Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-02-09


Golden Text :-.Belicve i'm the Lord
your God, so shall We be established; be-
lieve his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Ii. Chron. 20; 20.
Cei.tral. truth :--Confdenc in God is
strength before men.
The peace and prosperity which the
Last lesson described in Judah was now
to be threatened by great invasion. In
the semi-barbaric tribes east of the Dead
Sea, the Ammonites. Moabites, and Edo
mites united in hostile move ment
against the kingdom of Lpdah. They
were very numerous, and their approach
was very naturally source of great
alarm to Jehosaphat and his people. A
solemn fast was proclaimed, and the peo-
pie were summoned 10 arms. But the
piOus king, remembering doubtless the
issue of the movement against RamOth
Gilead. which he had recklesSly Joined
in opposition to the warning OF GOd's
prophet, WAS not willing to commit his
error second time. He called the peo.
pile together To ask i'm this emergency the
counsel and blessings Oi the Lord devO-
Israel. lie himself led the solcmnGod OF
tons of the people. aild raised his voice
to God in prayer. He confessed that Sod
alone was great and acknowledged the
distinguished mercy which the people
had received 1T his hand. His address to
JehOYah is model of reverence, faith
and earliest suppiication All the peO-
pie, with their wives and children, united
III the prayer. and a great cry went from
the whole land into the ears of the Lord
OF Hosts.
This brings us to the lesson.
In answer 10 the prayers of the king
and the people. a most encouraging mes
sage CAME TO them through haziel, "A
Levite of the SONS OF Asaph. Asaph,
whose name occurs often in the Psalms,
was one OF the chief singers in the tenn
pie in the time OF David. His pious de-
scendant is now the medium through
whom Il most remarkable AID immediate
answer to prayer is vouchsaied by Col to
the distressed monarch of Judah. For
without any attack or fighting OIL the
part of JehOsapllats army, the enemy
were thrown into stale OF diyi ion
among themselves, so that there ensued
a state OF general panic. disorder ard i'll
discriminate slaughter Of each other. 1t
Was most unexpected and astonishing
solution of the whole problem, and must
be regarded as an instance of the direct
interpOsilion of Cod in behalf of the
good king anu his praying people. We
are told in the context. That on arriving
at The scene the Jews found the ground
covered with the dead bodies of their ell.
IL
valuable piunder. laden with which the
rejoicing people returned to Jerusalem,
singing as they went their songs of
thanksgiving to God, and ascribimg to
him all the praise tor their deliveralice.
Such is the substance OF the lesson.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
j. We have anOthlr Valuable testimony
to the power OF prayer.
1t was one of the most remarkable on
record. Here was Il great host. mar
shalled against Gods people. A great
danger was at hand. The king and his
subjects bowed themselve before God in
humble, believing supplication. While
they were yet III the act OF devotion, the
message OF deliverance came. Aud the
sequel was SO unexpected, so out of the
ordinary course OF events, so plainly the
result OF Il special Interference OF "a high
eli power, that we are warranted in class
ing the whole history among those re-
markable instances OF answer to prayer
which are recorded in such numbers. not
only in the Bible, but in the history OF
GOd's Church OH earth
Is there any trulh in the range of di-
vine revelation, for Christian experience,
which is So illustrated and confirmed by
history as the power OF prayer? Is there
any duty or privilege SO enforced upon
Ills as that OF calling upon God, especial
ly in time of need and danger? Volumes
have been written, libraries might be
written, on this subject; AMI yet how
slow OF heart we are 10 believe in and use
This wonderful instrumentality. How
we fO"get that ''prayer naOUcS the arm
that naOUes the aO0rld."
III. We learn from this lesson what are
the elements OF acceptable aud prevailing
prayer.
/. Acknowledgement of the sovereignty
of God.
This was the first thing which King
Jeiosaphat did. lie acknowledged That
the being he addressed, was God in
neayen." He said ". 6.) "Eulest not thou
over ali the kingdoms Of the heaLhen, and
in thilie hand is there not power and
!! might So that none Is able to Withstand
thee? 2" Thls must be the foundation OF
our confidence If we would find accept
tance in prayer. God can answer our
prayer tor he is Sovereign God
2. Personal UniOn lUith God by faith.
The good king said, Art thou not OuT
Cod Z" We must feel this personal union
with God by faith before We can offer ul
prevailing prayer. This ''is the spirit o
adoption whereby We say Abba Father
a God will not help us. That is Il vague
distant idea. IL must be our God, uuI
co venaut God, the God in whom we be-
lleve, and with whom we are in accord
wehOwiil listen 10 our prayers and grant
our requests.
3. Grateful recognition Of past nlercics
JchosnaphaL referred i'll his prayer &c
what God hath done for his people
Israel. i'll times p.sl, and made grateful
mention OF his great goodness ". u
This is always acceptable 10 God. a
| lively sense OF The Divine favor In the
past is apt To secure additional blessings
| III the iuIure.
4. Firm faith that God auiu hear and
help
The pious King OF Judah expressed a
strong confidence III GOds reidIneSs Il
| aid His people in their extremity, If they
/ truly and deyOu;ly called upon him ". o..
Faith must enter into all acceptable
| prayel. HE that colneth 10 God musl
! believe that he is, and that he is Il reward
Ell OF all them that dilligenily seek him.
Such faith honOrs God, aud lncines hin
always to reward those who exercise IL
8. Humility.