The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 539

man is so.id to "live in his heirs." He is never legally dead while he has an heir. There is a good reason for this. Ahaziah would never have mounted the throne of Israel unless his father had been there before him. He reigned in the posthumous influence of Ahab. His representative. (2) When a man is what is called " the architect of his own fortune," he is said to have had "no father.'' But in this language the fact is ignored that, under Providence, this " architect'' is innebted to his ancestry fo1· his existence, for his faculties, and for t.he circum8tances which he may have seized and moulded into this "fortune." 2. It was also morally true. (1) In Ahaziah the vices of Ahab were reproduced. "He ilid evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father.'' The bad example of his father wrought its influence into his character, and thus Ahab sunived iu Ahaziah. (2) The record descends to particulars. "He walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother." Here not only is Jezebel repro- duced in Ahaziah, but Ahab's sin in marrying Jezebel also survives. "And in the way of Jeroboam the sou of N ebat, who made Israel to sin." Here is not only the posthumous influence of Jeroboam, but also of the sin of Ahab in perpetuating it. "For he served Baal, and worshipped him." The establishment of this Canaanitish abomination was due to Ahab and Jezebel, and they infamously survive in its per- pet.uatiou. (3) Note (a) A Church is not the more true for being established. Here were two State Churches which were, in the Biblical sense, atheistic. (b) For con- current endowment, whatever may be said for its expediency, there can be no moral defence. 3. But there was no necessity for this. (1) Legal representation is an accident o,er which we have no control. It is a notable truth that men have influ- ences in spite of themselves, and tho.t these also are posthumous. (2) But moral representation is in a. different category. Ahaziah might have reigned in Ahab's stead without imitating his vices. "Jehoro.m the son of Ahab," e.g., "wrought evil in the sight of the Lord; but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made" (2 Kings iii. 2). (3) Ahaziah should Lave been admonished by the history of the judgmeuts of God upon the house of Jeroboam. He should have taken the wo.rniug given in the judgmeuts of God on the sins of his father. His guilt, therefore, was upon his own head, and he suffered o.ccordingly. He reigned two years. God makes short work with some sinners. His death was provoked by his perversity (see 2 Kings i. 3, 4). We see further- II. THAT AnAB SURVIVES IN HISTORY. 1. He swrvived in aecular history. His acts and works were written in the chronicles of his nation. (1) Amongst these were mentioned "all the cities that he built." Perho.ps this building of cities simply meant the construction of fortifications for their defence. Whether they reilected credit or discredit upon his memory we cannot pronounce. A man may do n, great deal of work to very little profit. (2) The chronicles mentioned " the irnry house which he made.'' This palace had its description probably from the qu:wtity of that valuable substance used in its ornamentation. But this does not seem to have been to his honour. A kingdom impoverished through fomiuee, wars, and idolatries was in no position to bear the cost of such a piece of luxurious and selfish vanity. Amos accordingly denounces this work of pride (.Amos iii. 15). (3) The survival of Ahab in seculo.r history was a consequence of his sc;cial position. The masons and carpenters, whose skill brought tho works of Ahab to perfection, bn,d no mention there. Social atatua is a to.lent from God, for the ri 17 bt use of which men are accountable. 2. He awrvives in sacred history. (1) The sacred history consists of selections from the secular under the guiding influence of Divine inspiration, with a view to illustrating the principles of the providence, truth, and grace of God. To illustrate such principles is the noblest end of writing. So of reading. What quantities of trash, in which the cla!zns of God o.re ignored, is both written and read I (2) In these selections the notices of the wicked are generally brief. PerhapR no wicked man has a larger sho.re of the ~acr..:cl writings occupied with his acts than Ahab. Such acts are not agreeable to the 8,,irit of God. But in the ho.uds of inspiration they are made an influence for good. They are recorded, apparently, because of their relation to the actions of OD, XXII, 1-58.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 555