TIOMILETICS. Vers. 1-4, 5-17, and 23.-The discipline that resultecl in obedience, accompaniecl with right and earnest endeavour. The homiletic treatment of this chapter centres round two suggestions. l. THE SIMPLE A1''D PROMPT OBEDIENCE OF REIIOBOAM, IN OERTAIN RESPEOTS, TO THE Drvn.'E MESSAGE OF PROHIBITION. Of which obedience 011 the part of Rehoboam we ~ay notice : 1. That i~ compared favO'Urably with the conduct of those who, being bidden and encouraged tn every way to go up to war, and to possess a certain goodly 1.and, ref'l/,Sed; and, being commanded not to go up, insisted on going (Deut. i. 26, 43), to their discomfiture and defeat. 2. That the mere pride of war must have gone far to make such o"bedience difficult. 3. That the somewhat fuster pride of earnest desire to undo, if possible, his own miscliievous doing, and to restore a united nation, must have rontributed still further to the dijfirulty of that obedience. 4. .And it is very possible that a sensitive shame in the presence of those young counsellors who had helped to mis- lead him, but who for certain never offered to help bear the blame of the consequences, may have added some contri"bution t,o the difficulty of obedience. Yet Rehoboam's obedience was apparently prompt and unquestioning. 1'errible recent experience bad not been thrown away, but bad so far gained some wisdom for him. And the prophet's distinct announcement that the Lord had recognized and adopted the situation as one for his intervening and overruling providence, must have le11t consolation to a truly penitent disposition, saved from remorse had there bee11 tendency thereto, while in no way pa.Ilia.ting the sin of either king or people. !L THE EAR?s""EST il"'D RIGHT filo"'DEA VOURS OF REHOBOAM TO SHEPHERD ALL THE :BETTER HIS LESSER FLOCK, HIS REDUCED KINGDOM. This was witnessed to in three leading and typical directions. 1. Rehoboam uses all the means of an outward kind that may " strengthen the things that remain." Cities, a11d fences, and strongholds, and forts, and stores of food, and all armour are seen to and supplied, 2. It was of deeper signijicance that he received only too gladly, welcomed out of a true faith then at least, all, the priests and Levites who found indeed that Israel was not the place and Jeroboam Mt the master for them. To have the recognition of religion, the faith of religion, the presence of the practical ministries and ministers of religion, is the salt of the earth, the health of a i:,eople, the conserving of the soundness of civil society. Sin, and a grievous tale of it, were the woe of even Judah; but its core was never quite unsound, and its perpetuity was never broken; while rottenness was the very core of Israel, and Jeroboam and their staff was to be broken absolutely. 3. The true, the devout, the pious of the- e.ou1ntry, those who "set their hearts to seek the Lord God," were likewise received and welcomed at the true altar, at Jerusalem the city of the great King, with their sacrifices and ojferings,following in the steps of their priests and ministers. We can imagine them pouriag up to the city of their solemnities, like the regular health-bringing waters of some tidal river for Judah, who often mourned and was desolate and bereaved; but for themselves, to the drawing of fresh spiritual life, deeper faith, added strength or hope, kindled joy and love, as they offered their sacrifices, paid their vows, and fre- quented their temple. People and king were strengthened, as thus "they walked in the we.y of David and Solomon." We could wish it were written without the ominous, ill-sounding qualification of "three years." These thi11gs are certai11ly very observable of Rehoboam at this time, that a remarkable change had come over, not th~ spirit of oJJ. xr. 1-23.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 136
his dream, but of his real working lire. We hear no more of his young counsellors. 'fhey had been found out, and now were no longer clung to, even as "favourites" to whom royalty iniquHoualy insisted on showing partiality. We recocrnize no further 0 indications of the hectoring and insolent spirit in which Rehoboam h ad allowed him• self to answer the not unreasonable representations of those who had addressed him on the subject of lightening their acknowledged burdens. We learn of his desire and the beginning of his preparation to attempt to recover the nevertheless irrecoverable. He is divinely prohibited, and that, no doubt, to the saving of greater harm. He acquiesces in the prohibition, and with intensified zeal applies himself to the care of his diminished dominions, He would defend them from outer assault; e.nd they e.re also the resort and the refuge and the religious home they should be, for all the upright in all the land. From our eight in this one chapter Rehoboam vanishes, emulating steadily for three years the best portions of the examples of his fathers David and Solomon. Unhappily, the end was not yet.