12<\/strong>. they entered into a covenant<\/em> ] Cp. 2Ch 29:10 ; 2Ki 23:3<\/span>.<\/p>\n Solemn renewals of the original covenant which God made with their fathers in the wilderness Exo 24:3-8<\/span> occur from time to time in the history of the Jews, following upon intervals of apostasy. This renewal in the reign of Asa is the first on record. The next falls 300 years later in the reign of Josiah. There is a third in the time of Nehemiah (see the marginal references). On such occasions, the people bound themselves by a solem oath to observe all the directions of the Law, and called down Gods curse upon them if they forsook it.<\/P> <\/p>\n 2Ch 15:12-15<\/span><\/p>\n And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n The covenant renewed<\/strong><\/p>\n Entering into a covenant is what we name a revival; they made it a national act, we separate it entirely from political affairs.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>The persons who led. A faithful prophet and an obedient king. Of Azariah we know nothing beyond the short record of this chapter. This suggests that a man is important to the world only for the work he does. The king was ready to learn from this obscure prophet and to lead the people to consecration. Happy the pastor who finds the wealth, authority, and zeal of his Church willing to receive the sacred message humbly from his lips and faithfully lead where he points the way.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>The truths they used. The same that inspire every true revival (verse 2). Divine faithfulness, human responsibility, mercy for the penitent, punishment for the hardened.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>Repentance.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Atonement (verse 11).<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Consecration.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>The reformer must begin at his own house.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Service for God may cost pain.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>The true leader is called of God.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>Every true leader is a rallying-point for others (verse 9). (Monday Club Sermons<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n A revival<\/strong><\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>A second feature in this ancient revival of religion was a public proclamtion of a revived faith before the world. Religious men are too much in earnest to be still about it. They are moved by a great power. It will express itself as becomes a great power. It is the instinct of religious faith to bear its witness to the world.<\/p>\n A revival: an imperious necessity<\/strong><\/p>\n The text gives an account of the ancient revival of religion under King Asa. Other revivals are portrayed by the sacred writers. From these we learn–<\/p>\n And all Judah rejoiced at the oath. Judahs solemn engagement<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>They bound themselves to nothing new. It was to seek the Lord God of their fathers.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>They swore to do this.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>They entered into this engagement with great sincerity and with great cheerfulness.<\/p>\n And He was found of them<\/strong>.–The search that always finds:–<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>Our text lays emphasis on the whole-heartedness of the peoples seeking after God. One reason why the great mass of professing Christians make so little of their religion is because they are only half-hearted in it. If you divide a river into two streams the force of each is less than half the power of the original current; and the chances are that you will make a stagnant marsh where there used to be a flowing stream. All in all or not at all is the rule for life in all departments.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>They sought; Him with all their heart. That does not mean that there are to be no other desires, for it is a great mistake to pit religion against other things which are meant to be its instruments and its helps.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>The one token of seeking God is casting out idols. There must be detachment if there is to be attachment. If some climbing plant, for instance, has twisted itself round the unprofitable thorns in the hedge, the gardener, before he can get it to go up the support that it is meant to encircle, has carefully to detach it from the stays to which it has wantonly clung, taking care that in the process he does not break its tendrils and destroy its power of growth. The heart must be emptied of base liquors if the new wine of the kingdom is to be poured into it.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>Anything is possible rather than that a <\/strong>whole-hearted search after God should be a vain search. For there are in that search two seekers–God is seeking for us more truly than we are seeking for Him.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>This is the only direction for a mans desires and aims in which disappointment is an impossibility.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Our wisdom is to make this search. What would you think of a company of gold-seekers, hunting about in some exhausted claim for hypothetical grains–ragged, starving–and all the while in the next gully were lying lumps of gold for the picking up? And that figure fairly represents what people do and suffer who seek for good and do not seek after God.<\/p>\n Happy earnestness<\/strong><\/p>\n This verse represents well the happy combination of sacrament and life. It brings before us whole-heartedness for God, with special regard to two of its features.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>Enthusiasm. This may be reckoned the atmosphere which surrounds the joy of whole-heartedness for God.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Willingness. A wide compliance with a competent and kindly force that presses on us from without. Predominant willingness contributes largely to a Christian mans joy.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Rightness. The approval of conscience.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>Undividedness of affection.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>That we find what we seek. There are neighbourhoods where the mists lie so often and so long upon the grand outlines of the landscape, that a clear day is in some sense a day of discovery, of finding, though nothing is there then which was not there always. There have been those who for years have looked through a filmy dimness of eyesight upon those they loved, whose movements were to them like the movements of featureless shades; when the films were one day purged from the eyes was it not almost more than a figure of speech they spoke when they said they had found those loved faces and forms again? So this energising of the heart for God restores vision, and vision restores reality. God in Christ becomes near.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>That we miss much that we had hitherto found. Hostile movements from around are comparatively allayed, and the hush that has fallen upon these reflects itself upon the soul in restfulness. (J<\/em>. A<\/em>. Kerr Bain, M<\/em>.A<\/em>.)<\/p>\n Verse 12<\/span>. They entered into a covenant<\/B><\/I>] The covenant consisted of two<\/I> parts:<\/P> 1. We will seek the God of our fathers with all our heart, and with all our soul.<\/P> 2. Whosoever, great or small, man or woman, will not worship the true God, and serve him alone, shall be put to death. Thus no toleration was given to idolatry, so that it must be rooted out: and that this covenant might be properly binding<\/I>, they confirmed it with an oath<\/I>; and God accepted them and their services.<\/P> <\/p>\n They entered into a covenant; <\/B>they engaged themselves by a serious and solemn covenant before the Lord and this great assembly. <\/P> <\/p>\n And they entered into a covenant<\/strong>,…. Asa and all his people; that is, as Piscator remarks, they went between the pieces of the calf cut asunder, for the confirmation of the covenant, see Jer 34:18<\/span>,<\/p>\n to seek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soul<\/strong>; to serve and worship him most truly, sincerely, and cordially.<\/p>\n And they entered into the covenant, i.e., they renewed the covenant, bound themselves by a promise on oath ( , 2Ch 15:14<\/span>) to hold the covenant, viz., to worship Jahve the God of the fathers with their whole heart and soul; cf. Deu 4:29<\/span>. With , cf. Jer 34:10<\/span>.<\/p>\n (12) And they entered into a (the) covenant.<\/strong>Jer. 34:10<\/span>. The phrase means that they bound themselves by an oath (2Ch. 15:14<\/span>). Comp. Neh. 10:30<\/span>.<\/p>\n To seek the Lord . . . with all their heart . . .<\/strong>See the same phrase in Deu. 4:29<\/span>.<\/p>\n 12<\/strong>. <\/strong> They entered into a covenant <\/strong> Compare a like event in the time of Josiah, 2Ch 34:31<\/span>; 2Ki 23:3<\/span>; and in the time of Nehemiah, Neh 10:28-29<\/span>.<\/p>\n DISCOURSE: 406 2Ch 15:12-15<\/span>. And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about<\/em>.<\/p>\n FEW persons have any just idea of the use and efficacy of ministerial exertions, when accompanied with power from on high. In the context, we see one man, a prophet of the Lord, standing up in Jehovahs name, and by one single address turning a whole nation to the Lord their God. Doubtless the prophet Oded [Note: In ver. 1. he is called Azariah the son of Oded: and we apprehend that when, in ver. 8, he is called Oded, the son of Oded is meant; this being a common abbreviation in the Scriptures. But in a popular discourse it is not necessary to notice this.] had a peculiar commission, and was honoured with a far greater measure of success than any minister in this day is authorized to expect: nevertheless every servant of the Lord, to whomsoever he may be sent, whether to kings or subjects, should deliver his message with fidelity; and in so doing., may expect that God will render his word effectual for great and extensive good. In the hope that our message shall not be altogether in vain, we come to you now in Jehovahs name, and call upon you to covenant with him as Asa and his subjects did: and, that we may prevail with you to comply with our injunctions, we will distinctly consider,<\/p>\n I.<\/p>\n What covenant they made<\/p>\n Here we shall separately notice,<\/p>\n 1.<\/p>\n The covenant itself<\/p>\n [This related to nothing which they were not previously bound to fulfil. To seek the Lord God of their fathers was their duty: the law of Moses, yea, the law of nature, bound them to it: and reason, no less than revelation, told them, not only that they should seek after God, but that they should seek him with their whole hearts.]<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n The manner in which they made it<\/p>\n [Their zeal was very remarkable; yet it was precisely what the occasion called for. That they should all solemnly swear<\/em> to this covenant, and devote to death every soul that should refuse to concur in it, seems an instance of unparalleled harshness and intolerance; yet were both the oath which they took [Note: Deu 29:10-15<\/span>.], and the proscription which they agreed to [Note: Deu 17:2-5<\/span>.], expressly required in the law of Moses: if a husband or a wife were to propose a departure from God, it was the duty of the party who was so tempted to give information to the magistrate, and, on conviction of the offender, to take the lead in executing the sentence of death upon him.]<\/p>\n But it will be asked, Would you propose this as a pattern for us?<\/em> We answer, Yes: we would propose it as a pattern, both in the matter<\/em> and the manner<\/em> of it:<\/p>\n 1.<\/p>\n In the matter of it<\/p>\n [Let us covenant to seek the Lord God of our fathers with our whole heart, and with our whole soul. To seek him thus is our duty, independently of any covenant: it is due to God as our Creator; it is due to him also as our Redeemer. Did our God come down from heaven to seek us;<\/em> and shall not we seek him<\/em>? Did he give up himself to the accursed death of the cross for us; and shall we content ourselves with offering him a divided heart? What is the thing that deserves to be put in competition with him? What has done so much for us, or what can? Have the vanities of this world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, any pretension to be his rivals? O let a sense of his unbounded love and mercy lend us to consecrate ourselves altogether to his service! If the Jews, on account of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage by the exertions of Omnipotence, were bound to seek and serve God with their whole hearts, much more are we, who have been redeemed from sin and Satan, death and hell, by the blood of Gods co-equal, co-eternal Son.]<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n In the manner of it<\/p>\n [If it be thought that we are not called to swear<\/em>, we answer, that we all have sworn already in our baptism; and have renewed our oath when we were confirmed: and, as often as we have attended at the table of the Lord, we have again repeated our oath to renounce the devil and all his works, and to serve the Lord Jesus Christ as our only Lord [Note: The term Sacramentum was used to signify the oath by which the Roman soldiers engaged never to desert the General under whom they fought.].<\/p>\n With respect to the proscription<\/em>, we acknowledge that we are not at this time to enforce Christianity by an appeal to the civil power: and that to inflict the penalty of death on any persons on account of their neglect of Christ, would be to oppose the plainest dictates of his religion: but yet we may, and must<\/em>, declare, that the judgments of God shall overtake all who either reject him altogether, or seek him with a divided heart: yea, the sentence of eternal misery denounced against them in the Scriptures must receive our most unqualified approbation: we must say with St. Paul, If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maran-atha [Note: 1Co 16:22<\/span>.]; that is, let him be accursed; and God will surely come ere long to inflict that curse upon him. Thus, notwithstanding the abrogation of penalties to be inflicted by the civil arm, under the Christian dispensation, we do in fact proceed even further than the Jews did in the covenant before us: for the judgments denounced by them related to overt acts<\/em> only, whereas ours relate to the heart:<\/em> and the penalties inflicted by them extended only to the body<\/em>, whereas ours relate to the soul<\/em>; and that too of every creature to whom the Gospel is sent, whether small or great, whether man or woman.<\/p>\n If it be thought that such covenants are needless, we reply, that they are of the greatest possible utility, if solemnly entered into in our secret chamber before God: for, they contain a solemn recognition of our duty, and a deliberate vindication of Gods justice in punishing all who will not seek him in his appointed way: they moreover tend exceedingly to impress our own minds with a sense of the heinousness of departing from God, and to fortify us against all the temptations to which at any time we may be exposed: and it is owing to the low state of religious attainments amongst us, that such covenants are so rarely made. That we may be stirred up to enter into this covenant, let us contemplate,<\/p>\n II.<\/p>\n The benefits resulting from it<\/p>\n For the discovery of these, we need go no further than the passage before us. After the act was performed, For a long period afterwards, We shall conclude with two proposals, in reference to the covenant we have been considering; and we shall make them to two distinct classes: To those who think such an entire devotion of themselves to God unnecessary<\/p>\n [If God do not require this service at our hands, we need not render it to him: and, if we need not render it to him, we may resolve, and even covenant to withhold it from him. We propose then to those who think there is no necessity to seek after God with their whole hearts, Let us make a covenant together, that we never will seek him thus: let us confirm it with an oath; and let us swear aloud that heaven and earth may hear. Let us go further still, and covenant to prevent every one to the utmost of our power from seeking him, in this way<\/em>. let us hate, and revile, and persecute them, and, by every means that the law of the land will admit of, let us deter them from such unnecessary, fanatical, and injurious proceedings. The law will not suffer us to put them to death; but let us at least shew, that we would do it if we dared; and by the whole of our conduct towards them let us say, Away with such fellows from the earth, for it is not fit that they should live! Or, if any of you think that we ought to leave others at liberty, then we will wave this part of our proposal, and only covenant that we will never seek after God ourselves. Now then let us begin: let us address ourselves to the sacred Majesty of heaven: let us tell him that he has no such claim upon us as he pretends to in his word, and that we are determined never to render him the service he requires. What! Do you hold back? Do you shudder at the proposal? Do you tremble at the thought of entering into such a covenant? Yes; methinks, there is not one person present that is bold enough to give it his sanction: yet there are many who act agreeably to the tenour of that covenant; many who seek God in a mere formal way, or at best with a divided heart. Know then, all ye who violate your duties to your God, that you stand condemned in your own consciences; and, if your own hearts condemn you, God is greater than your hearts, and will condemn you also. Attend then with becoming reverence to the proposal which we next make,]<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n To those who desire to approve themselves to God in the way that he requires<\/p>\n [The making of covenants in our own strength is in no respect advisable: but in humble dependence on the grace or Christ we may<\/em> make them, and ought to<\/em> make them. We read of the Christians in Macedonia, that, previous to serving God with their properly<\/em>, they gave their ownselves<\/em> to the Lord [Note: 2Co 8:5<\/span>,]. And this is what the Prophet Jeremiah foretells as characterizing the godly under the Christian dispensation; Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant, that shall not be forgotten [Note: Jer 50:4-5<\/span>.]. Now then let us do it: let us all be of one heart and one mind in this particular [Note: Here the persons confirmed might be particularly addressed.]: let us look up to God for his grace, that we may be enabled to keep the vow which we are about to make: and may God be found of us, whilst we are thus seeking him; and give us rest in our souls, even that rest which our blessed Lord has promised unto all that come to him in truth [Note: Mat 11:28-29<\/span>.]!<\/p>\n O thou gracious and ever-blessed God, who hast formed us for thyself, and hast moreover redeemed us by the blood of thine only dear Son, thine we are by every tie. We are conscious that we are not our own; and that, having been bought with a price, we are bound to glorify thee with our bodies and our spirits, which are thine. We desire then now to consecrate ourselves to thee; and engage, as in thine immediate presence, no longer to live unto ourselves, but unto Him that died for us and rose again. May we never forget this vow, or act for a moment inconsistent with it! We avouch thee this day to be our God; and we give up ourselves to thee as thy people: and we desire, that thou wouldest sanctify us wholly; and that our whole spirit, and soul, and body, may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ [Note: 1Th 5:23<\/span>.].]<\/p>\n<\/p>\n 2Ch 15:12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;<\/p>\n Ver. 12. And they entered into a covenant.<\/strong> ] As well knowing the fickleness of their own hearts, they do hereby think good to bind them to the good abearance; a commendable practice, by holy vows to bind ourselves to the performance of bounden duties.<\/p>\n soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13. <\/p>\n they entered: 2Ch 23:16, 2Ch 29:10, 2Ch 34:31, 2Ch 34:32, Deu 29:1, Deu 29:12, 2Ki 23:3, Neh 9:38, Neh 10:29, Jer 50:5, 2Co 8:5 <\/p>\n seek: 2Ch 15:4, Deu 4:29, Deu 10:12, 1Ki 8:48, Jer 29:12, Jer 29:13, Act 24:14 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Jos 24:25 – made 2Ki 11:4 – made a covenant 2Ki 11:17 – made a covenant 2Ch 15:15 – sought him 2Ch 34:30 – great and small Neh 13:25 – made them Jer 29:14 – I will be Jer 34:8 – had<\/p>\n COVENANT GODCOVENANT PEOPLE<\/p>\n And (Oded) said, The Lord is with you. They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God.<\/p>\n 2Ch 15:2; 2Ch 15:12<\/p>\n I would be an encourager, like Azariah the son of Oded.<\/p>\n I. Encouragement from God.It argues a bright, buoyant, hopeful spirit. And why should my spirit be anything but cheerful and strong? There are so many allies on the side of the child of God. They that be with us are more than they that be with them. It accomplishes far more than the sad and despondent heart. Sometimes the saint does walk in the shadows; clouds and darkness are round about him. But his energy is greatest, his influence is widest, his courage affects and kindles and heartens many around himself when the sorrow and the sighing have flown away. And it brings me into union and fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n II. Covenanting with God.All Judah rejoiced at the oath which bound the nation in fealty to the King of kings. I read in history of similar covenants in which an entire country, north and south and east and west, pledged itself to fidelity and consecration to the Lord Jesus Christ. But let me remind myself that the covenant should be a personal one too, and should express my individual obedience. It ought to succeed conversion, this definite vow and promise that no other master but the heavenly Master shall have rule over me. And it binds my Lord to me by ties which are peculiarly tender and strong. When I utter my sacramentum, He empowers me to keep it.<\/p>\n And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 12. they entered into a covenant ] Cp. 2Ch 29:10 ; 2Ki 23:3. Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Solemn renewals of the original covenant which God made with their … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 15:12”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11514"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11514\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>The preparations for revival.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The revival. In this blessed work there was–<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The joy of reconciliation (verse 15). Lessons:<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>We see here that the heart of a revival lies in a renewal of the covenant of the Church with God. An awakened Church is the pioneer of an awakened world,<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The old Jewish revival was attended with a great influx of converts from without. So commonly works a pure revival upon the world. Very rare is the exception in which the heart of the world does not respond to the heart of the Church.<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>A fourth feature of a true revival of religion is a thorough reformation of public and private morals. To put away idolatrous worship was what we should call a reformation in morals. Idolatry was immorality concentrated in its most hideous forms. No religious zeal could have been genuine in a monarch which did not sweep the land clean of them.<\/p>\n
V. <\/strong>Such awakenings are often followed by periods of temporal prosperity. The Lord gave them rest round about. No other civilising power equals that of true religion. It never hurts a man for any of the right uses of this world to make a Christian of him. (A<\/em>. Phelps<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>That revivals are by no means new things. Nor are they things of modern invention.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>That the progress of religion is not in a uniform steady line.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>That revivals of religion ordinarily commence in humble and obscure ways, and are ordinarily helped on by the humblest instrumentality.<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>That they are ordinarily accompanied by a great deal of what people are pleased to term excitement.<\/p>\n
V. <\/strong>That true revival of religion are marked by marvellous transformations of character and reformations in the life. (G<\/em>. E<\/em>. Reed<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\n
I.<\/strong> <\/em><\/strong>The solemn engagement into which they entered, and the temper they manifested therein.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The happy consequence of judahs solemn engagement. <\/strong>The Lord was found of them. (Job Orton<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>The seeking. The highest bliss is to find God, the next highest is to seek Him.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The finding which crowns such seeking.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The rest which ensues on finding God. We have no immunity from toil and conflict, but disturbance around is a very small matter if there be a better thing–rest within. A vessel with an outer casing and a layer of air between may be kept at a temperature above that of the external atmosphere. So we may have conflict and strife, and yet a better rest than that of my text may be ours. (A<\/em>. Maclaren, D<\/em>.D<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>Joy. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, etc.<\/em> A wholeness of devotedness to God is consistent with every department of activity and every form of interest which is not <\/strong>in itself sinful. It is as a soul to the body of all secular occupation, however absorbing. The wide onward lift of the tidal wave in mid-ocean does not more interfere with the commerce of the countries, the heightening sun of the springtime does not more embarrass the progress of the land over which it smiles, than the full-hearted service of God breaks in upon the lawful interests of a man among the engagements of his every-day existence. This joy implies–<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>Prosperousness. And He was found of them: and Jehovah gave them rest round about. This signifies–<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
ASAS COVENANT WITH GOD<\/strong><\/p>\n
As to the idea of legality, it is no better than an excuse for our own sloth and lukewarmness. For, nothing can be more suited to the spirit of the Gospel than such covenant-transactions are; they are a strict compliance with the Apostles exhortation to yield our bodies unto God a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, as our reasonable service [Note: Rom 12:1<\/span>.].]<\/p>\n
In the very act,
[They were filled with great and exalted joy; they sware, with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets; yea, all Israel rejoiced at the oath. This mode of testifying their joy was suited to the dispensation under which they lived. The joy which Christianity inspires is of a more refined nature; it is less tumultuous, but more spiritual, and more abiding: and we will venture to appeal to all who have ever solemnly devoted themselves to God in their secret chamber, embracing the Lord Jesus Christ as their only Lord and Saviour, and surrendering up themselves to him as his redeemed people, whether they did not find in that transaction a peace and a joy which nothing else in the whole universe could impart? Do they not at this moment look back to such seasons as the happiest periods of their lives? We have no fear of contradiction upon this point: we are well assured, that all who sow in tears do reap in joy [Note: Compare Psa 126:5-6<\/span>. with Jer 29:12-13<\/span>.]; and, for the most part, the reaper treads upon the very heels of the sower [Note: Amo 9:13<\/span>.]; so speedily do they enjoy the reward of their labours.]<\/p>\n
[God gave them undoubted testimonies of his acceptance. How<\/em> he manifested it to them on this occasion, we know not: there were a great variety of ways in which he was wont to give his people an evidence of his approbation: at one time, by a lamp passing between the divided pieces of the sacrifice [Note: Gen 15:10<\/span>; Gen 15:17<\/span>.]; at another, by a special messenger from heaven [Note: Dan 9:21<\/span>.]; at another, by a voice from heaven [Note: Joh 12:28-29<\/span>.]; and frequently by sending fire from heaven to consume their sacrifice [Note: Lev 9:24<\/span>.]. But whatever means he used, we are well assured, that he left them no room to doubt of his approbation of the act they had performed; for we are told, He was found of them. And will he not be found of us also? and has he not still many ways of manifesting himself to us? Yes; by the secret operation of his Spirit he will reveal himself to our souls, and shed abroad his love in our hearts, and say unto our souls, I am thy salvation.]<\/p>\n
[There was peace to the land; for God gave them rest round about. By comparing different dates in this chapter, we find that the land had rest twenty years [Note: ver. 10. with ver. 19,]. It is true, in another part of the inspired volume, we are told, that there was war between Asa and Baasha all their days [Note: 1Ki 15:16<\/span>.]: but this, for the space mentioned in our text, was only in small contentions or skirmishes on the borders: there was no serious assault upon him from any quarter. This exhibits in a most striking point of view the rest<\/em> which God will give to his believing and obedient people. Our spiritual enemies will not be so put down as to leave us no occasion for vigilance: their enmity will remain the same as ever; and there will still be occasional skirmishes on the borders [Note: Gal 5:17<\/span>.]: but they shall not so come against us as to overwhelm us, or even to destroy our happiness: we shall know in whom we have believed; and feel safety in his protection. Weapons may be formed against us; but they shall not prosper: and men may fight against us; but they shall not prevail against us. It is surprising to what an extent some are delivered from painful conflicts for a considerable time after they have devoted themselves in a solemn covenant to the Lord: their very lusts which once led them captive seem almost to be slain, and Satan himself to be bruised under their feet. True it is, that this will not always continue; but the more frequently and cordially we devote ourselves to God, the more abundantly will he fill us with grace and peace, and give us a foretaste of that rest which remaineth for us in a better world.]<\/p>\n
1.<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nFuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"