can be thus rescued from oblivion-the mere bones of his history; but what a power ill in them I So of a man's words, The fragments of a man's speech that can be preserved in any collection of his sayings are comparatively few. They are the mere bones or his speech. But they quicken souls through the ages. The words of David, of St. Paul, of the prophets, touch and work on souls to the present hour. The world is the living thing it is because of the influence of these dead men in it. They are "The dead but sceptred sov'rans, Who rule our spirits from their lll'Illl." 3. The highut life has C011Ul out of death. Jesus said," Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone," etc. (John xii, 24). Elisha communicated resurrection-power without himself rising from the dead; Christ has himself risen, and is now the Principle of resurrection-life to others.-J. 0.
Vers. 22-25.---Joash's victories. We have in the closing verses a record of the fulfilment of the promise given through Elisha. Notice- I. Tm: GBOUND OF THESE VICTORIES. While God had respect to the prayer of Jeboahaz, there was a deeper ground for bis interposition to save Israel. He was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect to them, we are told, because of his covenant with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. More specifically, we have as grounds: 1. Love to the fathers. God remembered Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and would not hastily cast off their posterity (cf. Deut. iv. 37; Rom. xi. 28). Many of the blessings which sinners enjoy, the forbearance God shows them, etc., are due to the prayers of godly ancestors. 2. Regard for his own promise. God had made a covenant with the pa.triarchs, and had promised to be a God to them, and to their seed after them. 'l'bat covenant was the main fact in the history of Israel. It underlies and governs all God's dealings with them, past, present, and prospective, It was the remembrance of this covenant which led to the deliverance from Egypt (Exod. ii. 24, 25); to the settlement in Cilnaan (Dent. ix. 3); and to God's patient dealings with the ne.tiou amidst their various rebellions, and under their constant provocations. God saved them, not for their righteousness' sake, but for his own Name's sake. He is the God of unchanging faithfulness. 3. Unwillingness to destroy ~ people. God casts off none hastily, for he has "no pleasure in the death of him that dieth " (Ezek. xviii. 32). He bears long with men, if haply they will repent. Where- fore it is said, "He would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence aB yet." There is a limit, however, to Divine forbearance. The time came when, still remaining impenitent, they were cast a.way, though even then not for ever. II. Tm: EXTENT OF THESE VICTORIES. They amounted, e.s Elisha had· predicted, only to three. Three times Joash beat the King of Syria, and recovered the cities of L,-rael from his hand. This was a great gain, but it might so easily have been greater, had Joash only fulfilled aright the conditions of success. How much blessing we often deprive ourselves of by our own unfaithfulness and shortcoming! It is reason for rejoicing that God does so mnch for us; but the joy must eternally be shaded by regret when we reflect that it is by our own doings that far more is not done.-J. O.
EXPOSITION. nected. The writer, after a few such general CHAPTER XIV. remarks as those with which he commonly Ven. 1-29.-REIGNS OF AMAZIAH, BON 011' opens the history of ea.eh reign (ver3. 1-4), JoASH KING OF JUDAH, OVER JUDAH, AND OJI' pl'Oceeds to relate (1) the punishment by J EllOBOAM, BON OF J OAJ!H KING 011' lsBAEL, Amaziab of the murderers of his father (vers. 0'1'£1l lsB.AEL. 5, 6); (2) the war of Amaziah with Edam Vers. 1-20.-Tmi REIGN OF AMAZIAH (ver. 7); (3) the challenge which he sent OVER JuDAH. This chapter takes up the to Joesh King of Israel, that king's reply, hi11tory of the kingdom of Judah from the e.nd the war which followed (vers. 8-16); ewl of eh. xii., with which it ill closely con• and (4) the circumstance• of Amazio.h'1 en. lttv. 1-20.J THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. 279