The All Sufficiency of Christ Part 14

[12] The reader will doubtless observe how the inspired writer presents G.o.d under two different t.i.tles in the above verse. "_The Lord_" brings out His connection with His distressed servant--His connection in grace; while the expression "_G.o.d_" shows out the powerful control which He exercised over the Syrian captains. It is needless to say that this distinction is divinely perfect. As Lord, He deals with His own redeemed people,--meeting all their weakness, and supplying all their need; but as G.o.d, He holds in His omnipotent hand the hearts of all men, to turn them whithersoever He will. Now we generally find unconverted persons using the expression "G.o.d," and not "Lord." They think of Him as One exercising an influence from a distance, rather than as One standing in near relations.h.i.+p.

Jehoshaphat knew who it was that "_helped him_," but the Syrian captains did not know who it was that "_moved them_."

Here we have the turning-point in this stage of Jehoshaphat's life.

His eyes were opened to see the position into which he had brought himself; at least, he saw his danger, if he did not apprehend the moral evil of his course. Encompa.s.sed by the captains of Syria, he could feel something of what it was to have taken Ahab's place.

Happily for him, however, he could look up to the Lord from the depth of his distress,--he could cry out to Him in the time of his extremity; had it not been thus, the enemy's arrow, lodged deep in his heart, might have told out the sorrowful result of his unG.o.dly a.s.sociation. "Jehoshaphat cried out," and his cry came up before the Lord, whose ear is ever open to hear the cry of such as feel their need. "Peter went out and wept bitterly." The prodigal said, "I will arise, and go to my father;" and the father ran to meet him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Thus is it that the blessed G.o.d ever meets those who, feeling that they have hewn out for themselves broken cisterns, which can hold no water, return to Him, the fountain of living waters. Would that all who feel that they have in any measure departed from Christ and slipped into the current of this present world might find their way back, in true humility and contrition of spirit, to Him who says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."

How different Ahab's case! He, though carrying in his bosom a mortal wound, propped himself up in his chariot until the evening, fondly desiring to hide his weakness, and accomplish the object of his heart.

We find no cry of humility, no tear of penitence, no looking upward.

Ah, no; we find not any thing but what is in full keeping with his entire course. He died as he had lived--doing evil in the sight of the Lord. How fruitless were his efforts to prop himself up! Death had seized upon him; and though he struggled for a time to keep up an appearance, yet "about the time of the sun going down he died."

Terrible end!--the end of one who had "sold himself to work wickedness." Who would be the votary of the world? Who that valued a life of simplicity and purity would mix himself up with its pursuits and habits? Who that valued a peaceful and happy termination of his career would link himself with its destinies?

Dear Christian reader, let us, with the Lord's help, endeavor to shake off the world's influence, and purge ourselves from its ways. We have no idea how insidiously it creeps in upon us. The enemy at first weans from really simple and Christian habits, and by degrees we drop into the current of the world's thoughts. Oh that we may, with more holy jealousy and tenderness of conscience, watch against the approach of evil, lest the solemn statement of the prophet should apply to us, "Her Nazarites _were_ purer than snow, they _were_ whiter than milk, they _were_ more ruddy in body than rubies, their polis.h.i.+ng _was_ of sapphire: (but such is the sorrowful change, that) their visage _is_ blacker than a coal, _they are not known in the streets_, their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick"!

We shall now look a little at chap. xix. Here we see some blessed results from all that Jehoshaphat had pa.s.sed through. "He returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem." Happy escape! The Lord's hand had interposed for him, and delivered him from the snare of the fowler, and, we may say, he would no doubt have his heart full of grat.i.tude to Him who had so made him to differ from Ahab, though he had said, "I am as thou art." Ahab had gone down to his grave in shame and degradation, while Jehoshaphat returned to his house in peace. But what a lesson he had learned! How solemn to think of his having been so near the brink of the precipice! Yet the Lord had a controversy with him about what he had done. Though He allowed him to return in peace to Jerusalem, and did not suffer the enemy to hurt him, He would speak to his conscience about his sin; He would bring him aside from the field of battle, to deal with him in private. "And Jehu, the son of Hanani the seer, went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, 'Shouldst thou help the unG.o.dly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord." This was a solemn appeal, and it produced its own effect. Jehoshaphat "went out again through the people, from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the Lord G.o.d of their fathers." "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Thus did Peter; thus too did king Jehoshaphat; and blessed is it when lapses and failings lead, through the Lord's tender mercy, to such a result. Nothing but divine grace can ever produce this. When, after beholding Jehoshaphat surrounded by the Syrian captains (chap. xviii.), we find him here going out through the length and breadth of the land to instruct his brethren in the fear of the Lord, we can only exclaim, "What hath G.o.d wrought!" But he was just the man for such a work. It is one who has felt in his own person the terrible fruits of a careless spirit that can most effectually say, "_Take heed what ye do_." A restored Peter, who had himself denied the Holy One, was the chosen vessel to go and charge others with having done the same, and to offer them that precious blood which had cleansed his conscience from the guilt of it. So likewise the restored Jehoshaphat came from the battle of Ramoth-gilead to sound in the ears of his brethren with solemn emphasis, "Take heed what ye do." He that had just escaped from the snare could best tell what it was, and tell how to avoid it.

And mark the special feature in the Lord's character which engaged Jehoshaphat's attention: "There is no iniquity with the Lord our G.o.d, _nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts_." Now his snare seems to have been the gift of Ahab: "Ahab slew sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead." He allowed his heart to be warmed by Ahab's gift, and was thereby the more easily swayed by Ahab's arguments. Just as Peter accepted the compliment of being let into the high-priest's fire, and, being warmed thereby, denied his Lord. We can never canva.s.s, with spiritual coolness, the world's arguments and suggestions, while we are breathing its atmosphere, or accepting its compliments. We must keep outside and independent of it, and thus we shall find ourselves in a better position to reject its proposals, and triumph over its allurements.

But it is instructive to mark how Jehoshaphat, after his restoration, dwells upon that feature in the divine character from the lack of which he had so grievously failed. Communion with G.o.d is the great safeguard against all temptation; for there is no sin to which we are tempted, of which we cannot find the opposite in G.o.d; and we can only avoid evil by communion with good. This is a very simple but deeply practical truth. Had Jehoshaphat been in fellows.h.i.+p with G.o.d, he could not have sought fellows.h.i.+p with Ahab. And may we not say this is the only divine way in which to look at the question of worldly a.s.sociation. Let us ask ourselves, Can our a.s.sociation with the world go hand in hand with our fellows.h.i.+p with G.o.d? This is really the question. It is a miserable thing to ask, May I not partake of all the benefits of the name of Christ, and yet dishonor that name by mixing myself up with the people of the world, and taking common ground with them? How easily the matter is settled when we bring it into the divine presence, and under the searching power of the truth of G.o.d: "Shouldst thou help the unG.o.dly, and love them that hate the Lord?"

Truth strips off all the false covering which a heart out of communion is wont to throw around things. It is only when _it_ casts its unerring beams on our path that we see things in their true character.

Mark the way in which divine truth exposed the actings of Ahab and Jezebel. Jezebel would fain put a fair cloak on her shocking wickedness: "Arise," said she, "and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money; for Naboth is not alive but dead." Such was her way of putting the matter.

But how did the Lord view it? "Thus saith the Lord, 'Hast thou killed, and also taken possession'" (in other words, Hast thou committed murder and robbery?) G.o.d deals with realities. In His estimation, men and things get their proper place and value; there is no gilding, no affectation, no a.s.sumption--all is real. Just so was it with Jehoshaphat; his scheme which might in human estimation be regarded as a religious one, was in the divine judgment p.r.o.nounced to be simply a helping of the unG.o.dly, and loving them that hated the Lord. While men might applaud him, "there was wrath upon him from before the Lord."

However, Jehoshaphat had to be thankful for the salutary lesson which his fall had taught him; it had taught him to walk more in the fear of the Lord, and caused him to impress that more upon others also. This was doing not a little. True, it was a sad and painful way to learn; but it is well when we learn even by our falls,--it is well when we can tell even by painful experience the terrible evil of being mixed up with the world. Would to G.o.d we all felt it more! Would that we more walked in the solemn apprehension of the defiling nature of all worldly a.s.sociation, and of our own tendency to be defiled thereby! we should then be more efficient teachers of others! we should be able to say, with somewhat more weight, "Take heed what ye do;" and again, "Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good."

In chap. xx. we find Jehoshaphat in far more healthful circ.u.mstances than in chap. xviii. He is here seen under trial from the hand of the enemy: "It came to pa.s.s after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them others beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle." We are in far less apprehension for Jehoshaphat when we behold him the object of the enemy's hostilities than when we beheld him the subject of Ahab's kindness and hospitality. And very justly so; for in the one case he is about to be cast simply on the G.o.d of Israel, whereas in the other he was about to fall into the snare of Satan. The proper place for the man of G.o.d is to be in positive opposition to the enemies of the Lord, and not in conjunction with them. We never can count upon divine sympathy or guidance when we join with the enemies of the Lord. Hence we observe what an empty thing it was of Jehoshaphat to ask counsel of the Lord in a matter which he knew to be wrong. Not so, however, in the scene before us. He is really in earnest when "he sets himself to seek the Lord, and proclaims a fast throughout all Judah." This is real work.

There is nothing like trial from the hand of the world for driving the saint into a place of separation from it. When the world smiles, we are in danger of being attracted; but when it frowns, we are driven away from it into our stronghold; and this is both happy and healthful. Jehoshaphat did not say to a Moabite or an Ammonite, "I am as thou art." No; he knew well this was not so, for they would not let him think so. And how much better it is to know our true position in reference to the world!

There are three special points in Jehoshaphat's address to the Lord (_vv_. 6-12).

1. The greatness of G.o.d.

2. The oath to Abraham about the land.

3. The attempt of the enemy to drive the seed of Abraham out of that land.

The prayer is most precious and instructive--full of divine intelligence. He makes it altogether a question between the G.o.d of Abraham and the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir. This is what faith ever does, and the issue will ever be the same. "They come,"

says he, "to cast us out of _Thy possession, which Thou hast given us to inherit_." How simple! _They_ would take what _Thou_ hast given!

This was putting it, as it were, upon G.o.d to maintain His own covenant. "O our G.o.d, _wilt Thou not judge them? for we have no might_ against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon Thee." Surely, we may say, victory was already secured to one who could thus deal with G.o.d. And so Jehoshaphat felt. For "when he had consulted with the people, _he appointed singers unto the Lord_, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for His mercy endureth forever." Nothing but faith could raise a song of praise before even the battle had begun

"Faith counts the promise sure."

And as it had enabled Abraham to believe that G.o.d would put his seed into the possession of Canaan, so it enabled Jehoshaphat to believe that He would keep them therein, and he therefore did not need to wait for victory in order to praise; he already stood in the full results of victory. Faith could say, "Thou _hast guided_ them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation," though they had but just entered upon the wilderness.

But what a strange sight it must have been for the enemies of Jehoshaphat, to see a band of men with musical instruments instead of weapons in their hands. It was something of the same principle of warfare as that adopted by Hezekiah afterward, when he clothed himself in sackcloth instead of armor. (Isa. x.x.xvii. 1.)[13] Yes, it was the same, for both had been trained in the same school, and both fought under the same banner. Would that our warfare with the present age--with its habits, manners, and maxims--were more conducted on the same principle. "Above all, taking the s.h.i.+eld of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."

[13] "The proud king of a.s.syria was at the gates of Jerusalem with a mighty conquering host, and one would naturally expect to find Hezekiah in the midst of his men of war, buckling on his armor, girding on his sword, mounting his chariot; but no; Hezekiah was different from most kings and captains,--he had found out a place of strength which was quite unknown to Sennacherib--he had discovered a field of battle in which he could conquer without striking a blow. And mark the armor with which he girds himself: 'And it came to pa.s.s, when Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and _covered himself with sackcloth_, and went into the house of the Lord.' Here was the armor in which the king of Judah was about to cope with the king of a.s.syria.

Strange armor!--the armor of the sanctuary. What would Sennacherib have said had he seen this? He had never met such an antagonist before--he had never come in contact with a man who, instead of covering himself with a coat of mail, would _cover himself_ with sackcloth; and instead of rus.h.i.+ng forth into the field of battle in his chariot, would fall upon his knees in the temple. This would have appeared a novel mode of warfare in the eyes of the king of a.s.syria.

He had met the kings of Hamath and Arphad, etc.; but if he had, it was upon his own principle, and in his own way; but he had never encountered such an antagonist as Hezekiah. In fact, what gave the latter such uncommon power in this contest was the feeling that _he_ was nothing--that an 'arm of flesh' was of no avail;--in a word, that it was just Jehovah or nothing. This is specially seen in the act of spreading the letter before the Lord. Hezekiah was enabled by faith to retire out of the scene, and make it altogether a question between Jehovah and the king of a.s.syria. It was not Sennacherib and Hezekiah, but Sennacherib and Jehovah. This tells us the meaning of the sackcloth. Hezekiah felt himself to be utterly helpless, and he took the place of helplessness. He tells the Lord that the king of a.s.syria had reproached _Him_; he calls upon Him to vindicate His own glorious name, feeling a.s.sured that in so doing He would deliver His people.

Mark, then, this wondrous scene. Repair to the sanctuary, and there behold one poor, weak, solitary man on his knees, pouring out his soul to Him who dwelt between the cherubim. No military preparations,--no reviewing of troops: the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, pa.s.s to and fro from Hezekiah to the prophet Isaiah: all is apparent weakness. On the other hand, see a mighty conqueror leading on a numerous army flushed with victory, eager for spoil. Surely, one might say, speaking after the manner of men, all is over with Hezekiah and Jerusalem!--surely Sennacherib and his proud host will swallow up in a moment such a feeble band! And observe, further, the ground which Sennacherib takes in all this. (Isa. x.x.xvi. 4-7.) Here we observe that Sennacherib makes the very reformation which Hezekiah had effected a ground of reproach; thus leaving him, as he vainly thought, no resting-place or foundation for his confidence. Again, he says, 'Am I come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? _The Lord said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it._' (_v. 10_) This was indeed putting Hezekiah's faith to the test: faith must pa.s.s through the furnace. It will not do to say that we trust in the Lord; we must _prove_ that we do, and that too when every thing apparently is against us. How, then, does Hezekiah meet all these lofty words? In the silent dignity of faith. 'The king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.' (v. 21.) Such was the king's bearing in the eyes of the people; yea, rather, such is ever the bearing of faith: calm, self-possessed, dignified, in the presence of man; while, at the same time, ready to sink into the very dust in self-abas.e.m.e.nt in the presence of G.o.d. The man of faith can say to his fellow, 'Stand still, and see the salvation of G.o.d!' and, at the same moment, send up to G.o.d the cry of conscious weakness. (See Ex. xiv. 13-15.) So it was with the king of Judah at this solemn and trying crisis. Hearken to him while, in the retirement of the sanctuary, shut in with G.o.d, he pours out the anxieties of his soul in the ear of One who was willing to hear and ready to help. (Chap. x.x.xvii. 15-20.)"--(_Practical Reflections on the Life and Times of Hezekiah._)

What a contrast between Jehoshaphat personating Ahab at Ramoth-gilead, and standing with the Lord against his enemies the Moabites! Yes, what a contrast, in every particular! His mode of seeking help and guidance of the Lord was different, his mode of proceeding to battle was different; and oh, how different too the end! Instead of being well-nigh overwhelmed by the enemy, and crying out in the depth of his distress and danger, we find him joining in a loud chorus of praise to the G.o.d of his fathers, who had given him a victory without his striking a blow,--who had made his enemies destroy one another, and who had graciously conducted him from the dark valley of Achor into the valley of Berachah. Blessed contrast! May it lead us to seek a more decided path of separation, and of abiding dependence on the Lord's grace and faithfulness. The valley of Berachah, or praise, is ever the place into which the Spirit of G.o.d would conduct; but He cannot lead us thither when we join ourselves with the "Ahabs" of this world, for the purpose of carrying out their schemes. The word is, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor. vi. 17, 18.)

It is wonderful how worldliness hinders, yea, rather destroys, a spirit of praise; it is positively hostile to such a spirit, and, if indulged in, it will either lead to deep anguish of soul, or to the most thorough and open abandonment of all semblance of G.o.dliness. In Jehoshaphat's case, it was happily the former. He was humbled, restored, and led into larger blessedness.

But it would be sad indeed were any one to plunge into worldliness with the hope that it might lead to an issue similar to that of Jehoshaphat. Vain, presumptuous hope! Sinful expectation! Who that valued a pure, calm, and peaceful walk could for a moment entertain it? "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the G.o.dly out of temptation," but shall we, on that account, go and deliberately plunge ourselves into it? G.o.d forbid!

Yet, ah! who can sound the depths of the human heart--its profound, malignant depths? Who can disentangle its complicated mazes? Could any one imagine that Jehoshaphat would again, after such solemn lessons, join himself with the unG.o.dly, to further their ambitious, or rather their avaricious, schemes? No one could imagine it, save one who had learned something of his own heart. Yet so he did. "He joined himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who did very wickedly. And he joined himself with him, to make s.h.i.+ps to go to Tars.h.i.+sh; and they made the s.h.i.+ps in Ezion-gaber. Then Eliezer, the son of Dodavah of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, 'Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works.' And the s.h.i.+ps were broken, and they were not able to go to Tars.h.i.+sh." (_vv._ 35-37.) What is man! A poor, stumbling, failing, halting creature; ever rus.h.i.+ng into some new folly or evil. Jehoshaphat had, as it were, but just recovered from the effects of his a.s.sociation with Ahab, and he forthwith joins himself with Ahaziah. He had with difficulty, or rather through the special and most gracious interference of the Lord, escaped from the arrows of the Syrians, and again we find him in league with the kings of Israel and Edom, to fight against the Moabites.

Such was Jehoshaphat--such his extraordinary course. There were some "good things found in him;" but his snare was, worldly a.s.sociation; and the lesson which we learn from the consideration of his history is, to beware of that evil. Yes; we would need to have sounded in our ears, with ceaseless solemnity, the words, "COME OUT, AND BE SEPARATE." We cannot, by any possibility, mix ourselves up with the world, and allow ourselves to be governed and led by its maxims and principles, without suffering in our own souls, and marring our testimony.

I would only remark, in conclusion, that it seems like a relief to the spirit to read the words, "Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers" (chap.

xxi. 1), as we feel a.s.sured, that he has at last got beyond the reach of the enemy's snares and devices; and further, that he comes under the Spirit's benediction, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; for they rest from their labors,"--yes, a rest from their conflicts, snares, and temptations also.

LIFE AND TIMES OF JOSIAH

(2 Chron. x.x.xiv., x.x.xv.)

Two thousand four hundred years have rolled away since king Josiah lived and reigned; but his history is pregnant with instruction, which can never lose its freshness or its power. The moment at which he ascended the throne of his fathers was one of peculiar gloom and heaviness. The tide of corruption, swollen by many a tributary stream, had risen to the highest point; and the sword of judgment, long held back in divine patience and long-suffering, was about to fall in terrible severity upon the city of David. The brilliant reign of Hezekiah had been followed by a long and dreary period of fifty-five years under the sway of his son Mana.s.seh; and albeit the rod of correction had proved effectual in leading this great sinner to repentance and amendment, yet no sooner had the sceptre fallen from his hand than it was seized by his G.o.dless and impenitent son Amon, who "did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as did Mana.s.seh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Mana.s.seh his father had made, and served them; and humbled not himself before the Lord, as Mana.s.seh his father had humbled himself: but Amon trespa.s.sed more and more. And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.... And the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead" (2 Chron. x.x.xiii. 22-25).

Thus, then, Josiah, a child of eight years, found himself on the throne of David, surrounded by the acc.u.mulated evils and errors of his father and his grandfather--yea, by forms of corruption which had been introduced by no less a personage than Solomon himself. If the reader will just turn for a moment to 2 Kings xxiii., he will find a marvelous picture of the condition of things at the opening of Josiah's history. There were "idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places, in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; those also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven."

Reader, ponder this! Only think of kings of Judah, successors of David, ordaining priests to burn incense to Baal! Bear in mind too that each of these kings of Judah was responsible to "write him a copy of the book of the law," which he was to keep by him, and in which he was to "read _all the days of his life_, that he may learn to fear the Lord his G.o.d, to keep _all the words of this law_, and those statutes to do them." (See Deut. xvii. 18, 19.) Alas! alas! how sadly had they departed from "all the words of the law," when they could actually set about ordaining priests to burn incense to false G.o.ds!

But further, there were "horses that the kings of Judah had given _to the sun_," and that, moreover, "at the entering in of the house of the Lord," and "chariots of the sun," and "high places which _Solomon_ the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon."

All this is most solemn, and worthy of the serious consideration of the Christian reader. We certainly ought not to pa.s.s it over as a mere fragment of ancient history. It is not as though we were reading the historic records of Babylon, of Persia, of Greece, or of Rome. We should not marvel at the kings of those nations burning incense to Baal, ordaining idolatrous priests, and wors.h.i.+ping the host of heaven; but when we see kings of Judah, the sons and successors of David, children of Abraham, men who had access to the book of the law of G.o.d, and who were responsible to make that book the subject of their profound and constant study,--when we see such men falling under the power of dark and debasing superst.i.tion, it sounds in our ears a warning voice, to which we cannot with impunity refuse to give heed.

We should bear in mind that all these things have been written for our learning; and although it may be said that we are not in danger of being led to burn incense to Baal, or to wors.h.i.+p the host of heaven, yet we may be a.s.sured we have need to attend to the admonitions and warnings with which the Holy Ghost has furnished us in the history of G.o.d's ancient people. "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Cor. x. 11). These words of the inspired apostle, though directly referring to the actings of Israel in the wilderness, may nevertheless apply to the entire history of that people--a history fraught with the deepest instruction from first to last.

But how are we to account for all those gross and terrible evils into which Solomon and his successors were drawn? What was their origin?

NEGLECT OF THE WORD OF G.o.d. This was the source of all the mischief and all the sorrow. Let professing Christians remember this; let the whole Church of G.o.d remember it. The neglect of the Holy Scriptures was the fruitful source of all those errors and corruptions which blot the page of Israel's history, and which brought down upon them many heavy strokes of Jehovah's governmental rod. "Concerning the works of men, by the word of Thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer" (Psa. xvii. 4). "_From a child_ thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of G.o.d, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of G.o.d may be perfect ??t???, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. iii.

15-17).

In these two precious quotations we have the word of G.o.d presented in its twofold virtue; it not only perfectly preserves us from evil, but perfectly furnishes us unto all good,--it keeps us from the paths of the destroyer, and guides us in the ways of G.o.d.

How important, then, is the study--the diligent, earnest, prayerful study of Holy Scripture! How needful to cultivate a spirit of reverential submission, in all things, to the authority of the word of G.o.d! Mark how continually and how earnestly this was impressed upon the ancient people of G.o.d. How often were such accents as the following sounded in their ears!--"Now therefore harken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord G.o.d of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your G.o.d which I command you.... Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my G.o.d commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep, therefore, and do them; _for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations_, which shall hear all the statutes, and say, Surely, this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath G.o.d so nigh unto them, as the Lord our G.o.d is in all things that we call upon Him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? _Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently_, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons" (Deut. iv. 1-9).

Let it be carefully noticed here, that "wisdom and understanding"

consist simply in having the commandments of G.o.d treasured in the heart. This, moreover, was to be the basis of Israel's moral greatness, in view of the nations around them. It was not the learning of the schools of Egypt, or of the Chaldeans. No; it was the knowledge of the word of G.o.d, and attention thereto--the spirit of implicit obedience in all things to the holy statutes and judgments of the Lord their G.o.d. This was Israel's wisdom; this their true and real greatness; this their impregnable bulwark against every foe--their moral safeguard against every evil.

And does not the self-same thing hold good with respect to G.o.d's people at the present moment? Is not obedience to the word of G.o.d our wisdom, our safeguard, and the foundation of all true moral greatness?

a.s.suredly. Our wisdom is to obey. The obedient soul is wise, safe, happy, and fruitful. As it was, so it is. If we study the history of David and his successors, we shall find (without so much as a single exception) that those who yielded obedience to the commandments of G.o.d were safe, happy, prosperous, and influential. And so it will ever be. Obedience will always yield its own precious and fragrant fruits,--not that its fruits should be our _motive_ for rendering obedience; we are called to be obedient, irrespective of everything.

Now it is obvious that in order to be obedient to the word of G.o.d, we must be acquainted with it, and in order to be acquainted with it, we must carefully study it. And how should we study it? With an earnest desire to understand its contents, with profound reverence for its authority, and with an honest purpose to obey its dictates, cost what it may. If we have grace to study Scripture in some small degree after this fas.h.i.+on, we may expect to grow in knowledge and wisdom.

But alas! there is a fearful amount of ignorance of Scripture in the professing Church. We are deeply impressed with a sense of this; and we may as well, at this point, just tell the reader that our main object in calling his attention to the subject of "Josiah and his times" is to wake up in his soul an intense desire after a closer acquaintance with G.o.d's holy Word, and a more entire bowing down of his whole moral being--heart, conscience, and understanding--to that perfect standard.