1407. The Tenth Commandment
The Tenth Commandment
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's (Exo_20:17).
Under the Tenth Commandment, we cannot refrain from referring to two illustrations which portray the folly of coveting, and the judgment of God upon those who covet.
Our first illustration is that of Ahab and Naboth
The story is found in 1 Kings 21.
Naboth, the Jezreelite, had a vineyard, and Ahab spake unto Naboth saying, "Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread."
When Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, saw that Ahab was sad, and that he refused to eat bread, she inquired his ailment. He told her how he coveted the vineyard of Naboth, and how he had been refused. The wicked Jezebel soon found a plan by which she could slay Naboth and turn his vineyard over to her covetous husband. The result of the story is that the curse of the Lord was upon both Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab had a longer reprieve because of his partial repentance, but Jezebel was thrown down from the wall, and the dogs ate her body by the wall of Jezreel.
Our second illustration is that of Gehazi, and is recorded in 2 Kings 5
When Gehazi saw that Elisha refused the riches which Naaman desired to thrust upon him, Gehazi coveted them. So, Gehazi followed after Naaman. And, when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, "Is all well?" And he said, "All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from Mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the Prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. And when he came to the tower he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed. But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither." And Elisha said unto him, "Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow."
The story of Gehazi, and the curse that fell upon him is sufficient warning to all who covet. Let us never forget that "He that despised Moses' Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses" (Heb_10:28).
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR