The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 290

inspiration and guidance; (3) solemn renewal of first vows of dedication; (4) activo and energetic work. 4. Their reooneecration is crowned with BRCrcd joy, and with "' he.ppy restoration to the end for which they were oalled into existence (ver. 14). All this i~ be.sed upon- III. THE RENEWAL OF THE INDIVIDUAL HEART, For if the cause of Christ has declined, it is because the spiritual life of tho individual men has been languishing. There hae heen a cooling of love, a lessening of faith, an abatement of zoal, a lack of devotion. What is needed is: 1. A sense of departure and loss, 2. A. humbling of tho heart before God. 3. A reconsecration of heart and Iifo to the Redeemer. 4, A patient continuance in well-doing.-C. Vere. 15, 16.-.A nobl,e character and a wiful life, These are two things whi"h are not always closely o.ssociated, though they a.re very frequently found together; they certainly were thus united in the person and experience of Jehoiada, hi. him we have- I. A NOBLE CHARACTER. And this: 1. Was based upon true piety, Jehoiada was the man he was because he was a faithful servant of Jehovah. He was rich" toward God." His mind and heart were turned toward him, to worship in his house, to study and to do his will, to promote his glory. Everything else that was good in him rested on his religious conviction and practice as on a sure foundation; every other virtue took its root and found its source and spring in that. 2. .Acquired great strength. By the exercise and cultivation of his piety and moral worth, by his confidence in God, and by all that he daily gained from God in response to his devotion, he acquired great force of goodness. He was a man that " seemed to be a pillar," and who was such; a strong stay, which no antagonism could remove, no treachery undermine. He " stood four- square to all the winds that blew." Men felt that in him they would find a determined and powerful enemy to whatever evil thing they might propose. 3. Shone forth in unsdfish service. He fearlessly and nobly risked everything in order to rid his country of a vile usurper, end place upon the throne one that would rule in righteousness. Arid though he certainly lent all the weight of his influence to the support of the sovereign, he does not appear to have arrogated any undue authority (see ver. 6). He was actuated by a pure, magnanimous devotion to the highest interests of his country. So he lived- II. A USEFUL LIFE. 1. He effected a most desirable and salutary revolution ; over- turning a dynasty that had no right to the throne, and restoring the family of David; exchanging an idolatrous ruler for one that reigned in the fear of God. 2. He solemnly pledged the people to the service of Jehovah, and arranged for systematic services in his t.emple (eh. .x:x:iii 16-18). 3. He sustained the hand of Joash in his work of repairing the temple. This we might assume, but this the words of the text, " toward his house," clearly indicate. 4. He did much (as the following verses show) to main- tain the worship of God in the land, against all reactionary influences, whether at court or among the princes or the people. He " did good to Israel " indeed. If we except the judges and kings as those whose official positions gave them quite exceptional opportunities, we may safely say that there are not more than three or four men who rendered such distinguished service to their country as Jehoiada the priest. He was well wc,rthy, when he died in an honoured old age, to be" buried among the kings." Probably few kinglier men than he have been "gathered to their fathers." We learn : L That honour rests upon faithful service, on true usefulness-such honour as is worth possessing. 2. That usefulness is the product of excellency of character. Men may be eloquent, ambitious, capable, endowed with large administra- tive abilities, but if they are not unselfish, if they do not know how to subordinate their own aims and interests to the public weal, they are as likely to be harmful as helpful in their course. Only solid worth of character, rectitude allied wifh patriotism and philanthropy, is any security for substantial usefulness. 3. That character is only sound when it is sacred; that it is only the man who reveres God, and who ple.ces himself and his life under Divine guidance, on whom we can thoroughly rely. All other defences and inspirations fail. "The fear of God " of which the devout Israelite spoke, the love and service of Jesus Christ of which we speak,-this is the rock on wliich to build a noble character and a useful life.-C. cu. xxrv.1-27.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 29l