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2
Chronicles Chapter Twenty-five
2 Chronicles 25
Chapter Contents
Amaziah
king of Judah. (1-13) Amaziah worships the idols
of Edom. (14-16) Amaziah's rash challenge. (17-28)
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 25:1-13
(Read 2 Chronicles 25:1-13)
Amaziah was no enemy to religion
but cool and
indifferent friend. Many do what is good
but not with a perfect heart.
Rashness makes work for repentance. But Amaziah's obedience to the command of
God was to his honour. A firm belief of God's all-sufficiency to bear us out in
our duty
and to make up all the loss and damage was sustain in his service
will make his yoke very easy
and his burden very light. When we are called to
part with any thing for God and our religion
it should satisfy us
that God is
able to give us much more than this. Convinced sinners
who have not true
faith
always object to self-denying obedience. They are like Amaziah; they
say
But what shall we do for the hundred talents? What shall we do if by
keeping the sabbath holy we lose so many good customers? What shall we do
without this gain? What shall we do if we lose the friendship of the world?
Many endeavour to quiet their consciences by the pretence that forbidden
practices are necessary. The answer is
as here
The Lord is able to give thee
much more than this. He makes up
even in this world
for all that is given up
for his sake.
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 25:14-16
(Read 2 Chronicles 25:14-16)
To worship the gods of those whom Amaziah had conquered
who could not help their own worshippers
was the greatest absurdity. If men
would consider how unable all those things are to help them
to which they look
whenever they forsake God
they would not be such enemies to themselves. The
reproof God sent by a prophet was too just to be answered; themselves. The
reproof God sent by a prophet was too just to be answered; but he was bidden
not to say a word more. The secure sinner rejoices to have silenced his
reprovers and monitors; but what comes of it? Those that are deaf to reproof
are ripening for destruction.
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 25:17-28
(Read 2 Chronicles 25:17-28)
Never was a proud prince more thoroughly mortified than
Amaziah by Joash king of Israel. A man's pride will bring him low
Proverbs 29:23; it goes before his destruction
and deservedly brings it on. He that exalteth himself shall be abased. He that
goes forth hastily to strive
will not know what he shall do in the end
thereof
when his neighbour has put him to shame
Proverbs 25:8. And what are we when we offer to
establish our own righteousness
or presume to justify ourselves before the
Most High God
but despicable thistles
that fancy themselves stately cedars?
And are not various temptations
is not every corruption
a wild beast of the
desert
which will trample on the wretched boaster
and tread his haughty
pretensions to the dust? A man's pride shall bring him low; his ruin may be
dated from his turning from the Lord.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 2 Chronicles》
2 Chronicles 25
Verse 2
[2] And he did that which was right in the sight of the
LORD
but not with a perfect heart.
But not
… — He was not an enemy to religion
but a cool and indifferent friend. He was not a man of serious piety; for his
heart was not whole with God.
Verse 7
[7] But there came a man of God to him
saying
O king
let
not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel
to wit
with all the children of Ephraim.
Let not
… — It is comfortable to employ
those
who we have reason to hope
have an interest in heaven
but dangerous
associating with those from whom the Lord is departed.
Verse 8
[8] But if thou wilt go
do it
be strong for the battle:
God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help
and to
cast down.
Do it — It is an ironical concession like that
go
and
prosper.
Verse 10
[10] Then Amaziah separated them
to wit
the army that was
come to him out of Ephraim
to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly
kindled against Judah
and they returned home in great anger.
Anger kindled — Because they were both disgraced
by this rejection
and disappointed of that spoil which they hoped to gain
whereas now they are sent away empty; for the hundred talents probably were
given to their officers only to raise men for this service.
Verse 13
[13] But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back
that they should not go with him to battle
fell upon the cities of Judah
from
Samaria even unto Bethhoron
and smote three thousand of them
and took much
spoil.
Cities of Judah — Thus God chastised those cities
of Judah for their idolatries which were found most in the parts next to
Israel. The men of Israel had corrupted them
and now are a plague to them.
Verse 16
[16] And it came to pass
as he talked with him
that the
king said unto him
Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest
thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare
and said
I know that God hath
determined to destroy thee
because thou hast done this
and hast not hearkened
unto my counsel.
Art thou
… — Who art thou that presumest to
direct my affairs
without my commission? The secure sinner perhaps values
himself on having silenced his reprovers and monitors. But what comes of it? It
is a plain indication he is marked out for ruin. They that are deaf to reproof
are ripening apace for destruction.
Verse 17
[17] Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice
and sent to
Joash
the son of Jehoahaz
the son of Jehu
king of Israel
saying
Come
let
us see one another in the face.
Advice — About the injury which the Israelites had done to his
people
and how he should repair it. He took advice. But with whom? Not with
the prophet
but with his flattering statesmen. It is good to take advice: but
it should be of them who are fit to advise us.
Verse 20
[20] But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God
that he
might deliver them into the hand of their enemies
because they sought after
the gods of Edom.
Of God — Who gave him up to his own error and passion
in order
to his ruin.
Verse 24
[24] And he took all the gold and the silver
and all the
vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom
and the treasures of
the king's house
the hostages also
and returned to Samaria.
Obed-edom — With Obed-edom's posterity
to
whom the custody of the sacred treasures was committed.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 2 Chronicles》
HALF-HEARTEDNESS.
11. Chronicles 25:1-16.
More mischief
is wrought in the camp of God’s people from half-heartedness than from anything
else.
Ⅰ. Half-heartedness is the weak spring in the life that will prevent our
acting right firmly. As the spring in the lock will not make the bolt act
well if it is weak
so the half-heartedness of Amaziah caused him to act weakly
in avenging the death of his father (verse 4).
Ⅱ. Half-heartedness is the earthly gas that causes the heart to be
inflated with worldly ambition. Doubtless Amaziah wanted to be big with his
large army (verse 6). The balloon will ascend when filled with gas
but if any
harm comes to it
the greater the damage when it falls; so those who rise
through carnal ambition will have a greater fall when the evil day comes.
Ⅲ. Half-heartedness is the link that gives the ungodly the opportunity to
couple themselves with the Lord’s people. Amaziah should not have been in
association with Israel
as Israel was not in association with God (verse 7).
Ⅳ. Half-heartedness is the flaw that hinders the inflow of Divine power
into the life. Hence there is hesitation instead of promptitude
as in the
case of Amaziah
when he vacillated after he had got the direct word God
through the prophet (verse 9).
Ⅴ. Half-heartedness is like a jaded horse which needs a great deal of spur
and whip to make it go. Amaziah did not act as before God; he needed the
spur of the prophet’s prophet’s words to urge him to obedience (verse 7-10).
Ⅵ. Half-heartedness is like the sparrow which is caught in the trap in
trying to get the crumbs. Amaziah was caught by the idolatry of the people
whom he had conquered (verse 14).
Ⅶ. Half-heartedness is the conductor that brings the lightning of God’s
punishment upon itself (verse 15
16). The rod of God’s chastisement
(Heb.12:5-11)
and bodily death (1.Cor.11:30)
are two ways by which God
punishes His children.
── F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》
25 Chapter 25
Verses 1-28
Verse 2
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord
but not
with a perfect heart.
Half-hearted
and therefore a failure
It was not because Amaziah was not sinless that his life proved
such a failure
but because he was not thorough going in his principle and
piety. English life at present seems to be afflicted with a plague of levity.
There is so much hollowness and unreality
so much veneer in character and
work
that it behoves us to preach aloud the gospel of thoroughness. A short
time ago some workmen were engaged in trying to remove a piece of old London
wall. They tried with hammers
then with pick-axes
but to no purpose
the wall
seemed to smile at all their efforts; at last they were obliged to have
recourse to boring
and blowing it up like a piece of solid rock. That is
hardly the way they build nowadays
for a man might almost push over some of
our brick walls with his hand. Now
this is just an illustration of what I
mean
the want of thoroughness in every branch of industry and in every walk of
life. When a man’s own character is not solid
permeated through and through
with Christian principle
you cannot have any guarantee of the genuineness of
his work. Shams abound everywhere. Gilt and paint carry the day. Ours is an age
of tinsel. And the worst of it is that this unrealness characterises much of
the religion amongst us. I sometimes meet with a horrible form of
Antinomianism
which virtually says
“Anything will do for me--I am a disciple
of Christ”; and so the work is actually more slovenly and imperfect because the
individual claims to be “not under the law
but under grace.” Why
it is almost
as monstrous as the proposal a good young man made to his landlady
that his
own excellent Christian example should serve in lieu of weekly payment for his
lodgings! A men--I don’t care who he is--dishonours Christ when any other
person is put to disadvantage by his piety. If you imagine you are more free to
do slipshod work because you are a Christian
I say
it is precisely the
reverse. It is just because you claim to be the Lord’s that any sort of work
will not do. Bearing His name
you are responsible to Him for every detail of
your daily life. If your secular duties are more imperfectly discharged because
you are a believer
you do great wrong to the Redeemer. If you snatch a little
of your employer’s time to scatter tracts
or prepare for a Sabbath class
or
even to read your Bible; or if
in business hours
your thoughts are so given
to spiritual themes that you cannot do justice to your work
in any of these
cases you do real harm to religion. (J. T. Davidson
D.D.)
The character of Amaziah
This history is adduced to lead to self-scrutiny.
I. The act of
assembling is in accordance with God’s revealed wishes; and therefore the act
of assembling is a right act. But am I able to believe that every men and woman
joins the assembly from such motives as would stand the test of Heaven? Not
with a perfect heart.
II. Again
in the
matter of listening to God’s Word preached. Some listen from the desire of
passing away a dull hour--as a sort of religious entertainment. Alas for the
perfect heart!
III. As to your
conduct outside the walls of the sanctuary. You are upright and honourable in
trade. But why? It is a sad thing when a man’s actions are right because he
wishes to be aggrandised
or because he wishes a high place in human
estimation
and knows not the only right motive--a desire to please Him “who
hath loved us
and given Himself for us.” (T. W. Thompson
B.A.)
Not with a perfect heart
Off Cape Horn we witnessed a singular sight. For some miles there
was a narrow strip of water
where the great waves flew in broken spray and
dashed high over the ship. On either side the sea was comparatively calm
whilst this boiled with fury
rolling and surging. Yet there was no rock about
which the sea surged
nor was there any such fierce wind as to account for it.
Overhead the air was thick with sea-fowl. Thousands of the birds dived into
this troubled water. The smaller fish were
I suppose
flung up by the toss
and thus fell a prey to the birds. I asked
naturally
what was the reason of
this strange sight
and found it was the point at which the tide met the strong
current of the sea
and here they raged together. Within
the tide only ran
and it was calm. Without
the current prevailed
and there
too
was calm. On
this troubled bit they met
and neither prevailed. It is the picture of those
who are at once too religious to belong to the world--too worldly to belong to
religion; torn by both and satisfied by neither. (Mark Guy Pearse.)
Whole-hearted religion required
At one of the conferences between the Northern and Southern States
of America during the war of 1861-1866 the representatives of the Southern
States stated what cession of territory they were prepared to make
provided
that the independence of the portion that was not ceded to the Federal
Government was secured. More and more attractive criers were made
the portions
to be ceded being increased
and those to be retained in a state of
independence being proportionately diminished. All the offers were met by a
steadfast refusal. At last President Lincoln placed his hand on the map so as
to cover all the Southern States
and in these emphatic words delivered his
ultimatum: “Gentlemen
this Government must have the whole.” God cannot share
us with the world. (A. Plummet
D.D.)
Verse 9
And Amarish said to the man of God
But what shall we do for the
hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?
Self-made difficulties
I. The path of
duty was clearly before Amaziah. “Send the army of Israel away.”
II. He hesitated to
tread it because there was a self-made difficulty in the way. So with many
to-day.
1. Worldly pleasure.
2. Worldly interests.
3. Worldly companions.
4. Bad habits.
III. God recognises
the difficulty. “The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” When our
first missionaries went to India
Dr. Cope died on the voyage. Some letters of
introduction to English gentlemen in India had been written. When his friends
arrived they went on shore and told how Dr. Cope had died and been buried in
the deep sea. As they knew nothing of the language of India they asked advice
and the advice given was
“Take the first vessel that sails for England and go
home again.” One of the young men of the party said
“That is out of the
question. I came here to preach the gospel
and
God helping me
I mean to do
it.” They said
“If you bring God into the matter
that alters it altogether.”
Bring God into your pleasure and into your business
and that will alter them
altogether. (Charles Garrett.)
God able to remunerate fidelity
I know a widow whose husband died and left her with a
little family to struggle for. She opened a little shop in the suburbs of the
city
when one of the agents of a wine-merchant waited upon her to ask her to
be an agent for the sale of strong
drink. She said
“Never a drop shall enter my house.” He said “It will help you
so much.” She said
“If it helps me some
it will harm me more. I have children
around me
and whether I prosper or not
I will not gain anything to the injury
of my fellow-creatures.” She has done wonderfully. An intimate friend of mine
went to see her
and said
“I cannot understand how you get on
and why so many
come to your shop
for they pass a number of good shops to come to yours.” She
said to her boy
“George
you are fond of ciphering; get down your slate and
put down how far off a man must live from my shop that God cannot bring him
there.” That settled it. “God is able to give more than this.” (Charles
Garrett.)
Rigid integrity may stand in the way
There can be no doubt that a certain flexibility and elasticity of
soul and conscience may make a man get on
as concerns this world
when rigid
integrity would stand in his way. Nothing would be easier than to mention
striking instances in which men threw away their chance of the highest places
by an act of injudicious honesty. A trader who never puffs his wares as better
than they really are may not drive such a business as the brazen individual who
never spares the trumpet. A preacher who sets forth sound doctrine to people
who have not been accustomed to it
and who do not want it
may make himself
for a time obnoxious enough. But let us speak the truth and live the truth
no
matter what we may lose by it. (Charles Garrett.)
What shall we do for the hundred talents?
I. The command
given. “Let not the army of Israel go with thee.”
1. It shows us God’s disapproval of union with the enemies of the
truth. The children of Ephraim had departed from the Lord
His favour was
withdrawn from them: Judah
if he hope for success
must send such helpers
away. Yes
truly “the friendship of the world is enmity with God.” To join
affinity with such
as Amaziah did
is to run into temptation and a snare.
2. But the command of God thus given leads us to notice
further
that His disappointment of our hopes is in mercy
not in wrath. Perhaps to the
mind of Amaziah this only was wanting to ensure victory: his army was strong
and could he but procure this aid from Israel all would be secure; and yet no
sooner are they come than the command is given. It is often thus in God’s
dealings with our souls. “Not by might
nor by power
but by My Spirit
saith
the Lord of hosts.” “Could I but be placed in such circumstances
” saith one
“Were but this diffficulty removed.” is the thought of another
“then should I
grow in grace
and prosper in my soul.” But it cannot be
and you are
discouraged. And yet it is in mercy
not in wrath
that your wishes are
crossed.
3. Observe that the command calls for immediate compliance. Not after
aid received in the battle
but now in the face of danger
at the risk of
injury from those sent away
injury
too
that was not feared without cause (2 Chronicles 25:13). God’s command
will not bear delay.
II. the difficulty
started. “And Amaziah said to the man of God
But what shall we do for the
hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?” With some awe upon
his mind
a conviction of the necessity of obedience
Amaziah liked not the
cost. This is the difficulty proposed
“What shall we do for he hundred
talents?” There was the divided mind On the one side was his fear of the displeasure
of the Lord
without whose help he well knew he could not prosper; on the other
side the hundred talents weighed down his purpose--he could not brook the loss
of so large a sum. Ah! who would not obey God if he might do it without cost?
Who would not be the servant of Christ
if he might be so without pains? Sin
must be parted with. “What shall we do for the hundred talents?” We go to the
man that has long yielded to his evil habits. We tell him of the door of mercy
yet open. The sigh breaks forth as we speak. He owns it “too true.” He is
“almost persuaded to be a Christian.” But
no
“What shall we do for the
hundred talents?”
III. The
unanswerable reply. “And the man of God answered
The Lord is able to give thee
much more than this.”
1. Observe--There is no promise of the restoration of the sum. The
command of God was the solid ground on which the prophet claimed obedience of
the king. And it is even here we too rest our appeal. “Thus saith the Lord.” In
urging on you to “yield yourselves unto God
” we cannot--we may not--tell you
that no difficulties are in the way. We have indeed that overwhelming motive to
present
the safety of the soul.
2. Amaziah is referred to the almighty power of Him whose command he
is called on to obey. “God is able to give thee much more than this.” As though
the prophet had said
“Thou art ready to sorrow for the hundred talents
uselessly bestowed if now to be forfeited
but whose is the silver and the
gold? Grudge not
then
this sum at His word
who bids thee yield it for thine
own welfare.” For is it dignity
the estimation of others
that you fear to
give up? are these “the hundred talents” you are unwilling to part with? What
dignity of earth can be compared to that high-sounding and real--not
empty--title
“heirs of God
and joint heirs with Christ”?--“Ye shall be My
sons and daughters
saith the Lord Almighty.” Is it riches
or pleasures
the
vanity of life
that seem not vain to you? God is able to give
yea
will give
you much more than this. He will give you pardon
that blessed gift--pardon for
all thy sins
thy multiplied
aggravated
fearful transgressions--“And in the
world to come eternal life.” (F. Storr
M.A.)
Soul or silver
Amaziah seemed to be a soldier
and little else. He was devoured
by military ambition and vainglory. He coveted the domains of his neighbors. He
was greedy of conquest. He dared not attack Israel
but on the other side lay
the lands of the
Edomites. He wanted to fight. There was probably no reason why he should
for
the children of Seir had evidently done nothing to provoke an attack
or we
should have had an account of it. But Amaziah must have more territory
and
impelled by such noble patriotism
he disciplined his people into a large army.
Desiring to be on the safe side
he bargained for one hundred thousand men of
Israel
and
in order to secure them
he laid down a bounty of one hundred
talents of silver. With these men of Ephraim
hired with the silver talents
he
possessed an army of about four hundred thousand men. All things are in
readiness
and he is about to start out on his grand mission of punishing a
people who held lands near him
when a prophet confronts with the intelligence
that if he takes the troops of Israel with him he shall be defeated. Now comes
a struggle in the king’s mind. He was bent upon war
and could not brook the
idea of defeat
but to insure victory he must send the Ephraimites home. Now
he had given these men a hundred talents of silver! What about them? The
command of God had touched his pocket-nerve
and it had sent a sensitive thrill
through his whole being. Amaziah is not the only man that has been compelled to
choose between obedience and self-denial.
I. Consider
then
the fact that men’s apparent interests are sometimes opposed by the commands of
God. Very frequently men’s practices find such opposition; and their desires
are fulfilled very often against the clamourings of their consciences. But I
have affirmed something beyond this--that a man’s wholesome interests
as they
appear to his view
are sometimes in direct opposition to God’s commands. I do
not think that a man will be allowed to enter upon a course inimical to God’s
will who starts out by committing his way entirely to Divine guidance. God
looks out for such a man
and orders his ways so that his interests and the
Divine will conform. But a great many start out in the pursuit of business
without any consideration of God. With the majority of men
when the time comes
to meet the question
“What shall I do?” the answer is prompted more by expediency
than by duty. One man argues
“I can make more money in dry goods than in
groceries
so I’ll deal in dry goods. But there’s more money in whisky
so I
think I’ll open a saloon.” He looks at trade from his own standpoint. I believe
that some men really think that they are justified in such a course; they think
that a man ought to look after his own interests; that that is the first thing
to be consulted; and there never was a greater mistake made in this selfish
world! The truth is
that when a man deliberately marks out a course in life
and determines to pursue it
without any consideration of God or his
fellow-men
he is engaged in a very dangerous business. There are some other
things to consider besides making money. Soul-culture
helpfulness of his
fellows
influence for Christ
the increasing light of a pious life; these
things are to be taken into the account
or he may look for some period of his
life when the alternative will be between obedience and self-denial
or
disobedience and defeat.
II. Where this is
the case apparent interests are to be sacrificed. God looks upon temporal
matters as if they were subordinate to a higher good. Men look upon them as if
they were the highest good attainable. God puts His service and the duties of
religion above everything else. Men regard religion as a secondary
consideration. Do you never hear men say
“I would engage in religious matters
if I had time”? You mark a man’s absence from the holy Sabbath worship; he
complains
“I feel so tired when Sunday comes
I must rest.” So you see men
think more of their hundred talents of silver than of obedience to God. But
they have Amaziah’s protest: “What shall we do for the hundred talents of
silver?” The answer is plain enough. Let them go. “What!” cries the overworked
business man
“leave my store full of customers just because it is the hour of
prayer?” “What!” cries the professional man
“suspend my important studies for
unprofitable religious occupation? Not much!” “What!” cries the mechanic
“work
hard all week and Sunday too?” “What shall we do for the hundred talents that
are involved?” In such embarrassing situations the thing to do is what Amaziah
did. He sent home the men of Ephraim
and he lost the hundred talents of
silver. If your business stands between you and God
let it go!
III. For I beg you
to note that the alternative lies between total defeat and increased good.
Amaziah was made to select between receiving the value of his invested money
and suffering disaster in the prosecution of his scheme. He might do as he
pleased
but he might know what to expect. That is the alternative placed
before all men. Disobedience leads to defeat. Men may discard the commands of
God
but not with impunity. Obedience to the Divine will is the only safeguard
against temporal and spiritual disaster. It is a matter that enters into a
man’s private life. It does not concern those employments alone which are
confessedly unrighteous
it is a law affecting the man who persists in a course
when God has called him in another direction
as well as he who persists in
iniquitous practices. In either case the safest thing to do is to give up the
silver
without one hesitating thought. (Lansing Burrows.)
Consequences
The subject brought before us in the text is the weighing of consequences.
1. In a certain sense it is the doing of a fool to disdain
consequences; and it is the glory of a rational being that he can calculate
and weigh
and be guided by
consequences.
2. And yet there are cases in which to resolutely refuse to take into
view what may be the consequences of our conduct
is heroism; is Christianity
in its highest and noblest development. Such was the case with the three Jews
in Babylon; Moses; Paul.
3. Amaziah’s history will make it plain to us
when we should weigh
consequences and be guided by them; and when we should disregard them
and
refuse to take them into account at all. He was not wrong in naming the money
loss to the prophet. He was wrong in regarding this difficulty as a fatal
objection to his obeying God’s command. He not only states his difficulty
but
seems disposed to act upon it.
4. This brings us to the great principle which should guide all wise
Christian people in regard to the consideration of consequences. Wherever we
are sure that duty leads
wherever we are sure God bids us go
then that way we
should go
whatever and however painful the consequences may be. In all other
cases a prudent Christian man will weigh the consequences of what he may think
of doing
and be guided by the consideration of them.
5. To disdain consequences is not to be done in a boasting
vainglorious spirit. The true proof of a man disdaining consequences is that he
should disdain them
not when they are in the distance
coming
but when they
are present realities; when they are come.
6. The prophet’s reply to the king’s difficulty is worthy of being
laid to heart: “The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” This means
that it is worth our while to obey God’s will; that though at first we may lose
by doing so
we shall gain more than we shall lose. This truly is not a
disdaining of consequences; it is a fuller and truer weighing of them. It is to
look further on: it is to throw eternity into the scale of duty and interest. (A.
K. H. Boyd.)
God’s power to remunerate
I. How commonly
the question is urged
“What shall we do for the hundred talents?” We are not
of those who would make light of the sacrifices which must be made by such as
would live godly in Christ Jesus. Christ speaks of a “yoke
” of “taking up the
cross
” of “forsaking all
” of “cutting off the right hand
” of
“plucking out the right eye.” So that the parallel is most exact between
the circumstances of ourselves and those of Amaziah.
1. Consider the case of the young who are urged to the remembering of
their Creator and the setting of their affections on things above. If by
entreaty and warning we prevail on them to hesitate ere they launch on a course
of disobedience to God’s commands
the thought of all we ask them to surrender
comes upon them with great power
and they feel as though it were unreasonable
to summon them to such a sacrifice. And therefore their speech is virtually
“What shall we do for the hundred talents?”
2. Take again the case of the tradesman whose interest seems to
demand the profanation of the Sabbath. In asking him to close his shop on the
day that perhaps procures him more profit than can be wrung from all the rest
of the week
you ask him to make what on mere human principles is scarcely a
credible sacrifice.
II. How sufficient
an answer there is in the statement
“The Lord is able to give thee much more
than this.” It is the apparent conflict between interest and duty which often
induces disobedience to God. Duty and interest can never be really opposed. The
righteousness of God’s moral government requires that whatever He has made it
our duty should also be our interest
to perform. But still there is an apparent conflict. This world would cease to
be a place of probation if it were always manifest that duty and interest lie
in the same direction. When tempted to do wrong for the sake of present
advantage
let us magnify the remunerating power of God. If David could say
“Thy Word have I hid in my heart
that I might not sin against Thee
” no text
can be more suitable than this one for the talisman of the merchant as he
prosecutes the enterprises of commerce
“The Lord is able to give thee much
more than this.” (Henry Melvill
B.D.)
The claims of duty
The claims of duty are stronger even than those of affection. The
tenderst tie on earth should never induce us to set them aside. The sense of
duty which distinguished some of the patriots of ancient Rome was
extraordinary. After the expulsion of King Tarquin
a conspiracy was formed for
the purpose of effecting his return. It was found out by the authorities; and
it was also found that Titus and Tiberius
the two sons of Brutus
the consul
were the principal conspirators. People naturally speculated as to how the
consul would act in the matter; but he put an end to all controversy by condemning
his two sons to death along with the rest; nay
on the day of execution
he
commanded the sentence of the law to be carried out on them first of all.
“But
” you may say
“perhaps he did not love his sons as fathers generally do.”
On the contrary
the crowd who watched his countenance on the occasion could
perceive that there was a terrible struggle within; so that they pitied the
grief of the father no less than they admired the bravery of the patriot. Here
then
was a man who preferred duty to affection--the safety of his country to
the life of his sons. (Henry Melvill
B. D.)
Verse 14
Now it came to pass
after that Amaziah was come from the
slaughter of the Edomites
that he brought the gods of the children of Seir.
Amaziah’s apostacy
To act like Amaziah--to go out to battle in the name of Jehovah
directed and encouraged by His prophet
to conquer by the grace of the God of
Israel
and then to desert Jehovah of hosts
the giver of victory
for the
paltry and discredited idols of the conquered Edomites--this was sheer madness.
And yet as Greece enslaved her Roman conquerors
so the victor has often been
won to the faith of the vanquished. The Church subdued the barbarians who had
overwhelmed the empire
and the heathen Saxons adopted at last the religion of
the conquered Britons. (W. H. Bennett
M.A.)
The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in
Lebanon.
True and false union
Our parable thus distinguishes between true and false union. The
true is inward and real; the false is outward and superficial. The true rests
on the fitness of things and on eternal laws; the false relies on the
capriciousness of human nature and the ebb and flow of circumstances. The false
comes through conquest
coercion
and oppression; the true comes from God
righteousness and liberty. You will find these two kinds of union facing us in
all relations of life. Take the history of Christianity in the world.
1. The aim of the Roman Catholic Church has been to create union
among all Christians. But
while the aim has been good
the method employed has
been bad. The union thus sought has been a false one because it has tried to
coerce and compel men to acknowledge the Pope to be the one earthly vicar of
Christ.
2. A similar policy has been that of the Established Church of
England. As soon as the prayer-book was compiled a series of Acts of Parliament
were passed--the Act of Uniformity
etc.--to compel all British subjects
to conform to its teaching. An effort was made to establish union by Acts of
Parliament. The effort with a right and noble aim has failed because based on
false methods.
3. Dissenters have also erred in like manner. At the assembly of
Westminster divines a number of eminent Christian men drew up a set of
doctrines
which were to be the infallible guide for a section of the followers
of Christ. If a carpenter has a certain number of boards to make he gets the
wood that is necessary; he takes his measurements; he cuts and planes each
board exactly to the size
and length
and breadth
and thickness that he
desires; he joins the boards together and makes the box
or floor
or other
article as the case may be. All are united to complete the one object intended.
But it is impossible for us to apply the word “union” in this sense to
intelligent
thinking human beings. You may cut
measure wood and inanimate
objects as you please
but here you have to do with “creatures” in whom there
is the “Divine gift of reason and free-will.” If you wish to unite men under
any government
religious or political
you must first appeal to their reason
and leave them free to act as that reason leads them. The only true basis of
union among human beings is the “Presence of God”--in other words
righteousness
justice
liberty
and truth. For where righteousness
justice
liberty
and truth are
there God is. The members of a family are united not by
bearing the same name
resembling each other in stature and features
but by doing
what is right and just to each other
and by loving one another. The members of
the Church of Christ are not united by repeating the same creed
by meeting in
the same place of worship
by calling themselves by the same name
but by
having hearts glowing with love to one Saviour
and by gladly serving their one
Lord. The people of a nation are united together not by national prejudices and
oppressive laws so much as by their common loyalty to a righteous and just
government. (J. Lewis.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》