is herb identified with Judah, though some of its territory and populace were with Israel. VII. THE INUNDATION ETHIOPIAN " T h e enemy came in like a flood," but " t h e Lord lifted up a standard against h i m ." Zerah, with more than a million men, invaded the land. Some- times the Lord brought in the foe to chastiie his people; sometimes to glori- f y His name and punish them. Zerah came and .Jehovah glorified His name and vindicated His justice to the wick- ed and His faithfulness to the godly. The Battle of Maresha. Against this great host flushed with victory Asa led his valiant forces. The foe was two to one, with the addition of chariots. Napoleon held that " God was with the strongest battalions." God taught him better at Moscow. Most decisive battles of history have .left the victory with the few, as at Mpreh, Jgs. 7:1; Marathon, Ipsus, ete. Asa reckoned Jehovah of Hosts as in- finitely more than a million of men. When the pilot of a olden conqueror pointed to the superior number of the enemy, he replied " A n d for how much do you count me?" He reckoned pray- er a better weapon than spears and bows, and a better defense than targets and shields. True, God is with the strongest battalions but these are they with the God of battles on their side. "Concerning the work of my hands com- mand ye m e . " Isa. 45:11, said the Lord, so Asa issued his orders for the charge. " P r a y er gave him authority over leg- ions of angels and chariots round a b o u t ," the chariots of God are twen- ty thousand, even thousands of an- gels." T"sa. 68:17. The king was in command of a Dreadnought that day. See how he prayed: (1) He called on his God; there is no heir) in another; (2) He called Him " J e h o v a h ." His covenant name; (3) He glorified His power, " Tt is nothing with T h e e ;" (4) He prayed short and to the point,
" H e l p u-s!"; (5) He reminded Him of their covenant part in Him, " O u r G o d ; " (6) He toid Him they were re- lying on Him, " W e rest on Th e e ," and (7) That they staked the honor of His Name, " I n Thy Name we g o ; " (8) He got out of the way and left God and Zerah confronting one another, " L e t not man prevail against Thee." If it were not irreverant we would say that God " w a s up against i t . " Their peti- tion was within the limits of the cove- nant and they had heartily fulfilled the conditions of it. There could be but one issue. Jehovah took up the gaunt- let, Zerah, his host, his stores and his conquered cities fell into the hands of Judah, who triumphed with great spoil. VIII. THE COMPIiETED REFORMA- TION. The Message of the Prophet. (1) A principle stated, in three equations: " w i t h H i m " equals " w i t h y o u ; " " s e ek H i m " equals " f i nd H i m ; " " f o r- sake H i m ' ' equals ' ' be forsaken.'' Good New Testament doctrine. (2) The principle illustrated. " T h e proph- et. sketched their history. They had adopted false gods; Jehovah has no fel- lowship with idols; it followed that He forsook them and they were without the true God. Pagan worship is super- stition; it needs no "teaching" priest; they had none; it is immoral and con- trary to reason and they could not en- dure the law. There is nothing but trouble for them who are without God, without instruction, without law or gospel. When men turn again to God they find Him gracious. (3) The prin- ciple inculcated. " B e ye strong there- fore (in the Lord) and get the reward of it. (4) The principle vindicated, (a) " A s a took courage." It takes courage to fight sin within or without, against the prejudice of the flesh, or of the people who find it pleasurable or profitable. But Asa had courage to do things, and he made a clean sweep of all the abominations, and reinstatement of the holy service of the Lord, (b) The weak and timid came out of hid- ing; residents of the northern tribes immigrated into Judea, and there were
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