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the little girl who was looking down the dark cellar to see her father. She asked if she might also come down the cellar and the father said, “ Yes, jump and I’ll catch you.” The little girl did not see her father but she had faith enough in her father’s promise and jumped, and her father caught her.
cave and the terrific storm. 2. God’s command to return vs. 15-18. Explain, drawing Elijah’s return ing. CONCLUSION. Elijah was a man of faith. He did not question the conse quence when God asked him to return. Faith may he explained by the story of
JANUARY 29, 1921 ELIJAH IN NABOTH ’S VINEYARD Golden Text: Be sure your sin will find you out. Num. 32:23. LESSON TEXT I Kings 21:1-29. (Read Lev. 25:23-28; Amos 8:4-10; Micah 3:1-4).
the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreel ite, to take possession of it. (17) And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, (18) Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: be hold, he is in the vineyard of Na both, whither he is gone down to possess it. (19) And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood o f Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. (20) And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: be cause thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight o f the LORD. him of the coming judgment upon him, (20:42, 43) “And he said unto him, Th us saith the Lord, B ecause thou h ast le t go out o f th y hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore th y life shall go for his life , and th y people for his people. And the k in g o f Israel w en t to his house h ea vy and displeased, and cam e to Samaria.” Samaria was Israel’s capital city, but Ahab had huilt himself an ivory palace at Jezreel which was situated about twelve miles south-east of Nazareth, on the southern borders of the plain of Esdraelon. The king had beautified the city and had fixed his eyes upon a vine yard which adjoined his palace and which belonged to Naboth. The lesson centers in the story of Naboth, the vine yard owner, the victim of the vicious queen, Jezebel. '(1 ) THE CONSCIENTIOUSNESS OF NABOTH, vs. 1-3.
(7) And Jezebel his w ife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom o f Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I w ill give thee the vine yard of Naboth the Jezreelite. (8) So she w rote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them w ith his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling w ith Naboth. (9) And she w rote in the letters, saying, P ro claim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: (10) And set tw o men, sons o f Belial, before him, to bear w itness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. (16) And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to Outline (1) The Conscientiousness of Naboth, vs. 1-3. (2) The Childishness of the King, vs. 4-6. <3) The Craftiness of Jezehel, vs. 7- 16. (4) The Condemnation of Ahah, vs. 17-24. Introduction Our chapter opens with the phrase, “ After these things,”— seven years after the trial of faith at Carmel. Ahab had evidenced some outward acknowledg ment of God. Twice LESSON had the little army of EXPOSITION Israel defeated t h e T. O. Horton army o f Benhadad. Ahab had spared Ben hadad and made a covenant with him, and God had sent His prophet to warn
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