xxxix. 4. _What have they seen in Thy house?_
State briefly the circumstances that gave rise to this question. It
evidently suggests to Hezekiah that he has not made the best use of
the visit of the Babylonians. He might have turned it to greater
account than the gratification of his vanity by displaying his
treasures. Instead of magnifying the greatness and glory of God, and
thus lifting the minds of his visitors to the highest themes, he had
only held out a bait to their covetous desires, and tempted them to
steal the treasures so vainly displayed. This was to be the result of
his folly (ver. 6). This is how we miss the great opportunities of
our life. There come to us golden seasons when we might bear valuable
testimony for God; but we have some petty, personal desires of our
own to carry out, and they pass away unimproved. Then comes the
prophetic message, borne by our own conscience, that the plan we
adopted to gratify our improper desires will only lead us to
confusion and unhappiness.
The extent to which Hezekiah came under the censure of God in this
matter we shall not now further consider. We shall extend the
application of this question to the matter of _home life and home
influence._ So it has a bearing on all of us. "What have they seen in
_thy_ house?"
I. It should be seen that our home is the common centre of attraction
for all the family (P. D. 1828-1830, 1836).
II. In the home each member of the family should be seen faithfully
discharging the duties of his or her relationship to it; husbands,
wives, fathers, &c.
III. It should be seen that every Christian gift and grace is
carefully cultivated. "For Christ's sake," should be the motto of the
whole family. In all they do, every member of it should seek to
display love such as He manifested when He dwelt among us: His love
was patient, magnanimous, sympathetic. This is the way to make the
humblest home happy (P. D. 1823, 1834, 1838, 1839).
CLOSING REFLECTIONS.--1. If we do not thus exhibit Christianity at
home, it may be questioned whether we possess it at all (H. E. I.
2994). 2. If others know that there is no practical Christianity
displayed by us at home, they will rightly set but little value upon
our religious performances abroad. 3. It is from the culture of home
life that our hopes are to spring with regard to the spiritual life.
In the home lurk the disorders that disturb society. The true way to
bring these disorders to an end is to endeavour to make the homes of
our land the nurseries of every Christian grace and virtue. 4. Let us
aim at the accomplishment of the needful national reforms, by each of
us doing what we can to make _our own home_ all that it ought to
be.--_William Manning._