Vers. 6-27.-Speaking for God. We may take Micaia.h as the type of the true prophet, i.e. of the man who spealcs for God; he is not merely the man who has a vision of the future-that is the smaller part of his function; he is the one who is oha.rged with a Divine message, and who faithfully delivers it, however it may be received. Thus regarding him, we learn that the spokesman for God must be- I. UNCONCERNED ABOUT NUMBERS. There may be "four hundred men" 0n one side (ver. 5), and only one on the other; or see 1 Kings :xviii. 19. The prophet of the Lord may be in· a most honourable but most decisive minority, but he must not consider that. "'l'ruth cannot be put to the vote " and carried by a. majority. Many a. time it has been overwhelmingly outnumbered, and yet ultimately triumphant. We must not count heads when we undertake to speak for the Eternal. "A man with truth on his side can never be in a smaller minority than Almighty God and himself." II. L"IACCESSIBLE TO HUMAN BLANDISHMENTS. 'l'he messenger that summoned Micaiah and attended him to the king seems to have employed his opportunity in trying to persuade the prophet to give a pleasant and courtly answer (ver. 12). He <lid not succeed. Me.ny times have men sought to tamper with the ministers of the truth ; sometimes they have succeeded. But when they have done so, there has been a lamentable failure. "We seek not yours, but you;" "If I pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ." 'l'hese are the sentiments and this is the spirit of the true prophet. No human whisper in the ee.r as he goes before his audience will make him change one word or tone in the message he delivers from his Master. Ill. FEARLESS OF HUMAN AUTHORITY. Micaiah had caused Jehoshaphat to" hate" him (ver. 7); and once again he drew upon him the king's resentment. There were two kings now present, arrayed in royal apparel and seated on thrones (ver. ~); there was much in the position to constrain a deliverance that would answer to their k:riown wishes; but Micaiah was unmoved by fear. He acted as honourably and as her01ca.lly as if he had witnessed the example and heard the exhortation of the Lord himself (Luke xii. 4, 5). To be condemned of man is a small thing when we are commended and honoured of God. We can afford to incur the hatred even of kings when we rest in the loving favour of o\ll' heavenly Father. IV. UNMOVED BY ILL TREATMENT. Micaiah responded to Zedekiah in e. spirit that showed no shade of submission or withdrawal (ver. 23); and when the vexed and 222 THE SECOND BOOK OF 'l'HE CHRONICLES. [cm. xvm. 1-84,
pnssi0nntc king 0rdcred him to be imprisoned and fed with the bread and water of nftliction, he still manifested II fearless spirit, totally unmoved by the ill usaue he was recei'<'ing (ver. 27) •. The minister of Christ, who is (or should be) the succes~or of the Hebrew prophet, will not use the language or cherish the spirit of retaliation, hut he will be utterly undisturbed in his aim and in his purpose by any unjust or unkind treatment he may receive. Nothing of this kind will move him from his resolve will turn him from his high and noble t.'\Sk. Acting under the inspiration of God' and conscious that he is "partaking of the afflictions of Christ," the "bread and wat~r of affliction" will be sweet to his taste. In that day he will "rejoice and be exceeding glad" (Matt. v. 10-12). Y. ,'i'noLLY ATTENTIVE TO THE DIVINE votcE. "Even what my~od snith, that will I speak" (ver. 13). So spoke the faithful witness. One greater far than he described himself as "a Man that bath told you the truth, which I have heard of God" (John viii. 40). What has God said to us that we can tell our brethren? What do we learn of Christ and in bis service? What do we read in his Word, by a careful, reverent, and intelligent study of it? What sacred lessons have we gleaned, as his holy providence has led and his Divine discipline has taught and trained us? This, nothing else and nothing less, will we carry to the minds of men, to redeem them from sin, to succour them in sorrow, to prepare them for the burden and battle of life, to make them ready frir the time of judgment and the long day of eternity.-C.