ISRAEL, i.e., WERE DUE TO THE PIETY OF DAVID, 11 Hiram was eve1· a lover of David." The timber he supplied for the temple was not the first he had sent (2 Sam. v. 11). The league between the two kings (1 Kings v. 12), o.nd their joint undertakings (eh. v. 18; ix. 27), were the fruits of David's righteous dealings. II. THE RELATIONS CONTINUED WHOLESOME AND BENEFICIAL SO LONG AS THE LAW OF THE LORD WAS XEPT. During David's reign, and the earlier part of Solomon's, the commerce of the two nations was to their mutual advantage. Then the Jew came into contact with idolatry unhurt. The soil was not ready for the baleful seed. At a later period (see Homily on eh. x. 22) it was otherwise. III. TIIE LAW WAS NO SOONER VIOLATED THAN THE INFLUENCE OF TYRE BECAME HURTFUL. The Zidonian women in Solomon's harem were a distinct violation of the law (eh. xi. 1), and that trespass bore its bitter fruit forthwith (eh. xi. 7, 8). The principal factors, consequently, in the change were these- I. TIIE INFLUENCE OF SOLOMON. If he built altars for his Tyrian consorts, what wonder if the people learnt tirst to tolerate, then to admire, and at last to practise idolatry. Who can tell how much the frightful abominations of Ahab's days are due to the example of wise Solomon, to the influence of the builder of the temple '} II. THE INFLUENCE OF JEROBOAM. The cnltus of the calves, though it was not idolatry, paved the way for it. That violation of the law opened the door for de- partures greater still. It was no great step from the calves to the groves, from schism to utter apostasy. • III. THE INFLUENCE OF OMRI. Nations, like individuals, do not become infamous all at once (Nemo repente twrpissimua fu,it). They have their periods and pro- cesses of depravation. Omri carried J eroboam's evil work 11, step further; possibly he organized and formulated his system (Mic11,h vi. 16). He exceeded all his pre• decessors in wickedness, and so prepared the way for his son's consummation of impiety. IV. THE INFLUENCE OF AHAB. A second violation of the Jewish marriage law opened wide the gates to the pestilent flood of idolatries. The son of Omri weds the daughter of a priest of Astarte ; and Phcenicia, once the handmaid of Israel, becomes its snare. Now the ancestral religion is proscribed, and the elect people lends itself to unspeakable abominations (1 Kings xvi. 32 ; cf. 2 Kings x. 26, 27 ; Rev. ii. 20). It may be said, however, that all this was the work of Jezebel, and due ~ her influence alone (1 Kings xxi. 25 ; cf. xviii. 13; xix. 2, &c.) That may be so, but it was only the example of Solomon, the schism of J eroboo.m, and the apostasy of Omri made this marriage possible, or enabled Jezebel, when queen, to do these things with impunity. Hence learn- I. THE POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY OF PERSONAL INFLUENCE. An idle word may destroy a kingdom. The Crimean war sprung out of the sc1uabbles of a few monks over a cupboard and a bunch of keys. "There is not a child . . , whose existence does not stir a ripple gyrating onward and on, until it shall have moved across and spanned the whole ocean of God's eternity, stirring even the river of life and the fountains at which His angels drink." And our responsibility is increased by the fact that- II. THE EVIL THAT MEN DO LIVES AFTER THEM. They go on sinning in their graves. Though dead, their example speaks. Witness Solomon and Jeroboam. III. THE EVIL THAT KINGS DO AFFECTS WHOLE COUNTRIES. Their own king- doms, of course, and neighbouring kingdoms too. It has been said that " the in- fluence of one good man extends over an area of sixteen square miles.'' But who shall assign any liinits to the influence of a wicked prince 'l It may plunge a con- tinent into wars, and ware that shall last for generations, or it may steep it for ages in sensuality and superstition. Its issues, too, are in eternity. It is because of the infl,uence of kings that we are so plainly commanded to pray for them (1 Tim. ii. 2; of. Ezra vi. 10; J er. xxix. 7). IV. IN XEEPING OF GoD'B COMJIUNDMENTB IS GREAT REWARD. The perfect piety of David procured the friendship and help of Tyre. The disobedience of Solomon, J_eroboam, and Ahab led to the decay and dispersion of the nation and the deetruo- QOD of their families. on. v. 1-18.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 91
V. TEMPTATION DISCIPLINES THE FAITBFUL SOUL, BUT DESTROYS THE BINNER, David took no harm from his commerce with Hiram, nor did Solomon in the days of his piety. A good man will choose the good o.nd refuse the evil in a corrupt system. But the wicked will choose the evil and refuse the good. Ahab's relationR with Tyre were altogether to his hurt. In David's loyal heart the evil seed found no lodgment ; in Ahab's it found e, congenial soil, and took root downwards a.nd bare fruit upwards.