if any one ventured to follow Ath&liab, he was to be killed with the sword. But no one 111eem~ to have shown any pity for the fallen queen. The downf&ll of her power was thus complete. A new government having been constituted, her own attempt to excite rebellion now fell under the category of treason, and was punishable. Johoiada uivcs ord~rs for her being taken beyond the temple bounds, and there slain. We see hands laid upon her, and she is led away, or goes, "by the way by the which the horses come into the king's house," and in that place of stables meets her death. An inglorious end: But what glory can we look for to crown a career of sin? In Athaliah, the last member of Ahab's cursed house met a deserved doom. Judgment against the sinner may not always be executed speedily, but the stroke will surely fall at last (Eccles. viii. 11). IV. A COVENANT WITH JEHOVAH. 1. The covena11t with God renewed, The people bad received, as if from heaven, a new king of the line of David, and the moment was auspicious for a new covenant being entered into, and formally ratified, with God. It is good when special mercies are made an occasion of renewal of vows. The covenant promoted by J ehoiada was twofold. (1) It was a covenant between the king and people and Jehovah. In this transaction they solemnly pledged themselves to be the Lord's people. National covenanting is only appropriate when it springs from the spontaneous impulse of the masses of the people. Among the Hebrews, who, by the very form of their national existence, were a people in covenant with Jehovah, such renewal of reli- gious vows was specially suitable. The idea of a "people of the Lord" is now embodied, not in a national form, but in the Church of Christ. Great is the honour of forming part of this "chosen generation," this "royal priesthood," this " holy nation," this "peculiar people" (1 Pet. ii. 9), and we should often recall the fact to ourselves, and make it the basis of new consecration. (2) It was a covenant between the king and the people. He, on his part, would pledge himself to maintain the government according to the Law of God; and they, on theirs, would promise him loyalty and obedience. Happy is it, when rulers and people stand in this bond of mutual confidence! 2. Zeal in rdigUJ'U,3 reform. The earnest spirit awakened by this solemn act of covenant imme- diately showed itself in zCJJ.lous efforts for the removal of abuses, We read that, not one or two, but "all the people of the land," set themselves to reforming work. (1) They went into the house of Ba.al, and brake it down. A house of Baal in Jerusalem, and possibly on the temple hill, was a deliberate insult to Jehovah. No respect for the beauty or costliness of the building was allowed to save it from destruction. When higher interests are involved, artistic and sentimental considerations must go to the wall (2) They brake in pieces" thoroughly" Baal's altars and images, Idolatry was to be thorou)?hly rootea out in accordance with the word of the testimony (Ueut. xii. 1-3). (3) They slew Mattan, the high priest of Baal. By the Law of Israel his life was forfeited through the practice of idolatry. (4) They restored the worship of the temple. This is implied in the statemeDt, "The priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord." It is evident from the next chapter that the temple service had bee11 allowed to become greatly disorganized. The zeal of these reformers had, therefore, its positive side. '!'hey sought to build up as well as cast down. The false worship of God was replaced by tl,e true. Court fashion goes a long way in determining pre- ferences in religion. When Athalia.b worshipped Baal, it was fashionable to neglect Jehovah; now that Joash restored the worship of Jehovah, people flocked back to the temple. Those in high stations have great responsibilities, and not least for the examples they set in religion. 3. The joy of the people. Joash was now escorted in grand procession to the palace of his fathers. Athaliah was dead, and he sat on the throne of the kings. Joy filled the people's hearts, and quiet reigned in the city. When godliness is victorious, it diffuses peace and gladness through all mindt1.-J. 0, •
EXPOSITION. WITH HAZAEL, AND BIB DEATH BT A CON• CHAPTER Xll. BPlllAOY. Ven. 1--21.-'IH..E REIGN OIi' JOAl!B, THE Vere. 1-3.-The writer of Kings is ex- . . .AD 01 TU: TE)(J'LS, W AB 011' JOA.SIi $remel7 brief and incomplete in bis ao• OR, XII, 1-21.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. 243