m International S. S. Lessons Exposition and Practical Application By R. A. Torrey Outlines and Suggestive Points By T. C. Horton I ............ ........................ ... ........... ... ... mmmrn .. . .................. . ... . ... ihiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ... . .. [n] Elijah in Naboth’s Vineyard OCTOBER 3, 1915. LESSON I. 1 Kings 21 :ll-20 (Commit vs. 17-19). G olden T ext : “Be sure your sin will find you out.”4%Num. 32:23. DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Mon., Sept. 27—1 Kings 21:1-10. Tues., Sept. 28—1 Kings 21:11-19. Wed., Sept. 29—1 Kings 21:23-29. Thurs., Sept. 30—Micah 2 :1-10.
Fri., Oct. 1—Luke 12:13-21. Sat., Oct. 2—Joshua 7:19-26. Sun., Oct. 3—Matt. 16:24-28. EXPOSITION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
is proving the ruin of countless families in our own land today. Covetousness made Ahab a murderer, and it is making mur derers of many others. The methods by which Covetous men today put out of the way those whose property they desire, may not toe as direct as those of Jezebel, but they are just as effective ^nd just as hate ful to God. Large fortunes today are often v built upon the broken hearts and shortened lives of weaker men and their widows and orphans. There is no sin mote dangerous, and that we need more to be on our guard against than that of covetousness (Luke 12: 15; Eph. 5:5). The first sinner on earth fell through covetousness (Gen.’ 3:6). The first sin committed by the people of God when they entered upon the promised land was one of covetousness (Josh. 7:21) ; the first sin that entered and destroyed the fel lowship of the early church was covetous ness (Acts 5:1-3). In each of these in stances God visited the sin with awful pen alties, and He does not regard covetousness with any more favor today than He did then. Naboth was governed by lofty re ligious motives in refusing Ahab’s request (v. 3; cf. Josh. 22:29; 24:16; 1 Sam. 12:23; 24:6; 26:9-11; 1 Chron. 11:19). Jezebel
v. 11. “And the men of -his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.” Jehovah had. just shown great mercy to Ahab (ch. 20:1-30)'; Ahab had abused this mercy and God had lovingly rebuked him (ch. 20:31-43). This should have kept Ahab back from such a dastardly act as that recorded in this lesson. It all proves the desperate and determined wickedness of Ahab's character. Ahab’s purposes, like thbse of all wicked men, were constantly coming in conflict with God’s word. Instead of bowing to God’s word, as a wise man would, he sulked over it (y. 4, cf. ch. 20:43). Naboth had no right to sell or exchange the inheritance of his fathers; to have done so would have been in direct violation of the plain prescription of God’s law (Num. 36:7; Lev. 25:23; see also Ezek. 46:16) : the land laws' of Israel were very rigid; they were also very wise and beneficent. Ahab was violating the tenth commandment in desir ing Naboth’s vineyard (Ex. 20:17). His sin of covetousness got him into much trouble, proving his ruin, and that of his entire family (vs. 19-24). The same sin
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