serve other gods, and worship Xxxgauge com them: 7. Then will I cut off Israel out
of the land which I have given them; and this house which I have
hallowed for My name, will I cast out of My sight; and Israel shall be
a proverb and a byword among all people: 8. Xxxgauge com and at this house, which is
high, every Xxxgauge com one that passeth by it Xxxgauge com shall be astonished, and shall hiss;
and they shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus Xxxgauge com unto this land, and to
this house? 9. And they shall answer, Because they Xxxgauge com forsook the Lord
their God, who brought forth their Xxxgauge com fathers out of the land of Egypt,
and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and
served them: therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil.'-
1 Xxxgauge com KINGS ix. 1-9.
The
successful end of a great work is often the beginning of a great
reaction. When the tension is slackened, the whole nature of the worker
is relaxed, and the temptation to slothful self-indulgence is strong.
God knows our frame, Xxxgauge com and mercifully times His Xxxgauge com manifestations to the
moments of special need. So, when Solomon had finished his great task,
'the Lord appeared the second time, as He had appeared at Gibeon.'
There had been no manifest token Xxxgauge com of approval during all the years of
building the Temple, for none was needed; but now there was danger that
the Xxxgauge com finished work might be followed by languor and
indifference, and
Xxxgauge com therefore once more God spoke words of stimulus, both Xxxgauge com promises and
warnings.
A solemn alternative is set before the king, both parts of which are
fitted to rouse his energy and inspire Xxxgauge com him to faithful obedience. The
same alternatives are presented to each of us. In verses 3-5 God
promises blessed results from clinging to Him and keeping His statutes;
in verses 6-9 He mercifully threatens the tragic issues of departure.
In applying these to ourselves we must remember that outward prosperity
was attached Xxxgauge com to a devout life more closely in Israel than it is now.
But, though the Xxxgauge com form of the blessings