the spirit of royalty, which is a s y n o. nym for ministry. L i ft up your heads you that have t h at anointing. You may wear a threadbare coat, and a crown of thorns, but you are a prince of the blood. Your humblest service is more royal than building Dreadnoughts, pro- roguing parliaments, or leading tri- umphal pageants. Some royal acts: (a) "Jehoshaphat strengthened himself against Israel." To f o r t fy one s self against all that is opposed to God's kingdom is a first duty. Israel was un- Israeled. It was the anti-christ of that age. Idolatrous, "changing times and seasons,'' and persecuting the people of God, I Kings 18:4. Jehoshaphat was safe while he stood out against Ahab; but came near his end when he "joined affinity" with him, I I Chron. 18:1, 31. War with the world and error is the safeguard of the Church. Compromise with either is most dangerous, (b) " H e sent . . . princes f . . Levites, . priests." The princes, probably, regulated civil affairs, and adjudicated cases; for although the Hebrew consti- tution recognized the unity of church and state, Jehovah being the king, the functions of the theocracy were in dif- ferent orders, and Jehoshaphat would have judicial rights as well as religious rites properly administered. Righteous- ness first and then worship. The Le- vites were the proper expounders of the law. They held institutes, Bible in- stitutes, all over the land from city to cityv He believed, with Victoria, t h at
the Bible's the foundation of national prosperity; and with General Grant, that his people must " Ho ld to it as the sheet anchor of their liberties." Our - government is doing a great work in the systematic education of the people 5 in agriculture, forestry, food economies; the railroads by corn trains and other schools on wheels; but what is all with- out the knowledge of God, and the cul- ture of souls? Jehoshaphat was 3000 years ahead of us in circuit education; and in t h at godliness through which all other things are added, Matt. 6:33. God knows what heights our national great- ness would reach did the government and corporations " d emo n s t r a t e" in. every city the Word of God. But they wont. ' ' Wh at fools these mortals b e ! " (3) His Reward. " J e h o v ah was with Jehoshaphat" v. 3, the best of a l l ; " J e- hovah established the kingdom," v. 5, "riches and honor in abundance," v. 5, of course; " F e ar of the Lord fell on the kingdoms, v. 10. certainly; " T h ey made no war on Jehoshaphat," v. 10; dared not face his Dreadnought; "Phil- istines," the hereditary enemy; "A r a- bians," whose hand was " a g a i n st every m a n , " " s e nt presents," v. 11; Millen- nial earnests; "Jehoshaphat waxed g r e a t ," v. 12; became small before God, became great before men; "Business was good," v. 13. Get t h at Old Bible out! teach it, demonstrate it to the people, Mr. President, senators, finan- ciers, philanthropists, reformers, Car- negies, Rockefellers, "Business was good!"
Pith and Pivot—T. C. H. This lesson has a fine flavor to it. The story of the strenuous service of Jehosaphat is stimulating to thè nerve and strengthening to the life Every one enjoys seeing things dònè, and here was a man who did things. He had the heritage of a good father—the best legacy any man can leave to his children. He walked in the ways of David" A man's walk determines his work. Jehosaphat was a man of affairs; he did things at the right time and in the right manner Look at some of the sentences. "Strengthened himself ; "Set garrisons"; "Sought not"; "his heart was lifted up"; took a w ». "rebuilt" ; "had much business." It was no little wave of enthusiasm that influenced this King, but a deep determination to rule His Kingdom with a righteous reign. He went farther than his father and hit hard at high places. When the devil had been
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter