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people, and to supersede in their minds the necessity of going up, as the Law of God ordained, to the Temple at Jerusalem. Politically regarded, this was a well-contrived and expedient step on Jeroboam's part. In its religious aspect it was a sin and a crime against God; for the form of worship there was anything but in accordance with the Law, though probably it was considered as paid in the name of Jehovah. And therefore Holy Writ brands on Jeroboam's memory the deep stigma of being "he which made Israel to sin."

The question which came before Jehu after the thorough extinction of the Baal worship, was whether he should keep up this wrong but useful policy, which his predecessor had established. He had to determine whether "the golden calves" should still be the gathering points for worship as of old, or whether he would allow, and indeed press upon, his people to go up to Jerusalem at the risk of their allegiance being seduced to the house of David. It was a question full of difficulty to a man like. Jehu. He had, to use the common expres

sion then, "a heart and a heart" about it. But at last the political necessity made the religious question give way. Jehu had been zealous for Jehovah, and was so still; but his kingdom must be kept together. He was ready heartily to punish Baal-worshippers, but he could not endanger the loyalty of his people. It was a case in which to be "thorough" was hardly possible. And so "Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin."

Then for twenty-eight years Jehu ruled Israel, but not in glory. A dark cloud of trouble and defeat rested on his reign till its close. The Lord, whom he would not obey with all his heart, "began to cut Israel short." Hazael, the king of Syria, invaded, and plundered, and cruelly ravaged his kingdom. He, too, was an appointed sword of God. Jehu in his perplexity and distress seems to have applied for aid to the Assyrian monarchy, which was afterwards to take away Israel's place among the nations. His name "Yahua, the son of Khumri," is found

on an Assyrian obelisk, not as having been conquered by the Assyrians, but as paying a tribute to them of gold and silver, both manufactured and in coin. He was called there the son of Khumri or Omri, probably because he was nearly related to Omri by the mother's side, or he may from motives of policy have represented himself to the Assyrians as his descendant. At least, this record confirms the testimony of Scripture as to Israel being cut short; and shews the reign of Jehu overshadowed with calamity, loss of independence, and disappointment. He died and was buried in Samaria.

In Jehu we see a character which reappears at different stages of the world's history. He is the man of the world, keensighted, vigorous in intellect, subtle in scheming, daring in action, who takes up a religious cause. Almighty God is willing that such men should be His instruments; sometimes He chooses them as such, and rewards them for what they have done in His service, and for the cause of His truth. But they are not truly His, because they seek their own. They always run the risk

which Jehu ran, and often make the mistake he made; they perhaps can hardly avoid it. They take up God's cause as far as it runs in the same line with their own; they work *heartily at it; they "drive furiously;" but when the law of God crosses their plans they stop, they fall back, their heartiness ceases. They give their heart, but not all their heart, and their energy ends in disappointment. They disappoint themselves, they disappoint those who expected great things from them.

And so their character and their history becomes, like Jehu's, a commentary instinct with warning on the words, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart."

Tracts for the Christian Seasons.

ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

II.-THE STORY OF JOASH AND JEHOIADA.

THE unchanging customs of Eastern nations continue to supply the Christian with some of the best commentaries by which to understand the holy writings. The very characters of individuals appear to have undergone less alteration than in our own climate; and two thousand years after the histories of the Bible we retrace, in rapid overthrows of dynasties, popular revolution, and sudden reverses of the fortune of individuals, those habits of life, those startling "changes and chances" of human existence which arrest our attention so forcibly in the rise of Joseph, or the career of Moses, or the hair-breadth escapes of King David, or Jehoiachin's captivity, or Daniel's rule in Babylon.

No. 60. THIRD SERIES.

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