720
T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
November 1924
♦ ELEMENTARY Mrs. S. W. Barrett Scripture: 2 Kings 9:1-13; 10:15-30.
with his head and not with his heart. He kept the calves at Dan and Bethel for worship. He was ambitious to retain the nation intact. Outwardly, a bold reformer, his heart was far from God. Slaying the house of Ahab was a pleasant task for him, for he was removing enemies which would be a source of trouble to him. His opportunity to do good was immeas urable, had he desired it, but no single act of his mani fested any heart. He had a zeal for the nation, .but not for God, like the zeal of Saul of Tarsus in persecuting the church. He tore down Baal’s idols, but he did not build up a true worship. He talked of God, but he did not walk with God. He was destructive but not constructive. There was refor mation but no regeneration. God’s vengeance was mani fested (Hos. 1:4). Is there danger today in the many efforts to effect refor mation without regeneration? Laws should be enforced and we should seek to see that they are, but the world is hopeless without the new law of life in Christ Jesus. 9:1-3. Elijah received the commission from God to anoint Jehu (1 Kings 19:16), but he was fulfilling it in his successor, as the latter was doing so in the representative of the school of the prophets whom he sent on the divine errand (vv. 1, 2). Jehu’s father is not COMMENTS . the Jehoshaphat of Judah (1 Kings FKOM THE 22:4).—Gray. COMMENTARIES 9:14. Be not deceived by the thought V. V. Morgan . that Jehu is doing all this out of zeal for God, as the sequel shows that zeal for Jehu was the stronger motive.—Gray. 9:17-25. We were impressed with the obvious accuracy of the sacred historian, the localities and distances being such as seem naturally to be required by the incidents related, affording just time for the transactions to have occurred in the order in which they are recorded.-jit-Howe. 9:36, 37. Fifteen years had passed away, since Elijah prophesied: “ The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel” (1 Kings 21:23); and now the Divine word is ful filled with such precision that the body of the proud, luxuri ous Jezebel is not recognizable— not a vestige is left but a few bones. Though so great a woman by her birth, con nections, and alliances, she has not the honor of a tomb. There was not even a solitary stone to! say, “ Here lies Jeze bel,” not even a mound of earth to designate the place of her sepulchre. Judgment is God’s strange work; but when He contends, how terrible are His judgments. Thrones tot ter, but the word of the Lord abideth fqrever.—Horn. Com. 10:1. As it appears (v. IS) that grandsons are included, it is probable that this number comprehended the whole posterity of Ahab..—J.F. & B. 10:15. A person who, from his piety and simple primi tive manner of life (Jer. 35), was highly esteemed, and possessed great influence in the country. Jehu saw in a moment the advantage that his cause would gain from the friendship and countenance of this venerable man in the eyes of the people, and paid him the distinguished attention of inviting him to a seat in his chariot.-—J. F. & B. 10:19. The object of what took place was the saving of the nation. It was like some terrible surgical operation, which alone could save the life Of the patient. Jehu carried out God’s purpose, but quite probably not exactly in God’s way. One of the dangers of modern as well as ancient times is the tendency to do good things in bad ways. Not a few of the persecutions of the past have been sincere efforts to do good. Men use trickery and deceit in gaining good ends. Peloubet. It was done from purely political motives, be cause he believed the interests of the Baalites were bound up with the dynasty of Ahab, and because he hoped by their extermination to secure the attachment of the far larger and more influential party who worshiped God in Israel. J.F.& B. 10:29. Jehu!s real character is shown here, in the face of which one is astonished to read verse 30. But God was dealing with him as one who was hired for what he did. Had his heart been right with God his kingdom might have been established for generations, but as it was he could not complain.— Gray. Mb- Ék
Memory Verses; Matthew 16:27; Mark 9:41; 1 Cor. 3:14. How many of you like to have examinations in school? If you study faithfully, when you have an examination you can answer every question correctly.—then what does the teacher mark your paper? 100%. But, if you do not study
and you cannot answer even one question correctly at exam ination, the teacher puts a great big blue ZERO on your paper, doesn’t she? Do you know God wants to mark our lives 100 % but the only way we can gain that reward is to let the Lord Jesus come into our hearts and help us to live right. The Lord Jesus said, when He comes again, “ Then He shall reward every man according to his works.” Our Bible story today is: How A Faithful Soldier Was Rewarded Do you remember» about wicked Queen Jezebel, who
■; I t i s i
worshipped Baal and heathen gods instead of Jehovah, the true God? She had a son named Jo-ram, who became king after his father, King Ahab, died. While King Jo-ram’s army was fighting the Syrian soldiers in Ramoth-gilead, a city east of the Jordan river, the King was wounded and his servants carried him back to his mother’s palace in Jezreel, until his wounds healed. He left Captain Je-hu in charge of the army. Captain Je-hu was always a faithful soldier, very brave and daring too, but he did not like the prophets of Baal, the heathen god. Perhaps when he was a little boy his mother had taught him that Jehovah was the true God, for his name, Je-hu, means “ Jehovah is He.” All the sol diers and other captains loved Captain Je-hu and were glad that the King had put him in charge of the army. One night Captain Je-hu was sitting in the courtyard with his soldiers, no doubt listening to their tales of adventure and bravery. Suddenly there appeared a young man in the entrance of the court. The talking ceased as the men looked at him and wondered what message he was bringing. The young man looked about until he saw Captain Je-hu, then facing him, he said, “ I have an errand to thee, O Captain.” Captain Je-hu rose and led the way up the outside stairway to his summer room on the flat roof of the house. When they were alone the young man took from his garment a vial of fragrant oil and, going up to Captain Je-hu, he poured it upon his head saying, “ Thus saith Jehovah, God of Israel, I have anointed thee King over the people of the Lord.” Of course Captain Je-hu was surprised, for although he had been a faithful soldier to the King and loved Jehovah the true God, he had not expected such a reward as this. The young man then explained that he had been sent by the prophet Elisha to anoint the new King of Israel. God’s commandment to Je-hu was that all the household of Ahab and the wicked Queen Jezebel should be destroyed because they worshipped Baal and killed the prophets of the Lord. The strange young man then opened the door of the sum mer room, ran down the stairway, through the courtyard and disappeared while the soldiers gazed after him in aston ishment. At first they feared that some harm had been done to Captain Je-hu, but as they looked toward the stairway
Made with FlippingBook Online document