The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 72

snid,' God be praised.'" We cannot supply our own need; we find our own "iusnfficiency for ourselves;" we must look beyond ourselves, and in what direction? Man often fails us. 1. We cannot speak to him, either because we cannot get his ear, or because we do not care to divulge our secret grief to any human heart whatsoever, 2, Or we have tried to secure human sympathy, and have failed; men a.re too much occupied with their own affai111 11nd their own troubles to make much room in their hearts for ours. 3. Or we cannot discover the human hand that will help us; those that pity cannot serve us, cannot save us. We m1ist have recou,·se to God. .A.nd we bring our grief, our ~ore, to him. 1. We are sure that he is accessible. He invites our approach; he says, "Call upon me in the time of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." 2. We are sure of his attention. He is our Father, who pities us with parental kindness (Ps. ciii. 13); he is our Saviour, who has trodden the path of struggle and of sorrow before us, on whose tender sympathy we may confidently count (Heh. ii, 18; iv. 15, 16; v. 2). 3. ,ve may depend on his power. He is able to save, to rescue, to restore, to renew. III. Tm: DIVINE RESPONSE. 1. It is a question of our spiritual integrity. God answers "according to all our ways;" that is, according to our integrity. We must have the spirit of obedience in us. We may not look for a response if we are" regarduig iniquity in our heart; " but, on the other hand, if we a.re seriously bent on serving the Lord, if "our heart condemn us not," if it acquit us of all insincerity and double- mindedness, "then have we confidence toward God; and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments" (1 John iii. 21, 22). We may not, we a.re not a.hie to keep all his precepts in all particulars; but the spirit of filial obedience, the desire to do what is "pleasing in his sight," is dwelling within us and inspiring us, and we a.re, therefore, of those whose prayer he hears. He forgives our shortcoming (" hear . . . and forl!:ive "), and he" renders according to our ways." 2. It is a ques- tion of Divine knowledge. Who shall tell that this spirit of submission and obedience is within us? Only One can; it is he who "only knows the hearts of the children of men." He looks beneath our words and actions, and sees the motives and the purposes of our hearts. 3. It is a question of our character and the Divine intention. .A.nd God's design is so to hear and heed our prayers, so to grant or to withhold the desires of our heart, that we shall " fear God and walk: in his ways," shall be "partakers of his holiness."--C. Vers. 36-39.-Departure and return. It seems a melancholy thing that, at this hour of sacred joy and triumph, Solomon should have been under the necessity of con- templating nation.al unfaithfulness, Divine displeasure, a return of the people of God to ignominious captivity and all its consequent distress. But he felt that it was necessary, and the issue abundantly justified his forecast. L DEPARTUEE FROM Gon. In the case of Israel, departure from the Lord their God meant either (1) tbe formal substitution of another deity for Jehovah, or (2) wide- spread disobedience to his Law, moral or ceremonial, or both. With ourselves it signifies one or more of three things. 1. A growing disregard, ending in an absolute indif- ference, or even denial, of God's claims. 2. A serious and, in the end, a shameful violation of his moral Law; doing that which is grievous in his sight and injurious to ourselves and our neighbours. 3. Gradual but growing declension a~ter acquainta~ce with God; the heart allowing itself to become loosened from sacred ties and attaching itself to other objects-separating itself from him and quitting his service. II. ITs PENALTY. 1. Divine disple,.isure. "Thou be angry wit.h them." A most serious and most deplorable thing it is to abide beneath the displeasure of our heavenly Father. The anger of love, the righteous anger of holy love, is ill to bear, indeed_; it is a heavy weigLt upon the heart; it is a darkening ~f the 1;re ~f man. 2. The _triu;nP,h of our enemy. "And deliver them over before their enermes,' etc. A sad thmg 1t 1s for the human soul to be at the mercy of its enemy. Sin is a cruel enemy, and exacts a full penalty. (1) How it robs us of our true treasure-of our joy in God, of our gladness in his service, of our likeness to him, of the friendship of Jesus Christ, of the hope of eternal life! (2) How it smites us-with inward compunction,. with a ~ense of our guiltiness and folly, with humiliation at our low estate I (3) How it degrades us- bri.ugiug W! down into captivity, eo that we are no longer masters of ourselves, but are on. vr. 1-42.J THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES.