Evening star., 1927-10-15
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.
ELIJAH IN NABOTH'S VINE.
YARD Kings, XXi.1-2S.
Golden teXt.-"Be sure your
sin will find you out. Mum. 1928.

sin will find you out. Mum. 1928.
Euiah's experience upon Mount
| Horeb transformed the prophet. Re
| turning to his work, filled with the
| confidence of Gods presence and
power with him. he moved with free
dom and without fear throughout
| Israel. although he was legally an
outlaw. Jezebel did not dare to carry
out her threats against him. He had
| secured. as a result Of the triumph
unon Carmel, religious liberation for
himself and all worshipers of Jeho-
vah. He adopted methods that were
free from the spectacular use of force,
denending for the success of his minis
try upon his message and the power
of the Lord. Today's lesson reveals
him as the courageous champion OF
the neopIe's rights, fearlessly con-
demning official iniquity and full of
his old spirit.
Ahab, who has been called "the
weakest of all the Israelitish mon
archs," was swayed and controlled by
Jezebel, a gifted but bad woman. God
had tried to lead him to repent by
several experiences since He had dem
onstrated beyond question at Carmel
that He was God. Jehovah had spared
the Kings life and given him two
signal victories over Ben-Hadad, King
of the Assyrians. that were of such a
nature that there could be no doubt
concerning His divine and super
natural interposition. His unscrupu'
lous wife exercised such an evil influ-
ence over him that life and property
were insecure in the nation and Ahab
failed to heed Gods call for him to
repent.
Grounds Improvement Stopped.
Great issues frequently turn. upon
apparently small transactions. Ahao S
success had filled him with the desire
to improve his Summer ivory palace
at Jezreel. Adjoining it was plot
of ground that would make an ideal
vegetable garden and complete the
symmetrical development of the eXecu-
tive's Summer residence. He was
willing to pay good sum for the
needed land, but his program was
halted by the refusal of Naboth to
sell his ancestral estate, even to the
King. The poor peasant declined to
dispose his vineyard because Jehovah,
the real owner of the land, had speci-
fled that it should mot be sold for
ever and that "every one of the chill
dren of Israel shall keep himself" (or,
as in the margin, 'cleave tor "the
inheritance of the tribe of his fathers" F"
Al1ab was disappointed by the
refusal of Naboth to break Gods law.
He had expected that he would will
inSly sell him the ground. but Naboth's
answer filed him with discomfort
! Like a spoiled child who has been SO
! much accustomed to having his own
| way in everything that he shows his
petulance by sprawling out upon the
| floor, kicking and bowling with all
his physical power. Ahab was SO
| bitterly disappointed that he actually
pouted like a child. He went to bed
sulking as If some great calamity had
overtaken him.
Ahab by his pouting revealed his
sinful attitude. He had a covetous
disposition that moved him out OF
pure selfiehness in his desire tc
| possess Naboth's vineyard. Due to his
| own pride, the King had tried to
tempt his neighbor to sin. His owr
| heart was not right with God, so that
| he failed to act the part OF a kinf
| when his wife proposed to obtain the
vineyard for him by series OF in
| iuuitous deeds. In permitting mel
abuse of his royal power he shoWeC
| his weakness as a ruler and sinfulnesS
as a man BY permitting Jezebel r.
carry out her program he shared WITT
| her the crime of raining up Nabotf
and causing his death.
Official Corruption and Crime.
It is quite evident that Ahab never
| thought of the iniquitous plot OF M
wife. In writing letters In Ahao
name and using his seal she did no
commit forgery. She was autnoflZeS
by the King to do it, when he per
mitted her to use the Kinks seal ant
to send letters in his name. Left Il
| himself and his own will, the Kint
| probably did not know the attempt Il
corrupt the municipal government. II
secure good for nothing witnesses
bribed to swear falsely against Naboth
so that a judicial murder could be com
mitted, in order that the court ccuit
add to it's executive grounds by fraut
what the King could not secure II
anv other way.
1t is easy to seH that the source o
Jezebels evil genius was her hatred
of Jehovah. She despised His law
and hated His people. She saw
| Naboth a loyal follower of the Eve
Living One, who ruled Israel as God
and her plan to frame up witnesse
against the poor peasant cultivator o
the vineyard was prompted more b!
| the desire to punish Naboth for hi
| religious views than it was to satisf.
her husbands desire for the property
She had started the first religious per
secution in history by Staying th
prophets who were defenders Of tn
faith. She did not hesitate to plal
for the death of Naboth. whose cour
aceous stand for his faith served T.
arouse her hatred and. animosity.
She knew who to inform of he
wishes and they carried out her plal
whom thev secured worthless men +
swear falsely against Naboth. tn
worshiper Of Jehovah, and cast TIL
first stone at him during the religion
feast called by heathen woman. Sh
had played the part of a hypocrite Il
calling for the festival for the pun
pose of turning away calamitie
caused by great sin. They wer
summoned to worship Jehovah by
heathen woman. who pretended by he
DEGREES to be vitality interested in tn
religion of Israel. 1t was during thi
religious service that the charge
were brought against Naboth, the ev
dence heard and the righteous ma
executed.
When the news reached JeZebel thH
her plans had been carried out tn
Ousen told Ahab 70 go ~ .IeZereel an
take possession of Naboths estate, h
cause through his death title to th
same passed legally to the King. Fl
had been charged with blasphemin