III. THE PROMISE, BY WHI0H THAT PR.AYER IS ANSWERED, IS TAKEN HOLD OF, IS GRATEF(TLLY GRASPED, IS UNFALTERINGLY BELIEVED. The promise is a very gracious Clne, a mClst liberal one, conveyed in a very inspiriting and encouraging mo.nner and ,Tehoshaphat is overwhelmed with the impression of it (ver. 18). ' IV. JEHOSHAPHAT .AND THE PEOPLE AND THE LEVITES, ALL WITH ONE A0CORD .ACCEPT IT WITH BUCH FAITH, TH.AT JOY .AND PR.AJSE AND THANKSGIVING ARE ALL RENDERED BY ANTICIPATION. (Vers. 14-19.) 'l'he inspired Levite had communicated the promise, and had added to it all encouragement and exhortation, in the first place , but we read that Jehoshaphat himself took up after him both these ministries in th~ presence of the people, and in his great desire to keep them thoroughly up to the mark (vers. 20, 21). \. WHEN THE PROMISE IS FULFILLED TO THE 111:0ST SIGNAL El.:TENT, THE ACKNOW- LEDGMENT OF IT, AND DUE THANKSGIVING FOR IT, ARE NOT FORGOTTEY, AND .ARE NO'l' STINTED ; BUT TO THE MEASURE OF HUMAN ABILITY CORRESPOND WITil IT, The testimony of this is explicit and repeated, while the description of it is exceedingly graphic (vers. 26-28). \"I. THE FINAL TESTIMONY TO THE 0ONSISTENT, HONEST ENDE.A VOUR OF THE LIFE OF JEHOSH.A.!'H.AT, THE SOLIDITY OF HIS WORK, AND THE BLESSING THAT RESTED UPON IT FROM ABOVE. It is most true that the work of Jehoshaphat had not been absolutely perfect, inasmuch as he had not absolutely succeeded (ver. 33) in what nevertheless he had earnestly and conscientiously endeavoured (eh. xvii. 6). And it is most true that his chnracter and life and work had not been absolutely perfect, inasmuch as his defection in regard of his intimacy with Ahao--now strangely repeated in the lesser instance of Abaziah and "the ships of 'l'arshish" (vers. 35-37)-stands against him. This latter also met with its punishment (ver. 37); but we may judge that it was acknow- ledged and repented of in the best way, by being forsaken (1 Kings xxii. 49). Yet we cannot be wrong to follow, with the tenor of the testimony of the mingled faithfulness and graciousness of Scripture biography, and say that, like its ultimate Inspirer and Author, it loves to "forgive transgression," and to "cover sin," and that the last note of Jehoshaphat is that his heart was right, that he "did that which was right," and that he and his work were graciously accepted of God.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-13.-The source of safety in the hour of peril. Very suddenly does the scene change in these chronicles of the kingdom of Judah. From the peaceful aud pleasant duty of completing the arrangements for securing justice throughout the land, Jehoshaphat was driven to consider the alarming intelligence that a powerful com- bination of enemies was threatening the independence of his kingdom. We learu from these facts- L THAT WE :MAY SUDDENLY FIND OURSELVES IN MOST SERIOUS PERIL. Judah does not seem to have done anything to provoke this attack, or to have had any reason to expect it. It came upon them like a clap of thunder in a clear sky. Such things do occur to nations, to Churches, to families, to individual men. In some wholly unexpected quarter a grave difficulty arises. That power which should have been an ally suddenly becomes an enemy; that very institution which had been the source of sustenance threatens to drag us down with itself into financial ruin ; the very men who promised to be, and who were, our best friends on whom we could rely, tum into our opponents and thwart our purposes; the bright, the brilliant morning has become a clouded noon, and a severe storm impendB. Unhappily all history, observation, and experience will furnish abundant proof that this is not a remarkably exceptional, but an occasional or even a frequent occurrence in human life. It is a possibility that has so much of probability about it that we do well to be prepared for it lest we should be called to face it. II. TH.AT oUR '!'BUE REFUGE IS IN Goo. 1. But if that is to be so, we must be in a right rel,ation to him. We must be able to say, with a deep significance, not only •• O Lord God of onr fathers," but also" Art not thou owr God?" (vers. 6, 7). We must be true children of A.br~am, who was himself the" friend of God" (ver, 7). We must en. xx. 1-87.J TIIE SECOND BOOK OF T?E CHRONICLES. 2H
be distinctly and definitely on the Lord's side; we must be with Christ and not a"'ainst him (Matt. xii. 30). We cannot look for the delivering grace of God if we ba;e not be11n reconciled unto him through Jesua Christ, if we have remained amoncrst those 0 whoso "sin has separated between them and their God." 2. Then there m ust be a consciousness of rectitude under the special circumstances. Jehoshaphat could plearl that ho and his people were in the land as rightful possessors of the soil; they inherited from God himself (vor. 11), and these invaders were wholly in the wrong· their attack was utterly indefensible (ver. 10). The king could plead that the cause ~f Judah was just and right. 'fhis consciousness of integrity we also must have, if we would fall back on God. "If our heart condemn us not, then we have confidence towarcl Goel " (1 John iii. 21); but otherwise we cannot raise our hopes. We cannot ask him to intervene on behalf of a cause which is one of unrighteousness, or one in which we have been acting quite unworthily of our Lord and Leader. 3. We must bring to God the attitude of conscious dependence. "Our eyes are upon thee," we must be able to say, sincerely (Ps. xxvii. 1; xlvi. 1; lxil. 5, 6). 4. We should be united in our attitude and action. ".All Judah stood before the Lord, with their wives and little ones" (ver. 13). It is not only the leaders or the representatives that should make their appeal to God. Let all the people, let the "little ones," whose presence and whose prayer might not seem to be so essential, appear before God and join in seekin" 0