The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 495

had delivered him already, and was able to deliver him again. We are warned of dangers that we may strengthen ourselves in God. There is love in the warning, and vaster love in the offered strength. 2. When the danger comes he is assured of success (ver. 28). The most needful preparation had been neglected; Ahab had not sought God. But God age.in seeks him. Mark the unwee.ried, all-forgiving love of God. 8. The Lord fights for 1vinn. In vain did the Syrians change their ground and remodel their army. In vain did they emround with their myriads the two small bands of Israel They are given e.8 stubble to the swords of Israel, and the very walle of the city into which they flee for safety become their destruction. God's hand is 80 marked in His deliverances, that the sinful cannot fail to see the wondrous love that is behind them. They bring us face to face with " the depths of the riches" of His mercy. 4. The pwrpose of the mercy. "Ye shall know that I am the Lord." It is the revelation of God, and is meant to be the birth-hour of the soul The goodness of God may be mentioned with seeming gratitude, but it has been barren of result unless it has brought us into the presence of the King. The Divine Love has blessed us in vain unless it has become the light of the Lord's face. II. How THE MERCY WAS MADE OF No EFFECT. To Ahab the mercy brought onl:v deeper condemnation. It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for Chornzin and Bethsaida, which saw the goodness of God in Christ, and yet repented not. 1. The mercy was frustrated by prayerlessness. Though warned of the danger, he does not with lowly confession of sin o,nd un- worthiness implore God's direction and help. There is no breaking up of the fallow ground that it may receive the blessing as the seed of joy anu life in God. 2. Ey thanklessness. When the blessing came it might still have saved him. Tlie benefits with which God had loaded him might have bowed him in lowly acknow- ledgment of his multiplied iniquities and long impious rebellion. The goodness of God leads us to repentance only as we pass in before the Lord through the gntes of praise. 8. By blindness to the indications of God's will. The multitude slain in the battle, the falling of the wall upon those who escapetl, the overthrnwiug of every defence till the king, the head and centre of the whole evil, was reacheu, might have shown that God purposed to make an end for the time of the Syrian power, and give a full deliverance to Israel. The fruit of the victory was blighteu by Ahab's blindness and folly. To co-operate with God in working out our own 1mlv11tion, we must read and faithfully fulfil His purpose. 4. By vanity and worldly pol-ie1J, He enjoys for e. bri':lf moment the power which God bas given, becomes the benefactor and brother of the man whom the Lord had doomed, and mn.kes a covenant with him. The trust which God had desired should wholly rest upon Himself be reposes in his foe. The hour of prosperity, which should be our covenant-time with God, is too often made the occasion for worlclly alliances, which lead us to forget Him and all we owe to Him. III. MEROY FRUSTRATED BEARS FRUIT IN JUDGMENT (vers. 85-43). 1. Th6 message came through swift and stern judgment. Disobedience meant death (vers. 85, 86). The Divine threatenings come to us tlirough te1Tible judgments. 2. Ahab was self-condemned. The voice of conscience is on God's side. "If our heart condemn us," &c. 8. His own Ufe should answer for the life he spared. Letting go God's enemy, and keeping back his hand from God's righteous tliough terrible work, he destroyed himself. No cross, no crown. The awful price which e. soul must pay for present ease a.nd pleasure: "He that loveth his life shnll lose it." 4. The shadow of God's wrath swallows up the worldling's peace (ver. 43) ; and it falls ever deeper till the end come.-U. Ver. 40.-The Neglected Opportunity. Ben-ha.dad II. was seeking his revenge for a defeat inflicted on him the preceding year by the Ismelitish army, led by a b11nd of 232 young noblemen. He had disciplined his army, and re-officered it n& longer allowing money or family influence to supersede military skill. Ev~ry• thing that organiz11tion could accomplish or superstition dictate (ver. 23) hnJ. been done, but 0,ll proved ill va.in; for the oontest wu uot simply between Ben-ho.dad anJ 600 'l'HE FIRST BOOR OF KINGS. [ OH. XX. 1--48.