Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-04-10


compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per-
mission of Ii. s. Hoffman, publisher Philadel-
phia
49, "And Jehu gathered all the people to-
gether."
We find this mans name nearly forty
times in this and the preceding chapter,
and not over dozen times elsewhere. He
is evidently the Lords minister of judg-
ment upon sin and sinners, but does not APP
pear to have been true worshiper of the
true God.
10. 81 have great sacrifice to do Baal."
Thus said Jehu as he commanded to he
gathered together all the prophets, priests
and servants of Baal that he might destroy
them. Baal was the chief male deity of
the PhPnicians and Canaanites The word
signifies master or posse'sor, and is used
fifteen times in this chapter, which is more
often than it is found in any other chapter
in the Bible. The worship of Baal meant
the forsaking of the only true God, the God
of Israel, and an identification with the false
religions OF the nations, and was great
| provocation of Jehovah.
20. "And Jehu said, Proclaim solemn
assembly for Baal"
His purpose is stated in the previous
verse to have been that he might destroy
| bllS NOTSHlper Vi Dahl, DuU uOlllg IL
deceitfully, ana God of truth cannot de-
/ ceive nor authorize deceit.
81 "And Jehu sent through all Israel;
| and all the worshipers of Baal came so
that there was not man left that came
not"
And we read that the house of Baal was
! full from one end to the other. Here is a
devotion worthy of a better cause, but it is
! even so to this present daV.
30 Bring forth vestments for all the
worshipers of Baal. And he brought them
forth vestments."
Thus while outwardly honoring them
and seemingly encouraging them he was
robing them for slaughter. Death, not
life, was before them, and it was death
leading to the second death. The separa-
ton of soul and body is not to be dreaded
if we are clothed with Christ's righteous
ness.
%. "Jehu and Jehonadab the son of Re
chab."
See in verse Is the greeting and union of
these two, and if not familiar with the
story of the descendants of Jonadab, read
it in Jer. xxxv, and mark the blessings of
obedience.
Search and look that there be here with
you none of the servants of the Lord, but
the worshipers of Baal only"
How would such a proclamation affect
the people who gather at the popular
places of amusement in our day?
"a. "And when they went in to offer sac
rifces and burnt offerings"
Here is Jehu officiating as priest of
Baal, while at the same time he nstructs
eighty men that on penalty of death they
are not to allow one of those present to
escape with his life. Compare Elijah prov
ing before all the people that Jehovah is
God, as he offered sacrifice unto Him, and
then slew the prophets of Baal after show
ing them their folly. With Elijah all was
open and righteous. The way of Jehu is
not so. God commissioned him to destroy
Baal, but God did not commission him to
practice deceit or to worship Baal.
25. go in and slay them; let none come
forth"
This is the obedient part, as when the
Levites went in and out throughout the
camp and slew every man, his brother and
companion and neighbor, because of their
sin against God. Thus will everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord
some day overtake all who know not God
and obey not the gospel Oh Thess. i, S, 81.
26. "And they brought forth the images
out of the house of Baal and burned them. y
does He destroy
p. And they brake down the image OF
Baal, and brake down the house of Baal
and made it a draught house unto this
day"
The whole house of Satan, for he is the
prince of idols and idolaters, shall yet FIND
itself without the city and completely
broken down.
rs. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Is
rael''
1t was sore evil, and required severe
treatment and received it. 1t seems t.
have been Jehus special mission to put
away this iniquity; but he did not win Is
rael back to God, as we shall see. 1t is on,
thing to put away evil but quite another
to make people righteous.
30 "Howbeit, from the sins of Jeroboan
the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin
Jehu departed not from after them"
Surely, if we believed that our sins Nigh
reach to many generations, as did the sim
of this man, the most ungodly might b,
led to ponder well their ways. 1t Is fear
full thing to depart from the living God o.
lead others so to do.
30 "And the Lord said unto Jehu, BE
cause thou hast done we'll in eXecutin!
that which is right in mine eyes"
He is commended for his thorough judg
ment upon the house of Ahab. Contras
the lack of thoroughness in Saul whel
sent to destroy Amalek q Sam. XIV, 9-11)
The Lord does not commend Jehu's deceit
While He commends the faith of Rahab o
Jericho He does not commend her decei
either He cannot commend what i
wrong in any one. In the parable of tn
unjust steward duke xvii it is not tn
Lord Jesus who commends his fraudulen
treatment of his master but it is his owl
lord or master who considers him shrew,
fellow to thus make provision for his fut
ure.
"Thy children of the fourth generation
shall sit on the throne of Israel"
And so it came to pass CHAP. XIV, -
His thoroughness brought him and hi
children a temporal kingdom for fou
generations. II we who believe in Jesu
are faithful to Him we shall sit with Hin
on His throne Claev. iii, 81, and in bodie
like His phil. iii, 81 reign with Him owe
! this whole earth (Rev. v, Q, TO- Dan. vii
Y, 81.
81. "But Jehu took no heed to walk i
the law of the Lord God of Israel with al