The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 209

Matt. vi. 33; 1 Tim. iv. 8); (2) the conscious and abiding presence of God (John xiv. 23; xv. 4 ; Rev. iii. 20); (3) the peace which, not as the world gives, Christ gives to hie own, and the joy which no man taketh from ue; (4) the spiritual conditions of holy usefulness, the means o.nd opportunity of exerting a pure and elevatin"0 influence on mo.ny hearts, o.nd thus of uplifting and ennobling many lives; (5) the hope that mo.keth not o.shamed.-C. Vere. 7-9.-.A strong because instructed people. Jehoshaphat had not been long on the throne before he took a step admirably adapted to benefit and, indeed, to bless the nation. Better than " strengthening himself against Israel " by increasing his garrisons (vers. 1, 2) was the enlightenment of" all the cities of Judah," the teaching of" the people" (ver. 9) from "the book of the Law of the Lord." I. STRENGTH IN IllBTBUCTION. It is well for a land to have its strong, unassailable fortresses, its well-garrisoned towns, its frontier of steep mountain or of precipitous rock. But the strength of a nation does not reside in such defences as these; it lies in the intelligence, the vigour, the courage, the patriotism, of its people. All material munitions will fail to keep out the enemy when" the people" are corrupt and enfeebled. Without any remarkable fortifications constructed by human art and labour, a free, brave, godly nation will be respected and preserved. And such a nation will be only found where there is knowledge and consequent intelligence. You cannot build any- thing durable on ignorance. Ignorance means folly, indulgence in the lower pleasures, feebleness, decline. "Knowledge is power" in more ways than one. II. INSTRUCTION IN SACRED TRUTH. Power needs to be rightly guided ; misguided, it is the source of greatest evil. Everything depends on the way in which intelligence is directed. Genius, working towards an evil end, is a force that is simply terrible. The world can suffer no sadder infliction than a man or a community possessed of the power of highly cultivated intelligence, but unregulated by righteous principles, aban- doning itself to unworthy impulses. Therefore was it of the first importance that those who went "throughout all the cities of Judah" should " teach the people" from " the book of the Law of the Lord." Thence they would gaiu those directing truths, those commanding principles which would lead in the ways of holiness and heavenly wisdom. Therefore is it of the first importance, here and everywhere, that throughout a.11 our cities and all our towns and villages we should not only have "the schoolmaster abroad," but have the Christian teacher also, busily, earnestly, faithfully making known the will of God, the truth and grace of Jesus Christ, basing all character on sound morality, and basing all morals on their only sound foundation, Christian truth. III. SAORED TRUTH SUPPLIED IN EVERY OPEN WAY. Jehoshaphat did not think it enough to leave things to be done by existing institutions. Like a wise and an earnest man, he cast about for additional methods, he looked in all directions for competent men to effect his pious purpose. And he called out: I. The man who brought the weight of his social position-the prince (ver. 7). 2. The man who carried the influence of his sacred office-the priest (ver. 8). 3. The man who contributed the strength of special training-the Levite (ver. 8). Thus wisely and effectively are we to work. In our country there is: (I) Scope for much Christian instruction throughout the land. There are the young coming up to be taught; there are the neglectr.d and spiritually ignorant multitudes crowded in our great cities; there are uninstructed numbers need- ing to be taught the way of life, scattered through the rural districts of the land. There is ample room yet for the work of the teacher. (2) Ample teaching material from which to draw. Those who can contribute social rank, or intellectual power, or special religious training, or exceptional spiritual fervour, or even the ordinary know- ledge and common zeo.l of the members of our Christian Churches. There is available on every hand e. very large measure of capacity for religious instruction; and this the Christian Church should, like the King of Jiidah, enlist on behalf of the country. 'l'hen may we look for (3) the most excellent results; for a country covered with Christian teachers, and saturated with heavenly truth, will be a nation walking in the fear of God and resting under his smile.--4}. Ver. 16.-Willing service. When it is so.id of Amasiah that he" willingly offered himself unto the Lord," we have a thought copveyed to us respecting the character of U, 0BR0NI0LES, f  210 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [ou. xvn. 1-10.