The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 79

waye, which hne nlwsye been the Divine principle of dealing with men (Job xxxiv. 11) under the New Testament dispeneation (Rom. ii. 6; Matt. xvi. 27) quite as much as under the Old (Ps. !xii. 12; Prov. xxiv. 12; Jer. xvii. 10; Ezek. xxxiii. 20). (2) The arguments employed in support of these requests were founded on God's omniscience as a Searcher of hearts, which in its operation extended to all-"Thou knowest the hearts of all the children of men;" and belonged only to him-" thou only knowest ; " and on the moral and 11piritual effect which such exercise of clemency would have upon the objects of it-" that they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers." It is doubtful if men are ever improved by outward calamity alone. Deterred from crime they may be, through fear of the sword; they are not likely to be changed at heart without an experience of Divine mercy. V. THE PRAYER OF THE STRANGER. (Vere. 32, 33.) 1. His personal history narrated. (1) He is a stranger-not of thy people; one belonging to the Gentile world, which, in respect of relation to Jehovah, stood on an altogether different footing from Israel, and in respect of privilege was not "near unto God" as Israel was (Ps. cxlviii. 14), but "afar off" (Eph. ii. 17), not merely geographically (Isa. !xvi. 19; J er. xxxi. 10), but also religiously, being "separate from Christ" or from the hope of Messiah, "alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Eph. ii. 12). (2) He has heard of Jehovah's great Name, and of Israel's relation thereto. Though the Hebrew Church was not mis- sionary in the proper sense of that expression, her gates were closed against none who sought admission within her pale (Isa. l.x.11). In contradistinction, the New Testament Church is under obligation not alone to keep her gates open, but, going out into the highways and among the nations of the earth, to compel men to come in (Matt. xxviii. 19; Luke xiv. 23). Solomon expected that the nations of the earth would be attracted towards Israel by the report of his greatness and of his glorious achievements on behalf of Israel (1 Kings viii. 42); how much more should Christians anticipate the 1 flowing towards them of the inhabitants of heathen lands, to whom they bear the glad tidings of salvation, and eternal life through him who was and is the highest embodi- ment of Jehovah's Name? (3) He has come from his distant home to worship at Jehovah's altar, if not permanently separating himself from his heathen kinsmen like Abraham (Gen. xii. 4), at least doing so for a season like the chamberlain of Candace (Acts viii. 27). 2. His religious conduct described. He is represented as (1) praying, calling, asking with audible voice and fervent heart-prayer a natural instinct of the awakened soul, and one of the first signs of grace (Acts ix. 11); (2) praying unto Jehovah, the only right Object of prayer, not unto heathen divinities which cannot hear or help their devotees (Pa. cxv. 4-8); (3) praying in the temple, then the appointed place (Exod. xx. 24), though now any spot on earth may serve as an oratory (John iv. 21). 3. His favourable acceptance req'Uested. (1) For his own sake, that he may have the joy of answered prayer; and (2) for the nation's sake, that men might come to fear Jehovah and recognize the temple as his dwelling-place. VI. THE APPEAL OF THE SOLDIER. (Vers. 34, 35.) 1. .A fourfold assumption. (1) That the people shall have gone forth against their enemies-which they did not always do when they should (1 Sam. xvii. 11), just as Christian soldiers, called to do battle with the principalities and powers of darkness (Eph. vi. 12), sometimes sulk like Achilles in their tents instead of marching forth like David to meet the foe (1 Sam. xvii. 40). If not always right for either nations or individuals to go to war with their enemies (Jas. iv. 1), it is never wrong for Churches or Christians to contend against their spiritual foes (1 Tim. vi. 12; 2 Tim. iv. 7). (2) That the way in which they have gone forth has been of God's choosing-an important distinction. As many run !upon errands not of God's sending, so many plungo into strifes and contentions without ;God's directing. Even when the battle is of God's appointing, i.e. when nation, Church, or individual feels that the warfare to be entered on has God's countenance so far ai its object is concerned, it is still conceivable that it may be entered on in a way that God cannot approve. Hence Solomon assumes that Israel shall have gone out upot their campaign" by the way that thou shalt send them." It w:ere we'.l _that all warriors national and individual, politic...:, socio.I, r•~ligious, evinced a like solicitude to go fortl by God's ways rather than their own. (3) That they have solemnly commended the~ cause to God in prayer. This presupposes that their cause is right, which of necesaitJ  80 THE SECOND DOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [err, v1. 1-42,