II. WHAT IS GOD'S CLAIM WITHIN HIS SPHERE? That everything shall be referred to him, and in everything his counsel and direction shall be taken. Illustrate from David's feeling of the claims of the theocracy. The entire life of the Israelitish nation being the God-sphere, absolutely everything had to be referred to him, and he recognized and punished all failures to meet his claim. By the mouth of his prophet the claim is distinctly expressed: "For all these things will I be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them." This claim may be shown in detailed application to the circumstances of our lives. The kind of reference to God takes different forms for different kinds of things.
III. THE OBEDIENCE OF MEN IS BETTER TESTED BY THE LITTLE THAN BY THE GREAT. Practical observation of life proves that it is harder to do little things in a right spirit than to do great ones. Many a man stands well before mighty swords and spears, and falls before a pebble slung by a youth. Few of us can stand the serious testing of the commoner scenes and relations of our lives. Yet the Divine testings come most frequently in connection with them; and sometimes God even makes us do nothing—wait; and he watches to see whether, even concerning this, we will "inquire of him."—R.T.
1 Chronicles 14:12.-Loyalty to the one God.
It is noted that, in the excitement of their defeat the Philistines left behind them their idol-images, and that, as a wise and prudent act as well as a truly religious one, David had them all destroyed by fire. This at once made a public testimony of their vanity and helplessness, and prevented their exerting any evil influence on David's own people, whose history shows that they were very sensitive to the attractions of idolatry. "The practice of carrying images of the gods to battle was common among the nations of antiquity, and arose from the belief that there was virtue in the images themselves, and that military success would be obtained by means of them. A similar belief seems to have induced the Israelites to carry the ark of the covenant with them to battle in the days of Eli." Comparing this passage with the answering one in 2 Samuel 5:21, margin, we may assume that the images were carried as trophies to Jerusalem, and, after being exhibited there, were destroyed by fire. David's loyalty to the one God was shown in the vigorous destruction of these rival gods. This, however, must not be confounded with religious persecution. David had a recognized right to deal as he pleased with the spoils of battle; and he was in no way bound to recognize the sanctity which the Philistines might be pleased to attach to their idol-figures. Distinguish between the destruction of idol-figures and the persecution of idol-worshippers. Man is not alone. He has often to act for others, for the family, the class, or the nation. In this way David acted on this occasion. Show what idol-gods may be about now, within reach of our children, etc. We do not call them idols, but they are such if they attract and draw away from God, or push him out of his rightful place—first in heart and lip and life.
I. MAN MAY NOT INTERFERE WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR'S RELIGION. That is, not in any physical way. He may by moral forces—by argument, by persuasion, but not by force, in either private spheres of social life or public spheres of law and magistracy. And yet it has taken all the Christian ages to get this truth taught to men, and it is only half learned yet. A modern preacher says, "What a blunder persecution for religious convictions is! Has there ever been a disability put upon religious belief, has there ever been a persecution short of absolute extermination, that has not strengthened the faith it was meant to discourage? Persecution drives men in upon their convictions—makes them hold more firmly by their principles." Yet we must as clearly see that we are held responsible for our neighbour's religion, so far as the use of moral forces is concerned. The sense of this responsibility is the impulse of all missionary labour. We must preach Christ's kingdom, and with all moral suasion "compel them to come in."
II. MAN MAY KEEP HIS NEIGHBOUR'S RELIGION FROM INTERFERING WITH HIS. And in resisting he may find it necessary to use physical forces. David would not have been justified in going to Philistia and burning other people's idols. Had he done so, he would have been very properly resisted. But when these idols were left behind, as the spoil of the victors, he was quite justified in destroying them, and so preventing them from becoming a snare to his people.
Apply to the agencies of moral and religious mischief in our day, such as evil literature, self-indulgent pleasures, infidel maxims, etc. We are bound in our loyalty to God to keep these away—to take them and burn them, if need be, and so keep them away from our children and our servants. We should realize that, if the day of idolatrous images is passed, things—artistic things, symbolic things, literary things—may and often do become the most fascinating and degrading idol-forces.—R.T.
1 Chronicles 14:15.-Signs and sounds of the Divine presence.
The circumstances connected with the second enterprise of the Philistines are more fully detailed; and it seems the design of the chronicler to remind us that, in answer to prayer and dependence, God may not only give a general approval, but also minute and careful directions, and such as may involve waiting on him and watching for the right situation and the right moment. In some manifest and impressive way the Divine presence would be declared, and the Divine will made known. Often God finds it necessary to teach his people that he must be waited for as well as waited on. A sound as of marching or stepping would presently be heard; it would be a rustling of the leaves of the bach trees, as if a wind were passing through them; and this would be the sign that the heavenly host had come to assure the victory; and immediately upon hearing this sign, David was to act with vigour; he was to "bestir himself," or be sharp. "The sound of a going in the tops of the trees" had a double significance. It was the sound of the viewless march of "the Lord going out before him to smite the host of the Philistines." It was the sound of God going forth to smite their gods, even as he smote the gods of Egypt (comp. Psalms 29:4).
I. THE DIVINE PRESENCE RESPONDS TO MAN'S DEPENDENCE AND PRAYER. To his dependence, which is the appropriate state of mind and feeling. To his prayer, which is the appropriate mode of expressing the right feeling. That which shuts a man's door against God is self-confidence. If a man feels that he can "go the warfare at his own charges," he does not need God, and God can but leave him alone to learn the lesson of his own self-impotence. The assurance on which the dependent man may rest is this: "To that man will I look, and with him will I dwell, who is humble, and. contrite of heart, and trembleth at my word." If we but win and maintain this right attitude, then we may have perfect confidence that God is with us, although the confidence may be more a matter of faith than of feeling. God was really with David, though the sensible sign of his presence did not come until, when the wind was still, there was that suggestive "sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees."
II. THE DIVINE PRESENCE MAY BE RECOGNIZED ONLY IN RESULTS. It sometimes seems right to God to make us go quite through our working-time only holding the faith of his presence and hell), and not in any way aided by sensible signs. But such faith is a practical inspiration and strength. It is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Sometimes the issues and results plainly show that God was with us; and the final issues of life will have this for the conviction they seal: "It was a good way wherein the Lord our God led us."
III. THE DIVINE PRESENCE MAY BE RECOGNIZED IN CONSCIOUS STRENGTH FOR DUTY. This truth is effectively illustrated in St. Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). He was taught to see God with him just in this, that "strength was made perfect in his weakness." In view of the practical character of our life, it is a more important thing to have strength for doing than, without strength, mere comfort of feeling. And yet men yearn most for sensible signs, and undervalue the inward strengthenings.
IV. THE DIVINE PRESENCE MAY BE INDICATED BY GRACIOUS SIGNS. As in the case of our Lord at his baptism and at his transfiguration. Also in his great agony in Gethsemane, there appeared an "angel from heaven, strengthening him." On several occasions of St. Paul's life he was favoured with special visions. With the pious servant of God we may say, "The best of all is that God is with us;" but we may also ask for the comforting sense of that presence through the aid of gracious signs. And God will grant these, both for our own sakes and for the sake of others who may be blessed through us. While watchful against extravagance and superstition, we ought not to deny the truth of visions and signs and Divine communications granted nowadays to God's people. There might well be a fuller expectancy of direct dealings with dependent and prayerful men, manifest Divine leading by inward impulse, and providential direction, and signs plain enough to sensitive souls.—R.T.
1 Chronicles
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