The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 41

The more He reflects this image, the more truly manly He is. The religion of the Bible restores His manhood. II. THERE IS NO FACULTY IN MAN WHICH DOES NOT FIND ITS COMPLEMENT AND ITS DEVELOPMENT IN GoD. His reason finds in God a.lone the truth which it seeks. His heart only finds an object adequate to its power of loving in the God who is Love. His conscience has for its ideal and its law the Divine holiness. "Be ye perfect, even aB your Father which ia in heaven ia perfect" (Matt. v. 48). His will derives its power a.lone from God. 1. The Son of God was the Son of man, and realized the true idea of humanity in His holy life. 2. The religion of God honours and exalts man, even as falsehood and error degrade and debase him. 8. The Divine morality is in -profound harmony with true human morality, that law which is written in the natural conscience. The petty religiousness which says, "Touch not, taste not, handle not" (Col. ii. 21), and creates all sorts of artificial duties, is not in accordance with true piety, the one great commandment of which -love to God and man-approves itself at once to the gospel and to the conscience. 4. Be a man means, finally, Do thy duty like a man. Be one of the violent who take the kingdom by force. Let us be careful not to effeminate our Christianity by a soft sentimentaJism. Let us learn from the Son oJ God to be truly men " after God's own beart.''-E. DE P. Vera. 1--4.-A royal father's last words. David's eventful life is drawing to a close. He has proved himself to be " a man after God's own heart.'' Not a, perfect man, for he had grievous defects. But, in the main, he recognized the grandeur of his position as " the Lord's anointed." He lived by the inspiration of a Divine purpose. He " served his own generation by the will of God" (Acts xiii. 36). His very faults bore witness to the native force of his character. The height of the precipice measures the depth that frowns beneath it. Great natures are most capable of great temptations, great sorrows, and great sins. But now great David dies, and the sovereignty of Israel must pass into other hands. I. THE CALMNESS OF A GOOD MAN IN THE FACE OF DEATH. " I go the way of all the earth.'' There is a tone of quiet composure and satisfaction in these words- remarkable feature of the way in which most of the Old Testament saints con- fronted death. More than mere Oriental courage, mere passive submission to the inevitable,-faith in the Unseen and Eternal-fortitude of a soul that has found 11, nobler inheritance than earth supplies-peaceful self-surrender into the bands of the Living God. Yet not like the clear and certain vision of Christian faith. Compare this, "I go the way," &c., with St. Paul's "I have fought a good fight," &c. (2 Tim. iv. 7, 8). He who has a living hold on Christ can say, not merely" I go the way of all the earth," but " I go my way to the eternal home of the redeemed." '' Absent from the body; present with the Lord." Composure in the face of death very much a matter of natural temperament-dependent on physical conditions- to be distinguished from the higher triumph of faith. Men of faith sometimes in "bondage through fear of death.'' Live much with Christ, and when the fatal hour comes the sting and the terror shall be taken away. II. THE CARE OF A GODLY FATHER FOR THE WELL-BEING OF HIS SON. Often in the life of David we see, through the garb of his kingly character, the throbbing of the true fatherly heart. The spirit of fatherhood here takes the form of wise and solemn counsel befitting the time. Fine touch of nature in this. The true father desires that his sons should be nobler, better, happier than himself. He lives over again in their life, and would have them to avoid the errors and evils into which he has fallen. David's yearning for Solomon is at once intensified and hallowed by the remembrance of his own wrong-doing. "Be strong and shew thyself a man.'' Solomon's youth, gentle disposition, heavy responsibilities, o.like demanded such counsel. Supreme lesson of life for the young-the path of obedience to the Divine law is that of safety and prosperity. The wisdom and strength God gives will enable the " little child" in the noblest sense to " play the man.'' Each generation on a vantage ground as compared with those that went before it-child.rell "heirs of all the 11,ges.'' . Best lege.oy the fathers leave them- 1 KINGS. D 34 THE Frns·T BOOK OF KINGS. [cH. II. 1-11,