| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
1 Kings Chapter
Fifteen
1 Kings 15
Chapter Contents
Wicked reign of Abijam
king of Judah. (1-8) Good reign
of Asa
king of Judah. (9-24) The evil reigns of Nadab and Baasha in Israel.
(25-34)
Commentary on 1 Kings 15:1-8
(Read 1 Kings 15:1-8)
Abijam's heart was not perfect with the Lord his God; he
wanted sincerity; he began well
but he fell off
and walked in all the sins of
his father
following his bad example
though he had seen the bad consequences
of it. David's family was continued as a lamp in Jerusalem
to maintain the
true worship of God there
when the light of Divine truth was extinguished in
all other places. The Lord has still taken care of his cause
while those who
ought to have been serviceable thereto have lived and perished in their sins.
The Son of David will still continue a light to his church
to establish it in
truth and righteousness to the end of time. There are two kinds of fulfilling
the law
one legal
the other by the gospel. Legal is
when men do all things
required in the law
and that by themselves. None ever thus fulfilled the law
but Christ
and Adam before his fall. The gospel manner of fulfilling the law
is
to believe in Christ who fulfilled the law for us
and to endeavour in the
whole man to obey God in all his precepts. And this is accepted of God
as to
all those that are in Christ. Thus David and others are said to fulfil the law.
Commentary on 1 Kings 15:9-24
(Read 1 Kings 15:9-24)
Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. That is
right indeed which is so in God's eyes. Asa's times were times of reformation.
He removed that which was evil; there reformation begins
and a great deal he
found to do. When Asa found idolatry in the court
he rooted it out thence.
Reformation must begin at home. Asa honours and respects his mother; he loves
her well
but he loves God better. Those that have power are happy when thus
they have hearts to use it well. We must not only cease to do evil
but learn
to do well; not only cast away the idols of our iniquity
but dedicate
ourselves and our all to God's honour and glory. Asa was cordially devoted to
the service of God
his sins not arising from presumption. But his league with
Benhadad arose from unbelief. Even true believers find it hard
in times of
urgent danger
to trust in the Lord with all their heart. Unbelief makes way
for carnal policy
and thus for one sin after another. Unbelief has often led
Christians to call in the help of the Lord's enemies in their contests with
their brethren; and some who once shone brightly
have thus been covered with a
dark cloud towards the end of their days.
Commentary on 1 Kings 15:25-34
(Read 1 Kings 15:25-34)
During the single reign of Asa in Judah
the government
of Israel was in six or seven different hands. Observe the ruin of the family
of Jeroboam; no word of God shall fall to the ground. Divine threatenings are
not designed merely to terrify. Ungodly men execute the just judgments of God
upon each other. But in the midst of dreadful sins and this apparent confusion
the Lord carries on his own plan: when it is fully completed
the glorious
justice
wisdom
truth
and mercy therein displayed
shall be admired and
adored through all the ages of eternity.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 1 Kings》
1 Kings 15
Verse 1
[1] Now
in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over
Judah.
Abijam reigned — So
his reign began with Jeroboam's eighteenth year
continued his whole nineteenth
year
and ended within his twentieth year
in which also Asa's reign began. And
thus one and the same year may be attributed to two several persons.
Verse 2
[2] Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah
the daughter of Abishalom.
Three years —
That is
part of three years.
Abishalom —
Or
of Absalom
as he is called 2 Chronicles 11:21. And because he is here
mentioned as a known person
without any addition of his kindred or quality
some conceive that this was Absalom's daughter
called properly Tamar
2 Samuel 14:27
and from her royal grandmother
2 Samuel 3:3
Maacah.
Verse 4
[4]
Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in
Jerusalem
to set up his son after him
and to establish Jerusalem:
A lamp — A
son and successor to perpetuate his name and memory
which otherwise had gone
into obscurity.
Jerusalem —
That he might maintain that city
and temple
and worship
as a witness for
God
in the world
against the Israelites and heathen world.
Verse 5
[5]
Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD
and turned not
aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life
save only
in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
Save only —
This and the like phrases are not to be understood as exclusive of every sinful
action
hut only of an habitual and continued apostasy from God
as the very
phrase of turning aside from God
or from his commands
doth constantly imply.
And thus it is most true. For David's other sins were either sudden and transient
acts
soon repented of and blotted out
as in the cases of Nabal and Achish;
or
mistakes of his judgment
which was not fully convinced of the sinfulness
of such actions: whereas that which concerned Uriah's wife was a designed and
studied sin
long continued in
defended with a succession of other sins
presumptuous
and scandalous to his government
and to the true religion.
Verse 6
[6] And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
War between
… —
Upon Jeroboam's invading him with a great army: acting then in his own defence
he totally routed Jeroboam
so that he was quiet the rest of his reign.
Verse 10
[10] And
forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah
the daughter of Abishalom.
Mother's —
That is
his grandmother's
as appears from verse 2
who is called his mother
as David is called
Abijam's father
verse 3. And his grand-mother's name may be here
mentioned
rather than his mother's
because his mother was either an obscure
person
or was dead
or unwilling to take care of the education of her son
and
so he was educated by the grand-mother
who
though she poisoned his father
Abijam with her idolatrous principles
verse 12
yet could not infect Asa
nor withhold him
from prosecuting his good purposes of reforming religion.
Verse 11
[11] And
Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD
as did David his father.
Right — As
to the government of his kingdom
and the reformation
and establishment of
God's worship. That is right indeed which is so in God's eyes. Those are
approved whom he commendeth.
Verse 12
[12] And
he took away the sodomites out of the land
and removed all the idols that his
fathers had made.
Sodomites —
All whom he could find out; but some escaped his observation
as appears from
chap. 22:46.
Idols
… —
And if his father had made them
he had the more need to remove them
that he
might cut off the entail of the curse.
Verse 13
[13] And
also Maachah his mother
even her he removed from being queen
because she had
made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol
and burnt it by the brook
Kidron.
He removed — He
took from her either the name and authority of queen regent
which she
having
been Rehoboam's wife
and Abijam's mother
took to herself during Asa's
minority; or
the dignity of the queen mother
and those guards
or instruments
of power
which she had enjoyed and misemployed.
An Idol —
Heb. a terror
or horror
that is
an horrible idol; which it may be so called
because it was of a more terrible shape than ordinary
and not to be seen
without horror.
Kidron —
That when it was burnt to powder
it might be thrown into the water
and be
unfit for any use.
Verse 14
[14] But
the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the
LORD all his days.
High places — 2 Chronicles 14:3. He took away the altars of
the strange gods
and the high places where they were worshipped: but as for
those high places where the true God was worshipped he did not take them away;
partly
because he thought there was no great evil in them
which had been used
by David and Solomon
and other good men; partly
because he thought the
removal of them might do more hurt than their continuance
by occasioning the
total neglect of God's worship by many of the people
who either could not
or
through want of faith and zeal
would not go up to Jerusalem to worship
now
especially
when the Israelites
formerly their friends
were become their
enemies
and watched all opportunities to invade or molest them.
Was perfect —
That is
he sincerely and constantly adhered to the worship of God. Though he
could not hinder the people from using the high places
yet he entirely devoted
himself to the worship of God in the manner and place prescribed by him.
Verse 15
[15] And
he brought in the things which his father had dedicated
and the things which
himself had dedicated
into the house of the LORD
silver
and gold
and
vessels.
His father —
Abijam
when he was in distress
and going to fight with Jeroboam
2 Chronicles 13:1-3
though afterwards he did
not perform his vows
nor bring in what he had devoted; probably he was
prevented by death.
Verse 17
[17] And
Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah
and built Ramah
that he might not
suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
Built —
That is
repaired and fortified.
Verse 18
[18] Then
Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the
house of the LORD
and the treasures of the king's house
and delivered them
into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad
the son of
Tabrimon
the son of Hezion
king of Syria
that dwelt at Damascus
saying
Were left —
What either Shishak had left
or Abijam
or Asa
or others
both of Israel or
Judah had dedicated; which probably was not inconsiderable
because Asa had got
great spoils from Zerah
2 Chronicles 14:9-15
and he and his numerous
and prosperous people
did at this time express a great zeal for the house and
worship of God.
Sent them —
Wherein he committed three great faults
amongst many others
first
he
alienated things consecrated to God
without necessity. Secondly
he did this
out of distrust of that God whose power and goodness he had lately experienced.
Thirdly
he did this for an ill intent
to hire him to the breach of his league
and covenant with Baasha
verse 19
and to take away part of that land which by
right
and the special gift of God
belonged to the Israelites.
Verse 21
[21] And
it came to pass
when Baasha heard thereof
that he left off building of Ramah
and dwelt in Tirzah.
Tirzah —
Now the royal city of Israel. There he abode to defend his own kingdoms
and
durst not return to oppose Asa
lest the Syrian king should make a second
invasion. So Asa met with success in this ungodly course as good men sometimes
meet with disappointment in a good cause and course. So there is no judging of
causes by events.
Verse 22
[22] Then
king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they
took away the stones of Ramah
and the timber thereof
wherewith Baasha had
builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin
and Mizpah.
None
… —
All sorts of persons were obliged to come
except those who were disabled by
age
or infirmity
or absence
or by the public service of the king and kingdom
in other places.
Built —
Repaired and strengthened them
for they were built before.
Verse 23
[23] The
rest of all the acts of Asa
and all his might
and all that he did
and the
cities which he built
are they not written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in
his feet.
Nevertheless —
Notwithstanding the great things which he had done
and the glory and
prosperity which he enjoyed
he felt the effects of human infirmity
and of his
own sins.
Verse 25
[25] And
Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa
king of Judah
and reigned over Israel two years.
Two years — Not
compleat
as appears from verse 28
33.
Verse 26
[26] And
he did evil in the sight of the LORD
and walked in the way of his father
and
in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
In his sin — In
the worship of the calves which his father had made.
Verse 28
[28] Even
in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him
and reigned in his
stead.
Even
… — It
was threatened
chap. 14:15
that Israel should be as a reed shaken in
the water. And so they were
when
during the single reign of Asa
their
government was in seven or eight different hands. Jeroboam was upon the throne
at the beginning of his reign
and Ahab at the end of it: between whom were
Nadab
Baashah
Elah
Zimri
Tibni
and Omri
undermining and destroying one
another. This they got by deserting the house both of God and of David.
Verse 29
[29] And
it came to pass
when he reigned
that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he
left not to Jeroboam any that breathed
until he had destroyed him
according
unto the saying of the LORD
which he spake by his servant Ahijah the
Shilonite:
Any —
Any of the males of that family.
According
… — So
God overruled Baasha's ambition and cruelty
to fulfil his own prediction.
Verse 30
[30]
Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned
and which he made Israel sin
by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.
Because — So
that same wicked policy which he used to establish the kingdom in his family
proved his and their ruin: which is very frequently the event of ungodly
counsels.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 1 Kings》
15 Chapter 15
Verses 1-24
Verses 11-15
Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord.
The character of Asa
In Asa
King of Judah
we have one of the most melancholy
yet
perhaps one of the most marvellous instances on record in the Holy Scriptures
of the depravity of our nature. What strikes us in this prince is not merely
that sort of inconsistency which is
more or less
part of every man’s
character; that strange admixture of opposing principles and motives which may
be said to influence the actions of the generality of men; neither is it--what
is a still more common evil among men--the succumbing to the power of any one
evil disposition which is not sufficiently counteracted by a corresponding
virtue. It is his failure in that very point in which the chief of his virtues
seemed to lie--his faith and perfect confidence in God.
I. The
impossibility of man’s arriving at a sinless state of perfection so long as he
is clothed with this mortality. In Asa we have a proof that a man may be
perfect before God
and yet have sin. “In many things we offend all
” and “If
we say we have no sin
we deceive ourselves”--if we were to infer that a state
of faultless perfection were attainable in this world from the fact that there
are many who
like Noah
Abraham
or Asa
are said to have walked perfectly
with God
it would he difficult to reconcile such an inference with the sins
they are known to have committed. When we find such injunctions as this--“Walk
thou before Me
and be thou perfect.” It is plain that the word “perfect” must
be interpreted in that sense of general uprightness of character which it is
only possible to apply to the best of men in this world. The main difference
between the righteous and unrighteous--and this we ought chiefly to bear in
mind--lies in habitual character. It is this which God principally regards
and
not occasional sins
grievous though they be. The pith of all true religion
the grand substance of the doctrines of both Old and New Testaments
is summed
up for us at the conclusion of both--the last words of the Old Testament being:
“Then shall ye return and discern between him that serveth God and him that
serveth Him not”; while among the last utterances of the Holy Ghost speaking by
St. John
are these: “His servants shall serve Him”--“He that loveth not the
Lord Jesus Christ
let him be anathema maranatha.” Thus the constant service of
God is spoken of in both Testaments as the distinctive feature of the
righteous.
II. The more
practical lesson of caution in the manner of our daily walk. If Satan be
suffered to exercise so great power over the hearts of the faithful servants of
God
how watchful over our own hearts should we be! How necessary to each one
of us the godly admonition of the apostle: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he
standeth take heed lest he fall”! And how are we to take heed lest we fall? By
standing always in the grace of God--this is the secret of final perseverance;
this is the secret of Asa’s heart being perfect all his days. It is a mere
matter of history that the saving mercy of God is more generally shown to those
in whom we find habitual goodness of heart to have pre-existed
or
more
strictly speaking
by whom grace given has been constantly used and persevered
in
than to those whose habit of life has been careless and negligent of God’s
service. The case of a seemingly virtuous child being led astray might well presuppose
a want of real hearty piety
or a degree of pride and self-confidence which has
withdrawn the special care and love of God
and left that child a prey of his
enemies. This is not
however
the case of a really righteous person fallen
from his uprightness. In all this we have a strong caution. If habitual piety
is never forgotten
and rarely goes unrewarded at last
how much ought we to be
on our guard lest we lose aught of that piety
lest we slacken the fervour of
our zeal
and suffer our love to grow cold
or even lukewarm; lest
in a word
we forfeit aught of that grace wherein alone we stand. (J. B. Litler
M. A.)
Verse 22
They took away the stones of Ramah.
Old material for new buildings
The King of Israel went up against Judah and built the strong
fortress of Ramah
but the King of Judah strengthened himself by calling in
on
the basis of an ancient treaty
the assistance of Benhadad
the King of Syria.
Benhadad and Asa went up against the King of Israel and overthrew him and took
his fortress called Ramah
and with the stones of that fortress two cities of
Judah were built. Surely there is a great lesson here by which all sensible men
may profit! Asa turned the old material to new uses
and said in effect
“A
stone is a stone
a beam is a beam: there is no harm in the material itself: it
has been used against me
now it shall be used for me
” and thus
in the
eloquent language of Bossuet
“with the fortresses of Samaria he built the
cities of Judah.” Thus the subject begins to reveal itself
and we see how
amid these ancient names
often unknown and sometimes uncouth
the very
freshest lessons may be gathered.
1. Is it not much the same as if a man should use the materials of
his old self with which to build the structure of a new and nobler manhood?
Suppose a man to have come over to what is expressively termed the Lord’s side:
we will ask
What have you done with the old material--is it to be left--is it
to be utilised? Have you been so foolish as to leave all the old stuff in the
enemy’s hands? The stuff itself is not bad: it was only put to bad uses. We
want you to bring away every stone and every beam
and with the old material to
build a new palace. You have come over to the Lord’s side
what are you now?
How much of the old material have you saved and appropriated to better
purposes? In some cases
we fear
the disguise is so complete that your own
mother would not know you now. You have succeeded in burying every talent
powdering every stone
burning every beam--the old material is not found among
the resources of your better life. Ramah has not become Mizpah. You were once
musical; and now you scarcely mumble a hymn in church
much less sing. Ramah has
not become Geba of Benjamin
or Mizpah. You have left the music with the enemy
instead of bringing it with you and sanctifying it
by a new baptism
to higher
and diviner uses.
2. What is true of the building up of the individual
is true also of
the building up of the Church. It is recorded of one of the Wesleys that when
he heard anybody singing a nice tune on the streets
he used to loiter about
until he got the melody thoroughly into his head
and then he went away and set
divine words to the prostituted music. He said
“The devil has all the best
tunes.” Persons looking at Wesley standing listening to the street singer
would say
“What
is he caught by the song?” and they might have attributed
wrong motives to his standing there
but he was pulling down Ramah that he
might build Geba of Benjamin
and Mizpah. The tune that was used to carry evil
sentiments or bad language was brought over to tell the world the great gospel.
Here is a man whom we have taken from the enemy who has a gift of music: what is
he going to do with it in the Church? Let us employ him at once as a singing
missionary; send him out to sing. He will find the voice
we find the words. Is
it possible to sing the gospel? Verily so. In a recent walk I saw some little
fellows about two feet and a half high--little bunches of papers on their arms
sitting on the steps
and looking at one another so coyly and nicely
with
unkempt hair
and their bare feet and their tattered garments--and there was I
poor dumb priest
on my way to talk to the luxury of the age
and I felt the
tears in my throat as I cursed myself. I would that some lady could have gone
to those little fellows and have sung them some little hymn or sweet song. It
would have been odd: it might have been useful. It would have created a laugh
for the time being: it might have won a conquest. It would have been called
ridiculous: in heaven it might have been termed sacrificial. What are you doing
with the old material? Here is a man we have captured
who used to be quite
famous for his humour. He was in very deed a wit. He saw the comical aspect of
every question
he had a keen eye for the ludicrous
a happy tongue for the
expression of all that he saw and felt. He is now in the Church--what is he
doing? Sleeping. The Church will not have him. The Church is wrong. We should
make a modern Elijah of him
and he should taunt the priests of evil on their
own ground and across their own altars
till they ran away for very shame. Such
a man should have a function in the Church. But is there not danger in
employing such persons to do such work? Yes
there is danger in doing it; but
as we view the case
there is more danger in not doing it. We are too much
afraid of danger. There was great danger in entrusting the revelation of
Christianity to a few fishermen
ignorant and feeble in every aspect of social
importance. We dare not have done it. We should hardly have trusted any one of
those men to have posted a letter. But Jesus entrusted them with a letter for
the universe. Clothe men with responsibilities if you would call up their
supreme
power to its best expression
its most solid and massive and
dominating attitude. We want to know what has become of the old material. You
were greater on the other side than you are on this. You made more of a figure
you created a deeper impression
you were better known as an actor than ever
you have been known as a preacher--how is that? You were better known as a
blasphemer than you are known as a suppliant--how is that? O that we could
utilise all the old forces! Jesus Christ works in the spirit of this text in
building up His kingdom. Jesus Christ will overthrow the fortress of the enemy
and take every stone and beam and timber away
and rear new edifices with them.
Out of the ruins of the drunkard
Jesus Christ builds the apostle of
temperance. Jesus is building His great house
and some day men will say about
the stones that are in it
“What are these
and whence came they?” and Jesus
will answer with a pride of satisfaction flooding and flaming His soul
“Every
stone that is there is precious to Me: this is Ramah
rebuilt as Geba; this is
the old fortress turned into the new sanctuary”; and as He looks upon that
palace
wide as the horizon
high as heaven
what wonder if
seeing the travail
of His soul
He is satisfied? (J. Parker
D. D.)
Verse 23
Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his
feet.
Asa; or
failure at the last
Few personages in Holy Scripture appear to have commenced their
career with more decided promise of good
and more energetic measures against
evil
than Asa
King of Judah. Asa was the third of those princes of the house
of David
whom God
though for the sins of Solomon He had alienated ten tribes
from their sway
permitted for His ancient servant’s sake to retain a throne
and a name. Asa was preserved pure amid the corruptions of his age; and his
acts immediately on ascending the throne
and for a large portion of his life
showed
not merely that his heart was not perverted to idols--that is
was in
this sense perfect before the Lord--but that he leaned on Him
and found Him to
be his Strength and his Redeemer. When ten years are over
we find that great
change has passed upon Asa. Hostilities are threatened at the hands of Baasha
King of Israel. That prince is building a fortress on his very frontier. His
purpose cannot be mistaken. It is to check the growing intercourse between
Asa’s subjects and his own. Asa is naturally alarmed; but in his alarm he seeks
not God--he seeks a human
a heathen ally. He bribes the King of Syria.
with
his own treasures and the treasures of the temple
to break an existing league
with Baasha
and invade the north-eastern provinces of Israel. A diversion is
thus effected; for Baasha is summoned from his scheme of offence by tidings
that the whole of the coast of Gennesaret is being wasted by fire and sword.
Asa improves his opportunity. He destroys the rising fortress
Ramah
and
applies to the strengthening of two cities for himself the materials prepared
by the enemy. Yes
he has repelled the danger
but he has incurred a greater
danger. He has made God his enemy
for he has not trusted in Him as his friend.
How strange
how very mournful
that he who for more than a quarter of a
century had led men to
God
should at length have himself turned from Him; that he who
by his life
and reign
had preached to others
should himself be a castaway! And is it
indeed so? Hanani the prophet has come to remonstrate with him; and his
remonstrance
truly though severely kind
must surely move him. Alas! Asa’s
heart is hardened. The voice of honesty grates harshly on him; he is wroth with
the prophet; he even imprisons him. And the sacred historian adds
“He
oppressed some of the people at the same time”; it may be
because they
reminded him of the oath which they had sworn at his bidding
and in which he
had bound himself
that God should be their God. A few more years pass on
of
which we read nothing
but of which we must fear much. Asa is now stretched on
his sick-bed; a lingering disease is wasting him; at length
it is exceeding
great. Two or three years he lies in deep agony
yet he never thinks of God; he
“seeks not to the Lord
but to the physicians.” Is no more said of him than
this? Does no repentance for his evil deeds come upon him? No remembrance of his
youthful faith
and of the way in which it was rewarded
flash upon him? Does
no light illume the chamber of death? No fear of what is beyond death appal
him? He had long ceased to live by faith
and he does not die in faith. To the
words
“he sought not to the Lord
but to the physicians
” succeeds the simple
announcement
“and Asa slept with his fathers
and died in the one-and-fortieth
year of his reign.” He died. He died
and was buried in his own sepulchre
which he had provided for the body
however much he had neglected his soul. He
was buried with great honour in the city of David. He was buried “with an
empire’s lamentation.” But what was all this
unless we have reason to suppose
that angels received his soul
and conveyed it into Abraham’s bosom
there to
abide till the resurrection? But what were the causes of his fall? Scripture is
silent on this point; we may
however
discover two or three of them.
1. He was tried
in the first place
by great success. People are
inclined to think that success is no trial. They are much mistaken. Nothing is
more liable to produce self-confidence
and neglect of Him who bestoweth on the
wise their wisdom
and on the strong their strength. Unless a man watches
himself very narrowly
pride will insinuate itself even into the midst of his
thanksgivings; complacent thoughts of his own foresight underlie his
recognition of God’s providence; convictions of his own good desert qualify his
confessions of sin. Idols had bowed at Asa’s word. Profligacy had shrunk
abashed from his presence. The appointments of the temple had risen to fresh
splendour on his opening the doors of his treasury. The ancient renown of his people
had revived under his sway. The borders of his kingdom had been extended by his
policy. He had spoken
and cities long dismantled had resumed their coronal of
towers. He had led out his armies
and barbarians had fled before him. Whatever
he had taken in hand
the Lord had made it to prosper. This was at length too
much for him. He dwelt on his wisdom
it became foolishness--on his strength
and it turned to weakness; in a word
he forgot God
who
as He had raised him
up
had power to cast him down.
2. But mark a second point in which Asa was tried
and having been
tried was found wanting. He was placed in the perilous position of having to
guide and instruct others--to provide for their spiritual welfare--to correct
whatever tendencies he discovered towards vice or towards idolatry. Now
little
as we are accustomed so to view it
this is a great snare to any one. The
mother
who teaches her child to pray; the father
who watches over his son’s
moral progress; the master
who is a strict censor of the behaviour of his
servants; the Scripture reader
the district visitor
the nurse of the sick
the almoner of the poor; yea
even the minister of God who has professionally
to bring before his people the means of grace and the hopes of glory
the right
use of the one
and the sober entertainment of the other; these persons are all
of them in danger of neglecting themselves; of placing themselves
as it were
ab
extra
to the duties which they have to inculcate; of losing their
interest in them as things in which they have a deep personal concernment. Such
persons are tempted then in the contemplation of their works
to forget
themselves
to abate their self-discipline
and
when the novelty of their
employment has passed away
to fall back upon other things; it may be
to end
with languor
disgust
or carelessness
if not with utter faithlessness and
sin. Gradually
indeed
and very slowly
such lethargy may creep over the soul;
as gradually as the fumes of the chafing-dish overpower the senses of the
sleeper
or as the deathlike chill of the mountain steals over the weary
traveller
and lulls him into a slumber from which there is no awakening--but
like these
it is subtle
silent
fatal. It is only sure-walking that is
safe-walking. To be sure we must not be secure
we must be careful; carefulness
is the earnest of safety; carefulness
whose maxim is
“Let him that thinketh
he standeth take heed lest he fall”; carefulness
which
in the words of our
Litany
petitions the Almighty for deliverance not merely in the “time of
tribulation
” but in the “time of wealth.” (J. A. Heasey
D. C. L)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》