2 Kings 1:9-16 - Homiletics

The spirit we are of-the old dispensation and the new.

I. THE SPIRIT OF THE OLD DISPENSATION . The spirit of the Law was strict, stern, inexorable justice. "Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image …. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother …. Cursed be he that removeth his neighbor's landmark," etc. ( Deuteronomy 27:15-26 ); "He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death" ( Exodus 21:17 ); " Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe" ( Exodus 21:24 , Exodus 21:25 ); "He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death" ( Exodus 21:12 ); "He that smiteth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death" ( Exodus 21:15 ); "He that stealeth a man, and selleth him, shall surely be put to death" ( Exodus 21:16 ); "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" ( Exodus 22:18 ); "Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death" ( Exodus 22:19 ); "He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed" ( Exodus 22:20 ), etc. Man was so far gone from original righteousness, had so corrupted and depraved himself, that only by the strictest possible system, by the most solemn warnings, the most awful threats, and the sternest possible execution of the threats when the occasion came, could wickedness be repressed, crime prevented from becoming rampant, mankind be reclaimed, society saved. Hence the severity of the Mosaic code, the frequency of the penalty of death, and the strictness with which the penalty was in almost every case exacted. The first idolatry was punished by the death of three thousand by the sword ( Exodus 32:28 ). Nadab and Abihu, for offering strange fire, were destroyed by fire from heaven (Le 2 Kings 10:1 , 2 Kings 10:2 ). When Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebelled against Moses, the earth gaped and swallowed them up ( Numbers 16:32 ). The iniquity of Peer was avenged by the slaughter of all the heads of the people ( Numbers 25:4 , Numbers 25:5 ). The sin of Gibeah cost the lives of twenty-five thousand Benjamites ( 20:46 ). Elijah, in calling down fire from heaven upon the minions of an idolatrous tyrant sent to arrest him for declaring to their master the sentence of Jehovah, was but acting in the general spirit of the Law, which regarded all opposition to Jehovah as deserving of death, and looked upon the inspired prophets of God as the ministers of an avenging righteousness. From time to time some signal display of Jehovah's anger against rebels and his power to punish them was requisite to preserve among the people any respect or reverence at all for true religion; and Elijah deemed that the time for such a display was now come. That the fire fell at his word showed that he had judged aright, and that his will reflected the Divine will and was in unison with it.

II. THE SPIRIT OF THE NEW DISPENSATION . The new dispensation opened with the proclamation of "peace on earth, good will toward men" ( Luke 2:14 ). The curses of the Law were replaced by the Beatitudes" ( Matthew 5:3-10 ). The gentle and tender Jesus destroyed nothing but a single senseless tree ( Matthew 21:19 ). He went about doing good. He was "sent to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that were bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord" ( Luke 4:18 , Luke 4:19 ). When men rose up against him, when his life was attempted, before his hour was come, he was content by an exertion of his miraculous power to withdraw himself, to pass through their midst, and go his way. On one occasion he himself pointed the contrast between the two dispensations in the most distinct and remarkable manner. It was when he and his disciples were proceeding on a journey through this very district of Samaria, where Elijah had shown forth the justice of God, that his disciples, James and John, the "Sons of Thunder," as they were called, desired to repeat the Tishbite's act for the punishment of some Samaritans who would not permit him to enter their village. "Lord," they said, "wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?" But they little knew the Master they addressed. Jesus "turned and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village" ( Luke 9:51-56 ). "It was," remarks Archbishop Trench, "as if he had said, 'Ye are mistaking and confounding the different standing-points of the old and new covenants, taking your stand upon the old—that of an avenging righteousness, when you should rejoice to take it upon the new—that of a forgiving love'". The spirit of the Christian dispensation is seen especially in such commands as the following: "Resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also" ( Matthew 5:39 ); "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you" ( Matthew 5:44 ); "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another" ( Romans 12:10 ); "Recompense to no man evil for evil" ( Romans 12:17 ); "Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written; Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" ( Romans 12:19-21 ).