and the Lord gave them rest round about."

And as a reward of their piety, "there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.”*

Thus it appears that Asa and his people, by turning from their former wickedness, destroying their idols, renouncing idolatry, and seeking the Lord God of their fathers, and yielding faithful obedience to the Divine law, were safely protected, and their country was preserved from the scourges of war, and enjoyed a long season of peace and happi

ness.

But it seems in the latter part of Asa's reign, the king of Israel excited a war against Judah; and Asa, instead of looking to God for protection, formed an alliance with the king of Syria, and by a present of silver and gold, obtained his assistance in a war against the king of Israel.† This conduct displeased the Lord, who sent a prophet to reprove him. The prophet came to Asa and said, "Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand." And after reminding him of the assistance he had formerly received from the hand of the Lord, against the Ethiopians, because he put his trust in God, the prophet added, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of those whose hearts are perfect towards him. Herein thou has done foolishly; therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars." Thus did Asa forfeit the Divine protection and lose the blessings of peace.

JEHOSHAPHAT, the son of Asa, succeeded' his father. He began his reign with great zeal for the law of the Lord, and applied himself to labor for the benefit of his people, and to instruct them in the divine law. "And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel: Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the land that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat." On the contrary, some of them sought his favor and brought him presents. Thus his people enjoyed the blessings of peace; and these bless

* 2 Chron. xv.

This practice has abundantly prevailed among warring Christians of modern times, when fighting their fellow Christians.

2 Chron. xvi. 9.

2 Chron. xvii. 3, 4, 5, 10.

ings were not the result of military preparations, but of obedience to the divine law, and a pacific policy.

But Jehoshaphat was afterwards drawn into a connection with Ahab, the idolatrous king of Israel, and narrowly escaped plunging himself and all Judah into ruin. Being prevailed upon by Ahab, to assist him in a war against the king of Syria, Ahab was slain, and Jehoshaphat narrowly, and very providentially, escaped with his life. After this escape, he returned home in peace. But he was met by a prophet of the Lord, who reproved him and said, "Shouldst thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Nevertheless, there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thy heart to seek God." After this admonition, Jehoshaphat renewed his zeal in the cause of God, and for the reformation and moral improvement of his people.

At length a very powerful coalition of the Moabites and Ammonites, and their confederates, was raised against Jehoshaphat. This coalition was probably occasioned by his confederacy with Ahab. But whatever was the cause of it, it was perhaps one of the most powerful coalitions that ever was raised in any age of the world. Tho we have no account of the numbers contained in this vast army; yet it must have been exceedingly numerous: for it appears that Jehoshaphat had an army of eleven hundred and sixty thousand men, besides those who guarded the fenced cities throughout the kingdom. Yet with all these means of defence, he considered himself entirely unable to withstand this mighty army. He therefore called upon the Lord for help, "and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of the Lord. And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord," and prayed before the congregation; and in the conclusion of his prayer he says, "O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee."

Hence we may conclude that the army which came against Jehoshaphat, must have been immensely large. But as he relied solely upon Divine protection, God raised up a prophet, who assured him of protection without the necessity of resorting to arms. "Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. Ye shall not need to fight in this

battle; set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, nor be dismayed; to-morrow go out against them; for the Lord will be with you."

Trusting in the promise of God, they went out against their enemies, not in warlike array, but singing praises to God. And through the influence of Divine Providence, these mighty armies, which had been collected from various warring nations to destroy the Jews, began the havock of battle by fighting against each other: "for every one helped to destroy another, and none escaped." And so great was the multitude of slain that, "when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil, they found among them in abundance, both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering the spoil."

Such was the success of the Jews when they put their trust in God, and not in an arm of flesh; not in their own bravery and military skill, but in the protection of Divine Providence.

JEHORAM, the son and successor of Jehoshaphat, having married into the idolatrous family of Ahab, king of Israel, not only kept up the alliance which his father had formed with the house of Ahab, but openly associated with them in their idolatrous practices, which he carried to a great extent. His first act, after coming to the throne, was to slay all his brothers, and others also of the princes of Israel. By this act he gave a specimen of his character, and of the influence of that spirit by which he was led and governed. In short, "he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord;" therefore the Divine protection was withdrawn from him, and from his kingdom. Notwithstanding the numerous army which his father had possessed, and the strong fortresses erected for the defence of the country; yet those very nations which, without war, had voluntarily submitted to his father, and enriched him with their gifts, now turned against Jehoram, invaded his kingdom, and carried away all his treasures, together with his wives and his children, excepting his youngest son. The king himself was soon after smitten with an incurable disease in his bowels; and after languishing two years under this painful malady, he died.

These successive disasters were all plainly and pointedly predicted by the prophet Elijah, in a letter to the king, and were the threatened judgments of God upon him, for his abominable idolatries and murders.*

*2 Chron, xxi, 12—15,

AMAZIAH, the son of Joash, began his reign with fair and promising appearances. His father, during his reign, and after the death of Jehoiada the priest, had forsaken the law; in consequence of which the country of Judea was invaded and overrun by the Syrians. But Amaziah, like other ambitious rulers, did not learn wisdom from the fatal experience of his father's disastrous fall; but soon manifested that he possessed too much of the spirit of war to enjoy a happy and prosperous reign.

He raised an army of three hundred thousand men to go against the Edomites. Not satisfied with this great army, he hired one hundred thousand more of the Israelites. These however, he afterwards dismissed, upon the admonition of a man of God. But while he was at war with the Edomites, the Israelites, who were offended at being sent home, fell upon the cities of Judah, slew three thousand people, and took much spoil. Altho Amaziah was victorious against the Edomites; yet on his return, he foolishly brought home their gods with him, and set them up for his gods, and worshipped them. For this he was reproved by a prophet of the Lord, who said. "Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people which could not deliver their own people out of thy hand?" This reproof offended Amaziah, and he threatened the prophet, who replied, "I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel."*

to

Amaziah's heart being inflated with pride and ambition, in consequence of his recent victory, he was determined to indulge his disposition for war; and therefore sought to provoke a quarrel with Joash, king of Israel, designing probably avenge himself on the Israelites, for the mischief they had done his people in his absence. He therefore challenged the king of Israel to battle. But the king advised him to stay at home, and not meddle to his own hurt, lest he should fall, and Judah with him. But Amaziah being bent on war, rejected this salutary advice; therefore a battle ensued, in which his army was defeated, and himself taken prisoner. The king of Israel then marched up to Jerusalem, with his royal prisoner, caused a breach of four hundred cubits to be made in the wall of the city, and marched in with his victorious army. He then seized all the gold and silver vessels and treasures of the temple, and the treasures of the

* 2 Chron. xxv. 15, 16.

† Such consequences have often resulted from hired alliances among Christian

nations.

king's palace, and taking a number of hostages with him, he dismissed the king, and returned with a rich booty to Samaria. After this disgraceful defeat, Amaziah's own people conspired against him, and took his life.

Thus ended the career of this ambitious, haughty and idolatrous king of Judah; another striking example of the corrupt tendency, and ruinous effects of the spirit and practice of war, and its insufficiency to protect or defend a na

tion.

UZZIAH, the son of Amaziah, came to the throne by the united voice of the people, at the age of sixteen. It appears that he was blessed and prospered, especially in the former part of his reign: for it is recorded that, "he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.' It appears that he did not make war without Divine approbation: for it is written that, "God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians, and the Mehunims." He was evidently raised up by Divine Providence, to execute judgment upon the surrounding nations, for their wickedness. He became famous, powerful and successful; "and his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped till he was strong. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God."

Like many other successful conquerors, his prosperity raised his pride and ambition, and led him to aspire after still greater power, and to assume a sacred authority which did not belong to him. He had the presumption to assume the priest's office, contrary to the divine law, and actually "went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. For this sacrilegious act, God smote him with leprosy, and thus showed him that his own strength was but weakness, and his pride and ambition but folly and presumption. Instead of humbly and thankfully ascribing glory to God, for his success and prosperity, he took the honor to himself, and thus lost the favor and protection of God, was thrust out of the temple and excluded from the kingdom. He continued a leper to the day of his death; and Jotham his son took charge of the kingdom.

The early prosperity, and final fate of Uzziah, ought to be a lesson of warning to proud and ambitious rulers, who in their exaltation, seem to forget that all power is of God, and that he is able to "stain the pride of all flesh, and bring the haughtiness of man low." And tho success may attend