of Ramoth-Gilead (chapter
% :37).
II. How to Overcome Evil (Eph.
11:1S).
/. BY separation from it ". ~. The
only way to overcome evil is to refuse
fellowship with it, to withdraw from
i it. Lot, who had entered into fellow
ship with the Sodolnites, was overtaken
with disaster !; but Abraham, who was
separated from 1t. was able to deliver
him.
q By reproof ". ~. 1t is not
enough to merely refrain from prac-
ticing evil. No neutral position is pos
sible. There must be victory over it ;
it must be defeated. Antagonism of
the evil is necessary.
3. BY watchfulness ". 14).
Living in the light of Christ is nee
essary in order to overcome evil. De-
sception is on every hand.
A. BY circumspect walk wv. Is,
1e).
Pitfalls are all about Us. To walk
without looking about us is most fool
ish. because the evil one is on the
alert, doing his best to cause US to
stumble.
8. BY a sober life ". 49,.
6. BY being filed with the Holy
Spirit (t. 1S).
Those who would overcome evil
must abstain from Intoxicating liquors
and all the Influences of the world
I which unduly excite