1 Chronicles 12:38-40

All these men of war.

The joyous entertainment.

I. The cause of joy.

1. United under one king.

2. A king chosen of God.

3. Universal loyalty to the chosen king.

II. The manifestation of joy.

1. In unity of purpose.

2. In sincerity of feeling.

3. In social fellowship.

III. The extent of the joy. (J. Wolfendale.)

For there was Joy in Israel.--

The manifestation of Christ a cause of great joy

The man who was the darling of the people, and from whose administration they had raised expectations, being now, by Divine appointment, made king over all the tribes, “there was joy in Israel.” There is abundant reason for much greater joy in the spiritual Israel, on account of David’s illustrious son, the King Messiah, the Saviour of His people (Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 25:9).

I. The cause of joy of Israel, with relation to the King Messiah, the son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. This coming in the flesh is a matter of joy, as He then appeared King of Israel, and the Saviour thereof. Salvation is the source, the foundation of spiritual joy in Israel.

(1) This salvation is--

(a) From sin;

(b) From wrath to come;

(c) From eternal death;

(d) From every spiritual enemy.

(2) It is to be had freely.

(3) It is a great salvation.

(4) It is a salvation in which the glory of God is greatly concerned.

2. The spiritual coming of Christ in the hearts of His people at conversion is another event that causes joy in Israel.

3. In the latter day, when Christ will be more manifest, and, like David, will be King over all the house of Israel, and over the whole world, then there will be joy and gladness.

II. Where and among whom is this joy? Not only in Israel but in the whole world. Christ is not the God of the Jews only.

III. The nature of this joy.

1. It is spiritual.

2. It is the joy of our Lord.

3. It is the joy of faith.

4. It is a joy that the world knows nothing of.

6. It is unspeakable.

6. It is a joy to be continually exercised.

7. This joy will be at last full and complete. (J. Gill, D. D.)

What is essential to constitute a happy people

Professor Fairbairn says you cannot have a happy world without having happy men; you may have good health, good business, good children, good balance at the bank, life insured. So far so good, and yet ii the soul be unadjusted there is no peace. You may place an organ that is out of tune in a magnificent cathedral, but you have no harmony, and the discord is the more striking because of its lofty nave, its painted windows, and chiselled arches. But you take that organ well tuned and richly toned into a plain Methodist chapel, with its brick walls and flat ceiling, and you shall have the sweetest harmony. There can be no peace till the soul is brought in harmony by the grace of God. Peace is the inner condition of the soul arising from reconciliation to God. (G. Turner.)

The highest joy

“I had lived,” says the Countess Schimmelmann, “all the spoiled child of the Court; so much so that the Crown Priam (afterwards the Emitter) Frederick introduced me to a stranger as ‘the most highly favoured young lady of Germany, and of several other kingdoms besides.’ These worldly honours had never satisfied me, and the longing for something higher and better became increasingly stronger. My prayers at that time always culminated in the cry, ‘O God, give me but a drop of the love of Christ and a spark of the fire of the Holy Ghost.’ A short time after, in response to my prayer that I might love Jesus and Jesus only, I heard the Saviour say to me, ‘My child, thy salvation does not depend upon thy love to Me, but upon My love to thee, just as thou art.’ Then broke upon my heart a sun of joy, in the beams of which I still rejoice, and whose light will shine upon me eternally.”