Bible Commentaries

BE YE SEPARATE!

‘And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer … said to king Jeboshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord?’

2 Chronicles 19:2

I. The friendship of wicked men is one of the most dangerous social temptations to which Christians are subjected.

II. Of this trial of Christian principle, it should be further said that the Christian religion requires no narrow or ascetic seclusion from the world.

III. The irreligious friendships of religious men violate the ruling spirit of the Scriptures.

IV. Entangling alliances with the world often involve an immense sacrifice of Christian usefulness.

V. Christian alliances with the wicked do not command the respect of the very men for whose favour they are formed.

VI. Loving those that hate God inflicts a wound of great severity on the feelings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Illustrations

(1) ‘Jehoshaphat is distinguished by two measures for his people’s good: one, his sending out travelling preachers through the land; another, his provision of local judges and a central court in Jerusalem. The former was begun as early as the third year of his reign, but was probably interrupted, like other good things, by his ill-omened alliance with Ahab. The prophet Jehu’s plain speaking seems to have brought the king back to his better self, and its fruit was his going “among the people,” from south to north, as a missionary, “to bring them back to Jehovah.”’

(2) ‘Happy are the fathers whose sons take up their work! God cannot allow His children to turn to the right or left without remonstrance and chastisement. He is so strict with us, because He loves us so. We cannot join in sinful and worldly alliances without incurring wrath. Let us cleanse ourselves, then, from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. It may be the decisive act of a moment, but it will lead us into the blessed enjoyment of almost infinite promises.’