326 lines
25 KiB
XML
326 lines
25 KiB
XML
<div2 id="iiCh.xvi" n="xvi" next="iiCh.xvii" prev="iiCh.xv" progress="82.60%" title="Chapter XV">
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<h2 id="iiCh.xvi-p0.1">S E C O N D C H R O N I C L E
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S</h2>
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<h3 id="iiCh.xvi-p0.2">CHAP. XV.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="iiCh.xvi-p1">Asa and his army were now returning in triumph
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from the battle, laden with spoils and adorned with the trophies of
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victory, the pious prince, we may now suppose, studying what he
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should render to God for this great favour. He knew that the work
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of reformation, which he had begun in his kingdom, was not
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perfected; his enemies abroad were subdued, but there were more
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dangerous enemies at home that were yet unconquered—idols in Judah
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and Benjamin: his victory over the former emboldened him vigorously
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to renew his attack upon the latter. Now here we have, I. The
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message which God sent to him, by a prophet, to engage him to, and
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encourage him in, the prosecution of his reformation, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.1-2Chr.15.7" parsed="|2Chr|15|1|15|7" passage="2Ch 15:1-7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>. II. The life which this
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message put into that good cause, and their proceedings in
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pursuance of it. Idols removed, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.8" parsed="|2Chr|15|8|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:8">ver.
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8</scripRef>. The spoil dedicated to God, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.9-2Chr.15.11" parsed="|2Chr|15|9|15|11" passage="2Ch 15:9-11">ver. 9-11</scripRef>. A covenant made with God, and a
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law for the punishing of idolaters, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.12-2Chr.15.15" parsed="|2Chr|15|12|15|15" passage="2Ch 15:12-15">ver. 12-15</scripRef>. A reformation at court,
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<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.16" parsed="|2Chr|15|16|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:16">ver. 16</scripRef>. Dedicated things
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brought into the house of God, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.18" parsed="|2Chr|15|18|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:18">ver.
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18</scripRef>. All well, but that the high places were permitted,
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<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.17" parsed="|2Chr|15|17|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:17">ver. 17</scripRef>. And the effect of
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this was great peace, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.19" parsed="|2Chr|15|19|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:19">ver.
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19</scripRef>.</p>
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<scripCom id="iiCh.xvi-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15" parsed="|2Chr|15|0|0|0" passage="2Ch 15" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="iiCh.xvi-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.1-2Chr.15.7" parsed="|2Chr|15|1|15|7" passage="2Ch 15:1-7" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.15.1-2Chr.15.7">
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<h4 id="iiCh.xvi-p1.11">God's Message to Asa. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p1.12">b. c.</span> 945.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="iiCh.xvi-p2">1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the
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son of Oded: 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto
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him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p2.1">Lord</span> <i>is</i> with you, while ye be with him;
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and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him,
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he will forsake you. 3 Now for a long season Israel <i>hath
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been</i> without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and
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without law. 4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto
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the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p2.2">Lord</span> God of Israel, and sought
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him, he was found of them. 5 And in those times <i>there
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was</i> no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but
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great vexations <i>were</i> upon all the inhabitants of the
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countries. 6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of
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city: for God did vex them with all adversity. 7 Be ye
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strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work
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shall be rewarded.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p3">It was a great happiness to Israel that
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they had prophets among them; yet, while they were thus blessed,
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they were strangely addicted to idolatry, whereas, when the spirit
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of prophecy had ceased under the second temple, and the canon of
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the Old Temple was completed (which was constantly read in their
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synagogues), they were pure from idolatry; for the scriptures are
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of all other the <i>most sure word of prophecy,</i> and most
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effectual, and the church could not be so easily imposed upon by a
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counterfeit Bible as by a counterfeit prophet. Here was a prophet
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sent to Asa and his army, when they returned victorious from the
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war with the Ethiopians, not to compliment them and congratulate
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them on their success, but to quicken them to their duty; this is
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the proper business of God's ministers, even with princes and the
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greatest men. The <i>Spirit of God came</i> upon the prophet
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(<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.1" parsed="|2Chr|15|1|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), both to
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instruct him what he should say and to enable him to say it with
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clearness and boldness.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p4">I. He told them plainly upon what terms
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they stood with God. Let them not think that, having obtained this
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victory, all was their own for ever; no, he must let them know they
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were upon their good behaviour. Let them do well, and it will be
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well with them, otherwise not. 1. <i>The Lord is with you while you
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are with him.</i> This is both a word of comfort, that those who
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keep close to God shall always have his presence with them, and
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also a word of caution: "He is <i>with you, while you are with
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him,</i> but no longer; you have now a signal token of his
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favourable presence with you, but the continuance of it depends
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upon your perseverance in the way of your duty." 2. "<i>If you seek
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him, he will be found of you.</i> Sincerely desire his favour, and
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aim at it, and you shall obtain it. Pray, and you shall prevail. He
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never said, nor ever will, <i>Seek you me in vain.</i>" See
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<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.6" parsed="|Heb|11|6|0|0" passage="Heb 11:6">Heb. xi. 6</scripRef>. But, 3. "If you
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forsake him and his ordinances, he is not tied to you, but will
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certainly forsake you, and then you are undone, your present
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triumphs will be no security to you; woe to you when God
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departs."</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p5">II. He set before them the dangerous
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consequence of forsaking God and his ordinances, and that there was
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no way of having grievances redressed, but by repenting, and
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returning unto God. When Israel forsook their duty they were
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over-run with a deluge of atheism, impiety, irreligion, and all
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irregularity (<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.3" parsed="|2Chr|15|3|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>),
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and were continually embarrassed with vexatious and destroying
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wars, foreign and domestic, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.5-2Chr.15.6" parsed="|2Chr|15|5|15|6" passage="2Ch 15:5,6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. But when their troubles
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drove them to God they found it not in vain to seek him, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.4" parsed="|2Chr|15|4|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. But the question is,
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What time does this refer to? 1. Some think it looks as far back as
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the days of the Judges. <i>A long season</i> ago Israel was
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<i>without the true God,</i> for they worshipped false gods; it was
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a time of ignorance, for, though they had priests, they had no
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teaching priests, though they had elders, yet no law to any
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purpose, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.3" parsed="|2Chr|15|3|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. These
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were sad times, when they were frequently oppressed by one enemy or
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other and grievously harassed by Moabites, Midianites, Ammonites,
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and other nations. They were <i>vexed with all adversity</i>
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(<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.6" parsed="|2Chr|15|6|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), yet when, in
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their perplexity, they turned to God by repentance, prayer, and
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reformation, he raised up deliverers for them. Then was that maxim
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often verified, that God is with us while we are with him.
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Whatsoever things of this kind were written aforetime were written
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for our admonition. 2. Others think it describes the state of the
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ten tribes (who were now properly called <i>Israel</i>) in the days
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of Asa. "<i>Now,</i> since Jeroboam set up the calves, though he
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pretended to honour the God that brought them out of Egypt, yet his
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idolatry has brought them to downright infidelity; they are
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<i>without the true God,</i>" and no marvel when they were without
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teaching priests. Jeroboam's priests were not teachers, and thus
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they came to be without law. It is next to impossible that any
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thing of religion should be kept up without a preaching ministry.
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In those times there was no peace, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.5" parsed="|2Chr|15|5|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Their war with Judah gave them
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frequent alarms; so did the late insurrection of Baasha and other
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occasions not mentioned. They provoked God with all iniquity, and
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then he <i>vexed them with all adversity;</i> yet, <i>when they
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turned to God,</i> he was entreated for them. Let Judah take notice
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of this; let their neighbours' harms be their warnings. Give no
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countenance to graven images for you see what mischiefs they
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produce. 3. Others think the whole passage may be read in the
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future tense, and that it looks forward: Hereafter <i>Israel will
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be without the true God and a teaching priest,</i> and they will be
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destroyed by one judgment after another till they <i>return to
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God</i> and <i>seek him.</i> See <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p5.7" osisRef="Bible:Hos.3.4" parsed="|Hos|3|4|0|0" passage="Ho 3:4">Hos.
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iii. 4</scripRef>.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p6">III. Upon this he grounded his exhortation
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to prosecute the work of reformation with vigour (<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.7" parsed="|2Chr|15|7|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <i>Be strong, for your
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work shall be rewarded.</i> Note, 1. God's work should be done with
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diligence and cheerfulness, but will not be done without
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resolution. 2. This should quicken us to the work of religion, that
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we shall be sure not to lose by it ultimately. It will not go
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unrewarded. How should it, when the work is its own reward?</p>
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</div><scripCom id="iiCh.xvi-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.8-2Chr.15.19" parsed="|2Chr|15|8|15|19" passage="2Ch 15:8-19" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.15.8-2Chr.15.19">
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<h4 id="iiCh.xvi-p6.3">Asa Reforms His Kingdom. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p6.4">b. c.</span> 940.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="iiCh.xvi-p7">8 And when Asa heard these words, and the
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prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the
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abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out
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of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed
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the altar of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p7.1">Lord</span>, that
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<i>was</i> before the porch of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p7.2">Lord</span>. 9 And he gathered all Judah and
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Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh,
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and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance,
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when they saw that the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p7.3">Lord</span> his God
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<i>was</i> with him. 10 So they gathered themselves together
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at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign
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of Asa. 11 And they offered unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p7.4">Lord</span> the same time, of the spoil <i>which</i>
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they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
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12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p7.5">Lord</span> God of their fathers with all their heart
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and with all their soul; 13 That whosoever would not seek
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the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p7.6">Lord</span> God of Israel should be put
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to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 14
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And they sware unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p7.7">Lord</span> with a
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loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
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15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn
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with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and
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he was found of them: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xvi-p7.8">Lord</span>
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gave them rest round about. 16 And also <i>concerning</i>
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Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from
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<i>being</i> queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and
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Asa cut down her idol, and stamped <i>it,</i> and burnt <i>it</i>
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at the brook Kidron. 17 But the high places were not taken
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away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all
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his days. 18 And he brought into the house of God the things
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that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated,
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silver, and gold, and vessels. 19 And there was no
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<i>more</i> war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of
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Asa.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p8">We are here told what good effect the
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foregoing sermon had upon Asa.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p9">I. He grew more bold for God than he had
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been. His victory would inspire him with some new degrees of
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resolution, but this message from God with much more. Now he took
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courage. He saw how necessary a further reformation was, and what
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assurance he had of God's presence with him in it; and this made
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him daring, and helped him over the difficulties which had before
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deterred him and driven him off from the undertaking. Now he
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ventured to destroy all the abominable idols (and all idolatries
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are abominable, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.4.3" parsed="|1Pet|4|3|0|0" passage="1Pe 4:3">1 Pet. iv.
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3</scripRef>) as far as ever his power went. Away with them all. He
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also <i>renewed the altar of the Lord,</i> which, it seems, had
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gone out of repair, though it was not above thirty-five years since
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Solomon's head was laid, who erected it. So soon did these
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ceremonial institutions begin to wax old, as things which, in the
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fulness of time, must <i>vanish away,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.8.13" parsed="|Heb|8|13|0|0" passage="Heb 8:13">Heb. viii. 13</scripRef>.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p10">II. He extended his influence further than
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before, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.9" parsed="|2Chr|15|9|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. He
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summoned a solemn assembly, and particularly brought the strangers
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to it, who had come over to him from the ten tribes. 1. Their
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coming was a great encouragement to him; for the reason of their
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coming was because <i>they saw that the Lord his God was with
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him.</i> It is good to be with those that have God with them, to
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come into relation to, and contract acquaintance and friendship
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with, those that live in the fear and favour of God. <i>We will go
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with you, for we have heard that God is with you,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Zech.8.23" parsed="|Zech|8|23|0|0" passage="Zec 8:23">Zech. viii. 23</scripRef>. 2. The cognizance he
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took of them, and the invitation he gave them to the general
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assembly, were a great encouragement to them. All strangers are to
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be helped, but those that cast themselves upon God's good
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providence, purely to keep a good conscience, are worthy of double
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honour. Asa gave orders for the gathering of them together
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(<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.9" parsed="|2Chr|15|9|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), yet it is
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said (<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.10" parsed="|2Chr|15|10|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>) that
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they <i>gathered themselves together,</i> made it their own act, so
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forward were they to obey the king's orders. This meeting was held
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in the third month, probably at the feast of Pentecost, which was
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in that month.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p11">III. He and his people offered sacrifices
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to God, as his share of the spoil they had got, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.11" parsed="|2Chr|15|11|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. Their offering here was
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nothing to Solomon's (<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.7.5" parsed="|2Chr|7|5|0|0" passage="2Ch 7:5"><i>ch.</i> vii.
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5</scripRef>), which was owing to the diminution either of their
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zeal or of their wealth, or of both. These sacrifices were intended
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by way of thanksgiving for the favours they had received, and
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supplication for further favours. Prayers and praises are now our
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spiritual sacrifices. And, as he took care that the altar should
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have its gift, so he took care that the temple should have its
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gold: <i>He brought into the house of God all the dedicated
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things,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.18" parsed="|2Chr|15|18|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
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It is honesty to render to God the things that are his. What has
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been long designed for him, and long laid by for him, as it should
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seem these dedicated things had been, should at length be laid out
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for him. Will a man rob God, or make slow payment to him, who is
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always ready to do us good?</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p12">IV. <i>They entered into covenant with
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God,</i> repenting that they had violated their engagements to him
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and resolving to do better for the future. It is proper for
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penitents, for converts, to renew their covenants. It should seem,
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the motion came not from Asa, but from the people themselves. Let
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every man be a volunteer that covenants with God. <i>Thy people
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shall be willing,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.110.3" parsed="|Ps|110|3|0|0" passage="Ps 110:3">Ps. cx.
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3</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p13">1. What was the matter of this covenant.
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Nothing but what they were before obliged to; and, though no vow or
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promise of theirs could lay any higher obligation upon them than
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they were already under from the divine precept, yet it would help
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to increase their sense of the obligation, to arm them against
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temptations, and would be a testimony to the equity and goodness of
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the precept. And, by joining all together in this covenant, they
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strengthened the hands one of another. Two things they engaged
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themselves to:—(1.) That they would diligently seek God
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themselves, seek his precepts, seek his favour. What is religion
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but seeking God, enquiring after him, applying to him, upon all
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occasions? We shall not enjoy him till we come to heaven; while we
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are here we must continue seeking. They would seek God as the
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<i>God of their fathers,</i> in the way that their fathers sought
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him and in dependence upon the promise made to their fathers; and
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they would do it <i>with all their heart</i> and <i>with all their
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soul,</i> for those only seek God acceptably and successfully that
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are inward with him, intent upon him, and entire for him, in their
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seeking him. We make nothing of our religion if we do not make
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heart-work of it. God will have all the heart or none; and, when a
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jewel of such inestimable value as the divine favour is to be
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||
found, it is worth while to seek it <i>with all our soul.</i> (2.)
|
||
That they would, to the utmost of their power, oblige others to
|
||
seek him, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.13" parsed="|2Chr|15|13|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>.
|
||
They agreed that <i>whosoever would not seek the Lord God of
|
||
Israel</i> (that is, would either worship other gods or refuse to
|
||
join with them in the worship of the true God, that was either an
|
||
obstinate idolater or an obstinate atheist) he should be put to
|
||
death. This was no new law of their own making, but an order to put
|
||
in execution that law of God to this purport, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.2-Deut.17.5" parsed="|Deut|17|2|17|5" passage="De 17:2-5">Deut. xvii. 2</scripRef>, &c. If this law had been
|
||
duly executed, there would not have been so many abominable idols
|
||
found in Judah and Benjamin, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.8" parsed="|2Chr|15|8|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:8"><i>v.</i>
|
||
8</scripRef>. Whether men may now, under the gospel, be compelled
|
||
by such methods as these to seek the Lord is justly questioned; for
|
||
the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, and yet mighty.</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p14">2. In what manner they made this covenant.
|
||
(1.) With great cheerfulness, and all possible expressions of joy:
|
||
<i>The swore unto the Lord;</i> not secretly, as if they were
|
||
either ashamed of what they did or afraid of binding themselves too
|
||
fast to him, but with a loud voice, to express their own zeal and
|
||
to animate one another; and they all rejoiced at the oath,
|
||
<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.14-2Chr.15.15" parsed="|2Chr|15|14|15|15" passage="2Ch 15:14,15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>. They
|
||
did not swear to God with reluctancy (as the poor debtor confesses
|
||
a judgment to his creditor), but with all the pleasure and
|
||
satisfaction imaginable, as the bridegroom plights his troth to the
|
||
bride in the marriage covenant. Every honest Israelite was pleased
|
||
with his own engagements to God, and they were all pleased with one
|
||
another's. They rejoiced in it as a hopeful expedient to prevent
|
||
their apostasy from God and a happy indication of God's presence
|
||
with them. Note, The times of renewing our covenant with God should
|
||
be times of rejoicing, and national reformation cannot but give
|
||
general satisfaction to all that are good. It is an honour and
|
||
happiness to be in bonds to God. (2.) They did it with great
|
||
sincerity, zeal and resolution: <i>They swore to God with all their
|
||
hearts,</i> and <i>sought him with their whole desire.</i> The
|
||
Israelites were now in an extraordinarily good frame. O that there
|
||
had always been such a heart in them! This comes in as the reason
|
||
why they rejoiced so much in what they did: it was because they
|
||
were hearty in it. Note, Those only experience the pleasure and
|
||
comfort of religion that are sincere and upright in it. What is
|
||
done in hypocrisy is a mere drudgery. But, if God has the heart, we
|
||
have the joy.</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xvi-p15">V. We are told what was the effect of this
|
||
their solemn covenanting with God. 1. God did well for them:
|
||
<i>He</i> was <i>found of them, and gave them rest round about</i>
|
||
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.15" parsed="|2Chr|15|15|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), so that
|
||
there was no war for a long time after (<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.19" parsed="|2Chr|15|19|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), no open general war, though
|
||
there were constant bickerings between Judah and Israel upon the
|
||
frontiers, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.15.16" parsed="|1Kgs|15|16|0|0" passage="1Ki 15:16">1 Kings xv. 16</scripRef>.
|
||
National piety procures national blessings. 2. They did, on the
|
||
whole, well for him. They carried on the reformation so far that
|
||
Maachah the queen-mother was deposed for idolatry and her idol
|
||
destroyed, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p15.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.16" parsed="|2Chr|15|16|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>.
|
||
This was bravely done of Asa, that he would not connive at idolatry
|
||
in those that were nearest to him, like Levi, that <i>said to his
|
||
father and mother, I have not seen him,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p15.5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.9" parsed="|Deut|33|9|0|0" passage="De 33:9">Deut. xxxiii. 9</scripRef>. Asa knows he must honour God
|
||
more than his grandmother, and dares not leave an idol in an
|
||
apartment of his palace while he is destroying idols in the cities
|
||
of his kingdom. We may suppose this Maachah was so far convinced of
|
||
her sin that she was willing to subscribe the association mentioned
|
||
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p15.6" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.12-2Chr.15.13" parsed="|2Chr|15|12|15|13" passage="2Ch 15:12,13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>),
|
||
binding herself to seek the Lord, and therefore was not put to
|
||
death as those were that refused to sign it, great as well as
|
||
small, women as well as men: probably it was with an eye to her
|
||
that <i>women</i> were specified. But because she had been an
|
||
idolater Asa thought fit to divest her of the dignity and authority
|
||
she had, and probably he banished her the court and confined her to
|
||
privacy, lest she should influence and infect others. But the
|
||
reformation was not complete; the high places were not all taken
|
||
away, though many of them were, <scripRef id="iiCh.xvi-p15.7" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.15.3 Bible:2Chr.15.5" parsed="|2Chr|15|3|0|0;|2Chr|15|5|0|0" passage="2Ch 15:3,5"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 3, 5</scripRef>. Those in the cities
|
||
were removed, but not those in the cities of Judah, but not those
|
||
in the cities of Israel which were reduced to the house of David;
|
||
or those that were used in the service of false gods, but not those
|
||
that were used in the service of the God of Israel. These he
|
||
connived at, and yet his heart was perfect. There may be defects in
|
||
some particular duties where yet the heart, in the man, is upright
|
||
with God. Sincerity is something less than sinless perfection.</p>
|
||
</div></div2> |