The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 307

Vera. 7-23.-Review of tlie history of Israel. The Bible does not simply relate, but draws aside the veil and shows us the innermost springs of God's providence, and how they work. It teaches us to understand the deepest causes of the rise and fall of nations. The causes it insists on are not economical, or political, or intellectual, but religious, and its lessons are for all time. We may say of this survey of Israel'• history-these things '' are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Cor. x. 11). We have here-- I. MANIFOLD PROVOCATIONS. 1. Ingratitude to God. This is put in the foreground. It was the Lord " their God " Israel had sinned against-the God who had brought them up from Egypt, who had delivered them from bondage, who had made a nation of them, who had given them a land to dwell in, who had bound them to himself by solemn covenant. What people were ever under stronger obligations to obedience! Yet they apostatized, and "feared other gods." Sin appears more heinous against a back- ground of mercies received. It is worse for a nation that has known God. that has possessed pure ordinances, and bas been graciously Jee.It with- by him, to backslide, than for another that has been less favoured. Our own nation has been blessed in these respects as few have been or are. Correspondingly great are our responsibilities. The individual may reflect that the fact of spiritual redemption-salvation throngh Christ- places him under greater obligations than could spring from any temporal deliverance. 2. Heathenish ways. '!'he positive wickedness of the people is next detailed. The heart of man ce.unot exist without an object to fill and occupy it; and if God is neglected, something else must be found to take his place. The Israelites rejected Jehovah, but they took to following idols. 'fhey would have none of his statutes, but they walked in the statutes of the heathen, and of the kings of Israel. It is to be remembered that the heathen worships here rei'erred to were saturated through and through with lust and vileness. It was because of the nameless abominations con- nected with them that the Lord, after long forbearance, cast out the former inbabit:i.uts from Canaan (Lev. xviii. 24-32; xx. 1-6). Yet these were the ways into which Israel turned back in the land which God bad given them. May we not fear as we think of the vices, the impurities, the filthy abominations, which abound in our own nation? 3. Zeal in the service of idols. Israel ha.d no heart for tho service of God, but they showed unbounded zeal in the service of their idols. Publicly, and in secret also, in every city, on every bill, and under every green tree, wherever even there was a watchman's solitary tower, there they set up their high places, burnt incense, and "wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger." The children' of light may well learn a lesson from the children of this world in respect of zeal. If only one tithe of the earnestness with which men serve the devil were put into the service of God, how re.pid would be the spread of true religion ! The wicked throw the whole ener;sy of their souls into their follies, their pursuit of pleasure, their service of the world, the devil, and the flesh. But how slack-handed and half-hearted often times are Christians I What wonder God's cause suffers l II. REJECTION OF PROPHETS. 1. God', prophets sent. God did not leave Israel to sin without trying every means to turn the people from their evil we.ys. Prophets were sent, and these not one or two, but "all the prophets " and "all the seers." 'l'hey were sent both to Israel and to Judah. They spoke in God's Name to the people, testi• fiod against their sins, and exhorted them to return to the ways of right. 'l'hey wa,r.qed, IL KINGII. 2 A  THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. [oH. xvn.1-41.