??Suzy whined as she pointed to the new shoes in the store window, "But all the other girls have them, why can't I？" Her mother sighed as she watched Suzy's face turn into an ugly pout. Have you ever pouted because you wanted something you couldn't have？
??The Bible tells about a rich king who had everything that a king could possibly need. But he wanted more. King Ahab wore a beautiful crown, had expensive clothes, the best of horses and chariots, servants to care for him, lots of land and a beautiful palace. But King Ahab's wicked heart was always wanting more. He had been looking over a piece of land right next to his palace grounds, and the more he looked, the more he wanted it. Did King Ahab have lots of land？Yes, but he was not satisfied. He thought he could not be happy until he had this particular piece of land which belonged to Naboth, the Jezreelite. As our story begins today, King Ahab has gone to ask Naboth about his land.
??"Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near to my house：and I will give you a better vineyard for it, or if you had rather, I will buy the land from you." This sounds like a pretty good bargain, don't you think？You could trade your piece of land for a better piece, or the king, who has lots of money, will pay you the price you ask. You may be surprised to hear Naboth's quick answer：??"The LORD forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you." Naboth knew God had a law forbidding him to sell his land to someone from outside his family tribe. Numbers 36：7 says that the inheritance of the people of Israel shall not remove from tribe to tribe：for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. Simply stated, the Jewish people were not to sell their land to someone from outside their family tribe. So even to King Ahab Naboth had to say "No."
??You can imagine how angry King Ahab was when he didn't get what he wanted! The Bible says that when he went back to his house, he went to bed, turned his face to the wall, and refused to eat. This big adult king was pouting!
??Main Truth：Have you ever pouted because you wanted something you couldn't have？Wanting what belongs to others is called coveting. Instead of being satisfied with the things God has given you, you want what others have, and feel you cannot be happy until you get those things. Coveting is a sin, and it is the very opposite of another "c" word：being "content" or satisfied. The last of the ten commandments in Exodus 20 says, "You shall not covet." Our Bible verse for today tells us what God wants us to do：Hebrews 13：5, "Be content with such things as you havea？|" If you are a child of God, be satisfied and thankful for what God has given you. You belong to God and when you have a need, you can ask your Heavenly Father Who promises to supply all your need. But coveting what others have is displeasing to God and will make you a pouting, selfish person.
??Even though King Ahab had so much, here we find him pouting and selfish because he couldn't have Naboth's land. When wicked Queen Jezebel heard that her husband was upset and refused to eat, she came to find out why. "What has made you so sad that you are not eating？" "Because I wanted to trade or buy Naboth's vineyard and he says no." Boys and girls, is the king acting like a spoiled child？??Yes, he is, but his wicked wife was even worse. "Aren't you the king in Israel？Get up, eat, and be happy. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
??Then Jezebel went quickly to work with her evil plan. She wrote letters to the town rulers in the name of the king and even sealed them with his special seal. In the letters Jezebel commanded the rulers to call a special assembly of all the people in Jezreel. At this assembly they were to especially honor Naboth. Then Jezebel instructed that two men should come up and start falsely accusing Naboth of saying wicked things about God and the king. The rulers were to pretend they believed the two witnesses. Then they were to take Naboth outside the city, and stone him to death. Jezebel commanded it, and the rulers deliberately carried out her plan. They murdered innocent Naboth. Soon the news came back to Jezebel, "Naboth is dead."
??Gospel："It isn't fair!" you and I want to shout! An innocent man killed by selfish, covetous, lying people. Does this remind you of how our Lord Jesus died？He was the perfect Son of God, and even as a child He never once sinned. The Bible says, "He went about doing good." Yet evil men full of hatred and jealousy, lied about the Lord Jesus, had Him beaten, spit on, and nailed to a cross made of wood. Naboth had no power to stop those who murdered him, but the Lord Jesus as God had the power to stop His murder. Why didn't He call His mighty angels to come and help Him？Because Jesus knew that the world needed a Savior from sin, and He must die to pay for our sin before He could be our Savior from sin. Acts 4：10-12 says, "a？|Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the deada？|is become the heada？|Neither is there salvation in any other：for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." When we break God's laws, He calls that sin, and says that everlasting death is what every person deserves for sin. But God our Creator loves us, and sent His Son to save us from what we deserve. God allowed an innocent person to suffer for the guilty.
??Naboth reminds us of Jesus in that he was innocent yet wicked men killed him. Did God see all that happened？Oh yes, boys and girls, for the Bible says, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good." Proverbs 15：3.
??When Jezebel heard the news, she could hardly wait to tell her husband："Now go claim the vineyard that Naboth refused to let you have, for Naboth is dead." There were no questions asked as King Ahab immediately jumped out of bed to go claim Naboth's vineyard. But someone else was also on their way to Naboth's vineyard! I Kings 21：17 says, "And the word of the LORD came to Elijah saying, a？|go down to meet Ahab king of Israela？|he is in the vineyard of Naboth about to claim it as his own." God had a dreadful message for Ahab, and Elijah must deliver it. Perhaps King Ahab was walking over the grounds of that lovely vineyard thinking, "It's mine! It's all mine!" when suddenly he saw Elijah coming. "Have you found me, O my enemy？" Ahab cried out.
??"I have found you, " Elijah said. Then Elijah delivered God's dreadful message that Ahab would have to die, his children would all be killed, and wicked Jezebel also. Do you think Ahab could enjoy that vineyard now？He had what his wicked heart had coveted, but what a price he would pay.
??Main Truth If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, watch out for coveting. When you recognize that you are wanting what belongs to someone else, do these three things：
??1)Name that sin. "Why do I want that bike, or those clothes？That is coveting!"
??2) Say your Bible verse for today. "Be content with such things as you have, for he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13：5. Thank God for the things you already have.
??3)Show kindness to the person who has the things you want. Don't resent them or be jealous because they have things you don't have.
??Coveting, if it is not stopped, leads to jealousy, resentment, lying, even stealing, and sometimes murder. If you know the Lord Jesus, watch out for coveting! Ahab's entire family would suffer for his coveting.
??Ahab returned home very grieved that day. The Bible tells us he tore his clothes and fasted, went without food, and wore scratchy sackcloth. Those were all things people did in Bible days to show they were sorry for their sin and deeply upset. God saw Ahab's humility and told Elijah that because of Ahab's humility, He would delay the punishment. But eventually it came, just as Elijah had said.
??If you know the Lord Jesus, watch out for coveting! If you refuse to be content with what you have, coveting could lead you to do other terrible things. A coveting person is never happy or satisfied when they get what they thought they wanted. Happiness and contentment come from knowing the Lord Jesus and thanking Him for what you already have.
??Do you know the Lord Jesus Who promises He will never leave you, and promises He will supply all your needs？Go to "How To Be a Child of God" now and see how you can know Him! He is the only One Who can save you from sin and the only One Who can bring true contentment to your heart.
??苏茜指著商店橱窗里面的新鞋子, 对妈妈说："其他的女生都穿这样的鞋, 为什么我不能？我也要！" 看见苏茜不高兴地翘起嘴, 妈妈叹了口气。小朋友们, 你有没有因为想要一样东西而拿不到, 就不高兴地翘起嘴呢？
??圣经里讲到一个很富有的国王。他拥有你可以想象到的一切。可是, 他的心还不满足, 他想要更多。这个人就是以色列的国王亚哈。亚哈带著金光闪闪的王冠, 穿著华丽的衣服, 他拥有最好的马, 最棒的马车。他有很多仆人来侍候他, 他有很多的土地和气派的宫殿。可是, 国王亚哈是个贪得无厌的家伙, 他总是想要更多, 更多。这阵子, 亚哈看中了一块地, 就在他王宫的边上。他越看越想要。亚哈不是已经有很多的土地了吗？没错！但他还不满足。他想, 要是不把王宫边上的这块地弄到手, 他就不会快乐。
??这块地属于耶斯列人拿伯。于是, 亚哈就去找拿伯。亚哈对拿伯说, 你把你的葡萄园给我作菜园, 怎么样？因为那块地靠近我的王宫, 我就把更好的葡萄园换给你。或者你要银子, 我就按著价值给你。这听起来还是一笔好买卖。亚哈有的是钱, 拿伯只要出个价, 亚哈一定会答应的。可是, 拿伯的回答却出乎意外。他说, 我敬畏耶和华, 万不敢将我祖先留下的产业给你。拿伯知道神给以色列人的规定, 原来, 他不能把祖先留下的土地卖给家族以外的人。这条规定记载在民数记36：7。那里说：这样, 以色列人的产业就不从这支派归到那支派, 因为以色列人要各守各祖宗支派的产业。也就是说, 以色列人不能把他们的土地卖给本支派以外的人。所以, 拿伯拒绝了亚哈王的要求。
??亚哈心里非常不高兴。圣经上说, 他就闷闷不乐的回到王宫, 躺在床上, 转脸对著墙, 也不吃饭。这个已经是成年人的亚哈王也会翘起嘴巴不高兴。
??小朋友们, 你有没有因为得不到自己想要得东西就不高兴呢？就翘起嘴巴生气呢？
??贪图别人的东西就是贪心。就是对于神已经赐给你的还感到不满足, 总觉得别人的东西好, 得不到就不开心。贪图别人的东西是罪。贪心的反义词是满足。 出埃及记20章那里讲到神的十项诫命, 其中一条就是：不可贪恋别人的东西。神要我们做什么呢？
??希伯来书13：5说：你们存心不可贪爱钱财要以自己所有的为足 。如果你是神的孩子, 要知足, 要感谢赐给你的一切。你是属神的, 神应许赐给你一切所需要的, 你只要向神祷告。但贪恋别人的东西是不讨神喜悦的, 这表明你是一个自私的人。
??虽然亚哈王已经很富有, 但我们却看到一个翘起嘴巴不高兴的自私的人, 只是因为他不能得到拿伯的地。王后耶洗别听说亚哈不吃饭, 来问他说："你为什么心里这样忧闷, 不吃饭呢？亚哈回答说："因我向耶斯列人拿伯说, 你将你的葡萄园给我, 我给你价银, 或是你愿意, 我就把别的葡萄园换给你, 可他竟拒绝了我。小朋友们, 亚哈王是不是像一个被贯坏了的孩子？没错！可他的王后就更糟糕了。王后耶洗别对亚哈说："你现在是治理以色列国不是？只管起来, 心里畅畅快快的吃饭, 这事我包了, 我一定会把拿伯的葡萄园给你。
??耶洗别的心中已经想好了一个坏注意。她以亚哈的名义写信, 还用他的印印上, 送给那些与拿伯同城居住的长老们。信上让他们召集全城的人开会, 要假装尊敬拿伯, 叫他坐在高位上。然后耶洗别又叫两个匪徒坐在拿伯对面, 作假见证告他说'你谤渎神和王了'。那些与拿伯同城居住的长老贵胄接到了耶洗别的信，就照信而行。他们叫拿伯坐在高位上, 有两个匪徒当著众民的面作见证告他说"拿伯谤渎神和王了。"
??这些长老贵胄就假装相信他们的话。众人就把他拉到城外, 用石头打死了。耶洗别出的坏注意, 这些长老们就按照她的指示行, 他们串通起来, 杀害了拿伯。很快, 消息就传到耶洗别的耳朵里, 拿伯被石头打死了。
??这个时候, 我们大概早已按奈不住了：这实在太不公平了。这些做恶, 自私, 贪心的人就这样把无辜的拿伯杀害了。
??这有没有让你想起主耶稣是怎样被杀害的呢？他是神完美的儿子, 他从来没有犯过罪。圣经上说他到处行善。但是, 因为那些邪恶的人们充满了仇恨和嫉妒, 他们就诬陷主耶稣, 把他打了, 吐唾沫在他身上, 又把他钉在十字架上。拿伯没有能力去阻止那些害他的人, 但是主耶稣是神, 他有能力阻止那些要杀害他的人。为什么他没有差遣那大能的天使来帮助他呢？因为主耶稣知道这个世界需要一位救主。他必须以他的死来偿还我们的罪债, 把我们从罪里拯救出来。
??使徒行传4：10-12讲到, 站在你们面前的这人得痊愈, 是因你们所钉十字架, 神叫他从死里复活的拿撒勒人耶稣基督的名。他是你们匠人所弃的石头, 已成了房角的头块石头。除他以外, 别无拯救, 因为在天下人间, 没有赐下别的名我们可以靠著得救。我们违背神的律法就是罪。对罪的惩罚就是地狱里永远的死亡。但创造我们的神实在爱我们, 就让他的儿子来背负我们的罪, 来代替我们受这个惩罚。神让无罪的代替了有罪的。
??拿伯让我们想起了主耶稣, 虽然他没有罪, 恶人却把他杀死。神知道这些不公平的事吗？怎么会不知道呢？箴言15：3说："耶和华的眼目无处不在, 恶人善人, 他都鉴察。"
??当耶洗别听见拿伯被石头打死的消息, 就迫不急待地去告诉亚哈说, 你起来, 去拿拿伯不肯卖给你的葡萄园吧!现在他已经死了。亚哈听见拿伯死了, 就跳起来, 要去拿拿伯的葡萄园。但这时，还有一个人也在往拿伯的葡萄园那里走。列王记上21：17说：耶和华的话临到提斯比人以利亚说, 你起来, 去见以色列王亚哈。他下去要得拿伯的葡萄园, 现今正在那园里。神有一个很严肃可怕的消息要以利亚带给亚哈。也许亚哈正欣赏著美丽的葡萄园, 心想, 这个葡萄园是我的了。突然, 他看见以利亚走过来。
??亚哈对以利亚说："我仇敌阿, 你找到我么？"以利亚回答说："我找到你了, 因为你卖了自己, 行耶和华眼中看为恶的事。"以利亚把神的信息告诉亚哈：亚哈, 他的儿子们, 还
??有他那个恶毒的王后耶洗别都得被杀死。亚哈听了这话, 还有心思欣赏葡萄园吗？他得到了他想要得到的, 却要付出如此大的代价。
??如果你已经接受了耶稣做你的救主, 你就是神的孩子。记住, 不要贪图别人的东西。
??当你有这种想法的时候, 你可以做以下三件事：
??1)告诫自己那是罪。"我为什么贪图小莉的自行车, 小红的漂亮衣服, 那是罪！"
??2)用希伯来书13：5提醒自己：你们存心不可贪爱钱财要以自己所有的为足。为神已经赐给你的一切感谢。
??3)友善地对待小莉和小红, 或者其他的小朋友。不要因为你没有他们有的东西就恨恶嫉妒他们。贪心, 如果不赶快制止, 就会带来嫉妒, 恨恶, 说谎, 偷窃, 甚至有时谋杀。小朋友们, 如果你已经信了主耶稣, 一定要小心, 不要贪图别人的东西。因为亚哈的贪心, 他的整个一家都受到牵连。
??亚哈听见以利亚的话, 非常难过。圣经上说.他就撕裂衣服, 禁食, 身穿麻布, 睡卧也穿著麻布, 并且缓缓而行。在那个时候, 人们这样做是为表明他们为他们的罪而后悔。
??神看到亚哈的降卑, 就告诉以利亚, 因为亚哈在他面前这样自卑, 亚哈活著的时候, 神不降这祸, 但是到他儿子的时候, 神还是要惩罚他的家。
??如果你是神的孩子, 记住不要贪心。如果你对于已经有的还不满足, 贪心会带来很严重的后果。而且, 贪心的人就算他们得到了想要的东西也不会快乐。人只有认识了主耶稣, 对神赐给你的东西存著感恩的心, 才能有真正的喜乐和满足。 |