The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-09-07
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 8
coNoUERINe EVIL.

MAY be used with temperance applica7
TOM
LESSON TExTs-I Kings 21:1-29; Ephe-
SLAMS 5:6-21.
GOLDEN TEXT-Have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather reprove them-Ephesians 511
DEVOTIONAL READING-Romans 12a
q to 1910.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
MISUNDERSTANDING 9:1S; Psalms
A:16; Luke Alb; ~19:1-4s; Romans 7:14; 81
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.
1. A Notable Example Of the Trl.
umph of Evil Il Kings 21:1-29).
/. Ahab's covetousness wv. 1-6).
Near the kings palace lay a plot Of
ground belonging to a simple farmer
which Ahab selishly 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 eve a 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 it's worth in money, or a
better one in exchange. Naboth put
principle before worldly gain, or ever
a reputation with the king. Ahab in
stead Of c%onquering his s~elfishnesS
sulkily refused to eat.
2. Jezebel's wicked plot wv. 5-16.1
When she found Ahab pouting she
took matters into her w hands. %
She tainted Ahab ". y. A weak man
cannot stand to be tainted, especially
by a woman (2) A mock trial given
wv. S-13). The charge made against
Naboth was false. They played the
hypocrite. His death was secured I'M
der the p~retense of justice. Jezebel
desired Naboth out of the way, so she
secured false witnesses against him.
90 He was stoned to death ". 49,.
az 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.
~ By whom-Elijah wv. II, 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 finds a man to bring to the
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 a retributive justice in.
the judgments which God metes out to-
sinners. Whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap" (Gal. SD.
Jezebel was to share a like fate. The
sinner should be assured that his sin
will find him out. (b) Obliteration Of
posterity wv. q, 22). 1t was best
that the children of such a man should
be cut off so that there might be an
end to such a wicked dynasty. 1t
J would seem that the world has Oyv
come to such a 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.
4. 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
J 22:3O.
II. How to Overcome Evil (Eph.
IL :1S).
1. By separation from it ". ~. The
only way to overcome evil is to refuse
fellowship with it, to withdraw from
: it. Lot, who had entered into fellow
. ship with the Sodomites, wal overtaken
u with disaster; put Abraham, who was
! separated from it, was able to deliver
= him.
2. By reproof ". 11). 1t is not
enough to merely refrain from prac'
L ticlng evil. No neutral position is pos
sible. There must be victory over it
u it must be defeated. Antagonism OF
the evil is necessary.
8. By watchfulness ". 14).
Living in the light of Christ is nee
6 essary in order to overcome evil. De
ceptiCn is on every hand.
, A.. By a c%ircumspect walk wv. 10
16).
e Pitfalls are all about us. To wall
'e without looking about us is most fool
q ish, because the evil n is on tho
"a alert, doing his best to cause us tC
e stumble.
3. By a sober life ". 49,.
Is 6. By being filed with the Holy
Spirit ". 49,.
a Those who would overcome evi
70 must abstain from Intoxicating liquor
er and all the Influences of the worlt
t- which undulY excite.