exlicclion of Ahab's honee, the rooting out of Baal, and the establishment of Jehu's dynasty, Israel obtained a new chance of doing well. Bat Jehu's reforming zeal soon died out, and he fell back into gGdless ways. His son followed the worse, and cot the better, traditions of hie father's reign. Thus the downward movement again began, Of Jehoahaz also the old monotonous refrain has to be spoken, "He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord." This is the burden of the song regarding every king of Israel. In the whole line, from first to last, there is not one of whom a different report can be given. 2. The cardinal sin. The foremost sin of all these monarchs-that which fatally entangled them in other sins-was the perpetuation of the worship of the calves. Religion affects the springs of morality, and this idolatrous ettltus sent poisonous streams through the whole life of the nation. It was the grand transgression which, amidst all temporary reforms, was never abandoned. II. THE SYRIAN OPPRESSION. 1. Divine anger. "The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel." God had done so much for the people, bad granted them so favour- able an opportunity for repentance, bad counselled and warned them so long by great prophets like Elijah and Elisha, that he was justly wroth with them for their continued transgressions. God is jealous of his honour, and presumptuous transgressors must expect to find his hand laid heavily upon them. When God's anger is kind.led against a people, things cannot go well. Troubles break out on every side, and calamities fall thick and fast. 2. Weighty chastisements. God delivered the people of Israel into the hands of the kings'of Syria-Hazael and Benhadad. This time it was no passing invasion. The completeness of the conquest, and the severity of the oppression, recall the days of the judges, or the Philistine oppression of the reign of Saul (Judg. v. 6, 7; 1 Sam. xiii. 19-22). Out of the hosts of Israel there was left to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen. Elisha's foresight of the evils which Hazael would inflict on the nation was thllll terribly verified. Again is the reflection forced on us-How bitter is the fruit of sin! The Bible is little cl>e than a repeated enforcement of the truth, "Say ye to the righteous, that it shall Le well with him..•. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him" (Isa. iii. 10, 11). III. JEHOAHAZ18 PRAYER, AND ITS ANSWER. 1. The king's prayer. The very existence of the kingdom seemed threatened. Happily, the desperate straits to which he was reduced led Jehoahaz to humble himself before God. He felt himself in the hands of a living God, and, rightly tracing the calamities which had befallen him to Jehovah's anger, he turned to Jehovah for his help. The chastisements with which God visits men for their sins are designed to break their pride and stubbornness, and lead them to repentance. They often have the effect of producing a temporary sub- mission, though they cannot of themselves change the heart. We have examples in Pharaoh (Exod. viii. 28) and in Ahab (1 Kings x.xi. 27). 2. God's answer to tl1e pi·ayer. A prayer wrung from the king, not by the sense of his sin, but by the intolerable pressure of affliction, might have been thought undeserving of an answer. llut the Lord is very pitiful, and welcomes the faintest approach of the sinner unto him. He does not thrust the suppliant away, but seeks, by giving him tokens of hi~ grace, to ripen his imperfect desires into real repentance. Accordingly, the approaches of Jehoahaz to the throne of grace met with a gracious responsr. God promised a saviour to the land, and ultimately raised one up in the person of Joash, who, but for his want of perseverance, wonld have completely delivered the nation from the Syrians. The work which he left undone was finished by his son, Jeroboam II. Thus God showR himself ready to hear the cries even of the worst of men. None need despair in calling on Heaven when Jehoahaz was listened to in such dire straits. Happy tbey who nre led to call, though it be from the depths, to God (Ps. cxxx. 1). He will uot turn any away. His promise is, "Call upon me in the day of trouble : I will deliver thee" (Ps. I. 15). 3. Imperfect repentance. The imperfection of Jehoahaz's repentance is sern in the fact that the worship of the calves was still maintained; also thero remained the symbol of Asta.rte in Samaria. God's promise having been given, was not revoked, and there were other reasons why he was willing t.o help the people (ver. 23). But these sins in high places wrought ruin afterwards.-J. 0.
Vere. 8-19,-Joaah and "Elisha. Jehoahaz reigned for seventeen years, and was 2i6 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS, [cH. xm.1-25,