sm:~1~thi~g fro7. bi~. "As _the ~ord liveth "-mark the pr~fane mixing up of religion an,1 1mp1cty- I will run alter him, and take somewhat of him." Morality goes down befor~ the gre~ of gain. 3. !fis unblushing falsehood. (1) Naaman beheld Gehazi run~ung after _him, ~nd was delt~hted to think that he might, after all, have the oppor- tumty of servmg Ehsha. He ahghts from his chariot-a different man now than when ~is s~t~ly equipage "s~od" at Elisha's door-and asks eagerly, "Is all well?" (2) uehaz1, m reply, tells him an unblushingly invented falsehood. There had come two young men of the sons of the prophet11 from Mount Ephraim, and Elisha had sent to entreat for them a ta\en\ of silver and two ch~nges of raiment. . The finish of this style of falsehoo_d, and Gehaz1 s subsAquent hypocnsy, speak to considerable practice in the art of deceit. Such ready audacity, so great perfection in the arts of lying and con- cealment, are not attained at the first attempt. No man becomes a rogue quite sud- denly. Elisha was probably no more deceived in the character of Gehazi than Jesus was in the character of Judas, who was secretly "a thief," and "had the baa, and bare what was put therein n (John xii. 6). " II. GRATITUDE DIOTATING LillERA.LlTY. The willing response made by Naaman to what he took to be Elisha's request is the bright side of this otherwise discreditable incident. I. He doubled what was asked. "Be content, take two talents." He was glad to get an opening for forcing some acknowledgment of his gratitude on Elisha. 2. He sent two of his servants back with the sacks of silver and the raiment. What he did, he did handsomely. He gave every token he could of his desire to oblige Elisha. 3. Gehazi relieved the servants when they came near the house, and had the treasure smuggled into the house, and safely hid, This was the part of the business in which there lay some risk of detection; but it was securely managed, and Gehazi no doubt breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the valuables carefully stowed away. His treasure was as safely concealed as Achan's wedge of gold, and two hundred shekels of .silver, and goodly Babylonish garment (Josh. vii. 21). But it was to prove as great a curse. Meanwhile, light in conscience, glad in heart, and pleased at having been per- mitted to bestow even this small gift (comparatively) on Elisha, Naaman sped on his way home. He probably never knew how he had been deceived. m JusTIOE DECREEING PENALTY. Gehazi's act, however, skilfully concealed as it was from human view, was not to remain nnpunished. God knew it-. Gehazi had forgotten this. God is the one factor which the wicked leave out of their calculations, and he is the most important of all. David was careful to conceal hie clime with Bath- sheba; but it is written, "The thing that David bad done displeased the Lord" (2 Sam. ::ri. 27). 1. Gehazi"s hypocrisy. He went calmly in, and stood before his master, as if nothing had happened. There is, as above stated, a perfection in this villainy which shows that it was not a first offence. But there comes a point when men's sins fiud them ont. They gain courage by repeated attempts, and by-and-by take a step too far. What they think is their master-stroke proves their ruin. 2. Elisha's challenge. What had happened had not been •• hid " from Elisha. The Lord had showed it to him. His heart had gone with Gehazi., and he had seen Naaman turning from his chariot to meet him. He now challenged him with his conduct. He: (1) Exposed his falsehood. Gehazi answered boldly to the question, .. Whence comest thou 1" "Thy servant went no whither." Then Elisha told him what he knew. We can imagine the servant's con- acience-stricken look and speechless confusion at this discovery. Let sinners consider how they will face the disclosures of the judgment-day, and what they will answer (Eccles. xii. 14; Rom. ii. 16; Col. iii. 25). We have a parallel instance of exposure, with an even severer punishment, in the case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts v.1-11). (2) Unveiled his inmost motives. "Is i~ a time "-in conne~tion with a wo_rk of G1 110 great-" to receive money, and to receive garments, aud ohveyards, and vmeyards, etc. These were the things Gehazi intended to purchase with his money. His mind was running out in grand plans of what he would do with his treasures. A miracle such as had been wrought should have filled him with very different thoughts. Elisha lays bare the covetous root of his disposition. God reads to the bottom of our hearts (Heh. iv. 12; Rev. ii. 23). Gold is valued by covetous men for what it will bring. It is a further development of avarice when it comes to be loved for its own s~ke. 3. The judgment of leprosy. By a just retribution, the leprosy of Naaman, which had been taken from him from miracle, is now by miracle put on Gehazi and his seed for ever (cf OR, VI. 1-33.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. 119
Exod. xx. 5). There is 11, symmetry-a. relation of IHness-often observable in God's retributions (Gen. ix. 6; Judg. i. 7; Esth. vii. 9, 10; Matt. vii. Z; xxvi. 52, etc.). Little would Geba.zi's wealth delight him with this loathsome and accursed disease upon him. Men make a. wretched bargain who for wealth's sake barter away peace with God, purity of conscience, inward integrity, and their soul's honour. 'l'hey may obtain gain, but they are smitten with a leprosy of spirit which is their ruin. Covetous- ness in the heart is alreiLdy a leprosy. The outward leprosy, in Geha.zi's case, was but the external sign of what internally already existed.-J. O.