Ver. 20.-" They slew every one 1,,i, man." It is thus the world must be wo11 for Christ.. Molmmmed had two fixed ideas : first, to m11.ke converts ; second, to make his converts soldiers. And every Christian is a soldier of the Cross, enlisted at his baptism into the Church militant. By personal, individnal effort are Churches built up and believers added to the Lord. So it was in the first days. "Andrew findeth his own brother Simon." "Philip findeth Nathanael" (John i. U-45). Ver. 23.-" Their go& are gods of the hills." It is no uncommon thing to find men laying the blame of their misfortune on God. We smile at those poor pago.ns who beat their wooden gods with sticks, or those Italian villagers who, a few weeks ago (Sept., 1881), threw the image of their patron saint into a well, and set upon their parish priest, because their prayers for rain remained unanswered ; but the same thing, slightly varied in shape, is often done amongst ourselves. " Bad luck" is held responsible for many of the failures for which we have only ourselves to thank. That " everybody is against him" is often the cry of the man who has no enemy but himself. The idle scoundrel who has wife and children generally accuses them of being the causes of his misfortunes ; if he has no such scapegoats, he will lay the blame on God's providence. He never remembers that he himself was " drinking himself drunk " at the hour for action. Ver. 22.-" Go strengthen thyself." Though God had delivered him once and would deliver him again (var. 28), yet Ahab must consult for his own safety. While trusting in God, he must keep his powder dry. The same prophet who has an- nounced deliverance by a band of youths, wholly inadequate to cope with the Syrians, now bids him look well to the defences of the country. Aide-toi et Dieu t' aidera; this is the purport of his message. Ver. 29.-'' Seven days." Compare the" seven thousand" ofver. 15, and Josh. vi. 4, 15, 16. He bath commanded His cove11ant for ever (Paa. iii. 9; cf. 1 Chron. xvi 15; Psn.. lxxx.ix. 28, 34). By this act, Israel (1) showed that they remembered the works of the Lord, His wonders of old time ; and (2) they reminded Him of Hill I.Joly covenant (Luke i. 72....:.74). Ver. 30.-" A wall fell," &c. (Cf. Acts xxviii. 4; Hab. ii. 11). "A dead wall in Aphek shall revenge God on the rest that remained." Where they sought shelter and thought themselves secure, they found death (cf. Amos v. 19; ix. 3; Psa. cm.ix. 7-10; Luke xix. 40). Ver. 31.-" The kings of Israel are merciful kings." How true is that of the true King of Israel. He is the very fount of mercy (Exod. xxxiv. 7; Num. xiv. 18; Pss. xxv. 10; c. 5; ciii 17; cxn:. 7). We often picture Him ae "less merciful tlrnn His image in a man." But let us do Him this dishonour no more. It is "Hie property always to have m:ircy." Is He less clement than an Aho.b ~ Is His hoart less tender to penitent rebels '/ "Behold now, we know that the Krng of Hao.van, the God of Israel, is a merciful God ; let ue put sackcloth upon our loins, a11d strew ashes upon our heads, and go meet the Lord God of Israel, that he may save our ;;onls." Ver. 34.-" I will send thee away," &c. On another occasion such conduct ae this was commanded (2 Kingsvi. 22, 23). Why, then, was it sinfnlnow'/ Precisely because it was not commanded; because God intended the opposite (ver. 42). It was not clemency, it was culpable weakness to send this overbearing despot, who I.Jad already cost Israel so dear, to send him to his home, there to renew his plots against the people of God. Ae well might the magistrate compassionate the bw·glar, or the garotter, and instead of shutting him up in prison, send him into the streets, to be the plague of society. The king, like the magistrate, is trustee for the com- monwealth. He has no right to gratify hie benevolent instincts at the expense of the community. Still lees right had the theocratic king, the representative of Heaven, to liberate, e:e mero arbitrio, a tyrant whom God had manifestly given into his hands. "Charity cannot excuse disobedience." He had proved Ben-ho.dad twice, yet he asks for no material guarantees. He neither consults nor remembers bis deliverer. Ver. 40.-" Thy,elf hast decidetl it," Bo shall our judgment be. "Out of thine CJD, XX. 1-48.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 499
own mouth," &o. (Luke xix. 22). How many will stand self-condemned, condemned by their own precepts, condemned by the sentences they have passed upon others, by the measure they have exacted from others, &c. var. ,a.-11 He(lfl)y and displeased." Cf. Pas. xvi. 4; xxxii. 10. "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." Life out of God brings only disappointment. Tho most magnificent of kings found it vanity e.nd vexation of spirit. The things of earth cannot satisfy the soul of man, the soul me.de for God. History has preserved for us a striking testimony to this troth in the confession of Abda.lrahman, caliph of Spain. "I have now reigned," he wrote, "fifty years in victory or peace; beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies. Riches and honours, power and pleasures, have waited on my call, nor does any earthly blessing appear to have been wanting to my felicity. In this situation I have numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot: they amount to fourteen I O man, place not thy confidence in this present world."