The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 78

lv. 7). (3) The.t he would restore his banished ones t.o their own land, and so show himself e. faithful e.nd covenant-keeping God '(Deut. vii. 9; Neh, i. 6; Dan. ix. 4; 1 Kings viii. 23). III. THE CRY OF THE FAMISHED. (Vers. 26, 27.) 1. The distress pictured. Solo- mon imagines e. state of matters that in Oriental countries might easily happen, when through long-continued drought, as in the days of Joseph (Gen. xii. 67), the inhabi- t.ants might be perishing (or in danger of perishing) through lack of food-a state of matten, not unknown in the land of Israel, both before (Ruth i. 1; 2 Sam. xxi. 1) and after (1 Kings xvii. 7; 2 Kings iv. 38; vi. 25-29; xxv. 3; Acts xi. 28) his time, and commonly regarded as a visible token of Divine displeasure on account of sin (Lev. x:xvi. 20; Deut. xi. 17; xxviii. 23 ; Amos iv. 7), as abundance of rain and fertility of ground were customarily accepted as intimations of Hee.van's favour (Lev. xxvi. 4; Jer. v. 24; Joel ii. 23). The state of matters depicted is rendered even more sorrowful, and the wretchedness more pitiable, by the fact that the famine and the drou.,.ht spoken of are represented as having been sent upon the people on account of their wickedness, exactly as Jehovah had threatened. 2. The condition presupposed. Solo- mon asks nothing for bis people when in this plight except under limitations. He requests absolutely neither the complete removal of the judgment nor its mitigation. He assumes that his people shall have (1) learned the lesson designed to be taught by the afflictive dispensation sent upon them, since in his dealings neither with nations nor with indi,iduals does God afflict the children of men willingly or gratuitously, but alwa:vs for their profit (Heb. x:ii. 10), that he might impart to them instruction (Job x:xxiii. 16) concerning their sin (Job xxxvi. 9, 10), lead them back into" the good way" (Ezek. xiv. 10; xx. 37, 43), and make them fruiLful in holy deeds (Heb. xii 11; Jas. i. 2--4); (2) put the lesson in practice by turning from sin and walking in the good way, acknowledging the Divine justice in their calamity, and supplicating the Di""ine forgiveness of their trespass-three things, reformation, contrition, and prayer, without which none need expect mercy even from a God of grace. 3. Thefavowr soli- cited. (1) A favoura'ble audience: "Hear thou from heaven." (2) Immediate for- giveness: "And forgive the sin of thy servants." (3) Effectual assistance: "Send rain upon thy land." 4. The reason given. (1) The stricken people are "thy people" -" thy people Israel," to whom thou art engaged in covenant. God loves to be reminded of the gracious and endearing relationship in which believers stand towards him-he having taken them for his people, and made himself over to them as their God. (2) The barren land is "thy land" even more than thy people's. It is thine by right of creation; theirs in virtue of donation: "Thou hast given it to thy people." Thine by possession; theirs by inheritance: "Thou hast given it to them for an inheritance." God's people have nothing they have not received from him (1 Cor. iv. 7; Jas. i. 17). Yet all things are theirs, as co-heirs with Christ (1 Cor. iii. 22, 23). IV. THE WAIL OF THE AFFLICTED. (Vera. 28-31.) 1. Their case descri'bed. (Ver. 28.) Their distress-stricken by plague or sickness-is set forth (1) as to its character, which might be either national or individual, since no man or community may claim exemption from the stroke of outward calamity; (2) as to its cause, which might be either a" dearth in the land," a failure in the fruits of the earth, in conse- quence of long-continued drought aa in the days of Elijah (1 King9 xvii. 1), or a destruction of the same by pestilence, by "blasting or mildew," by "locust or cater- pillar," such as Moses had threatened God would send upon them if they apostatized from him (Deut. xxviii. 22), and as he afterwards did send upon them in the days of .A.mos (iv. 9), or a famine superinduced by a siege like that which occurred in Samaria. in the clays of Elisha (2 Kings vL 25); (3) as to its consequence, which is supposed by the king to have been salutary, leading the afflicted people, collectively and individu- ally, to a knowledge of their sin, as in the instances of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings xvii. 18) and of the Israelites in the wilderness (Numb. xxi. 7), and to a crying unto God in prayer as formerly the people had done when sore distressed by the children of Ammon (J udg. x. 15), and as afterwards Manasseh did when God laid affiic_tion on his loins (eh. xxxiii.12). 2. Their causepl,eaded, (1) The blessings craved on thell' behalf were accept- ance of their prayers whensoever they were moved to cry to Heaven, and whatsoever supplication might ascend from their lips-forgiveness of their sins, out of which all their trouble ha.d a.risen; requital of their deeds, by giving unto ell(lh man according to hi1 en. vr. 1-42.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 79