The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 361

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vera. 25-34.-The Seed of Evil-doers. 1. The subject before us furnishes illustration of the following propositions, viz.: I. WICKED ARE THE SEED OF THE WICKED. 1. There is a sense in which this is generally true. (1) Jeroboam" made Israel to sin." Na.dab "did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin whereby he made Israel to sin." (2) Bae.she. murdered Na.dab and usurped his throne. Then he exterminated the whole house of Jeroboam. In this he fulfilled the words of Ahijah the Shilonite. Yet was it not out of zsltl for God, but to serve his owu selfish ambition. So under the same evil promptings be continued in the sin of Jeroboam (ver. 34). And his son after him walked in his steps. (3) Do we not still :find that those who loyally serve God are children or grandchildren of godly persons? "The seed of the righteous is blessed." (4) This is the rule, but not without its exceptions; else missions to the heathen, abroad and at home, would be hopeless, which, thank God, they a.re not. 2. There is a sense in which this is wniversally true. (1) "Seed" is not always reckoned according to the flesh. " The children of the promise are counted for the seed " (Rom. ix. 8; see also the reasoning, Rom. ix. 13-18). (2) Thus God can, out of the very stones, raise up children to Abraham. Gentile believers in Christ are such (see Matt. ill. 9 ; Ge.I. iii. 26, 29). (3) In this sense all are not Israel who are of Israel. Descend· ants of Abraham who follow not his true faith and good works are not his seed (see John viii 37, 40; Rom. ii 28; ix. 7; Gal. vi. 15). (4) As the good, whether sprung from evil or good ancestors, are the seed of God ; so are the wicked, whether sprung from evil or good ancestors, the seed of the devil (see Gen. iii 15 ; John viii. 44; 1 John ill. 8). So are the wicked, without exception, the seed of the wicked. II. THE T.RIIDIPBING OF THE WICKED IS SHORT. 1. How brief waa the reign of these kings I (1) "The days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years'' (eh. xiv. 20). But this was little more than half the term of Asa's reign (ver. 10). (2) N adab " reigned over Israel two years." This was really but a portion of two years, for, according to the usage of Scripture, a year entered is reckoned as if completed. He " began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa," and " in the third year of Asa " did Baasha slay him (vers. 25, 28). (3) Be.a.she. reigned "twenty and four years," still little more than half the tim.o of Ase.'e reign. This son of David sat upon the throne of Judah long enough to see eight kings upon the throne of Israel, viz., Jeroboam, Na.dab, BaaBha, Ele.h, Zimri, Tibni, Omri, and Ahab. In these he witnessed no less than five dynasties I 2. How littl,e happiness had they in their rule I (1) Sin brings the vexation of an evil conscience, with its attendant disquiet, suspicion, and fear. (2) Aleo the vexation OD, XV. 25-XVI. 28.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS, 867 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 ....• - - - - -