That poor man was chaff. And you, wherever you are, you may be just about to be carried away. Cry to G.o.d! This is my last word--Poor chaff, cry to G.o.d! And He will make thee wheat that shall command a rare price.

WE CAN WORK ONLY WHILE IT IS DAY, AND NONE KNOW WHO HAS THE SHORTEST DAY!

LV. "THE KING KISSED BARZILLAI."

2 SAM. xix. 39.

And no wonder, for David could appreciate a real man when he saw him, and so does David's Lord.

I.--LOYALTY IS PRECIOUS TO THE KING OF KINGS.

In the days when the son of Jesse had but few friends, it was a precious thing to be treated in the style Barzillai and his neighbours entertained him (see 2 Sam. xvii. 27-29). They were rich farmers, and had land which brought forth with abundance, so were able to act with princely hospitality to the fugitive monarch. But plenty may live with avarice, and when that is the case it is not to be expected that men who are fleeing for their lives will be received with kind generosity. In this case, however, the sight of the needy soldiers made the hearts of those kingly farmers beat with sympathy, and so the provisions were put there for the men to help themselves. "Hungry, weary, and thirsty" were they, but their hospitable entertainers made them welcome. Never would those dust-covered soldiers forget the halt they made in those green fields.

None felt, though, as David did. He had seen one trusted friend after another fall away, and the thought that the chief among the rebels was his own beloved son pierced him to the heart. It was then he composed the fourth Psalm. And just then to have this welcome feast must have cheered his soul even more than his body.

Do you live among those who are the enemies of David's greater Son? Is Jesus in a minority? Are there those who work with you who delight in making a.s.saults upon your faith? Do they insult your G.o.d? Stand up for Jesus! Be faithful when others are recreant or hostile. A working man the other day, who has to win his bread among those who hate the name of G.o.d, and who profane the air with their blasphemies, said to one who was cursing, "Draw it mild there, that's the name of my best friend." Let us play the man even though we be alone. What did Barzillai care for Absalom's popularity? David is my king, and he shall have the best I have: Sooner or later the king will have the opportunity of rewarding the faithful. The king kissed Barzillai when parting from him; he had pressed his friend to go back with him to Jerusalem, but

II.--WE SEE A BEAUTIFUL ILl.u.s.tRATION OF CONTENTMENT.--They had come down together after the great battle, and David said, "Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me at Jerusalem." It was worthy of them both, and we cannot but feel touched at David's grat.i.tude; he would fain have the patriarch spend his last days with him. "With me," said he, "I will see thou hast everything thou canst want." "Nay," said the old man, "I will see thee safely over the river, and then I will return to the green fields I love, and when the time comes for me to die I will be laid by the side of my father and my mother."

When will men learn that it is not their surroundings but themselves that make a place comfortable or not? Paul could say, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content," and he said this in a letter he wrote to the town where he had sung praises in the jail! Some people would have jumped to have had this chance of going to live in a palace, but this farmer said, "Give me my farmhouse and my quiet grave beside my mother." Elevation may undo us. A sparrow could only chirp even though in a golden cage. Barzillai felt, "A rustic, like I am, seems all right among my ploughs and cattle, but I should not fit a palace." Many a man has made himself a laughing stock because he left the place he was fitted for, and so looked like a dandelion in a conservatory.

III.--We have in Barzillai's words AN OLD MAN'S VIEW OF EARTHLY ENJOYMENT. As though he had said, "I have lost hearing, sight, and taste; what are all these things to me? I am soon to be in my grave, what do I want away from home?" It would be well for most of us to weigh these words, "How long have I to live?" To judge from the way we see men toil to get houses and land, you would think they were going to live for ever. Watch them how they are sc.r.a.ping the money they have; they have none to spare to feed the hungry and clothe the naked; they have poor relatives, but they cannot help them. Are they not going to be rich, live in a splendid house, be grand folks some day? Aye, but death cannot be bribed. I was pa.s.sing through a splendid estate the other day, and was told of the gentleman that owns it; he is an old man, but he will not own to it, and he is quite a fraud, with his dyed hair and wrinkled face; he looks quite ghastly, in spite of all that art can do to pad him and make him up. I wish some of those who are denying themselves the luxury of giving, because they have determined to have a splendid estate for their children, would think "How will my mansion look with the blinds down, and a hea.r.s.e at the door with a coffin in it, with my name on a silver plate?" We cannot refuse to help the poor, and hear Jesus say, "Well done." We cannot save money for selfish purposes and go to heaven.

Besides, to leave riches for those who come after us is the way to have dry eyes at our funeral!

IV.--THOSE WHO ARE LOYAL SHALL WIN PROMOTION FOR THEIR CHILDREN.--Although Barzillai was not willing to go to live in Jerusalem, he felt that his son might enjoy it, and so called the king's attention to Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king. He is not too old to bend. He can adapt himself. There would be many questions asked by those who had not left the palace when the king returned, as to who this rustic was who was in the palace of David, and they would be told, "This is the son of Barzillai. His father was a faithful friend when friends were few, and his son is promoted to dwell with the king."

When David gave his dying charge to Solomon, he said, "Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai" (1 Kings ii., 7). Tears had pa.s.sed since he saw the provision made for him and his men, but he could never forget it. On his deathbed he could see the bed that was placed by the road side, and upon which he had rested his weary limbs when a fugutive, and so he would repay his debt to the children of the aged farmer. How true it is that we can make futurity our servant and the servant of our children by at the present time caring for our King. Does G.o.d see that we stand by His cause when it is weak? Do we find food and comfort for His fainting soldiers? Then he shows His appreciation by inviting us to Jerusalem the golden. We shall not wish to excuse ourselves from going to that blessed spot. Be we young or be we old, we shall not wish to return, but shall go on to find that the singing men and singing women wish us to join their number and to help them in praising the King, immortal, invisible, to whom be glory and honour for ever.

LVI. "THEN THE FIRE OF THE LORD FELL."

1 KINGS xviii. 38.

It was fire that came direct from heaven. It was not the first time it had fallen; we read of it in Leviticus ix. 24 as coming from before the Lord, and consuming the sacrifice. It was G.o.d's way of showing His power and his favour, and it was something that could neither be imitated nor produced by anyone else besides Jehovah.

I.--THIS FIRE CAME AT A TIME OF APOSTACY. The nation, headed by King Ahab, had gone very far away from G.o.d. They needed some signal display of G.o.d's power to win them back again. It is interesting to notice that G.o.d has been in the habit of manifesting Himself in a remarkable way just at the time when his foes seem to be triumphing. The religion of Jehovah was almost forgotten, the rites of unclean idols were popular both in court and cottage, and it was then that the word of the Lord came to Elijah. When Satan can produce Ahab, G.o.d can a.s.sert Himself by raising up the seer who shall put him to shame. Has it not been so many times since? When the rulers had put Jesus to death, He proved His resurrection by sending tongues of fire on those who kept His word by remaining at Jerusalem. When Popery had placed its iron heel upon the head of Gospel truth, Martin Luther was converted; and later on, when a cold rigour was upon Christendom, Wesley and Whitefield felt the fire of G.o.d in their very bones, and were sent out to tell of the Jesus that delivers the vilest of men.

May we not expect in these days of blasphemy and rebuke that the fire shall fall upon the Church, and that some shall be so filled with the Holy Ghost that the enemies of G.o.d shall be delivered to derision and contempt? Let us not be dismayed by the power and number of those who are arrayed against us. _Elijah was in a minority of one_. He had the king and queen against him; hundreds of well-fed priests opposed him; the whole nation had turned its back on G.o.d, and were opposed to this single- handed prophet. If the fire did not fall, he would become their victim; but they could not prevent the fire coming from heaven. It is the unseen forces that are to be dreaded by the enemies of G.o.d. There was no sign of this fire; but there was a needs-be that Jehovah should prove his supremacy, and He did it unmistakably, for the fire of G.o.d fell!

II.--THE FIRE WAS SOMETHING BAAL'S PRIESTS COULD NOT PRODUCE.--The Creator has a pre-emption on His universe. He has not given the key of His treasury to any man or angel. Those heathen priests may have been--some of them doubtless were--sincere. They had cried unto Baal for help; they had implored his a.s.sistance; but neither the deaf idol nor the listening devil who had invented idolatry could reach the source of the flame which was to come, but not in reply to their desire.

It is well for us who are sometimes in perplexity because of the power of evil to look at the helplessness of sin when in extremity. These shrieking priests of Baal are a picture of many a one since, who has cried for help and had no reply. Let the cholera come a little nearer our sh.o.r.es. As I write these words I hear it is in Spain; it may be in London before this is printed. There may be in the printing-office some infidel compositor, but though he sneers at religion and those who believe the Bible, he cannot keep away from the pestilence as silently it steals along the street where he sleeps! The cholera would drive infidelity away from many a scoffer were it but to slay a few hundreds of Englishmen. How powerless are G.o.d's foes at such a time!

Should there come a universal drought that meant famine if there were not showers to come copious and lasting, how many would look up to G.o.d who now never think of Him! What could science and skill do for us when rain is needed? A famine would make Bradlaugh very unpopular. "If the G.o.d of the Christians does not help us by sending rain, what can we do but starve," would be the cry. These prophets cutting themselves and howling their own shame supply a picture of the powerlessness of sin when confronted with necessity.

III.--THE FIRE FELL IN ANSWER TO PRAYER. What a scene is depicted in verses 29 and 30! There were neither voice nor any to answer, nor any that regarded, and Elijah said, "Yes, if we are on the side of G.o.d and righteousness we can afford to wait." There will be a time when even those who have opposed us shall long to see us act. The prophet waited for his turn, and it came. How the priests would watch him as he repaired the broken and neglected altar of G.o.d? Digging a trench round the stones he had piled, and then laying the bullock on the wood, he sent down to the sh.o.r.e for water, which he continued to pour on the sacrifice till it had filled the trench. Ah! if the fire can consume that, it is no trick. Those who live as near to G.o.d as Elijah did, can get fire enough to conquer all His opponents, and need not fear the issue.

And now he is about to pray. How all would listen as each word smote upon their ears. He puts G.o.d to the proof, and asks Him to show who is master, Baal or Jehovah. Do we not need more of this kind of prayer?

Would there not be more of it if there was only greater faith? Who is the G.o.d we serve? Have we Elijah's Lord to cry unto? Then how is it we allow the servants of Baal to triumph over us? Prayer is as great a power to-day as it ever was, if only we have faith in Him who tells us, "Knock, and the door shall be opened." Dare we put Him to the test, and ask for that which is sure to bring glory to Him, feeling that if our prayers are not answered it is G.o.d's name that will be dishonoured more than ours? Whenever Christians come up to this standard they will prevail in prayer, and be able to call down celestial fire. Pentecost will repeat itself whenever the whole Church will wait on the Lord, as the early Christians did, with one accord. To believe otherwise is to reckon that G.o.d has no care either for His glory or for a perishing world.

IV.--THE FIRE CONQUERED ALL OPPOSITION. The physical difficulties were as nothing, it consumed and licked up all. Flesh, stone, wood, and water alike were wrapped in flame, and appeared no more. Difficulties are fuel to the heaven-sent fire! Opposition is opportunity to omnipotence. Does not the history of the Church teach this over and over again? The Israelites crossed the Red Sea "By crystal walls protected." The three Hebrew children "walked unburned in fire." Do not let us be afraid of physical or spiritual difficulties if there is a promise or command.

The prophet wished to have his countrymen converted, and prayed that their hearts might be turned back, and this miracle convinced them that Jehovah "was alone among the G.o.ds, that all their idols were as nothing before Him. And what is wanted to bring about moral victories is the fire from above, the same fire that fell at Pentecost, tongues of fire, whether we shall see them or not; the people must feel our words to burn them if we have the heaven-sent fire. Nothing will save England and the world but this, and do we not read, "Elias was a man subject to like pa.s.sions as we are, and he prayed earnestly? Why should not future writers say Jones or Robinson, or whatever your name is, was a man, and he prayed, and there was a mighty revival?

All opposition will fall before the fire. Neither Sacerdotalism nor Atheism can hold its ground before the celestial burnings. What the enemies of Jesus have to fear is for the Church to fall upon its knees.

Those who bow before the Lord can stand upright in the presence of His enemies. The man who, later on in this chapter, we are told cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees when he prayed, was wont to say, "As the Lord G.o.d liveth before whom I stand." Let us only be mighty in prayer, and we shall be mighty enough to make wicked men tremble. HE WHO CAN WIN FAVOUR IN PRAYER CAN WIN VICTORY IN BATTLE.

THE DEVIL IS A GOOD ANGLER, HIS MOST CRUEL HOOKS ARE IN HIS NICEST BAIT.

LVII. A PICTURE OF CONVERSION.

2 KINGS ii. 19-22.

Are not the stories of the Old Testament the parables of the Holy Ghost?

Jesus taught by parables; and the Holy Ghost, the Divine Teacher, who yet leads into all truth, has stored doctrine in these tales. There is a kernel inside the sh.e.l.l, if only we have the teeth to crack it.

I.--WE HAVE A PICTURE OF AN UNREGENERATE HEART.

"_The water is naught_," said the men of the city. Does not that describe many a life? Naughty actions influence for evil; for wherever these waters flowed they carried desolation. The fields through which the river ran were useless to the farmer. Are there not some whom we know who might be thus described--perhaps someone who reads these lines among the number? First the schoolboy, then the youth, and now the man, profitless and sour, so that all cultivation has been wasted. Is it so?

And, what makes the disappointment the greater, "the situation is pleasant." It is just the place where men like to build. Everything looks so promising. How true this of many in our midst! Have we not heard some father say, when his boy's beauty has been praised, "_If he were only as good as he looks_!" Is this so with those who are my audience? Is there this combination of beauty and bitterness--men who are courageous but proud, women that are beautiful but vain, workmen that are industrious but covetous, others who are amiable but intemperate--servant girls who are wonderfully clean and active but have a dreadful temper?

Now, it is well for us to learn that we shall no more cure ourselves than the land around Jericho could bring good crops so long as the water was bad. Education and other appliances are sure to fail. I dare say the people had tried one sort of cultivation after another, and had dressed the land with different appliances; but all had failed; there was no hope of success. Very likely some of you are disgusted that hitherto there has been no improvement. There are times when you have really longed to be better, but there has been nothing in yourself to give you hope. Now what shall be done? Are we to remain as we are? Or shall we, like the men of Jericho, seek help from One who delights to make the barren fruitful, and to make the wilderness glad? This brings me to consider:--

II.--HOW TO CURE A SINFUL HEART; OR, A PICTURE OF TRUE CONVERSION.

The beginning of better days was when Elisha came to Jericho. The farmers did not lose a chance. They would not allow the prophet to leave them without having a proof of his skill. They told him their trouble, and this was all he needed. Doubtless he as a farmer's son saw the barren fields, and sympathised with them. And does not Jesus look at us with pity? Is he not waiting to save now? But he will not save where desire does not turn to prayer. If the men of Jericho had left the matter where it was they would still have had to suffer loss, but they stirred themselves to call on one who was mighty to deliver. Is not this the secret? Are not some of us profitless and barren because we are too indolent to pray?

But let us pause a moment to consider what a lesson there is here to the pulpit. Elisha said, "_Bring me a new cruse_." The dish did not cure the waters, but it had to be used, and therefore must be clean! G.o.d is pleased to use human beings as the instruments of conversion. As the prophet needed something to contain the healing salt, so preachers and teachers convey the saving truth. We have no description of the dish, as to its shape or colour; but being new, it was undefiled. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, and if we are to be useful, we had better be cracked, if clean, than entire, but vile.

Mark you, preacher, it is not enough that you are a cruse; you must be filled with that which heals. Have we salt? It is not a question as to the quality or style of pottery; it is salt that is needed. A common flower-pot filled with salt was better than a vase of cla.s.sic mould if empty!

Elisha did not waste time by trying to heal the stream. "He went forth TO THE SPRING." What expense and trouble are thrown away by vain attempts to heal the water lower down! We shall never succeed in keeping the tongue from bitter words if the heart is left to itself. It is useless for men to think blue ribbon will save them from drink if they do not look to G.o.d to take the selfishness out of the heart. It is a wise prayer, "Cleanse Thou the thoughts of our heart by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit." Is it not strange that men do not see that an impure fountain cannot be cleansed by either altering the course of the stream or using remedies lower down?

III.--And then we have THE RESULTS OF CONVERSION. "_The waters were healed_." Mark you, the prophet took care there should be no mistake as to the cause. It was neither he, nor the cruse, nor the salt: "_Thus saith the Lord_, _I have healed these waters_." "It shall be to the Lord for a name." Let the crown be on the Head. So the waters were healed.

What a change in a short time! But the results would not be seen all at once; it would take time to prove the _realness_ of the change, yet each season would only prove the grand conversion that had happened. If we have received Christ into our hearts, the results will be shown; and there are no evidences of Christianity better than these true conversions, which change a man's life, and make it evident that he, like the fields around Jericho, has pa.s.sed from death unto life. The other day, a Lancashire coal-miner was killed in the pit; only a minute before he was killed he was overheard praising G.o.d. He had been a sad drunkard; his home was wretchedness itself. Money was in his hands only helpful to h.e.l.lish enjoyment. But the grace of G.o.d changed his heart and life. His home and family were soon made happy. He became a preacher, went about from village to village testifying of G.o.d's saving grace. In one place he said: "When I was here last, I won 20 pounds by jumping, but my wife and children were no better for it; the publican got it all, and I was locked up into the bargain." He was buried with every sign of respect; hundreds followed him to the grave, and everyone felt that the world was the poorer now that he was gone. These are the evidences we want; these proofs of the truth of the Bible close the mouth of the infidel and scorner. If you would help on the cause of Christianity, love the truth, and make the fields, once barren, bloom with beauty; so shall the name of the Lord be magnified. Shall we not all join in Charles Wesley's prayer?--

Jesus, Thy salvation bring, Cast the salt into the spring, In my heart Thy love reveal, Nature's bitter waters heal; Let the principles of grace Bring forth fruits of righteousness: Then the barren curse is o'er, Sin and death are then no more.