The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 178

word, his willingness to receive, hie power to 113ve, his desire to pardon ? " Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."-O. H. L Vere. 12-14.-Ahaziah's brethren put to death. Fresh from the scene of retribution and bloodshed at Jozreel, Jehu ie now on his way to Samaria. At the shearing- house on the way he meets the brethren of Ahaziah King of Judah. Ahaziah himself had already perished at Jebu's bands for bis companionship with Jehoram. And now his brethren, not warned by .Ahaziah's fate, go down "to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen." Jehu's vengeance on Ahab's house was searching and complete. He had already slain at Jezreel not only Ahab's kinsfolk, but bis great men and his priests-all who in any way showed favour or encouragement to Ahab. In the same spirit he now puts to death these brethren of Ahaziah because of their relationship and sympathy with Ahab's house. Note here- I. THE RESULTS OF EVIL COMPANIONSHIP. "The companion of fools," says the wise man, "shall be destroyed." 'l'hese brethren of .Ahaziah might have pleaded that they were doing no harm. But the house of Ahab was notorious for its wickedness. It had been singled out for the terrible retribution of God. To keep up friendship with men and women so wicked was to become a partaker of their crimes. The old Latin proverb was Noscitur a sociis-" .A man is known by the company he keeps." If we would avoid the fate of the wicked, let us avoid their fellowship. "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, tum from it, and pass away." "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." II. 'J.'HE RESULT OF UNHEEDED WARNINGS, The brethren of Ahaziah bad alrcaJy got a warning in the fate which had befallen their brother. But notwithstanding this, they went on to their own destruction. So men act every day. 1. God's Word 1varns them, but in vain. They laugh to scorn the message of the gospel that urges them to accept salvation, and to flee from the wrath to come. They act as the people in the days of Noah, who disregarded the warnings of that faithful, patient preacher, and knew not till the flood came and swept them all away. 2. God's providences warn them, but in vain, Sudden deaths remind them of life's uncertainty. Perhaps for a day or two they are impressed; and then they become engrossed with the world again. If one were to speak to them about their soul, they would say, "Go thy way for this time; when I have II convenient season, I will call for thee.n 3. God's judgments warn them, but in vain. The intemperate man, the immoral man, the dishonest man, infatuated with evil desires, go on in their sinful courses, notwith- standing the ruin and misery, the premature deaths, the unhappy lives, the degradation an,\ disgrace, which so many have suffered in consequence of these sins. "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh."-O. H. L Vers. 15-31.-'l'lie zeal of Jehu, ood its lessons. Jehu is now going up to Samaria with' the resolve to destroy the prophets of Baal firmly rooted in his heart. On his way he meets Jehonadab the son of Rechab. This Jehonadab was the founder of the Rechabites. It was he who commanded his children to drink no wine, to build no houses, and plant no vineyards, but to live in tents all their days-a command wbich was so scrupulously obeyed by their descendants that the Lord instructed the Prophet Jeremiah to hold them up as an example of obedience to the Jews in after-years; and with this obedience God was so much pleased that he made the promise that Jonadab the son of Rechab should not want a man to stand before him for ever. It was this simple-minded, temperate, self-denying man whom Jebu met in his career of vengeance and ambition, and whom doubtless he wanted to associate with himself in order to give a measure of respectability to his further proceedings. He invited him into his chariot, and said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord." I. THERE WAS MUCH THAT WAS GOOD ABOUT JEHU's ZEAL, From the day that Jehu got his work to do, he lost no time in the doing of it. He was eminently a man of action. That he had good qualities no one can doubt. '!'here are many things that aro attractive about Jehu. He was a brave nnd fearless soldier. Decision, earnestness, promptness, tl1orou9h11ess,-these were the chief feahires of his character. His decided  THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. [err. x. 1-36.