his palace gate. The question was, "Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord ?" I think Jehoshaphat's conscience knew what the answer to that should be. He listens as the prophet speaks again: "Therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord."

But has the Lord forgotten all the king's faithful work and service? Ah, no! the Lord never does that. So Jehu adds, "Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and prepared thine heart to seek God." I suppose Jehoshaphat humbled himself before God, for we read of no punishment coming upon him and his kingdom at this time.

(Read 1 Kings xvi. 1-12; 2 Chron. xix. 1-3).

V.

Eliezer. (B.C. 896.)

ARE we not told in the Holy Scriptures that the heart of man is deceitful above all things. Who can know it?

I suppose good Jehoshaphat would never think that he would again fall into the very sin for which God had reproved him. But he did not know the secrets of his own heart. When he was an old man, and nearly at the close of his reign, he made a friendship with Ahaziah, the wicked son of a wicked father-that King Ahab who had been no fit friend of the godly King of Judah.

At this time Ahaziah was busy building a navy of ships to go to Tarshish for merchandise. Jehoshaphat thought he would like to enrich himself by getting gold and ivory, as Solomon had done, from that distant country. So he gave orders to his servants to engage some shipbuilders, and prepare vessels to go on this long voyage.

The ships were finished, the crews were chosen, and soon with a favourable wind they sailed out of the harbour of Ezion-geber, a port on the Red Sea. But, long before they could have reached their "desired haven," Jehoshaphat had an interview with another of God's prophets. We know very little about his history, just his own name-Eliezer; and his

father's name-Dodarah; and the name of the town where he was born-Mareshah. Perhaps you have heard of this city before. It was one that Rehoboam had built and made very strong for protection against the King of Israel.

The one message that Eliezer delivers is short, but full of rebuke and punishment. "The Lord hath broken thy works." Why? "Because thou hast joined thyself to Ahaziah." Jehoshaphat knew well what works were meant. He does not reply, but waits in patience and in sorrow till his servants bring in the news. A mighty tempest had arisen, and so broken and shattered his ships that they were not able to go to Tarshish. This is supposed to be a place in the south of Asia, to which they were bound.

(Read 2 Chron. xx. 35-37 ; xxi. 5-11.)

VI.

Fabaziel. (B.C. 892.)

IN the days of King Jehoshaphat another prophet lived. He was called Jahaziel, and his father's name was Zechariah. He belonged to the priestly tribe, the tribe of Levi. He was also one of those whose work consisted in praising the Lord with harps and psalteries in His holy temple. For he belonged to the family of Asaph.

It was in a time of trouble to the kingdom of Judah that we hear of the prophet Jahaziel. The mighty hosts of the Moabites and Ammonites were coming down in great multitudes to crush the army of Jehoshaphat. But the king knew that it was "better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." So he assembled his people together. The men, the women, the children, and even the little. ones stood before the Lord. They heard their king plead thus with God: "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." The prayer was no sooner offered up than the answer came. The Spirit of the Lord came upon the singer Jahaziel, and he spoke God's message of comfort. It was sent to all Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to King Jehoshaphat.

:

It began as so many of God's messages to us do, with the words, "Be not afraid."

No need to be dismayed at the sight of this great multitude, "for the battle is not yours, but God's."

Then the people got their directions where to meet the enemy. They were coming up the steep ascent of Ziz, and Judah would find them resting by a little brook, just after passing through the wilderness. There Judah would encounter them, not this day, but the next. Then Jahaziel gave the strange assurance they would not need to fight in this battle at all. "Stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord."

Jehoshaphat's faith was so strong, he so truly believed Jahaziel's words, that at once he and his people fell down and worshipped the Lord. And the Levites raised a joyful song of praise, as if the battle were already gained.

And next day the singers went before the army, and in the clear morning air their joyful notes ascended. "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endureth for ever." Then, mingling with the triumph song, arose the shouts of battle; for the great host seemed to have quarrelled among themselves, and turned their arms against each other, till thousands were slain, and the rest fled away. Jehoshaphat and his men gathered up the spoil-riches, jewels, and armour -more than they could carry away, even though they remained three days gathering it together. On the fourth day the good king assembled them in a valley near, and there they praised and blessed the Lord.

And we may be sure Jahaziel's voice would not be silent when he saw how wonderfully God had fulfilled