The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 324

prayers, through which the bee.rt pours out its love and longing towe.rds God. This should be more ne.ture.l to us the.n to Abijah. He knew of God's power, we know of His love. He had heard of the Shekinah; we have heard of Jesus Christ, who says," He that bath seen me he.th seen the Father." Children ran to Jesus once, and found rest e.nd gladness in His love; why not now? 2. Describe ea;rly piety. Show how it is cultivated, hindered, and revealed. Urge upon parents and teachers the importance of expecting it. We overlook the" blade," and then wonder we do not see lat€r "the full corn in the ear." If we accept the teaching of Jesus Christ, it is evident that a child is naturally more likely than an adult to enter His kingdom. To be a child is a necessity; to" become a child" is an arduous struggle, and sometimes a sore humiliation. The door of mercy is so low that children can most easily pass through it. Happy is the home which is adorned by the presence of a child-disciple. There are those now estranged from God who may have o. fulfilment of the words, " a little child shall lead them." II. AllIJAR's PIETY WAS SINCERE. 1. Some good thing was IN him-that is, in his heart. It was not something put on and off, like a garment ; but an abiding principle, influencing the thoughts as well as the life. Nothing is more offensive to God than pretended piety. The long-faced visage which never smiles, the cant phrases which express what cannot really be honestly felt by a child, are hideous to man and God. 2. This good thing was " toward the Lord God of Israel." It reminds us of the phrase," repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." We may turn from sin to respectability, but that is not repentance towards God. We may love to do right things because they please men, but this is not piety towards God. " The Lord seeth not as man seeth ; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Sam. xvi. 7). III. AnuAR's PIETY WAS DISCERNIBLE. "It was found in him." 1. God saw it. He spoke of it to His servant Ahijah, as of something He rejoiced to find. God is ever looking for what is good, in the world and in your heart. Though the world is corrupt, and men have done abominable works, the Lord looks down from heaver. t,o see if there are any that understand and seek God. See Psa. xiv. 1, 2. Compare this with the Lord's parables of the woman seeking the lost piece of silver, and of the father going out to look for and meet the returning prodigal. Not only your faults and sins, but your good wishes and holy thoughts and silent prayers are recognized by God. 2. Man Sa/1/J it. Ahijah did not proclaim his piety-that wonld have been offensive, especially in a child-but it was "found" in him. He was so young that he c.ould take no active part in the service of God, and was unable publicly to oppose his father's idolatry ; but his parents, and the courtiers, and the servants must have -been sometimes shamed by his earnest eyes. A noiseless violet makes the hedgerow fragrant. It bewrays itself by its sweetness. IV. A.BuAR's PIETY WAB UNEXPECTED, He belonged to the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel to sin. His mother was probably still e. heathen ; his father was ambitious, cruel, and irreligious, and, so far as we know, this little boy alone, in all the court, loved the " God of Israel II His piety was the more conspicuous on this account, just as the stars are brightest when the sky is dark, and the cedars are most beautiful when surrounding trees are leafless. Describe the position of children in a godless home, with irreligiollB companions, &o. Even there it is not impossible to love and serve the Lord. CoNcLusroN. It seems at first sight, especially to children, a strange reward that was given to .,1bijah-to wie young. But there were peculiar reasons for this. He was delivered from a sinful world, a distracted country, and evil in- fluences ; nor did he ever see those dear to him murdered and dishonoured. He was " taken away from the evil to come.'' If the veil were rent, and we could see the heavenly home in its beauty and sinlessness, we should understand what Pau1 meant when he said, " To depart and to be with Christ is far better.'' Every parent whose child dies in the Lord may hear amidst his sobs the words of Jesus, " Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of suoh is the kingdom of hea-ren." OB. XIV, 1-20,l THE FlRST BOOK OF KINGS. 829