The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 126

TIIE CmJRCH OF THE LIVING AND DIVINE CHRIST. 1. There are "diversities of gifts .. and trusts and services. According to the ability and opportunity is the occupation, 2. Beneath all these diversities there is an admirable unity. It is " the one Spirit" who qualifies and appoints all. There is one body, one temple, one brotherhood. And there is one aim-the service and glory of the one God and Saviour. PRACTICAL LESSONS. 1. Let each Christian fulfil his own vocation. 2. And, at the Mme time, regard with sympathy and affection his fellow-workers in the same service, 3. And ever look to the one end-the service of his redeeming God.-T. Ver. 1.-" Tl1e far country." The text speaks of those who were "carried away to Babylon for their transgression." In every age and land sin means exile. It is a fruitful source of division, of painful and hurtful separation. Sin, which is "the trans- gression of the Law," makes us go out into" a far country." It takes us- I. To A iiTATE OF SEPARATION FROM GoD (Isa. lix. 2): from his conscious presence his favour, his likeness, his dwelling-place. ' II. FAR FROM A TRUE, AN IDEAL MANHOOD. We sink a long way below the level of a pure, holy, estimable humanity. III. INTO THE DREARY REGION OF RESTLESSNESS, MISERY, DESPAIR, IV. To "THE FAR COUNTRY .. OF INDIFFERENCE, HEARTLESSNESS (" past feeling .. Eph. iv. 19), UTTER UlillELIEF. ' V. 'fo " THE OUTER DARKNESS ,, OF FINAL EXILE FROM THE CITY OF GoD.-C. Vers. 11-13.-.Authority and 'ability in the service of God. Azariah was "the ruler of the house of God" (ver. 11); concerning a thousand seven hundred and sixty it is said that were "very able men for the work of the service of the house of God" (ver. 13). Here we have high authority and eminent ability in the service of the Lord. I. AUTHORITY IN SACRED SERVICE, Our Saviour did not establish a hierarchy in the Christian Church. The apostolate was obviously a temporary institution. We read of "elders that rule well " (1 Tim. v. 17), and the Hebrew Christians were charged to "obey them that had the rule over them" (Heb. xiii. 17). There was, a.s there is now, a place in the Church for authority on the one hand and for loyalty on the other, There are, as there ever will be, those who direct, control, organize, appoint, remove. On the part of such there should be : 1. A sense of deep responsibility ; for on their decision and direction great things depend. 2. A constant appeal for Divine guidnnce. In the affairs of his kingdom surely the Divine Sovereign should be continually con- sulted by those who speak in his Name. 3. Great carefulness to act in harmony with his revealed will, so that they may not, while professing to work for God, be simply imposing their own fallible judgment on other minds. 4. The cultivation of humility, lest tbey should aspire to "have dominion over the faith" of men, instead of walking humbly with God, and serving in love like that Son of man who "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." II. ABILITY IN SACRED SERVICE. (Ver.13.) The ability which thesepriests displayed in the service of the sanctuary was of a somewhat different order from that which is now required in the service of man in the Church of Christ. But it was inspired by the ~ame Divine Being, and it aimed at the same end-the spiritual well-being of the nation. We remark concerning ability in sacred service: 1. That it is, in large part, the gift of God. "Very able men" are" what they are by the grace of God." Their con- spicuous ability is his endowment. From the Author of their being come the faculties (memory, imagination, judgment, reason, enthusiasm, strength, will, etc.) which distin- guish them from their fellows. They owe their eminence to the supreme hand that raises and levels all things. Therefore (1) let those who possess remarkable ability wear their honours meekly, remembering whence they came; and therefore (2) let not those who lack it be envious of those who enjoy it, for then their" eye would be evil" because God is good. 2. '!'hat it is, in large part, tho product of human effort. The greatest "abilities" will come to no ripeness and bear no fruit without human industry, vatience, effort. Many who have it in them to do great things go to the grave having lived useless, wasted lives. Therefore (1) let those who are gifte<l of God see to it that tl.iey train, mature, and use the capacities they have of him ; and (2) let those who en. ix. 1-44.] TITE FIRST BOOK OF '!'HE CHRONICLES. 117