prophets and kings-第29部分

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　sackcloth；　and　went　softly。

〃And　the　word　of　the　Lord　came　to　Elijah　the　Tishbite；　saying；　Seest　thou　how　Ahab　humbleth　himself　before　Me？　because　he　humbleth　himself　before　Me；　I　will　not　bring　the　evil　in　his　days：　but　in　his　son's　days　will　I　bring　the　evil　upon　his　house。〃

It　was　less　than　three　years　later　that　King　Ahab　met　his　death　at　the　hands　of　the　Syrians。　Ahaziah；　his　successor；　〃did　evil　in　the　sight　of　the　Lord；　and　walked　in　the　way　of　his　father；　and　in　the　way　of　his　mother；　and　in　the　way　of　Jeroboam。〃　〃He　served　Baal；　and　worshiped　him；　and　provoked　to　anger　the　Lord　God　of　Israel；〃　as　his　father　Ahab　had　done。　1　Kings　22：52；　53。　But　judgments　followed　close　upon　the　sins　of　the　rebellious　king。　A　disastrous　war　with　Moab；　and　then　an　accident　by　which　his　own　life　was　threatened；　attested　to　God's　wrath　against　him。

Having　fallen　〃through　a　lattice　in　his　upper　chamber；〃　Ahaziah；　seriously　injured；　and　fearful　of　the　possible　outcome；　sent　some　of　his　servants　to　make　inquiry　of　Baalzebub；

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the　god　of　Ekron；　whether　he　should　recover　or　not。　The　god　of　Ekron　was　supposed　to　give　information；　through　the　medium　of　its　priests；　concerning　future　events。　Large　numbers　of　people　went　to　inquire　of　it；　but　the　predictions　there　uttered；　and　the　information　given；　proceeded　from　the　prince　of　darkness。

Ahaziah's　servants　were　met　by　a　man　of　God；　who　directed　them　to　return　to　the　king　with　the　message：　〃Is　it　because　there　is　no　God　in　Israel；　that　ye　go　to　inquire　of　Baal…zebub；　the　god　of　Ekron？　Now　therefore　thus　saith　Jehovah；　Thou　shalt　not　come　down　from　the　bed　whither　thou　art　gone　up；　but　shalt　surely　die。〃　Having　delivered　his　message；　the　prophet　departed。

The　astonished　servants　hastened　back　to　the　king；　and　repeated　to　him　the　words　of　the　man　of　God。　The　king　inquired；　〃What　manner　of　man　was　he？〃　They　answered；　〃He　was　an　hairy　man；　and　girt　with　a　girdle　of　leather　about　his　loins。〃　〃It　is　Elijah　the　Tishbite；〃　Ahaziah　exclaimed。　He　knew　that　if　the　stranger　whom　his　messengers　had　met　was　indeed　Elijah；　the　words　of　doom　pronounced　would　surely　come　to　pass。　Anxious　to　avert；　if　possible；　the　threatened　judgment；　he　determined　to　send　for　the　prophet。

Twice　Ahaziah　sent　a　company　of　soldiers　to　intimidate　the　prophet；　and　twice　the　wrath　of　God　fell　upon　them　in　judgment。　The　third　company　of　soldiers　humbled　themselves　before　God；　and　their　captain；　as　he　approached　the　Lord's　messenger；　〃fell　on　his　knees　before　Elijah；　and　besought　him；　and　said　unto　him；　O　man　of　God；　I　pray

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thee；　let　my　life；　and　the　life　of　these　fifty　thy　servants；　be　precious　in　thy　sight。〃

〃The　angel　of　Jehovah　said　unto　Elijah；　Go　down　with　him：　be　not　afraid　of　him。　And　he　arose；　and　went　down　with　him　unto　the　king。　And　he　said　unto　him；　Thus　saith　Jehovah；　Forasmuch　as　thou　hast　sent　messengers　to　inquire　of　Baal…zebub；　the　god　of　Ekron；　is　it　because　there　is　no　God　in　Israel　to　inquire　of　His　word？　therefore　thou　shalt　not　come　down　from　the　bed　whither　thou　art　gone　up；　but　shalt　surely　die。〃

During　the　father's　reign；　Ahaziah　had　witnessed　the　wondrous　works　of　the　Most　High。　He　had　seen　the　terrible　evidences　that　God　had　given　apostate　Israel　of　the　way　in　which　He　regards　those　who　set　aside　the　binding　claims　of　His　law。　Ahaziah　had　acted　as　if　these　awful　realities　were　but　idle　tales。　Instead　of　humbling　his　heart　before

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the　Lord；　he　had　followed　after　Baal；　and　at　last　he　had　ventured　upon　this；　his　most　daring　act　of　impiety。　Rebellious；　and　unwilling　to　repent；　Ahaziah　died；　〃according　to　the　word　of　the　Lord　which　Elijah　had　spoken。〃

The　history　of　King　Ahaziah's　sin　and　its　punishment　has　in　it　a　warning　which　none　can　disregard　with　impunity。　Men　today　may　not　pay　homage　to　heathen　gods；　yet　thousands　are　worshiping　at　Satan's　shrine　as　verily　as　did　the　king　of　Israel。　The　spirit　of　idolatry　is　rife　in　the　world　today；　although；　under　the　influence　of　science　and　education；　it　has　assumed　forms　more　refined　and　attractive　than　in　the　days　when　Ahaziah　sought　to　the　god　of　Ekron。　Every　day　adds　its　sorrowful　evidence　that　faith　in　the　sure　word　of　prophecy　is　decreasing；　and　that　in　its　stead　superstition　and　satanic　witchery　are　captivating　the　minds　of　many。

Today　the　mysteries　of　heathen　worship　are　replaced　by　the　secret　association　and　seances；　the　obscurities　and　wonders；　of　spiritistic　mediums。　The　disclosures　of　these　mediums　are　eagerly　received　by　thousands　who　refuse　to　accept　light　from　God's　word　or　through　His　Spirit。　Believers　in　spiritism　may　speak　with　scorn　of　the　magicians　of　old；　but　the　great　deceiver　laughs　in　triumph　as　they　yield　to　his　arts　under　a　different　form。

There　are　many　who　shrink　with　horror　from　the　thought　of　consulting　spirit　mediums；　but　who　are　attracted　by　more　pleasing　forms　of　spiritism。　Others　are　led　astray　by　the　teachings　of　Christian　Science；　and　by　the　mysticism　of　Theosophy　and　other　Oriental　religions。

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The　apostles　of　nearly　all　forms　of　spiritism　claim　to　have　power　to　heal。　They　attribute　this　power　to　electricity；　magnetism；　the　so…called　〃sympathetic　remedies；〃　or　to　latent　forces　within　the　mind　of　man。　And　there　are　not　a　few；　even　in　this　Christian　age；　who　go　to　these　healers；　instead　of　trusting　in　the　power　of　the　living　God　and　the　skill　of　well…qualified　physicians。　The　mother；　watching　by　the　sickbed　of　her　child；　exclaims；　〃I　can　do　no　more。　Is　there　no　physician　who　has　power　to　restore　my　child？〃　She　is　told　of　the　wonderful　cures　performed　by　some　clairvoyant　or　magnetic　healer；　and　she　trusts　her　dear　one　to　his　charge；　placing　it　as　verily　in　the　hand　of　Satan　as　if　he　were　standing　by　her　side。　In　many　instances　the　future　life　of　the　child　is　controlled　by　a　satanic　power　which　it　seems　impossible　to　break。

God　had　cause　for　displeasure　at　Ahaziah's　impiety。　What　had　He　not　done　to　win　the　hearts　of　the　people　of　Israel　and　to　inspire　them　with　confidence　in　Himself？　For　ages　He　had　been　giving　His　people　manifestations　of　unexampled　kindness　and　love。　From　the　beginning　He　had　shown　that　His　〃delights　were　with　the　sons　of　men。〃　Proverbs　8：31。　He　had　been　a　very　present　help　to　all　who　sought　Him　in　sincerity。　Yet　now　the　king　of　Israel；　turning　from　God　to　ask　help　of　the　worst　enemy　of　his　people；　proclaimed　to　the　heathen　that　he　had　more　confidence　in　their　idols　than　in　the　God　of　heaven。　In　the　same　manner　do　men　and　women　dishonor　Him　when　they　turn　from　the　Source　of　strength　and　wisdom　to　ask　help　or　counsel　from　the　powers　of　darkness。　If　God's　wrath　was　kindled　by　Ahaziah's

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act；　how　does　He　regard　those　who；　having　still　greater　light；　choose　to　follow　a　similar　course？

Those　who　give　themselves　up　to　the　sorcery　of　Satan；　may　boast　of　great　benefit　received；　but　does　this　prove　their　course　to　be　wise　or　safe？　What　if　life　should　be　prolonged？　What　if　temporal　gain　should　be　secured？　Will　it　pay　in　the　end　to　have　disregarded　the　will　of　God？　All　such　apparent　gain　will　prove　at　last　an　irrecoverable　loss。　We　cannot　with　impunity　break　down　a　single　barrier　which　God　has　erected　to　guard　His　people　from　Satan's　power。

As　Ahaziah　had　no　son；　he　was　succeeded　by　Jehoram；　his　brother；　who　reigned　over　the　ten　tribes　for　twelve　years。　Throughout　these　years　his　mother；　Jezebel；　was　still　living；　and　she　continued　to　exercise　her　evil　influence　over　the　affairs　of　the　nation。　Idolatrous　customs　were　still　practiced　by　many　of　the　people。　Jehoram　himself　〃wrought　evil　in　the　sight　of　the　Lord；　but　not　like　his　father；　and　like　his　mother：　for　he　put　away　the　image　of　Baal　that　his　father　had　made。　Nevertheless　he　cleaved　unto　the　sins　of　Jereboam　the　son　of　Nebat；　which　made　Israel　to　sin；　he　departed　not　therefrom。〃　2　Kings　3：2；　3。

It　was　during　Jehoram's　reign　over　Israel　that　Jehoshaphat　died；　and　Jehoshaphat's　son；　also　named　Jehoram；　ascended　the　throne　of　the　kingdom　of　Judah。　By　his　marriage　with　the　daughter　of　Ahab　and　Jezebel；　Jehoram　of　Judah　was　closely　connected　with　the　king　of　Israel；　and　in　his　reign　he　followed　after　Baal；　〃like　as　did　the　house　of　Ahab。〃　〃Moreover　he　made　high　places　in　the　mountains　of　Judah；　and　caused　the　inhabitants　of　Jerusalem　to

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commit　fornication；　and　compelled　Judah　thereto。〃　2　Chronicles　21：6；　11。

The　king　of　Judah　was　not　permitted　to　continue　his　terrible　apostasy　unreproved。　The　prophet　Elijah　had　not　yet　been　translated；　and　he　could　not　remain　silent　while　the　kingdom　of　Judah　was　pursuing　the　same　course　that　had　brought　the　northern　kingdom　to　the　verge　of　ruin。　The　prophet　sent　to　Jehoram　of　Judah　a　written　communication；　in　which　the　wicked　king　read　the　awful　words：

〃Thus　saith　the　Lord　God　of　David　thy　father；　Because　thou　hast　not　walked　in　the　ways　of　Jehoshaphat　thy　father；　nor　in　the　ways　of　Asa　king　of　Judah；　but　hast　walked　in　the　way　of　the　kings　of　Israel；　and　hast　made　Judah　and　the　inhabitants　of　Jerusalem　to　go　a　whoring；　like　to　the　whoredoms　of　the　house　of　Ahab；　and　also　hast　slain　thy　brethren　of　thy　father's　house；　which　were　better　than　thyself：　behold；　with　a　great　plague　will　the　Lord　smite　thy　people；　and　thy　children；　and　thy　wives；　and　all　thy　goods：　and　thou　shalt　have　great　sickness。〃

In　fulfillment　of　this　prophecy　〃the　Lord　stirred　up　against　Jehoram　the　spirit　of　the　Philistines；　and　of　the　Arabians；　that　were　near　the　Ethiopians：　and　they　came　up　into　Judah；　and　brake　into　it；　and　carried　away　all　the　substance　that　was　found　in　the　king's　house；　and　his　sons　also；　and　his　wives；　so　that　there　was　never　a　son　left　him；　save　Jehoahaz　＇Ahaziah；　Azariah＇；　the　youngest　of　his　sons。

〃And　after　all　this　the　Lord　smote　him　in　his　bowels　with　an　incurable　disease。　And　it　came　to　pass；　that　in　process　of　time；　after　the　end　of　two　years；　。　。　。　he　died　of　sore

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diseases。〃　〃And　Ahaziah　＇Jehoahaz＇　his　son　reigned　in　his　stead。〃　Verses　12：19；　2　Kings　8：24。

Jehoram　the　son　of　Ahab　was　still　reigning　in　the　kingdom　of　Israel　when　his　nephew；　Ahaziah；　came　to　the　throne　of　Judah。　Ahaziah　ruled　only　one　y