The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 219

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 1.-Temporal advancement and spiritual decline. Writing the biography of Jehoshaphat from a purely religioi:s standpoint, another conjunction than the one used might well have been employed. It might well be written, "Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, but joined affinity with Ahab." For the latter clause affirms that on which we can by no means congratulate the king. Yet sucb. is the common course of things ; such is the bent of the human mind and the way that circumstances usually take, that the simple connective "and" is perhaps the more natural of the two. This close association deliberately entered upon between the servant of Jehovah and the devotee of Baal is human enough. The man who has become strong, according to all earthly measurements, seeks to become stronger still, not considering what care he is taking or is neglecting of his deeper and his higher interests. We look at- I. THE COMMONNESS OF THIS COURSE. How true it is that " much wants more;" that the exchequer never seems full enough to the man who is amassing wealth, nor the rank high enough to him who is pursuing honour, nor the authority great enough to him who is striving 2.fter power I Men eat of earthly food and are the hungrier for their feasting. They have "abundance of riches and honour," but they will not be satisfied without that fascinating alliance; they must "join affinity with Ahab." Let no man imagine that when he has reached a certain height of worldly advancement he will be satisfied and will crave nothing more. He will most certainly find that, when he reaches that desired point, he will long to stand on the height that will be still beyond him. And the evil of it is that this thirst for more worldly good is something which so often displaces a nobler longing, a craving for more of goodness and of fellowship with God. It even affects and injures the spirit to such a .-!egree that it positively lessens that better longing, until it is reduced to almost nothing. II. 'fHE GRAVE UNWISDuM OF IT. What did Jehoshaphat gain by this alliance with the house of Ahab? A measurable, momentary gratification. ·what did he lose by it? An immeasurable, permanent good. The mistake he then made was one the effects of which stretched far, very far forwards, and affected for evil many hundreds of households beside his own (eh. xxi. 4). What do we gain by adding something more to our material prosperity-another thousand pounds to our fortune; auother honour to our titles; another position to our acquirement? Something truly, but something the worth of which is quite measurable; possibly very small, as an increase to our life-happiness. But if we are neglecting our higher interests, if we are allowing those sacred obligations to be relaxed, if we are departing from God, what do we lose? Who shall estimate the value of the favour and friendship of Jesus Christ, of the integrity of our Christian character, of the excellency and blessedness of holy useful- ness, of that brighter and broader sphere which would have been ours, if we had not let earthly and human interests weigh down and press out the higher and the heavenly ones? III. lTs GUILT. As God multiplies his gifts to us, of whatever kind those gifts may be, we ought to be thereby more closely attached to him and to be more heartily devoted to his service. When we permit increase of substance or added honour to lead us away from him, we are as guilty as we are unwise; our sin is as sad as our folly.-C. Vere. 2, 3.-Spiritual unwariness. When Jehoshaphat came into contact with Ahah, he encountered a man who was more than his match in respect of policy, Indeed, be may be said to have fallen readily into the trap which his neighbour laid for him. Ahab received him as his guest with ostentatious hospitality; aud when Jehoshaphat was in a grateful and perhaps elated mood, he proposed a combination 220 'I'lIE SECOND DOOR OF THE CHRONICLES. [on. xvtn. 1-34.