按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
n the vineyard； gave voice to his startled fear in the words； 〃Hast thou found me； O mine enemy？〃
Without hesitation the messenger of the Lord replied； 〃I have found thee： because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord。 Behold； I will bring evil upon thee； and will take away thy posterity。〃 No mercy was to
207
be shown。 The house of Ahab was to be utterly destroyed； 〃like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat； and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah；〃 the Lord declared through His servant； 〃for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked Me to anger； and made Israel to sin。〃
And of Jezebel the Lord declared； 〃The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel。 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat； and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat。〃
When the king heard this fearful message； 〃he rent his clothes； and put sackcloth upon his flesh； and fasted； and lay in sackcloth； and went softly。
〃And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite； saying； Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before Me？ because he humbleth himself before Me； I will not bring the evil in his days： but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house。〃
It was less than three years later that King Ahab met his death at the hands of the Syrians。 Ahaziah； his successor； 〃did evil in the sight of the Lord； and walked in the way of his father； and in the way of his mother； and in the way of Jeroboam。〃 〃He served Baal； and worshiped him； and provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel；〃 as his father Ahab had done。 1 Kings 22：52； 53。 But judgments followed close upon the sins of the rebellious king。 A disastrous war with Moab； and then an accident by which his own life was threatened； attested to God's wrath against him。
Having fallen 〃through a lattice in his upper chamber；〃 Ahaziah； seriously injured； and fearful of the possible outcome； sent some of his servants to make inquiry of Baalzebub；
208
the god of Ekron； whether he should recover or not。 The god of Ekron was supposed to give information； through the medium of its priests； concerning future events。 Large numbers of people went to inquire of it； but the predictions there uttered； and the information given； proceeded from the prince of darkness。
Ahaziah's servants were met by a man of God； who directed them to return to the king with the message： 〃Is it because there is no God in Israel； that ye go to inquire of Baal…zebub； the god of Ekron？ Now therefore thus saith Jehovah； Thou shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up； but shalt surely die。〃 Having delivered his message； the prophet departed。
The astonished servants hastened back to the king； and repeated to him the words of the man of God。 The king inquired； 〃What manner of man was he？〃 They answered； 〃He was an hairy man； and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins。〃 〃It is Elijah the Tishbite；〃 Ahaziah exclaimed。 He knew that if the stranger whom his messengers had met was indeed Elijah； the words of doom pronounced would surely come to pass。 Anxious to avert； if possible； the threatened judgment； he determined to send for the prophet。
Twice Ahaziah sent a company of soldiers to intimidate the prophet； and twice the wrath of God fell upon them in judgment。 The third company of soldiers humbled themselves before God； and their captain； as he approached the Lord's messenger； 〃fell on his knees before Elijah； and besought him； and said unto him； O man of God； I pray
209
thee； let my life； and the life of these fifty thy servants； be precious in thy sight。〃
〃The angel of Jehovah said unto Elijah； Go down with him： be not afraid of him。 And he arose； and went down with him unto the king。 And he said unto him； Thus saith Jehovah； Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal…zebub； the god of Ekron； is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word？ therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up； but shalt surely die。〃
During the father's reign； Ahaziah had witnessed the wondrous works of the Most High。 He had seen the terrible evidences that God had given apostate Israel of the way in which He regards those who set aside the binding claims of His law。 Ahaziah had acted as if these awful realities were but idle tales。 Instead of humbling his heart before
210
the Lord； he had followed after Baal； and at last he had ventured upon this； his most daring act of impiety。 Rebellious； and unwilling to repent； Ahaziah died； 〃according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken。〃
The history of King Ahaziah's sin and its punishment has in it a warning which none can disregard with impunity。 Men today may not pay homage to heathen gods； yet thousands are worshiping at Satan's shrine as verily as did the king of Israel。 The spirit of idolatry is rife in the world today； although； under the influence of science and education； it has assumed forms more refined and attractive than in the days when Ahaziah sought to the god of Ekron。 Every day adds its sorrowful evidence that faith in the sure word of prophecy is decreasing； and that in its stead superstition and satanic witchery are captivating the minds of many。
Today the mysteries of heathen worship are replaced by the secret association and seances； the obscurities and wonders； of spiritistic mediums。 The disclosures of these mediums are eagerly received by thousands who refuse to accept light from God's word or through His Spirit。 Believers in spiritism may speak with scorn of the magicians of old； but the great deceiver laughs in triumph as they yield to his arts under a different form。
There are many who shrink with horror from the thought of consulting spirit mediums； but who are attracted by more pleasing forms of spiritism。 Others are led astray by the teachings of Christian Science； and by the mysticism of Theosophy and other Oriental religions。
211
The apostles of nearly all forms of spiritism claim to have power to heal。 They attribute this power to electricity； magnetism； the so…called 〃sympathetic remedies；〃 or to latent forces within the mind of man。 And there are not a few； even in this Christian age； who go to these healers； instead of trusting in the power of the living God and the skill of well…qualified physicians。 The mother； watching by the sickbed of her child； exclaims； 〃I can do no more。 Is there no physician who has power to restore my child？〃 She is told of the wonderful cures performed by some clairvoyant or magnetic healer； and she trusts her dear one to his charge； placing it as verily in the hand of Satan as if he were standing by her side。 In many instances the future life of the child is controlled by a satanic power which it seems impossible to break。
God had cause for displeasure at Ahaziah's impiety。 What had He not done to win the hearts of the people of Israel and to inspire them with confidence in Himself？ For ages He had been giving His people manifestations of unexampled kindness and love。 From the beginning He had shown that His 〃delights were with the sons of men。〃 Proverbs 8：31。 He had been a very present help to all who sought Him in sincerity。 Yet now the king of Israel； turning from God to ask help of the worst enemy of his people； proclaimed to the heathen that he had more confidence in their idols than in the God of heaven。 In the same manner do men and women dishonor Him when they turn from the Source of strength and wisdom to ask help or counsel from the powers of darkness。 If God's wrath was kindled by Ahaziah's
212
act； how does He regard those who； having still greater light； choose to follow a similar course？
Those who give themselves up to the sorcery of Satan； may boast of great benefit received； but does this prove their course to be wise or safe？ What if life should be prolonged？ What if temporal gain should be secured？ Will it pay in the end to have disregarded the will of God？ All such apparent gain will prove at last an irrecoverable loss。 We cannot with impunity break down a single barrier which God has erected to guard His people from Satan's power。
As Ahaziah had no son； he was succeeded by Jehoram； his brother； who reigned over the ten tribes for twelve years。 Throughout these years his mother； Jezebel； was still living； and she continued to exercise her evil influence over the affairs of the nation。 Idolatrous customs were still practiced by many of the people。 Jehoram himself 〃wrought evil in the sight of the Lord； but not like his father； and like his mother： for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made。 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jereboam the son of Nebat； which made Israel to sin； he departed not therefrom。〃 2 Kings 3：2； 3。
It was during Jehoram's reign over Israel that Jehoshaphat died； and Jehoshaphat's son； also named Jehoram； ascended the throne of the kingdom of Judah。 By his marriage with the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel； Jehoram of Judah was closely connected with the king of Israel； and in his reign he followed after Baal； 〃like as did the house of