are mysteries. We acknowledge their impenetrableness and their solemnity, and if we cannot explain them in words, yet there are solemn occasions in life in which every one of them comes in like an angel, and says, I am waiting, I am ministering, I am still of use in the upbuilding of the world's best life. Let not history be lost upon us. The history of evil is written in plain letters. No man, wayfarer though he be, need misunderstand the solemn suggestion with which the history of evil is fraught. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." They have a sad fate who have challenged God to battle. If they are not yet crushed, it is because his mercy endureth for ever. On the other hand, let the Elishas of society work on, suffer on, visit sick folk in their sickness, and give the message of God to those who are far away from the father's house as to thought and purpose and sacrifice. There is a quiet ministry, as well a grand public one: there is an opening for Elisha as certainly as there was for Elijah; nay, the world could not tolerate Elijah long. Who could live always amid thunder and lightning and a great tempest of judgment? We live under Christ, who has a word in season to him that is weary, a balm for every wound, an answer to every desire that is pure. Blessed Saviour, we are under thy government, under thy benediction; it is good to be there; it is like resting on high hills on summer days, when the very sun is a friend, and the great heaven is a protection. As for those who wish to receive this Saviour, he stands ready. The reluctance is not on his side. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." PRAYER. ALMIGHTY GOD, thy voice is everywhere if we could but hear it. Lord, anoint our ears that they may be able to hear. We would not only hear the broad commandments, the great words spoken in thunder; we would hear the undertones, the minor voices, the persuasive whispers and entreaties, which thou art always breathing upon the sons of men. We beseech thee that we may be enabled always, by the mighty energy of thy Holy Spirit, to say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. We bless thee for all the voices of providence, all the monitions of history, all the eloquence of events; may we hear, and consider, and understand, and apply our hearts unto wisdom. Thy purpose concerning us is always good: thy mercy endureth for ever; it is larger than our sin: where sin abounded grace did much more abound. Who can excel the Most High? Who can get in advance of God? Behold, thy love is our continual astonishment, and thy grace awakens within us ineffable surprise. How long-suffering thou art, how patient, how hopeful! Surely thou dost see more than we see, or thine anger would burn us, and utterly consume us: but thou dost look upon all things from eternity; thou knowest what time is a flicker, a pulse, a fying shuttle, a shadow that is being chased away. Thou dwellest in the solemn unbeginning, unending eternity, and thou dost speak words from thine habitation worthy of its dignity; behold, thou dost publish gospels, and then judgments; and ere the judgments are uttered the gospels are resumed, and repeated in still tenderer tones. Oh, that we might hear these, lest at the last the Son of God should say, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thee, but ye would not. May our reply to thy love be a glad consent; may we now say, The will of the Lord be done. We should have no confidence in our own prayers did we not breathe them at the cross: did we not, whilst praying, touch the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. He bare our sins, and carried our iniquities, and drank the cup of woe. We live in him; to him we commit our prayers. Amen. 2 Kings xiv. 1. In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah. 2. He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 3. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father [yet not with a perfect heart]: he did according to all things as Joash his father did. 4. Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places. 5. ¶ And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed [firmly established] in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father. 6. But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses [a quotation from Deut. xxiv. 16], wherein the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death [shall die] for his own sin. 7. He slew [He it was that smote] of Edom in the valley of salt [comp. 2 Sam. viii. 13], ten thousand [the number slain in one conflict], and took Selah by war [or in the battle], and called the name of it Joktheel [a town of Judah bore this name (Josh. xv. 38). The name probably means "God's ward"], unto this day. 8. Then [after the reduction of Edom] Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face [a challenge to battle]. 9. And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle [or bramble or briar. (Comp. Job xxxi. 41; Cant. ii. 2)] that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle. 10. Thou hast indeed smitten [thoroughly worsted] Edom, and thine heart hath lifted [lifteth] thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home [rest on thy laurels, and do not risk them by further enterprises which might not turn out so favourably]: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee? 11. But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face [encountered one another; joined battle] at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah. 12. And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their [his] tents [the enemy disbanded, as usual after a great defeat (comp. chap. viii. 21)]. 13. And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah [comp. v. 8], at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down [made a breach in] the wall of Jerusalem from the gate Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits [about 222 yards]. 14. And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house, and hostages [having humbled the pride of Amaziah, Jehoash left him in possession of his throne, taking hostages for his future good behaviour], and returned to Samaria. 15. Now the rest [comp. chap. xiii. 12, 13], of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 16. And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead. 17. And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. 18. And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 19. Now [And] they made a conspiracy [the death of Amaziah would seem to be the result of general disaffection: no individual conspirators being mentioned] against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but [and] they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there. 20. And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. 21. And all the people of Judah took Azariah [he is called Uzziah in 2 Chron. xxvi. 1], which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. 22. He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 23. In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years. 24. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. 25. He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain [the Dead Sea (Numb. iii. 17, iv. 49; Josh. iii. 16], according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai [comp. Jonah i. 1], the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher [Josh xix. 13]. 26. For the Lord saw the affliction [oppression] of Israel, that it was very bitter [stubborn, inveterate, unyielding (comp. Deut. xxi. 18-20)]: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel. 27. And the Lord said not that he would blot out the name [the figure is taken from blotting out writing (comp. Numb. v. 23)] of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. 28. Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered [restored] Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for [in] Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 29. And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel [the original was probably, "and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel" (comp. v. 16)]; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead. VOL. VIII. 16 IN INCIDENTAL POINTS. N this chapter there is little, so far as the historical sequence is concerned, which can be turned to spiritual profit; yet here and there are lines which are very striking, and well worthy of being brought into clear view. "And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father" (v. 5). Perhaps he had no alternative; perhaps he did not seek for one. There are a great many alternatives to murder, injustice, wrongdoing, if we would diligently seek them out. Is it not, however, a disposition strongly characteristic of human nature to take a revengeful advantage of circumstances? We might not have known the character of this man in all its completeness had he not come to the throne. Office tests men. A most singular thing it is that office in many instances develops a new man even in our most familiar friends. They no sooner become "dressed in a little brief authority" than they surprise us by unsuspected dispositions: they are haughty, self-considering, revengeful; they seem to say in effect: Now that I am confirmed in the kingdom, and that there is no doubt about my opportunity, I intend to remember old grievances, and to show that never from my memory has there been erased the name of a single adversary. Let us not condemn the habit of the ancient kings, for we do not know familiarly all their environments and the pressure that was put upon them to go in directions which perhaps some of their better impulses would have declined. Enough for us to know that there is something better than vengeance. When we are confirmed in the kingdom, let us show how magnanimous we can be, so that our enemy, fearing the blow of judgment, may be surprised that we take but little notice of him, or that noticing him our attitude is one of gracious dignity, and our spirit one of forgiveness of every species of injury. "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." That is the true revenge-to have nothing whatever to do with the past in any resentful spirit, but to live in God, trust in God, commit all things to God. Surely if we would that an enemy |