381
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
from the monies destined for the gen eral use of the priests, in the hope that the people would be more liberal in their contributions when it was known that their offerings would really be de voted to the purpose for w-hich they were designated, and that the duty of this work was no longer to devolve on the priests but to be undertaken by the king himself.— Jamieson. There were two chests made on account of the slackness of the priests. The first by Jehoiada, named here, the other at the king’s command, with a hole bored in it (2 Chron. 24:8-14), outside at the gate.— Comp. Bible. Bored! a hole in the lid. The people would know the money was now inaccessible to •the grafters.— Sel. Money that was brought. Modern ways of gathering money for God’s work not only dishonor God but rob believers of one of the sweetest, joys to be found in the Christian life. We try to fool them into giving by selling them; thin ice cream and worse oyster stew, by turning the house of God into a poor vaudeville show, or by pampering their pride by auctioning off pews, or by turning religious conven tions and evangelistic meetings into soenes of rivalry as to which persons or societiès will give the most. It is no wonder that the treasuries of the Lord are depleted and that there is no glad ness in giving. If churches would only try the plan of Joash and be straight forward with the people, and ask them to give out and out, and expect them to give largely, the treasuries of the Lord would be overflowing.— Torrey. v. 10. There was much money. By doing good with his money, a man, as it were, stamps the image of God upon it and makes it pass current for the merchandise of heaven. — Rutledge. There is scarcely a man who is not con scious of the benefits which his own mind has received through acts of benevolence to God’s work. How strange that so few of us try a course of the same medicine.— Boyes. Open your hands, ye whose hands are full. The world is waiting for you. The whole machinery of the divine benefi cence is clogged by your hard hearts and rigid fingers. Give and spend and be sure that God will send;, for only in giving do you fulfill the object of His sending.— Holland. King’s scribe came up. A business man was put to work with the preacher—not a bad idea. ^-Harrington. v. 14. The workmen. In the church
of Christ one little worker can mar the whole by failing to fulfill his office. Find your place if you are not already in it and obey the Savior’s command, “ Go work in my vineyard.” -—Aughey. v. 15. They dealt faithfully. Note the laity here as compared to the clergy in verse 6. It is sometimes the case that the workmen are faithful when the leaders are self-seekers.^—Sel. These anonymous workmen needed no human oversight. Evidently they realized the sacred nature of their toil and wrought as unto God Himself. It was this which lifted them above all necessity of scruti ny. They stand out conspicuously as ideal workmen. We fail to make life worthy when we fail to deal faithfully. This is why so many professed Chris tians’ lives will not bear the close scrutiny of those who can only measure their worth by visible devotion to recog nized duty.— Holden. Pictorial Questions Who was Jehoash? A longer form of the word Joash. Used in 2 Kings only. Who was Jehu? 1 Kings 19: 16; 2 Kings 9:2, 3. Who was Joash’s mother? W h e r e is LESSON Beer-sheba? How old QUESTIONS was Joash When he W. H. Pike came to the throne? Who was the young king’s adviser? How long did Joash reign? What was the condition that put him on the throne? See preceding lesson. Of what kingdom was Jehu ruler? Who was high priest during Joash’s reign?- How long did Joash do right in God’s sight? What were the high places? What did the people do upon the high places? What did Jehoash say to the priests? What was wrong with the temple, the house of the Lord? What responsibility did the priests •neglect? In what year of his reign did Joash reprove the priests-? For whom did Joash call? What did Joash command them? What did the priests , con sent to do? What did Jehoiada do then? Was the chest idea'Joash’s or Jehoiada’s? Where did they place the chest? Could the priests have access to this chest? For what was
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs