,,the ,,expositor',s ,,bible ,,edited ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,w4 ,,robertson ,,nicoll1 ,m4,a41 ,,ll4,d4 ,editor of ,the ,expositor ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,joshua ,,by ,,william ,,garden ,,blaikie1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 ,london ,,hodder ,,and ,,stoughton #bg1 ,,paternoster ,,row ,,mdcccxciii ,,the ,,expositor',s ,,bible4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 price #gs4 #f;d4 each vol4 ,,first ,,series1 #ahhg-h4 ,colossians4 ,by ,a4 ,,maclaren1 ,d4,d4 ,st4 ,mark4 ,by ,very ,rev4 the ,dean of ,armagh4 ,genesis4 ,by ,prof4 ,,marcus ,,dods1 ,d4,d4 #a ,samuel4 ,by ,prof4 ,w4 ,g4 ,,blaikie1 ,d4,d4 #b ,samuel4 ,by the same ,author4 ,hebrews4 ,by ,principal ,t4,c4 ,,edwards1 ,d4,d4 ,,second ,,series1 #ahhh-i4 ,galatians4 ,by ,prof4 ,g4 ,g4 ,,findlay1 ,b4,a4 ,the ,pastoral ,epistles4 ,by ,rev4 ,a4 ,,plummer1 ,d4,d4 ,isaiah ,i4-,,xxxix4 ,by ,g4 ,a4 ,,smith1 ,m4,a4 ,vol4 ,i4 ,the ,book of ,revelation4 ,by ,prof4 ,w4 ,,milligan1 ,d4,d4 #a ,corinthians4 ,by ,prof4 ,,marcus ,,dods1 ,d4,d4 ,the ,epistles of ,st4 ,john4 ,by ,rt4 ,rev4 ,w4 ,,alexander1 ,d4,d4 ,,third ,,series1 #ahhi-ij4 ,judges and ,ruth4 ,by ,rev4 ,r4 ,a4 ,,watson1 ,d4,d4 ,jeremiah4 ,by ,rev4 ,c4 ,j4 ,,ball1 ,m4,a4 ,isaiah ,,xl4-,,lxvi4 ,by ,g4 ,a4 ,,smith1 ,m4,a4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 ,st4 ,matthew4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,,monro ,,gibson1 ,d4,d4 ,exodus4 ,by ,very ,rev4 the ,dean of ,armagh4 ,st4 ,luke4 ,by ,rev4 ,h4 ,,burton1 ,b4,a4 ,,fourth ,,series1 #ahij-a4 ,ecclesiastes4 ,by ,rev4 ,,samuel ,,cox1 ,d4,d4 ,st4 ,james and ,st4 ,jude4 ,by ,rev4 ,a4 ,,plummer1 ,d4,d4 ,proverbs4 ,by ,rev4 ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,m4,a4 ,leviticus4 ,by ,rev4 ,s4 ,h4 ,,kellogg1 ,d4,d4 ,the ,gospel of ,st4 ,john4 ,by ,prof4 ,m4 ,,dods1 ,d4,d4 ,vol4 ,i4 ,the ,acts of the ,apostles4 ,by ,prof4 ,,stokes1 ,d4,d4 ,vol4 ,i4 ,,fifth ,,series1 #ahia-b4 ,the ,psalms4 ,by ,a4 ,,maclaren1 ,d4,d4 ,vol4 ,i4 #a and #b ,thessalonians4 ,by ,,jas4 ,,denney1 ,b4,d4 ,the ,book of ,job4 ,by ,r4 ,a4 ,,watson1 ,d4,d4 ,ephesians4 ,by ,prof4 ,g4 ,g4 ,,findlay1 ,b4,a4 ,the ,gospel of ,st4 ,john4 ,by ,prof4 ,m4 ,,dods1 ,d4,d4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 ,the ,acts of the ,apostles4 ,by ,prof4 ,,stokes1 ,d4,d4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 ,,sixth ,,series1 #ahib-c4 #a ,kings4 ,by ,ven4 ,archdeacon ,,farrar4 ,philippians4 ,by ,principal ,,rainy1 ,d4,d4 ,ezra1 ,nehemiah1 ,esther4 ,by ,prof4 ,w4 ,f4 ,,adeney1 ,m4,a4 ,joshua4 ,by ,prof4 ,w4 ,g4 ,,blaikie1 ,d4,d4 ,daniel4 ,by ,prof4 ,,fuller1 ,m4,a4 ,the ,psalms4 ,by ,a4 ,,maclaren1 ,d4,d4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,joshua ,,by ,,william ,,garden ,,blaikie1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 ,,new ,,college1 ,,edinburgh ,london ,,hodder ,,and ,,stoughton #bg1 ,,paternoster ,,row ,,mdcccxciii ,printed by ,hazell1 ,watson1 ,viney1 ,ld41 ,london and ,aylesbury4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,page ,,introductory3--,,the ,,book ,,of ,,joshua #a ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,joshua',s ,,antecedents #bb ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,a ,,successor ,,to ,,moses #cg ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,joshua',s ,,call #dh ,,chapter ,v4 ,,joshua',s ,,encouragement #fj ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,joshua',s ,,charge ,,to ,,the ,,people #gj ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,spies ,,in ,,jericho #hb ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,jordan ,,reached #ie ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,jordan ,,divided #ajf ,,chapter ,x4 ,,circumcision ,,and ,,passover--,,manna ,,and ,,corn #aag ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,the ,,captain ,,of ,,the ,,lord',s ,,host #abh ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,the ,,fate ,,of ,,jericho #adj ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,rahab ,,saved #aec ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,achan',s ,,trespass #afe ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,achan',s ,,punishment #agg ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,capture ,,of ,,ai #ahi ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,ebal ,,and ,,gerizim #bja ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,stratagem ,,of ,,the ,,gibeonites #baa ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,,bethhoron #bbc ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,,merom #bcf ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,joshua',s ,,old ,,age--,,division ,,for ,,the ,,eastern ,,tribes #bdi ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,the ,,inheritance ,,of ,,caleb #bfb ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,distribution ,,of ,,the ,,land #bge ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,the ,,inheritance ,,of ,,judah #bhg ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,the ,,inheritance ,,of ,,joseph #cjj ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,the ,,distribution ,,completed #cab ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,the ,,cities ,,of ,,refuge #cbf ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,the ,,inheritance ,,of ,,the ,,levites #cdj ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,no ,,failure ,,of ,,god',s ,,promise #cec ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,the ,,altar ,,ed #cfe ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,jehovah ,,the ,,champion ,,of ,,israel #cgf ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 ,,joshua',s ,,last ,,appeal #chh ,,chapter ,,xxxiii4 ,,joshua',s ,,work ,,for ,,israel #djb ,,chapter ,i4 ,,introductory3 ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,joshua4 ,with a purely historical book like ,joshua before us1 it is of importance to keep in view two ways of regarding ,old ,testament history1 in accordance with one or other of which any exposition of such a book must be framed4 ,according to one of these views1 the historical books of ,scripture1 being given by inspiration of ,god1 have for their main object not to tell the story or dwell on the fortunes of the ,hebrew nation1 but to unfold ,god's progressive revelation of ,himself made to the seed of ,abraham1 and to record the way in which that revelation was received1 and the effects which it produced4 ,the story of the ,hebrew nation is but the frame in which this ,divine revelation is set4 ,it was ,god's pleasure to reveal ,himself not through a formal treatise1 but in connection with the history of a nation1 through announcements and institutions and practical dealings bearing in the first instance on them4 ,the historical books of the ,hebrews therefore1 while they give us an excellent view of the progress of the nation1 must be studied in connection with ,god's main purpose1 and the supernatural interpositions by which from time to time it was carried out4 ,the other view regards the historical books of the ,hebrews in much the same light as we look on those of other nations4 ,whatever may have been their origin1 they are1 as we find them1 like other books1 and our purpose in dealing with them should be the same as in dealing with books of similar contents4 ,we are to deal with them1 in the first instance at least1 from a natural point of view4 ,we are to regard them as recording the history and development of an ancient nation--a very remarkable nation1 no doubt1 but a nation whose progress may be referred to ascertainable causes4 ,if we find natural causes sufficient to account for that progress1 we are not to call in supernatural4 ,it is an acknowledged law1 at least as old as ,lord ,bacon1 that no more causes are to be assigned for phenomena than are true and sufficient to account for them4 ,this law1 and the investigations which have taken place under it1 have expunged much that used to be regarded as supernatural from the history of other nations2 and it will only be according to analogy if the same result is reached in connection with the history of ,israel4 ,in this spirit we have recently had several treatises dealing with that history from a purely natural standpoint4 ,very earnest endeavours have been made to clear the atmosphere1 to expiscate facts1 to apply the laws of history1 to weigh statements in the balances of probability1 to reduce the ,hebrew history to the principles of science4 ,the general effect of this method has been to bring out results very different from those previously accepted4 ,in particular1 there has been a thorough elimination of the supernatural from ,hebrew history4 ,natural causes have been judged sufficient to explain all that occurred4 ,the introduction of the supernatural in the narrative was due to those obvious causes that have operated in the case of other nations and other religions3--love of the mythical1 a patriotic desire to glorify the nation1 the exaggerating tendency of tradition1 and readiness to translate symbolical pictures into statements of literal occurrences4 ,hebrew historians were not exempted from the tendencies and weaknesses of other historians1 and were ready enough to colour and apply their narratives according to their own views4 ,it is when we subject the ,hebrew books to such principles as these 7such writers tell us7 that we get at the real history of the nation1 deprived no doubt of much of the glory with which it has usually been invested1 but now for the first time reliable history1 on which the most scientific may depend4 ,and as to its moral purpose1 it is just the moral purpose that runs through the scheme of the world1 to show that1 amid much conflict and confusion1 the true1 the good1 the just1 and the merciful become victorious in the end over the false and the evil4 ,the difference between the two methods1 as an able writer remarks1 is substantially this1 that the one regards the ,hebrew books as an unfolding of ,god's nature1 and the other as an unfolding of the nature of man4 ,the naturalistic method claims emphatically to be scientific4 ,it reduces all events to historical law1 and finds for them a natural explanation4 ,but what if the natural explanation is no explanation8 ,what becomes of the claim to be scientific if the causes assigned are not sufficient to account for the phenomena8 ,if science will not tolerate unnatural causes1 no more should it tolerate unnatural effects4 ,a truly scientific method must show a fit proportion between cause and effect4 ,our contention is that1 in this respect1 the naturalistic method is a failure4 ,in many instances its causes are wholly inadequate to the effects4 ,we are compelled to fall back on the supernatural1 otherwise we are confronted with a long series of occurrences for which no reasonable explanation can be found4 ,we are reminded of an incident which a popular writer1 under the nom de plume of ,edna ,lyall1 has introduced in a novel1 bearing the title ,we ,two4 ,erica1 the daughter of an atheist1 assists her father in conducting a journal4 ,she gets from him for review a ,life of ,david ,livingstone1 with instructions to leave his religion entirely out4 ,as she proceeds with the work1 she becomes convinced that the condition is impossible4 ,to describe ,livingstone without his religion would be like playing ,hamlet without the part of ,hamlet4 ,not only does she find her task impossible1 but when she comes to an incident where ,livingstone1 in most imminent danger of his life1 gets entire composure of mind from an act of devotion1 she becomes convinced that this could not have happened had there not been an objective reality corresponding to his belief2 and she is an atheist no more4 ,erica now believes in ,god4 ,se non e vero e bene trovato4 ,in like manner1 we believe that to delineate ,old ,testament history without reference to the supernatural is as impossible as to describe ,livingstone apart from his religion4 ,you are baffled in trying to explain actual events4 ,long ago1 ,edward ,gibbon tried to account for the rapid progress and brilliant success of ,christianity in the early centuries by what he called secondary causes4 ,it was really an attempt to eliminate the supernatural from early ,christian history4 ,but the five causes which he specified were really not causes1 but effects1--effects of that supernatural action which had its source in the supernatural person of ,jesus ,christ4 ,these secondary causes never could have existed had not ,jesus ,christ already commended ,himself to all sorts of men as a ,divine ,saviour1 sent by ,god to bless the world4 ,in like manner we maintain that behind the causes by which our naturalistic historians attempt to explain the remarkable history of the ,jewish people1 there lay a supernatural force1 but for which the ,hebrews would not have been essentially different from the ,edomites1 the ,ammonites1 the ,moabites1 or any other ,semitic tribe in their neighbourhood4 ,it was the supernatural element underlying ,hebrew history that made it the marvellous development it was2 and that element began at the beginning1 and continued more or less actively till ,jesus ,christ came in the flesh4 ,let us try to make good this position4 ,let us select a few of the more remarkable occurrences of early ,hebrew history1 and1 in the language of ,gibbon1 make a candid and reasonable inquiry whether or not they can be accounted for1 on the ordinary principles of human nature1 without a supernatural cause4 #a4 ,it is certain that from the earliest times1 and during at least the first four centuries of their history1 the ,hebrew people had an immovable conviction that the land of ,canaan was divinely destined to be theirs4 ,of the singular hold which this conviction took of the minds of the patriarchs1 we have innumerable proofs4 ,abraham leaves the rich plains of ,chalda to dwell in ,canaan1 and spends a hundred years in it1 a stranger and a pilgrim1 without having a single acre of his own4 ,when he sends to ,padan ,aram for a wife to ,isaac he conjures his servant on no account to listen to any proposal that ,isaac should settle there2 the damsel must at all hazards come to ,canaan4 ,when ,jacob determines to part from ,laban1 he sets his face resolutely towards his native land across the ,jordan1 although his injured brother is there1 thirsting as he knows for his blood4 ,when ,joseph sends for his father to go down to ,egypt1 ,jacob must get ,divine permission at ,beersheba before he can comfortably go4 ,joseph1 for his services to ,egypt1 might reasonably have looked for a magnificent tomb in that country to cover his remains and perpetuate his memory2 but1 strange to say1 he prefers to remain unburied for an indefinite time1 and leaves a solemn charge to his people to bury him in ,canaan1 carrying his bones with them when they leave ,egypt4 ,in the bitterness of their oppression by ,pharaoh it would have been much more feasible for their champions1 ,moses and ,aaron1 to try to obtain a relaxation of their burdens2 but their demand was a singular one--liberty to go into the wilderness1 with the hardly concealed purpose of escaping to the land of their affections4 ,goshen was a goodly land1 but ,canaan had a dearer name--it was the land of their fathers1 and of their brightest hopes4 ,the uniform tradition was1 that the ,god whom ,abraham worshipped had promised to give the land to his posterity1 and along with the land other blessings of mysterious but glorious import4 ,with this promise was connected that ,messianic hope which like a golden thread ran through all ,hebrew history and literature1 brightening it more and more as the ages advanced4 ,it is vain to account for this extraordinary faith in the land as theirs1 and this remarkable assurance that it would be the scene of unwonted blessing1 apart from a supernatural communication from ,god4 ,to suppose that it originated in some whim or fancy of ,abraham's or in the saga of some old bard like ,thomas the ,rhymer1 and continued unimpaired century after century1 is to suppose what was never realized in the history of any people4 ,in vain do we look among natural causes for any that could have so impressed itself on a whole nation1 and swayed their whole being for successive ages with irresistible force4 ,that ,god spake to ,abraham to give him the land was the indefeasible conviction of his descendants2 nor could any consideration less powerful have sustained their hopes1 or nerved them to the efforts and perils needful to realize it4 #b4 ,no more can the leaving of ,egypt1 with all that followed1 be accounted for without supernatural agency4 ,it is the contention of the naturalistic historian that the ,israelites were very much fewer in number than the ,scripture narrative alleges4 ,but if so1 how could an empire1 with such immense resources as the monuments show ,egypt to have had1 have been unable to retain them8 ,wellhausen affirms that at the time ,egypt was weakened by a pestilence4 ,we know not his authority for the statement2 but if the ,egyptians were weakened1 the ,israelites 7unless supernaturally protected7 must have been weakened too4 ,make what we may of the contest between ,moses and ,pharaoh1 it is beyond dispute that ,pharaoh's pride was thoroughly roused1 and that his firm determination was not to let the children of ,israel go4 ,and if we grant that his six hundred chariots were lost by some mishap in the ,red ,sea1 what were these to the immense forces at his disposal1 and what was there to hinder him from mustering a new force1 and attacking the fugitives in the wilderness of ,sinai8 ,pharaoh himself does not seem to have entered the sea with his soldiers1 and was therefore free to take other steps4 ,how1 then1 are we to account for the sudden abandonment of the campaign8 #c4 ,and as to the residence in the wilderness1 even if we suppose that the ,israelites were much fewer in number than is stated1 they were far too great a multitude to be supported from the scanty resources of the desert4 ,the wilderness already had its inhabitants1 as ,moses knew right well from his experience as a shepherd2 it had its ,midianites and ,amalekites and other pastoral tribes1 by whom the best of its pastures were eagerly appropriated for the maintenance of their flocks4 ,how1 in addition to these1 were the hosts of ,israel to obtain support8 #d4 ,and how are we to explain the extraordinary route which they took8 ,why did they not advance towards ,canaan by the ordinary way--the wilderness of ,shur1 ,beersheba1 and ,hebron8 ,why cross the ,red ,sea at all1 or have anything to do with ,mount ,sinai and its awful cliffs1 which a glance at the map will show was entirely out of their way8 ,and when they did take that route1 what would have been easier than for ,pharaoh1 if he had chosen to follow them with a new force1 to hem them in among these tremendous mountains1 and massacre or starve them at his pleasure8 ,if the ,israelites had no supernatural power to fall back on1 their whole course was simply madness4 ,we may talk of good fortune extricating men from difficulties1 but what fortune that can be conceived could have availed a people1 professing to be bound for the land of ,canaan1 that1 without food or drink or stores of any kind1 had wandered into the heart of a vast labyrinth1 for no reasonable purpose under the sun8 #e4 ,nor can the career of ,moses be made intelligible without a supernatural backing4 ,the contention is1 that the desire of the people in ,egypt for deliverance having become very strong1 especially in the tribe of ,levi1 they sent ,aaron to find ,moses1 remembering his former attempt on their behalf2 and that1 under the able leadership of ,moses1 their deliverance was secured by natural means4 ,but does this explain the actual campaign in ,sinai8 ,who ever heard of a leader that1 after he had roused the enthusiasm of his people by a brilliant deliverance1 arrested their further progress in order to preach to them for a twelvemonth1 and give them a system of law8 ,did ,moses not possess that instinct of a general that must have urged him to push on the moment the ,egyptians were drowned1 and amid the enthusiasm of his own troops and the consternation of the ,canaanites1 fling his army upon the seven nations1 and seize their land by a coup de main8 ,abraham before him and ,joshua after him found the value of such prompt1 sudden movements4 ,never had a leader a more splendid opportunity4 ,what could have induced ,moses to throw away his chance1 bury his people among the mountains1 and remain inactive for months upon months8 ,is there any conceivable explanation but that he acted by supernatural direction8 ,the ,divine plan was entirely different from any that human wisdom would have contrived4 ,it is as clear as day that1 had there been no ,divine power controlling the movement1 the course taken by ,moses would have been simply insane4 #f4 ,nor could the law of ,moses1 first given in such circumstances1 have acquired the glory which surrounded it ever after1 had there been no manifestation of the ,divine presence at ,sinai4 ,the people were greatly dissatisfied1 especially at their delays4 ,the only course that would have quieted them was to push on towards ,canaan1 so that their minds might be animated by the enthusiasm of hope4 ,under their detentions they greedily seized every occasion that presented itself for growling against ,moses4 ,how little they were in sympathy with his ideas of religion and worship was apparent from the affair of the golden calf4 ,the history of the time is an almost unbroken record of murmuring1 complaining1 and rebellion4 ,yet the law which originated with ,moses in these circumstances became the very idol of the people1 and1 according to the naturalistic historians1 was the means of creating the nation1 and welding the tribes into a living unity6 ,we can quite easily understand how1 in spite of all their growlings1 the law as given at ,sinai should have taken the firmest hold of their imagination and kindled their utmost enthusiasm in the end1 if it was accompanied by those tokens of the ,divine presence which the whole literature of the ,hebrews assumes4 ,and if ,moses was closely identified with the ,divine ,being1 the surpassing glory of the occasion must have been reflected on him4 ,but to suppose that a discontented people should have had their enthusiasm roused for the law simply because this ,moses commanded them to observe it1 and that they should ever after have counted it the holiest1 the most ,divine law that men had ever known1 is again to postulate an effect without a cause1 and to suppose a whole people acting in disregard of the strongest propensities of human nature4 #g4 ,then1 as to the generalship of ,moses4 ,how are we to explain the further detention of the people in the wilderness for nearly forty years8 ,if this was not the result of a supernatural ,divine decree1 it must have proceeded from the inability of ,moses to lead the people to victory4 ,no people who had struggled out of bondage in order to enter a land flowing with milk and honey1 would of their own accord have spent forty years in the wilderness4 ,at ,hormah1 they were willing to fight1 but ,moses would not lead them1 and they were beaten4 ,either the wandering of the forty years was a ,divine punishment1 or the generalship of ,moses was at fault4 ,he abandoned himself to inaction for an unprecedented period4 ,there was no shadow of benefit to be gained by this delay2 nothing could come of it 7apart from the ,divine purpose7 but wearing out the patience of the people1 and killing them with the sickness of hope deferred4 ,and if it should be said that the forty years' wandering was a myth1 and that probably the wilderness sojourn did not exceed a year or two at most1 is it conceivable that any people in its senses would invent such a legend8--a legend that covered them with shame1 and that was felt to be so disgraceful that the whole region was shunned by them2 insomuch that with the exception of ,elijah1 we do not read of any member of the nation ever making a pilgrimage to the spot which otherwise must have had overwhelming attractions4 #h4 ,at last ,moses suddenly awakes to activity and courage4 ,and the next difficulty is to account for his success at the eleventh hour of his life1 if he had no supernatural help4 ,no phrase occurs more frequently in naturalistic explanations than it is likely4 ,likelihood is the touchstone to which all extraordinary statements are brought1 although1 as ,lord ,beaconsfield used to tell us1 it is the unexpected that happens4 ,borrowing the touchstone for the nonce1 we may ask1 ,is it likely that1 after a sleep of eight-and-thirty years1 ,moses of his own accord1 without any apparent change of circumstances1 sprang suddenly to his feet1 and urged the people to attempt the invasion of the land8 ,is it likely that all the inertia and fears of the people vanished in a moment1 as if at the touch of a magician's wand8 ,and when it came to actual fighting1 is it likely that these shepherds of the desert were able of themselves not only to stand before a trained and successful warrior like ,sihon ,king of the ,amorites1 who had so lately overrun the country1 but to defeat him utterly and take possession of his whole territory8 ,is it likely that ,sihon's neighbour1 ,og ,king of ,bashan1 though warned by the fate of ,sihon1 and therefore sure to make a more careful defence1 shared the fate of the other king8 ,or if ,og was a mere myth1 as ,wellhausen strangely maintains1 is it likely that the ,israelites got possession of the powerful cities and well-defended kingdom of ,bashan without striking a blow8 ,is it likely that1 after this brilliant victory1 ,moses1 who was still in full vigour1 detained them again for weeks to preach old sermons1 and sing them songs1 and make pathetic speeches1 instead of dashing at once at the petrified people on the other side1 and acquiring the great prize--,western ,palestine8 ,strange mortal this ,moses must have been6--wise enough to give the people an unexampled constitution and system of laws1 and yet blind to the most obvious laws of military science1 and the most elementary perceptions of common sense4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and now we come to ,joshua1 and to the book that records his achievements4 ,joshua was no prophet2 he made no claim to the prophetic character2 he succeeded ,moses only as military leader4 ,consequently the ,book of ,joshua contains little matter that would fall under the term revelation4 ,but both the work of ,joshua and the book of ,joshua served an important purpose in the plan of ,divine manifestation1 inasmuch as they showed ,god fulfilling ,his old promises1 vindicating ,his faithfulness1 and laying anew a foundation for the trust of ,his people4 ,in this point of view1 both the work and the book have an importance that cannot be exaggerated4 ,the naturalistic historian regards the book as merely setting forth1 with sundry traditional embellishments1 the manner in which one people ousted another from their country1 much as those who were then evicted had dispossessed the previous inhabitants4 ,but whoever believes that1 centuries before1 ,god made a solemn promise to ,abraham to give that land to his seed1 must see in the story of the settlement the unfolding of a ,divine purpose1 and a solemn pledge of blessings to come4 ,the ,ancient of days1 who declares the end from the beginning1 is seen to be faithful to ,his promises2 and if ,he has been thus faithful in the past1 he may surely be trusted to be faithful in the future4 ,if1 then1 ,joshua's work was a continuation of the work of ,moses1 and his book of the books of ,moses1 both must be regarded from the same point of view4 ,you cannot explain either of them reasonably in a merely rationalistic sense4 ,joshua could no more have settled the people in ,canaan by merely natural means than ,moses could have delivered them from ,pharaoh and maintained them for years in the wilderness4 ,in the history of both you see a ,divine arm1 and in the books of both you find a chapter of ,divine revelation4 ,it is this that gives full credibility to the miracles which they record4 ,what happened under ,joshua formed a most important chapter of the process of revelation by which ,god made ,himself known to ,israel4 ,in such circumstances1 miracles were not out of place4 ,but if the ,book of ,joshua is nothing more than the record of a raid by one nation on another1 miracles were uncalled for1 and must be given up4 ,rationalists may count us wrong in believing that the ,hebrew historical books are more than ,hebrew annals--are the records of a ,divine manifestation4 ,but they cannot hold us unreasonable or inconsistent if1 believing this1 we believe in the miracles which the books record4 ,miracles assume a very different character when they are connected into a sublime purpose in the economy of ,god2 when they signalize a great epoch in the history of revelation--the completion of a great era of promise1 the fulfilment of hopes delayed for centuries4 ,the ,book of ,joshua has thus a far more dignified place in the history of revelation than a superficial observer would suppose4 ,and those historians who bring it down to the level of a mere record of an invasion1 and who leave out of account its bearing on ,divine transactions so far back as the days of ,abraham1 spoil it of its chief glory and value for the ,church in every age4 ,there is nothing of more importance1 whether for the individual believer or for the ,church collectively1 than a firm conviction1 such as the ,book of ,joshua emphatically supplies1 that long delays on ,god's part involve no forgetfulness of ,his promises1 but that whenever the destined moment comes no good thing will fail of all that ,he hath spoken4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,book of ,joshua consists mainly of two parts2 one historical1 the other geographical4 ,it was the old belief that it was the work of a single writer1 with such slight revision at an after time as a writing might receive without essential interference with its substance4 ,the author was sometimes supposed to be ,joshua himself1 but more commonly one of the priests or elders who outlived ,joshua1 and who might therefore fitly record his death4 ,it has been remarked that there are several traces in the book of contemporary origin1 like the remark on ,rahab--,she dwelleth in ,israel even unto this day 7vi4 #be74 ,it must be allowed1 we think1 that there is not much in this book to suggest to the ordinary reader either the idea of a late origin or of the use of late materials4 ,but recent critics have taken a different view4 ,ewald maintained that1 besides the ,jehovist and ,elohist writers of whose separate contributions in ,genesis the evidence seems incontrovertible1 there were three other authors of ,joshua1 with one or more redactors or revisers4 ,the view of ,kuenen and ,wellhausen is similar1 but with this difference1 that the ,book of ,joshua shows so much affinity1 both in object and style1 to the preceding five books1 that it must be classed with them1 as setting forth the origin of the ,jewish nation1 which would not have been complete without a narrative of their settlement in their land4 ,the composition of ,joshua is therefore to be brought down to a late date2 we owe it to the documents1 writers1 and editors concerned in the composition of the ,pentateuch2 and instead of following the ,jews in classing the first five books by themselves1 we ought to include ,joshua along with them1 and in place of the ,pentateuch speak of the ,hexateuch4 ,canon ,driver substantially accepts this view2 in his judgment1 the first part of the book rests mainly on the ,,je 7,jehovist-,elohist7 document1 with slight additions from ,p 7the priestly code7 and ,d#b 7the second ,deuteronomist74 ,the second half of the book is derived mainly from the priestly code4 ,but ,canon ,driver has the candour to say that much more difficult to distinguish the writers in ,joshua than in the earlier books2 and so little is he sure of his ground that even such important documents as ,j and ,e have to be designated by new letters1 a and b4 ,but1 all the same1 he goes right on with his scheme1 furnishing us with tables all through1 in which he shows that the ,book of ,joshua consists of ninety different pieces1 no two consecutive pieces being by the same author4 ,most of it he refers to three earlier writings1 but some of these were composite1 and it is hard to say how many hands were engaged in putting together this simple story4 ,one is tempted to say of this complicated but confidently maintained scheme1 that it is just too complete1 too wonderfully finished1 too clever by half4 ,allowing most cordially the remarkable ability and ingenuity of its authors1 we can hardly be expected to concede to them the power of taking to pieces a book of such vast antiquity1 putting it in a modern mincing machine1 dividing it among so many supposed writers1 and settling the exact parts of it written by each6 ,is there any ancient writing that might not yield a similar result if the same ingenuity were exercised upon it8 ,to judge of the source of writings by apparent varieties of style1 and call in a different writer for every such variety1 is to commit oneself to a very precarious rule4 ,there are doubtless cases where the diversity of style is so marked that the inference is justified1 but in these the evidence is unmistakably clear4 ,often the evidence against identity of authorship appears very clear1 while it is absolutely worthless4 ,suppose that three thousand years hence an ,english book should be found1 consisting1 first1 of an eloquent exposition of a parliamentary budget2 secondly1 a scheme for ,home ,rule in ,ireland2 thirdly1 a dissertation on ,homer2 and fourthly1 essays on the ,impregnable ,rock of ,holy ,scripture--how convincingly might the critics of the day demonstrate1 beyond possibility of contradiction1 that the book could not be the work of the single man who bore the name of ,william ,e4 ,gladstone6 ,in like manner1 it might be made very plain that ,milton could never have written both ,l',allegro and ,il ,penseroso1 or ,paradise ,lost and the ,defence of the ,english ,people4 ,cowper could not have written ,john ,gilpin and ,god moves in a mysterious way4 ,samuel ,rutherford could not have written his ,letters and his ,divine ,right of ,church ,government4 ,moreover1 in the course of years a writer may change his style1 even when his subject is the same4 ,the earlier essays of ,mr4 ,carlyle show no traces of that most quaint1 terse1 graphic style which became one of his outstanding characteristics in later years4 ,perhaps the most remarkable instance of change of style in a great writer is that of ,jeremy ,bentham4 ,in ,sir ,james ,mackintosh's ,dissertation prefixed to the ,encyclopdia ,britannica 7eighth edition7 he says3 ,the style of ,mr4 ,bentham underwent a more remarkable revolution than perhaps befell that of any other celebrated writer4 ,in his early works1 it was clear1 free1 spirited1 often and seasonably eloquent4444 ,he gradually ceased to use words for conveying his thoughts to others1 but merely employed them as a short hand to preserve his meaning for his own purpose4 ,it is no wonder that his language thus became obscure and repulsive4 ,though many of his technical terms are in themselves exact and pithy1 yet the overflow of his vast nomenclature was enough to darken his whole diction4 ,if we compare the criticism of the ,book of ,joshua with that 7let us say7 of ,genesis1 the difference in the clearness of the conclusions is very great4 ,by far the most striking basis of the criticism of ,genesis is the feature that was noticed first--the occurrence of different ,divine names1 ,elohim and ,jehovah1 in different portions of the book4 ,now1 although it is held that the combined ,,je document was used in compiling ,joshua1 there is no trace of this distinction of names in that book4 ,nor is there much trace of other distinctions found in ,genesis4 ,so that it is no great wonder that ,canon ,driver is uncertain whether1 after all1 that was the document that was used in compiling ,joshua4 ,then1 as to the grounds on which the ,deuteronomist is supposed to have had a share in the book4 ,wherever anything is said indicating that under ,joshua the ,divine purposes and ordinances enjoined by ,god on ,moses were fulfilled1 that is referred to the ,deuteronomist writer1 as if it would have been unnatural for an ordinary historian to call attention to such a circumstance4 ,for instance1 the remark of ,rahab that as soon as the ,canaanites heard what ,god had done to ,egypt1 and to the two kings of the ,amorites on the other side of ,jordan1 their hearts fainted1 is referred to the ,deuteronomist1 as if it had rather been an idea of his than a statement of ,rahab's4 ,it is strange that ,canon ,driver should not have seen that this is the very hinge of ,rahab's speech1 because it gives us the explanation of the remarkable faith that had taken possession of her polluted heart4 ,the truth is1 we can hardly conceive that any part of the book should have been written by one who did not connect ,joshua with ,moses1 and both of them with the patriarchs1 and who was not impressed by the vital connection of the earlier with the later transactions1 and likewise by the single ,divine purpose running through the whole history4 ,but we are far from thinking that there is no foundation for any of the conclusions of the critics regarding the ,book of ,joshua4 ,what seems their great weakness is the confidence with which they assign this part to one writer and that part to another1 and bring down the composition of the book to a late period of the history4 ,that various earlier documents were made use of by the author of the book seems very plain4 ,for instance1 in the account of the crossing of the ,jordan1 use seems to have been made of two documents1 not always agreeing in minute details1 and pieced together in a primitive fashion characteristic of a very early period of literary composition4 ,the record of the delimitation of the possessions of the several tribes must have been taken from the report of the men that were sent to survey the country1 but it is not a complete record4 ,there are other traces of different documents in other parts of the book1 but any diversities between them are quite insignificant1 and in no degree impair its historical trustworthiness4 ,as to the hand of a reviser or revisers in the book1 we see no difficulty in allowing for such4 ,we can conceive an authorized reviser expanding speeches1 but thoroughly in the line of the speakers1 or inserting explanatory remarks as to places1 or as to practices that had prevailed unto this day4 ,but it is atrocious to be told of revisers colouring statements and modifying facts in the interests of religious parties1 or even in the interest of truth itself4 ,any alterations in the way of revision seem to have been very limited1 otherwise we should not find in the existing text those awkward joinings of different documents which are not in perfect accord4 ,whoever the revisers were1 they seem to have judged it best to leave these things as they found them1 rather than incur the responsibility of altering what had already been written4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it has generally been assumed by spiritual expositors that there must be something profoundly symbolical in a book that narrates the work of ,joshua1 or ,jesus1 the first1 so far as we know1 to bear the name that is above every name4 ,the subject is considered with some fulness in ,pearson's ,exposition of the ,creed1 and various points of resemblance1 not all equally valid1#a are noted between ,joshua and ,jesus4 #a ,the hand of ,moses and ,aaron brought the people out of ,egypt1 but left them in the wilderness1 and could not seat them in ,canaan4444 ,joshua1 the successor1 only could effect that in which ,moses failed4444 ,the death of ,moses and the succession of ,joshua pre-signified the continuance of the law till ,jesus came4444 ,moses must die that ,joshua might succeed4444 ,if we look on ,joshua as the judge and ruler of ,israel1 there is scarce an action which is not predictive of our ,saviour4 ,he begins his office at the banks of the ,jordan where ,christ is baptized1 and enters upon the public exercise of his prophetical office4 ,he chooseth there twelve men out of the people to carry twelve stones over with them2 as our ,jesus thence began to choose ,his twelve apostles4444 ,it hath been observed that the saving ,rahab the harlot alive foretold what ,jesus once should speak to the ,jews--',verily ,i say unto you1 that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of ,god before you4'444 ,the one point of resemblance on which we seem to be warranted to lay much stress is1 that ,joshua gave the people ,,rest4 ,again and again we read--,the land rested from war 7xi4 #bc71 ,the land had rest from war 7xiv4 #ae71 ,the ,lord gave them rest round about 7xxi4 #dd71 ,the ,lord your ,god hath given rest unto your brethren 7xxii4 #d71 ,the ,lord had given rest unto ,israel from all their enemies round about 7xxiii4 #a74 ,that was ,joshua's great achievement1 as the instrument of ,god's purpose4 ,yet in ,hebrews we read that this was not the real rest--it was only a symbol of it3 ,if ,joshua had given them rest1 then would ,god not afterward have spoken of another day4 ,the real rest was the rest arising from faith in ,jesus ,christ4 ,many persons look on ,joshua as a somewhat dry book1 full of geographical names1 as unsuggestive as they are hard and unfamiliar4 ,yet on every one of the places so named faith may see inscribed1 as in letters from heaven1 the sweet word ,,rest4 ,each of these places became a home for men who had been wandering for some forty years in a waste howling wilderness4 ,at last they reached a spot where they did not fear the long familiar summons to arise and depart4 ,the sickly mother1 the consumptive maiden1 the paralysed old man might rest in peace1 no longer terrified at the prospect of journeys which only increased their ailments and aggravated their sufferings4 ,the spiritual lesson of this book then is1 that in ,jesus ,christ there is rest for the pilgrim4 ,it is no slight or unevangelical lesson4 ,it is the echo of ,his own glorious words1 ,come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest4 ,whosoever is weary--whether under the burden of care1 or the sense of guilt1 or the bitterness of disappointment1 or the anguish of a broken heart1 or the conviction that all is vanity--the message of this book to him is1--,there remaineth a rest to the people of ,god4 ,even now1 the rest of faith2 and hereafter1 that rest of which the voice from heaven proclaimed--,blessed are the dead which die in the ,lord from henceforth3 yea1 saith the ,spirit1 that they may rest from their labours2 and their works do follow them4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,joshua',s ,,antecedents4 ,four hundred years is a long way to go back in tracing a pedigree4 ,joshua's might have been traced much farther back than that--back to ,noah1 or for that matter to ,adam2 but ,israelites usually counted it enough to begin with that son of ,jacob who was the head of their tribe4 ,it could be no small gratification to ,joshua that he had ,joseph for his ancestor1 and that of the two sons of ,joseph he was sprung from the one whom the dying ,jacob so expressly placed before the other as the heir of the richer blessing 7#a ,chron4 vii4 #bj-bg74 ,it is remarkable that the descendants of ,joseph attached no consequence to the fact that on the side of ,joseph's wife they were sprung from one of the highest functionaries of ,egypt 7,gen4 xli4 #de71 any more than the children of ,mered1 of the tribe of ,judah1 whose wife1 ,bithiah1 was a daughter of ,pharaoh 7#a ,chron4 iv4 #ah71 gained rank in ,israel from the royal blood of their mother4 ,the glory of high connections with the heathen counted for nothing2 it was entirely eclipsed by the glory of the chosen seed4 ,to be of the household of ,god was higher than to be born of kings4 ,joshua appears to have come of the principal family of the tribe1 for his grandfather1 ,elishama 7#a ,chron4 vii4 #bf71 was captain and head of his tribe 7,num4 i4 #aj1 ii4 #ah71 and in the order of march through the wilderness marched at the head of the forty thousand five hundred men that constituted the great tribe of ,ephraim2 while his son1 ,nun1 and his grandson1 ,joshua1 would of course march beside him4 ,not only was ,elishama at the head of the tribe1 but apparently also of the whole camp of ,ephraim1 which1 besides his own tribe1 embraced ,manasseh and ,benjamin1 being the whole descendants of ,rachel 7,num4 ii4 #bd74 ,under their charge in all likelihood was a remarkable relic that had been brought very carefully from ,egypt--the bones of ,joseph 7,exod4 xiii4 #ai74 ,great must have been the respect paid to the coffin which contained the embalmed body of the ,governor of ,egypt1 and which was never lost sight of during all the period of the wanderings1 till at length it was solemnly deposited in its resting-place at ,shechem 7,josh4 xxiv4 #cb74 ,young ,joshua1 grandson of the prince of the tribe1 must have known it well4 ,for ,joshua was himself cast in the mould of ,joseph1 an ardent1 courageous1 ,god-fearing1 patriotic youth4 ,very interesting to him it must have been to recall the romance of ,joseph's life1 his grievous wrongs and trials1 his gentle spirit under them all1 his patient and invincible faith1 his lofty purity and self-control1 his intense devotion to duty1 and finally his marvellous exaltation and blessed experience as the saviour of his brethren6 ,and that coffin must have seemed to ,joshua ever to preach this sermon1--,god will surely visit you4 ,with ,joseph1 young ,joshua believed profoundly in his nation1 because he believed profoundly in his nation's ,god2 he felt that no other people in the world could have such a destiny1 or could be so worthy of the service of his life4 ,this sense of ,israel's relation to ,god raised in him an enthusiastic patriotism1 and soon brought him under the notice of ,moses1 who quickly discerned in the grandson a spirit more congenial to his own than that of either the father or the grandfather4 ,not even ,moses himself had a warmer love than ,joshua for ,israel1 or a more ardent desire to serve the people that had such a blessed destiny4 ,in all likelihood the first impression ,joshua made on ,moses might have been described in the words--,it came to pass that the soul of ,moses was knit with the soul of ,joshua1 and ,moses loved him as his own soul4 ,in no other way can we account for the extraordinary mark of confidence with which ,joshua was honoured when he was selected in the early days of the wilderness sojourn1 not only to repel the attack which the ,amalekites had made upon ,israel1 but to choose the men by whom this was to be done4 ,why pass over father and grandfather1 if this youth1 ,joshua1 had not already displayed qualities that fitted him for this difficult task better than either of them8 ,we cannot but note1 in passing1 the proof we have of the contemporaneousness of the history1 that no mention is made of the reasons why ,joshua of all men was appointed to this command4 ,if the history was written near the time1 with ,joshua's splendid career fresh in the minds of the people1 the reasons would be notorious and did not need to be given2 if it was written long afterwards1 what more natural than that something should be said to explain the remarkable choice8 ,on whatever grounds ,joshua was appointed1 the result amply vindicated the selection4 ,on ,joshua's part there is none of that hesitation in accepting his work which was shown even by ,moses himself when he got his commission at the burning bush4 ,he seems to have accepted the appointment with humble faith and spirited enthusiasm1 and prepared at once for the perilous enterprise4 ,and he had little enough time to prepare1 for a new attack of the ,amalekites was to be made next day4 ,we may conceive him1 after prayer to his ,lord1 setting out with a few chosen comrades to invite volunteers to join his corps1 rousing their enthusiasm by picturing the dastardly attack that the ,amalekites had made on the sick and infirm 7,deut4 xxv4 #ag1 #ah71 and scattering their fears by recalling the promise to ,abraham1 ,i will bless them that bless thee1 and curse him that curseth thee4 ,that ,moses knew him to be a man of faith whose trust was in the living ,god was shown by his promise to stand next morning on the hill top with the rod of ,god in his hand4 ,yes1 the rod of ,god6 ,had not ,joshua seen it stretched out over the ,red ,sea1 first to make a passage for ,israel1 and thereafter to bring back the waters on ,pharaoh's host8 ,was he not just the man to value aright that symbol of ,divine power8 ,the troop selected by ,joshua may have been small as the band of ,gideon1 but if it was as full of faith and courage it was abundantly able for its work6 ,the ,amalekites are sometimes supposed to have been descendants of an ,amalek who was the grandson of ,esau 7,gen4 xxxvi4 #ab71 but the name is much older 7,gen4 xiv4 #g71 and was applied at an early period to the inhabitants of the tract of country stretching southwards from the ,dead ,sea to the peninsula of ,sinai4 ,whatever may have been their origin1 they were old inhabitants of the wilderness1 well acquainted probably with every mountain and valley1 and well skilled in that ,bedouin style of warfare which even practised troops are little able to meet4 ,they were therefore very formidable opponents to the raw levy of ,israelites1 who could be but little acquainted with weapons of war1 and were wholly unaccustomed to battle4 ,the ,amalekites could not have been ignorant of the advantage of a good position1 and they probably occupied a post not easy to attack and carry4 ,evidently the battle was a serious one4 ,the practised and skilful tactics of the ,amalekites were more than a match for the youthful valour of ,joshua and his comrades2 but as often as the uplifted rod of ,moses was seen on the top of the neighbouring hill1 new life and courage rushed into the souls of the ,israelites1 and for the time the ,amalekites retreated before them4 ,hour after hour the battle raged1 till the arm of ,moses became too weary to hold up the rod4 ,a stone had to be found for him to sit on1 and his comrades1 ,aaron and ,hur1 had to hold up his hands4 ,but even then1 though the advantage was on the side of ,joshua1 it was sunset before ,amalek was thoroughly defeated4 ,the issue of the battle was no longer doubtful--,joshua discomfited ,amalek and his people with the edge of the sword 7,exod4 xvii4 #ac74 ,it was a memorable victory1 due in effect to the hand of ,god as really as the destruction of the ,egyptians had been1 but due instrumentally to the faith and fortitude of ,joshua and his troop1 whose ardour could not be quenched by the ever-resumed onslaughts of ,amalek4 ,and when the fight was over1 ,joshua could not but be the hero of the camp and the nation1 as really as ,david after the combat with ,goliath4 ,congratulations must have poured on him from every quarter1 and not only on him1 but on his father and grandfather as well4 ,to ,joshua these would come with mingled feelings2 gratification at having been able to do such a service for his people1 and gratitude for the presence of ,him by whom alone he had prevailed4 ,not unto us1 ,lord1 not unto us1 but to ,thy name be the glory4 ,it was a splendid beginning for ,israel's wilderness history1 if only it had been followed up by the people in a kindred spirit4 ,but there were not many ,joshuas in the camp1 and the spirit did not spread4 ,it is remarkable what a hold that incident at ,rephidim has taken on the ,christian imagination4 ,age after age1 for more than three thousand years1 its influence has been felt4 ,nor can it ever cease to impress believing men that1 so long as ,moses holds out his rod1 so long as active trust is placed in the power and presence of the ,most ,high in the great battle with sin and evil1 ,israel must prevail2 but if this trust should fail1 if ,moses should let down his rod1 ,amalek will conquer4 ,it was well that ,moses was instructed to write the transaction in a book and rehearse it before ,joshua4 ,well also that it should be commemorated by another memorial1 an altar to the ,lord with the name of ,jehovah-nissi1 the ,lord my banner4 ,how often has faith looked out towards that unknown mountain where ,aaron and ,hur held up the weary arms of ,moses1 and what a new thrill of courage and hope has the spectacle sent through hearts often faint yet pursuing6 ,happily on ,joshua the effect was wholesome2 a less spiritual man would have been puffed up by his remarkable victory2 but in him its only effect1 as was shown by the whole tenor of his future life1 was a firmer trust in ,god1 and a deeper determination to wait only on ,him4 ,it was no wonder that after this ,joshua was selected by ,moses to be his personal comrade and attendant in connection with that most solemn of all his duties--the receiving of the law on the top of the mount4 ,here again was a most distinguished honour for so young a man4 ,aaron1 ,nadab1 and ,abihu1 with seventy of the elders1 were summoned to ascend to a certain height and worship afar off2 while ,moses1 accompanied by ,joshua1 went up into the mount of ,god 7,exod4 xxiv4 #ac74 ,what became of ,joshua while ,moses was in immediate fellowship with ,god is not very apparent4 ,the first impression we derive from the narrative is that he was with ,moses all the time1 for when ,moses begins his descent ,joshua is at his side 7,exod4 xxxii4 #ag74 ,yet we cannot suppose that in that most solemn transaction of ,moses with ,jehovah when the law was given any third party was present4 ,on a careful study of the narrative throughout it will probably be seen that when1 after going up a certain distance in company with ,aaron and his sons and the seventy elders1 ,moses was called to a higher part of the mount1 ,joshua accompanied ,moses 7,exod4 xxiv4 #ac71 and that he was with ,moses during the six days when the glory of ,god abode on ,mount ,sinai and a cloud covered the mount 7ver4 #ae72 but that when ,god again1 after these six days1 called to ,moses to ascend still higher1 and ,moses went into the midst of the cloud1 and gat him up to the mount 7ver4 #ah71 ,joshua remained behind4 ,his place of rest would thus be half-way between the spot where the elders saw ,god's glory and the summit where ,god talked with ,moses4 ,but the remarkable thing is1 that from that place ,joshua would seem never to have moved all the forty days and forty nights when ,moses was with ,god4 ,we can hardly conceive a case of more remarkable obedience1 a more striking instance of the quiet waiting of faith4 ,to a youth of his spirit and habits the restraint must have been somewhat trying4 ,we know that ,aaron did not remain long on the hill1 for he was at hand when the people cried for gods to go before them 7,exod4 xxxii4 #a74 ,impatience of ,god's slow methods had been a snare to the fathers--to ,abraham and ,sarah in the matter of ,hagar2 to ,rachel when she raised the petulant cry1 ,give me children1 or else ,i die2 to ,jacob when the promises seemed broken to atoms1 and all things seemed against him4 ,joseph alone had stood the trial of patience1 and now ,joshua showed himself of the like spirit4 ,the word of ,moses to him was like an anchor holding the ship firmly against the force of wind and tide4 ,what a solemn time it must have been1 and what a precious lesson it must have taught him for the whole future of his life6 ,more than three thousand years have sped away1 but have the servants of ,god on an average reached the measure of ,joshua's patience8 ,prayers unanswered1 promises unfulfilled1 sickness protracted during weary years of pain1 disappointments and trials coming in troops as if all ,god's waves and billows were passing over them1 active persecution bringing all the devices of torture to bear upon them1--how have such things tried the patience1 the waiting power of the servants of ,god6 ,but let them remember that if the trial be severe the recompense is great1 and that in the end nothing will grieve them more than to have distrusted their master and thought it possible that ,his promises would fail4 ,god is not unrighteous to forget4 ,richard ,cecil tells that once1 when walking with his little son1 he bade him wait for him at a certain gate till he should return4 ,he thought he would be back in a few minutes1 but meanwhile an unexpected occurrence constrained him to go into the city1 where1 under an engrossing piece of business1 he remained all day utterly forgetful of his charge to the boy4 ,on his return at night to his suburban home1 the boy was nowhere to be found4 ,in a moment the order to remain at the gate flashed on his father's memory4 ,was it possible he should still be there8 ,he hurried back and found him--he had been told to wait till his father returned1 and he had done as he had been told4 ,the boy that could act thus must have been made of no common stuff4 ,so are they who can say1 ,i waited patiently for the ,lord1 and ,he inclined unto me1 and heard my cry4 ,at last ,joshua rejoins his master1 and they proceed towards the foot of the mount4 ,as they approach the camp1 a noise is heard from afar4 ,his military instinct finds an explanation1--,there is a noise of war in the camp4 ,no1 says the more experienced ,moses2 it is neither the shout of victors nor of vanquished1 it is the noise of singing ,i hear2 and so it was4 ,for when they reached the camp1 the people were at the very height of the idolatrous revelling that followed the construction and worship of the golden calf1 and the sounds that fell on the ears of ,moses and ,joshua were the bacchanalian shouts of unholy and shameful riot4 ,what a contrast to the solemn and holy scene on the top6 ,what a gulf lies between the holy will of ,god and the polluted passions of men6 ,during the painful scenes that ensued1 ,joshua continued in faithful attendance on ,moses2 and when ,moses removed the tabernacle 7the temporary structure hitherto used for sacred services7 and placed it outside the camp1 ,joshua was with him1 and departed not out of the tabernacle 7,exod4 xxxiii4 #aa74 ,we are not told whether he ascended the mount the second time with ,moses1 but it is likely that he did4 ,at all events he was much with ,moses at this early and susceptible period of his life4 ,the young man did not recoil from the company of the old1 nor did he who had been commander in the battle of ,rephidim shrink from the duty of a servant4 ,deeper and deeper1 as he kept company with ,moses1 must have been his impression of his wisdom1 his faith1 his loyalty to ,god1 and his entire devotion to the welfare of his people2 and stronger and stronger must have waxed his own desire that if ever he should be called to a similar service he might show the same spirit and fulfil the same high end6 ,the next time that ,joshua comes into notice is not so flattering to himself4 ,it is on that occasion when the ,spirit descended on the seventy elders that had been appointed to assist ,moses1 and they prophesied round about the tabernacle4 ,two of the seventy were not with the rest1 but nevertheless they got the spirit and were prophesying in the camp4 ,the military instinct of ,joshua was hurt at the irregularity1 and his concern for the honour of ,moses was roused by their apparent indifference to the presence of their head4 ,he hurried to inform ,moses1 not doubting but he would interfere to correct the irregularity4 ,but the narrow spirit of youth met with a memorable rebuke from the larger and more noble spirit of the leader1--,enviest thou for my sake8 ,would ,god that all the ,lord's people were prophets1 and that the ,lord would put ,his ,spirit upon them6 ,not long after this ,joshua was appointed to another memorable service4 ,after the law-giving had been brought to an end1 and the host of ,israel had removed from the mountain to the borders of the promised land1 he was appointed one of the twelve spies that were sent forward to explore the country4 ,formerly his name had been ,oshea2 it was now changed to ,jehoshua or ,joshua4 ,the changing of the name was in itself significant1 and still more the character of the change1 by which a syllable of the ,divine name was inserted in it4 ,for1 by the practice of the nation1 the changing of a name denoted a man's entrance on a new chapter of his history1 or his coming out before the world in a new character4 ,so it was when ,abram's name was changed to ,abraham1 ,sarai's to ,sarah1 and ,jacob's to ,israel2 so also when ,simon became ,cephas1 and ,saul ,paul4 ,but the new name given to ,joshua was in itself more remarkable--,joshua1 that is1 ,jehovah saves3 in the ,new ,testament1 ,jesus4 ,no doubt it looked back on the victory of ,rephidim when the ,lord wrought such a deliverance in ,israel through ,joshua4 ,but it indicated that the feature that had appeared at ,rephidim would continue to characterise him during his life4 ,it was a testimony from ,moses1 and from ,him who inspired ,moses1 to the character of ,joshua1 as it had come out during all the close intercourse of ,moses with him4 ,and it invested ,joshua with a dignity that ought to have raised him very highly in the eyes of the other spies1 and of all the congregation of ,israel4 ,who could be more worthy of their respect than the young man who had shown himself so faithful in all his previous history1 and who had now received a name that indicated that it would be the distinction of his life1 like ,him whom he prefigured1 to lead his people to the enjoyment of ,god's salvation8 ,the forty days spent by the twelve men in exploring the land were a great contrast to the forty days spent by ,joshua on the mount4 ,all was inactivity and patient waiting in the one case2 all was activity and bustle in the other4 ,for there is a time to work and a time to rest4 ,if at the one period ,joshua had to put a restraint on his natural activity1 at the other he could give it full swing4 ,apart from its more immediate object1 this early tour through ,palestine must have been one of surpassing interest4 ,to witness each spot that had been made memorable and classical by the lives of his forefathers2 to sit by the well of ,beersheba1 and recall all that had happened there2 to repose under ,abraham's oak at ,mamre2 to bow at the cave of ,machpelah2 to recall the visits of angels at ,bethel1 and the ladder which had been seen going up to heaven1--was not only most thrilling1 but to a man of ,joshua's faith most inspiring2 because every spot that had such associations was a witness that ,god had given them the land1 and a proof that even though the sons of ,anak were there1 and their cities were walled up to heaven1 the ,god of ,abraham and ,isaac and ,jacob would be faithful to ,his promise1 and1 if the people would only trust ,him1 would right speedily place them in full possession4 ,caleb and ,joshua were the only two men whose faith stood the test of this survey2 the rest were thoroughly cowed by the greatness of the difficulties4 ,and ,caleb seems to have been the foremost of the two1 for in some places he is named as if he stood alone4 ,probably he was the one who came forward and spoke2 but even if ,joshua's faith was not so strong at first1 it was no dishonour to be indebted to the greater courage and confidence of his brother4 ,we can hardly doubt that in their long marches and quiet encampments the twelve men had many a discussion as to what they would advise1 and that the ten felt themselves beaten both in argument and in faith by the two4 ,long before they returned to the camp of ,israel they had taken their sides1 and by the sides they had taken they were determined to abide4 ,when they come back1 the ten open the business and give their decided judgment against any attempt to take possession of the land4 ,impatient of their misrepresentations1 ,caleb perhaps strikes in1 repudiates the notion that the people are not able to take possession1 and urges them in ,god's name to go up at once4 ,but it is easier far to stir up discontent and fear than to stimulate faith4 ,the cry of the congregation1 ,up1 make us a captain1 and let us return to ,egypt1 shows how strongly the tide of unbelief is flowing4 ,moses and ,aaron are overwhelmed4 ,the two leaders fall on their faces before the congregation4 ,but neither the cry of the congregation nor the attitude of ,moses and ,aaron daunts the two faithful spies4 ,with clothes rent they rush in1 renewing their commendations of the land1 laying hold of the ,almighty ,protector1 and scorning the opposition of the inhabitants1 whose hearts were cowed with terror and whose defence was departed from them4 ,it was a fine spectacle1--the two against the million--the little remnant faithful found among the faithless4 ,but it was all in vain4 ,all the congregation bade stone them with stones4 ,and in their impulsive and excitable temper the horrible cry would have been obeyed had not the glory of the ,lord shone out and arrested the infatuated people 7,num4 xiv4 #aj74 ,for this shameless sin the penalty was very heavy4 ,the congregation were to wander in the wilderness for forty years till all that generation should die off2 the ten unfaithful spies were to die at once of a plague before the ,lord2 and not one of the generation that left ,egypt was to enter the promised land4 ,how easily can ,god defeat the purposes of man6 ,where is now the proposal to make a captain and return to ,egypt8 ,how art thou fallen from heaven1 ,o ,lucifer1 son of the morning6 ,joshua and ,caleb are doubly honoured2 their lives are preserved when the other ten die of the plague2 and they alone1 of all the grown men of that generation1 are to be allowed to enter and obtain homes in the land of promise4 99 99 99 99 99 ,for eight-and-thirty years we hear nothing more of ,joshua4 ,like ,moses1 he has an interesting youth1 then a long burial in the wilderness1 and then he emerges from his obscurity and does a great work1 second only to that of ,moses himself4 ,the first mention of him after his long eclipse is immediately before the death of ,moses4 ,god virtually appoints him to be his successor1 and directs both of them to present themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation 7,deut4 xxxi4 #ad74 ,and ,moses calls him to his office1 gives him a charge and says1 ,be strong and of a good courage3 for thou shalt bring the children of ,israel into the land which ,i sware unto them3 and ,i will be with thee 7,deut4 xxxi4 #bc74 ,we might earnestly desire1 in entering on the study of ,joshua's life1 to draw aside the veil that covers the eight-and-thirty years1 and see how he was further prepared for his great work4 ,we might like to look into his heart1 and see after what fashion this man was made to whom the destruction of the ,canaanites was entrusted4 ,a religious warrior is a peculiar character2 a ,gustavus ,adolphus1 an ,oliver ,cromwell1 a ,henry ,havelock1 a ,general ,gordon2 ,joshua was of the same mould1 and we should have liked to know him more intimately2 but this is denied to us4 ,he stands out to us simply as one of the military heroes of the faith4 ,in depth1 in steadiness1 in endurance1 his faith was not excelled by that of ,abraham or of ,moses himself4 ,the one conviction that dominated all in him was1 that he was called by ,god to his work4 ,if that work was often repulsive1 let us not on that account withhold our admiration from the man who never conferred with flesh and blood1 and who was never appalled either by danger or difficulty1 for he saw ,him who is invisible4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,a ,,successor ,,to ,,moses4 ,,joshua i4 #b4 ,there are some men to whom it is almost impossible to find successors4 ,men of imperial mould2 ,nature's primates1 head and shoulders above other men1 born to take the lead4 ,not only possessed of great gifts originally1 but placed by ,providence in situations that have wonderfully expanded their capacity and made their five talents ten4 ,called to be leaders of great movements1 champions of commanding interests1 often gifted with an imposing presence1 and with a magnetic power that subdues opposition and kindles enthusiasm as if by magic4 ,what a bereavement when such men are suddenly removed6 ,how poor in comparison those who come next them1 and from among whom successors have to be chosen6 ,when the ,hebrews mourned the death of ,samson1 the difference in physical strength between him and his brethren could not have appeared greater than the intellectual and moral gulf appears between a great king of men1 suddenly removed1 and the bereaved children that bend helpless over his grave4 ,a feeling of this sort must have spread itself through the host of ,israel when it was known that ,moses was dead4 ,speculation as to his successor there could be none1 for not only had ,god designated ,joshua1 but before he died ,moses had laid his hands upon him1 and the people had acknowledged him as their coming leader4 ,and ,joshua had already achieved a record of no common order1 and had been favoured with high tokens of the ,divine approval4 ,yet what a descent it must have seemed from ,moses to ,joshua6 ,from the man who had so often been face to face with ,god1 who had commanded the sea to make a way for the redeemed of the ,lord to pass over1 who had been their legislator and their judge ever since they were children1 to whom they had gone in every difficulty1 and who for wisdom and disinterestedness had gained the profound confidence of every one of them2--what a descent1 we say1 to this son of ,nun1 known hitherto as but the servant of ,moses--an intrepid soldier1 no doubt1 and a man of unfaltering faith1 but whose name seemed as if it could not couple with that of their imperial leader6 ,well though ,joshua did his work in after life1 and bright though the lustre of his name ultimately became1 he never attained to the rank of ,moses4 ,while the name of ,moses is constantly reappearing in the prophets1 in the psalms1 in the gospels1 in the epistles1 and in the apocalypse1 that of ,joshua is not found out of the historical books except in the speech of ,stephen and that well-known passage in the ,hebrews 7iv4 #h71 where the received version perplexes us by translating it ,jesus4 ,but it was no disparagement of him that he was so far surpassed by the man to whom1 under ,god1 the very existence of the nation was due4 ,and in some respects1 ,joshua is a more useful example to us than ,moses4 ,moses seems to stand half-way in heaven1 almost beyond reach of imitation4 ,joshua is more on our own level4 ,if not a man of surpassing genius1 he commends himself as having made the best possible use of his talents1 and done his part carefully and well4 ,the remark has been made that eras of great creative vigour are often succeeded by periods dull and commonplace4 ,the history of letters and of the fine arts shows that bursts of artistic splendour like the ,renaissance1 or of literary originality like the ,augustan age in ,roman or the ,elizabethan in ,english literature1 are not followed by periods of equal lustre4 ,and the same phenomenon has often been found in the ,christian ,church4 ,in more senses than one the ,apostles had no successors4 ,who in all the sub-apostolic age was worthy even to untie the latchet of ,peter1 or ,john1 or ,paul8 ,this inferiority is so manifest that had there been nothing else to guide the ,church in framing the canon of the ,new ,testament1 the difference between the writings of the ,apostles and their companions on the one hand1 and of men like ,barnabas1 ,clement of ,rome1 ,polycarp1 ,ignatius1 and ,hermes on the other1 would have sufficed to settle the question4 ,so also at the era of the ,reformation4 ,hardly a country but had its star or its galaxy of the first magnitude4 ,luther and ,melancthon1 ,calvin and ,coligny1 ,farel and ,viret1 ,john -,lasco and ,john ,knox1 ,latimer and ,cranmer1--what incomparable men they were6 ,but in the age that followed what names can we find to couple with theirs8 ,of other sections of the ,church the same remark has been made1 and sometimes it has been turned to an unfair use4 ,if in the second generation1 after a great outburst of power and grace1 there are few or no men of equal calibre1 it does not follow that the glory has departed1 and that the ,church is to droop her head1 and wonder to what unworthy course on her part the degeneracy is to be ascribed4 ,we are not to expect in such a case that the laws of nature will be set aside to gratify our pride4 ,we are to recognise a state of things which ,god has ordained for wise purposes1 although it may not be flattering to us4 ,we are to place ourselves in the attitude in which ,joshua was called to place himself when the curt announcement of the text as to ,moses was followed by an equally curt order to him--,moses ,my servant is dead2 now therefore arise4 ,the question for ,joshua is not whether he is a fit person to succeed ,moses4 ,his mental exercise is not to compare himself with ,moses1 and note the innumerable points of inferiority on every side4 ,his attitude is not to bow down his head like a bulrush1 mourning over the departed glory of ,israel1 grieving for the mighty dead1 on whose like neither he nor his people will ever look again4 ,if there ever was a time when it might seem excusable for a bereaved nation and a bereaved servant to abandon themselves to a sense of helplessness1 it was on the death of ,moses4 ,but even at that supreme moment the command to ,joshua is1 ,now therefore arise4 ,gird yourself for the new duties and responsibilities that have come upon you4 ,do not worry yourself with asking whether you are capable of doing these duties1 or with vainly looking within yourself for the gifts and qualities which marked your predecessor4 ,it is enough for you that ,god in ,his providence calls you to take the place of the departed4 ,if ,he has called you1 ,he will equip you4 ,it is not ,his way to send men a warfare on their own charges4 ,the work to which ,he calls you is not yours but ,his4 ,remember ,he is far more interested in its success than you can be4 ,think not of yourself1 but of ,him1 and go forth under the motto1 ,we will rejoice in ,thy salvation1 and in the name of our ,god we will set up our banners4 ,in many different situations of life we may hear the same exhortation that was now addressed to ,joshua4 ,a wise1 considerate1 and honoured father is removed1 and the eldest son1 a mere stripling1 is called to take his place1 perhaps in the mercantile office or place of business1 certainly in the domestic circle4 ,he is called to be the comforter and adviser of his widowed mother1 and the example and helper of his brothers and sisters4 ,well for him when he hears a voice from heaven1 ,your father is dead2 now therefore arise6 ,rouse yourself for the duties that now devolve upon you2 onerous they may be and beyond your strength1 but not on that account to be evaded or repudiated2 rather to be looked on as spurs provided and designed by ,god1 that you may apply yourself with heart and soul to your duties1 in the belief that faithful and patient application shall not be without its reward6 ,or it may be that the summons comes to some young minister as successor to a father in ,israel1 whose ripe gifts and fragrant character have won the confidence and the admiration of all4 ,or to some teacher in a ,sunday-school1 where the man of weight1 of wise counsel1 and holy influence has been suddenly snatched away4 ,but be the occasion what it may1 the removal of any man of ripe character and gifts always comes to the survivor with the ,divine summons1 ,now therefore arise6 ,that is the one way in which you must try to improve this dispensation2 the world is poorer for the loss of his gifts--learn you to make the most of yours6 ,it was no mean impression of ,moses that ,god meant to convey by the designation1 ,moses ,my servant4 ,it was not a high-sounding title1 certainly4 ,a great contrast to the long list of honourable titles sometimes engraved on men's coffins or on their tombs1 or proclaimed by royal herald or king-at-arms over departed kings or nobles4 ,one of the greatest of men has no handle to his name--he is simply ,moses4 ,he has no titles of rank or office--he is simply ,my servant4 ,but true greatness is when unadorned adorned the most4 ,moses is a real man1 a man of real greatness2 there is no occasion therefore to deck him out in tinsel and gilt2 he is gold to the core4 ,but think what is really implied in this designation1 ,my servant4 ,even if ,moses had not been ,god's servant in a sense and in a degree in which few other men ever were1 it would have been a glorious thing to obtain that simple appellation4 ,true indeed1 the term servant of ,god is such a hackneyed one1 and often so little represents what it really means1 that we need to pause and think of its full import4 ,there may be much honour in being a servant4 ,even in our families and factories a model servant is a rare and precious treasure4 ,for a real servant is one that has the interest of his master as thoroughly at heart as his own1 and never scruples1 at any sacrifice of personal interest or feeling1 to do all that he can for his master's welfare4 ,a true servant is one of whom his master may say1 ,there is absolutely no need for me to remind him what my interest requires2 he is always thinking of my interest1 always on the alert to attend to it1 and there is not a single thing ,i possess that is not safe in his hands4 ,does ,god possess many such servants8 ,who among us can suppose ,god saying this of him8 ,yet this was the character of ,moses1 and in ,god's eyes it invested him with singular honour4 ,it was his distinction that he was faithful in all his house4 ,his own will was thoroughly subdued to the will of ,god4 ,the people of whom ,god gave him charge were dear to him as a right hand or a right eye4 ,all personal interests and ambitions were put far from him4 ,to aggrandise himself or to aggrandise his house never entered into his thoughts4 ,never was self more thoroughly crucified in any man's breast4 ,beautiful and delightful in ,god's eyes must have seemed this quality in ,moses1--his absolute disinterestedness1 his sensibility to every hint of his ,master's will1 his consecration of all he was and had to ,god1 and to his people for ,god's sake6 ,it was thus no unsuggestive word that ,god used of ,moses1 when ,he told ,joshua that ,his servant was dead4 ,it was a significant indication of what ,god had valued in ,moses and now expected of ,joshua4 ,the one thing for ,joshua to remember about ,moses is1 that he was the servant of ,god4 ,let him take pains to be the same2 let him have his ear as open as that of ,moses to every intimation of ,god's will1 his will as prompt to respond1 and his hand as quick to obey4 ,was not this view of the glory of ,moses as ,god's servant a foreshadow of what was afterwards taught more fully and on a wider scale by our ,lord8 ,the ,son of man came not to be ministered unto1 but to minister1 and to give ,his life a ransom for many4 ,jesus sought to reverse the natural notions of men as to what constitutes greatness1 when ,he taught that1 instead of being measured by the number of servants who wait on us1 it is measured rather by the number of persons to whom we become servants4 ,and if it was a mark of ,christ's own humiliation that ,he took on ,him the form of a servant1 did not this redound to ,his highest glory8 ,was it not for this that ,god highly exalted ,him and gave ,him a name that is above every name8 ,happy they who are content to be ,,god',s ,,servants in whatsoever sphere of life ,he may place them2 seeking not their own1 but always intent upon their ,master's business6 ,and now ,joshua must succeed ,moses and be ,god's servant as he was4 ,he must aim at this as the one distinction of his life2 he must seek in every action to know what ,god would have him to do4 ,happy man if he can carry out this ideal of life6 ,no conflicting interests or passions will distract his soul4 ,his eye being single1 his whole body will be full of light4 ,the power that nerves his arm will not be more remarkable than the peace that dwells in his soul4 ,he will show to all future generations the power of a lost will1--not the suppression of all desire1 according to the ,buddhist's idea of bliss1 but all lawful natural desires in happy and harmonious action1 because subject to the wise1 holy1 and loving guidance of the will of ,god4 ,thus we see among the other paradoxes of ,his government1 how ,god uses death to promote life4 ,the death of the eminent1 the aged1 the men of brilliant gifts makes way for others1 and stimulates their activity and growth4 ,when the champion of the forest falls the younger trees around it are brought more into contact with the sunshine and fresh air1 and push up into taller and more fully developed forms4 ,if none of the younger growth attains the size of the champion1 a great many may be advanced to a higher average of size and beauty4 ,if in the second generation of any great religious movement few or none can match the mighties of the previous age1 there may be a general elevation1 a rise of level1 an increase of efficiency among the rank and file4 ,in many ways death enters into ,god's plans4 ,not only does it make way for the younger men1#b but it has a solemnizing and quickening effect on all who are not hardened and dulled by the wear and tear of life4 #b ,can death itself when seen in the light of this truth the adjustment of every being in animated nature to every other be denied to be an evidence of benevolence8 ,i think not4 ,the law of animal generation makes necessary the law of animal death1 if the largest amount of animal happiness is to be secured4 ,if there had been less death there must also have been less life1 and what life there was must have been poorer and meaner4 ,death is a condition of the prolificness of nature1 the multiplicity of species1 the succession of generations1 the co-existence of the young and the old2 and these things1 it cannot reasonably be doubted1 add immensely to the sum of animal happiness4--,,flint',s ,theism1 p4 #bea4 ,what a memorable event in the spiritual history of families is the first sudden affliction1 the first breach in the circle of loving hearts6 ,first1 the new experience of intense tender longing1 baffled by the inexorable conditions of death2 then the vivid vision of eternity1 the reality of the unseen flashing on them with living and awful power1 and giving an immeasurable importance to the question of salvation2 then the drawing closer to one another1 the forswearing of all animosities and jealousies1 the cordial desire for unbroken peace and constant co-operation2 and if it be the father or the mother that has been taken1 the ambition to be useful1--to be a help not a burden to the surviving parent1 and to do what little they can of what used to be their father's or their mother's work4 ,death becomes actually a quickener of the vital energies2 instead of a withering influence1 it drops like the gentle dew1 and becomes the minister of life4 ,and death is not alone among the destructive agencies that are so often directed to life-giving ends4 ,what a remarkable place is that which is occupied by ,pain among ,god's instruments of good6 ,how many are there who1 looking back on their lives1 have to confess1 with a mixture of sadness and of joy1 that it is their times of greatest suffering that have been the most decisive in their lives1--marked by their best resolutions1--followed by their greatest advance6 ,and it sometimes would seem as if the acuter the suffering the greater the blessing4 ,how near ,god seems at times to come to the height of cruelty when really ,he is overflowing with love6 ,he seems to select the very tenderest spots on which to inflict ,his blows1 the very tenderest and purest affections of the heart4 ,it is a wonderful triumph of faith and submission when the sufferer stands firm and tranquil amidst it all4 ,and still more when he can find consolation in the analogy which was supplied by ,god's own act1--,he that spared not ,his own ,son1 but delivered ,him up for us all1 how shall ,he not with ,him also freely give us all things8 ,and this brings us to our last application4 ,our ,lord ,himself1 by a beautiful analogy in nature1 showed the connection1 in the very highest sense1 between death and life--,except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die1 it abideth alone2 but if it die it beareth much fruit4 ,without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin4 ,when ,jesus died at ,calvary1 the headquarters of death became the nursery of life4 ,the place of a skull1 like the prophet's valley of dry bones1 gave birth to an exceeding great army of living men4 ,among the wonders that will bring glory to ,god in the highest throughout eternity1 the greatest will be this evolution of good from evil1 of happiness from pain1 of life from death4 ,and even when the end comes1 and death is swallowed up of victory1 and death and hell are cast into the lake of fire1 there will abide with the glorified a lively sense of the infinite blessing that came to them from ,god through the repulsive channel of death1 finding its highest expression in that anthem of the redeemed--,,thou ,,was ,,slain1 ,,and ,,hast ,,redeemed ,,us ,,to ,,god ,,by ,,thy ,,blood4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,joshua',s ,,call4 ,,joshua i4 #b-e4 ,joshua has heard the ,divine voice summoning him to the attitude of activity--,arise6 ,directions follow immediately as to the course which his activity is to take4 ,his first step is to be a very pronounced one--,go over this ,jordan3 enter the land1 not by yourself1 or with a handful of comrades1 as you did forty years ago1 but thou and all this people4 ,take the bold step1 cross the river2 and when you are across the river1 take possession of the country which ,i now give to your people4 ,the time has come for decided action2 it is for you to show the way1 and summon your people to follow4 ,it was a very solemn and striking moment1 second only in interest to that when1 forty years before1 their fathers had stood at the edge of the sea1 with the host of ,pharaoh hurrying on behind4 ,at length the hour has come to take possession of the inheritance6 ,at length the promise made so many hundred years ago to ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob is ripe for fulfilment6 ,you1 children of ,israel1 have seen that ,god is in no haste to fulfil ,his promises1 and your hearts may have known much of the sickness of hope deferred4 ,but now you are to see that after all ,god is faithful4 ,he never forgets4 ,he makes no mistakes4 ,his delays are all designed for good1 either to chasten or to try1 and thus confirm and bless ,his people4 ,he will now bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noon-day4 ,there were two things that might make ,joshua and the people hesitate to cross the ,jordan4 ,in the first place1 the river was in flood2 it was the time when the ,jordan overflowed its banks 7,josh4 iii4 #ae71 and1 being a rapid river1 crossing it in such circumstances might well seem out of the question4 ,but in the second place1 to cross the ,jordan was to throw down the gauntlet to the enemy4 ,it was a declaration of war1 and a challenge to them to do their worst4 ,it was a signal for them to assemble1 fight for their hearths and homes1 and strain every nerve to annihilate this invader who made such a bold claim to their possessions4 ,all the children of ,anak whom ,joshua had seen on his former visit would now range themselves against ,israel2 all the seven nations would muster their bravest forces1 and the contest would not be like ,joshua's battle with ,amalek1 finished in a single day1 but a long succession of battles1 in which all the resources of power and skill1 of craft and cunning would be brought to bear against ,israel4 ,according to appearances1 nothing short of this would be the result of compliance with the command1 ,go over this ,jordan4 ,on the one hand1 therefore1 compliance was physically impossible1 and on the other1 even if possible1 it would have been fearfully perilous4 ,but it is never ,god's method to give impossible commands4 ,the very fact of ,his commanding anything is a proof of ,his readiness to make it possible1 nay1 to make it easy and simple to those who have faith to attempt it4 ,stretch out thy hand1 said ,christ to the man with the withered hand4 ,stretch out my hand8 the man might have said in astonishment1--why1 it is the very thing ,i am unable to do4 ,rise up and walk1 said ,peter to the lame man at the ,beautiful gate4 ,how can ,i do that8 he might have replied2 don't you see that ,i have no use of my limbs8 ,but in these cases the helpless men had faith in those who bade them exert themselves2 they believed that if they tried they would be helped1 and helped accordingly they were4 ,so too in the present case4 ,joshua knew that he and the host could not have crossed the ,jordan as it then was by any contrivance in his power2 but he knew that it was ,god's command1 and he was sure that ,he would provide the means4 ,he felt as if ,god and the people were in partnership1 each equally interested in the result1 and equally desirous to bring it about4 ,whatever it was necessary for ,god to do he was assured would be done1 provided he and the people entered into the ,divine plan1 and threw all their energies into the work4 ,not a word of remonstrance did ,joshua offer1 not a word of explanation of the ,divine plan did he ask2 he acted as a servant should2 ,his not to make reply1 ,his not to reason why2 his only to trust and obey4 ,this faith in ,divine power qualifying feeble mortals for the hardest tasks has originated some of the noblest enterprises in the history of the world4 ,it was a ,divine voice ,columbus seemed to hear bidding him cross the wild ,atlantic1 for he desired to bring the natives of the distant shores beyond it into the pale of the ,church2 and it was his faith that sustained him when his crew became mutinous and his life was not safe for an hour4 ,it was a ,divine voice ,livingstone seemed to hear bidding him cross ,africa1 strike up into the heart of the continent1 examine its structure1 and throw it open from shore to shore2 and never was there a faith stronger or steadier than that which bore him on through fever and famine1 through pain and sickness1 through disappointment and anguish1 and1 even when the cold hand of death was on him1 would not let him rest until his work was done4 ,often in the spiritual warfare it is useful to apply this principle4 ,are we called to believe8 ,are we called to make ourselves a new heart and a new spirit8 ,are we summoned to fight1 to wrestle1 to overcome8 ,certainly we are4 ,but is not this to tantalize us by ordering us to do what we cannot do8 ,is not this like telling a sick man to get well1 or a decrepit old creature to skip and frisk like a child8 ,it would be so if the principle of partnership between ,god and us did not come into play4 ,faith says1 ,god is my partner in this matter4 ,partners even in an ordinary business put their resources together1 each doing what his special abilities fit him for4 ,in the partnership which faith establishes between ,god and you1 the resources of the infinite ,partner become available for the needs of the finite4 ,it is ,god's part to give orders1 it is your part to execute them1 and it is ,god's part to strengthen you so to do4 ,it is this that makes the command reasonable1 ,work out your salvation with fear and trembling2 for it is ,god that worketh in you both to will and to do of ,his good pleasure4 ,faith rejoices in the partnership1 and goes forward in the confidence that the strength of the ,almighty will help its weakness1 not by one sudden leap1 but by that steady growth in grace that makes the path of the just like the shining light1 that shineth more and more unto the perfect day4 ,it was a great thing for ,god to announce that ,he was now in the act of turning ,his old1 old promise into reality1--that the land pledged to ,abraham centuries ago was now at length to become the possession of his descendants4 ,but the gift could be of no avail unless it was actually appropriated4 ,god gave the people the right to the land2 but their own energy1 made effectual through ,his grace1 could alone secure the possession4 ,in a remarkable way they were made to feel that1 while the land was ,god's gift1 the appropriation and enjoyment of the gift must come through their own exertions4 ,just as in a higher sphere we know that our salvation is wholly the gift of ,god2 and yet the getting hold of this gift1 the getting linked to ,christ1 the entrance as it were into the marriage covenant with ,him involves the active exertion of our own will and energy1 and the gift never can be ours if we fail thus to appropriate it4 ,as soon as ,god mentions the land1 ,he expatiates on its amplitude and its boundaries4 ,it was designed to be both a comfortable and an ample possession4 ,in point of extent it was a spacious region1--from the wilderness and this ,lebanon1 even unto the great river1 the river ,euphrates1 all the land of the ,hittites1 and unto the great sea1 towards the going down of the sun4 ,and it was not merely bits or corners of this land that were to be theirs1 they were not designed to share it with other occupants1 but every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon1 to you have ,i given it1 as ,i spake unto ,moses4 ,it was in no meagre or stingy spirit that ,god was now to fulfil ,his ancient promise1 but in a way corresponding to the essential bountifulness of ,his nature4 ,for it is a delightful truth that ,god's heart is large and liberal1 and that ,he delights in large and bountiful gifts4 ,has ,he not made this plain to all in the arrangements of nature8 ,what more lavish than the gift of light1 ever streaming from the sun in silver showers8 ,what more abundant than the fresh air that1 like an inexhaustible ocean1 encompasses our globe1 or the rivers that carry their fresh and fertilizing treasures unweariedly through every meadow8 ,what more productive than the vegetable soil that under favourable conditions teems with fruits and flowers and the elements of food for the use and enjoyment of man8 ,and when we turn to ,god's provision in grace we find glorious proofs of the same abundance and generosity4 ,we see this symbolized by the activity and generosity of our ,lord1 as ,he went about preaching the gospel of the kingdom1 and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people4 ,we understand the spiritual reality of which this was the symbol1 when we call to mind the ,divine generosity that receives the vilest sinners2 the efficacy of the blood that cleanses from all sin2 the power of the ,spirit that sanctifies soul1 body1 and spirit2 the wisdom of the providence that makes all things work together for good2 the glory of the love that makes us now sons of ,god1 and it doth not yet appear what we shall be2 but we know that when ,he shall appear we shall be like ,him1 for we shall see ,him as ,he is4 ,and once more it appears in the glory and amplitude of the inheritance1 of which the land of ,canaan was but the type1 prepared of ,god's infinite bounty for all who are ,his children by faith4 ,our ,father's house is both large and well furnished2 it is a house of many mansions2 and the inheritance which ,he has promised is incorruptible and undefiled and fadeth not away4 ,it is a grand truth1 of which we never can make too much1 this bountifulness of ,god1 and the delight which ,he has in being bountiful4 ,it is emphatically a truth for faith to apprehend and enjoy1 because appearances are so often against it4 ,appearances were fearfully against it while the ,israelites were groaning in their ,egyptian bondage1 and hardly less so1 despite the manna and the water from the rock1 during the forty years' wandering in the desert4 ,but that was a period of correction and of training1 and in such circumstances lavish bounty was out of the question4 ,the most bountiful man on earth could not pour out all the liberality of his heart on the inmates of a hospital for the sick2 he may give all that sick men need1 but he must wait till they are well before he can give full scope to his generosity4 ,while we are in the body we are like patients in a hospital1 and the kindest feelings from ,god toward us must often take the form of bitter medicines1 painful operations1 close restraint1 stinted diet1 and it may be silence and darkness4 ,but wait till we are well1 and then we shall see what ,god hath prepared for him that waiteth for ,him6 ,wait till we go over ,jordan and take possession of the land6 ,two things will be seen in the clearest light--the supreme bountifulness of ,god1 and the sinfulness of that impatient and suspicious spirit to which we are so prone4 ,what a humiliation1 if humiliation be possible in heaven1 to discover that all the time when we were fretting and grumbling1 ,god was working out ,his plans of supreme beneficence and love1 waiting only till we should come of age to make us heirs of the universe6 ,it is natural to ask why1 if the boundaries of the promised land were so extensive1 if they reached so far on the north-east as the ,euphrates1 and if they extended from ,lebanon on the north to the confines of ,egypt on the south1 there should have been any difficulty about the two and a half tribes occupying the land east of the ,jordan1 where only by a special permission they obtained their settlement4 ,for it is plain from the narrative that it was contrary to ,god's first intention1 so to speak1 that they should settle there1 and that the land west of the ,jordan was that to which the promise was held specially to apply4 ,it will hardly do to say1 as some have said1 that the extension of the land to the ,euphrates was a figure of speech1 a poetical fringe or ornament as it were1 intended to show that places adjacent to the land of ,israel would share in some degree the radiance of its light and the influence of the ,divine presence among its people4 ,for the promise of ,god was really of the nature of a charter1 and figures of poetry are not suitable in charters4 ,it is rather to be understood that1 in the final purpose of ,god1 the possession included the whole of the ample domain contained within the specified boundaries1 but that at first it would be confined within a narrower space4 ,if the people should prove faithful to the covenant1 the wider dominion would one day be conferred on them2 but they were to start and get consolidated in a narrower territory4 ,and the narrower space was that which had already been consecrated by the residence of the fathers ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob4 ,the country west of ,jordan was the land of their pilgrimage2 and even when ,lot and ,abraham had to separate1 it was not proposed that either should cross the river4 ,the little strip lying between the ,jordan and the sea was judged most suitable for the preparatory stage of ,israel's history2 but had the nation served ,god with fidelity1 their country would have been extended--as in the days of ,david and ,solomon it really was--to the dimensions of an empire4 ,the rule afterwards announced was to be virtually brought into operation--,to him that hath shall be given4 ,hence the view taken of the settlement of the two and a half tribes east of the ,jordan4 ,it was not illegitimate2 it was not inconsistent with the covenant made with the fathers2 but it was for the time inexpedient1 seeing that it exposed them to risks1 both material and spiritual1 which it would have been better for them to avoid4 ,one geographical expression1 in the delimitation of the country1 demands a brief explanation4 ,while the country is defined as embracing the whole territory from ,lebanon to the ,euphrates1 it is also defined as consisting in that direction of all the land of the ,hittites4 ,but were not the ,hittites one of the seven nations whose land was promised to ,abraham and the fathers1 and not even the first in the enumeration of these8 ,why should this great north-eastern section of the promised domain be designated the land of the ,hittites8 ,the time was when it was a charge against the accuracy of the ,scripture record that it ascribed to the ,hittites this extensive dominion4 ,that time has passed away1 inasmuch as1 within quite recent years1 the discovery has been made that in those distant times a great ,hittite empire did exist in the very region specified1 between ,lebanon and the ,euphrates4 ,the discovery is based on twofold data3 references in the ,egyptian and other monuments to a powerful people1 called the ,khita 7,hittites71 with whom even the great kings of ,egypt had long and bloody wars2 and inscriptions in the ,hittite language1 found in ,hamah1 ,aleppo1 and other places in ,syria4 ,there is still much obscurity resting on the history of this people4 ,that the ,hittites proper prevailed so extensively has been doubted by some2 a ,hittite confederacy has been supposed1 and sometimes a ,hittite aristocracy exercising control over a great empire4 ,the only point which it is necessary to dwell on here is1 that in representing the tract between ,lebanon and ,euphrates as equivalent to all the land of the ,hittites1 the author of the ,book of ,joshua made a statement which has been abundantly verified by recent research4#c #c ,see ,the ,empire of the ,hittites4 ,by ,william ,wright1 ,d4,d41 ,f4,r4,g4,s4 ,london1 #ahhf4 ,to encourage and animate ,joshua to undertake the work and position of ,moses it is very graciously promised--,there shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life3 as ,i was with ,moses1 so will ,i be with thee3 ,i will not fail thee1 nor forsake thee4 ,the invariable success promised was a greater boon than the greatest conquerors had been able to secure4 ,uniform success is a thing hardly known to captains of great expeditions1 even though in the end they may prevail4 ,but the promise to ,joshua is1 that all his enemies shall flee before him4 ,none of his battles shall be even neutral1 his opponents must always give way4#d ,no son of ,anak shall be able to oppose his onward march2 no giant1 like ,og ,king of ,bashan1 shall terrify either him or his troops4 ,he will onward still to victory go1--the ,lord of hosts ever with him1 the ,god of ,jacob ever his defence4 #d ,the promise is not inconsistent with the fact that ,joshua's troops were defeated by the men of ,ai4 ,in such promises there is an implied condition of steadfast regard to ,god's will on the part of those who receive them1 and this condition was violated at ,ai1 not by ,joshua1 indeed1 but by one of his people4 ,and this was no vague1 indefinite assurance4 ,it was sharply defined by a well-known example in the immediate past--,as ,i was with ,moses1 so ,i will be with thee4 ,in what a remarkable variety of dangers and trials ,god was with ,moses6 ,now he had to confront the grandest monarch on earth1 supported by the strongest armies1 and upheld by what claimed to be the mightiest gods4 ,again he had to deal with an apostate people1 mad upon idols1 and afterwards with an excited mob1 ready to stone him4 ,anon he had to overcome the forces of nature and bend them to his purposes2 to call water from the rock1 to sweeten the bitter fountain1 to heal the fiery bite1 to cure his sister's leprous body1 to bring down bread from heaven1 and people the air with flocks of birds4 ,moreover1 he had to be the messenger of the covenant between ,god and ,israel1 to unfold ,god's law in its length and breadth and in all its variety of application1 and to obtain from the people a hearty compliance--,all that the ,lord hath said unto us1 that will we do4 ,what a marvellous work ,moses did6 ,what a testimony his life presented to the reality of the ,divine presence and guidance1 and what a solid and indefeasible ground of trust ,god gave to ,joshua when ,he said1 ,as ,i was with ,moses1 so will ,i be with thee4 ,and this is crowned with the further assurance1 ,i will not fail thee1 nor forsake thee1--an assurance which is extended in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews to all who believe4 ,we are so apt to view these promises as just beautiful expressions that we need to pause and think what they really mean4 ,a promise of ,divine presence1 ,divine protection and guidance and blessing all the days of our life1 is surely a treasure of inexpressible value4 ,it is no slight matter to realize that this is in ,god's heart--that ,he has a constant1 unvarying feeling of love toward us1 and readiness to help2 but we must believe this in order to get the benefit of it2 and1 moreover1 ,he must be left to determine the time1 the manner1 and the form in which ,his help is to come4 ,alas for the unbelief1 the suspicion1 the fear that is so prone to eat out the spirit of trust1 and in our trials and difficulties make us tremble as if we were alone6 ,what a profound peace1 what calm enjoyment and blessed hope fall to the lot of those who can believe in a ,god ever near1 and in ,his unfailing faithfulness and love6 ,was it not the secret alike of ,david's calmness1 of our ,lord's serenity1 and of the cheerful composure of many a martyr and many a common man and woman who have gone through life undisturbed and happy1 that they could say--,i have set the ,lord always before me2 because ,he is at my right hand1 ,i shall not be moved8 ,god grant us all that1 like ,abraham1 we may stagger not at the promise of ,god through unbelief but that being strong in faith we may give glory to ,god1 and believe that what ,he hath promised ,he is able also to perform4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,joshua',s ,,encouragement4 ,,joshua i4 #f-i4 ,god has promised to be with ,joshua1 but ,joshua must strive to act like one in partnership with ,god4 ,and that ,he may do so1 ,god has just two things to press on him3 in the first place1 to be strong and of a good courage2 and in the second place1 to make the book of the law his continual study and guide4 ,in this way he shall be able to achieve the specific purpose to which he is called1 to divide the land for an inheritance to the people1 as ,god hath sworn to their fathers2 and likewise1 more generally1 to fulfil the conditions of a successful life--then shalt thou make thy way prosperous1 and then thou shalt have good success4 ,first1 ,joshua must be strong and very courageous4 ,but are strength and courage really within our own power8 ,is strength not absolutely a ,divine gift1 and as dependent on ,god in its ordinary degrees as it was in the case of ,samson in its highest degree8 ,no doubt in a sense it is so2 and yet the amount even of our bodily strength is not wholly beyond our own control4 ,as bodily strength is undoubtedly weakened by careless living1 by excess of eating and drinking1 by all irregular habits1 by the breathing of foul air1 by indolence and self-indulgence of every kind1 so undoubtedly it is increased and promoted by attention to the simple laws of health1 by activity and exercise1 by sleep and sabbatic rest1 by the moderate use of wholesome food1 as well as by abstinence from hurtful drinks and drugs4 ,and surely the duty of being strong1 in so far as such things can give strength1 is of far more importance than many think2 for if we can thus maintain and increase our strength we shall be able to serve both ,god and man much better and longer than we could otherwise have done4 ,on the other hand1 the feebleness and fitfulness and querulousness often due to preventible illness must increase the trouble which we give to others1 and lessen the beneficent activity and the brightening influence of our own lives4 ,but in ,joshua's case is was no doubt strength and courage of soul that was mainly meant4 ,even that is not wholly independent of the ordinary conditions of the body4 ,on the other hand1 there are no doubt memorable cases where the elasticity and power of the spirit have been in the very inverse ratio to the strength of the body4 ,by cheerful views of life and duty1 natural depression has been counteracted1 and the soul filled with hope and joy4 ,the joy of the ,lord1 said ,nehemiah1 is the strength of ,his people4 ,fellowship with ,god1 as our reconciled ,god and ,father in ,christ1 is a source of perpetual strength4 ,who does not know the strengthening and animating influence of the presence even of a friend1 when we find his fresh and joyous temperament playing on us in some season of depression8 ,the radiance of his face1 the cheeriness of his voice1 the elasticity of his movements seem to infuse new hope and courage into the jaded soul4 ,when he is gone1 we try to shake off the despondent feeling that has seized us1 and gird ourselves anew for the battle of life4 ,and if such an effect can be produced by fellowship with a fellow-creature1 how much more by fellowship with the infinite ,god6--especially when it is ,his work we are trying to do1 and when we have all ,his promises of help to rest on4 ,god is near thee1 therefore cheer thee is a perpetual solace and stimulus to the ,christian soul4 ,but even men who are full of ,christian courage need props and bulwarks in the hour of trial4 ,ezra and ,nehemiah were bold1 but they had ways of stimulating their courage1 which they sometimes needed to fall back on1 and they could find allies in unlikely quarters4 ,ezra could draw courage even from his shame1 and ,nehemiah from his very pride4 ,i was ashamed1 said ,ezra1 to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way2 therefore he determined to face the danger with no help but the unseen help of ,god4 ,and when ,nehemiah's life was in danger from the cunning devices of the enemy1 and his friends advised him to hide himself1 he repelled the advice with high-minded scorn--,should such a man as ,i flee8 ,but there is no source of courage like that which flows from the consciousness of serving ,god1 and the consequent assurance that ,he will sustain and help ,his servants4 ,brief ejaculatory prayers1 constantly dropping from their lips1 often bring the courage which is needed4 ,now1 therefore1 ,o ,god1 strengthen my hands1 was ,nehemiah's habitual exclamation when faintness of heart came over him4 ,no doubt it was ,joshua's too1 as it has always been of the best of ,god's servants4 ,again and again1 amid the murderous threats of cannibals in the ,new ,hebrides1 the missionary ,paton must have sunk into despair but for his firm belief in the protection of ,god4 ,the other counsel to ,joshua was to follow in all things the instructions of ,moses1 and for this end1 not to let the book of the law depart out of his mouth1 but to meditate on it day and night1 that he might observe to do all that was written therein4 ,for ,joshua was called to be the executor of ,moses1 as it were1 not to start on an independent career of his own2 and that particular call he most humbly and cheerfully accepted4 ,instead of breaking with the past1 he was delighted to build on it as his foundation1 and carry it out to its predestined issues4 ,it was no part of his work to improve on what ,moses had done2 he was simply to accept it and carry it out4 ,he had his brief1 he had his instructions1 and these it was his one business to fulfil4 ,no puritan ever accepted ,god's revelation with more profound and unquestioning reverence than ,joshua accepted the law of ,moses4 ,no ,oliver ,cromwell or ,general ,gordon ever recognised more absolutely his duty to carry out the plan of another1 and1 undisturbed himself1 leave the issue in ,his hands4 ,he was to be a very incarnation of ,moses1 and was so to meditate on his law day and night that his mind should be saturated with its contents4 ,this1 indeed1 was a necessity for ,joshua1 because he required to have a clear perception of the great purpose of ,god regarding ,israel4 ,why had ,god taken the unusual course of entering into covenant with a single family out of the mass of mankind8 ,a purpose deliberately formed and clung to for more than four hundred years must be a grand object in the ,divine mind4 ,it was ,joshua's part to keep the people in mind of the solemnity and grandeur of their mission and to call them to a corresponding mode of life4 ,what can more effectually give dignity and self-respect to men than to find that they have a part in the grand purposes of ,god8 ,to find that ,god is not asleep2 that ,he has neither given up the world to chance nor bound it with a chain of irreversible law1 but that ,he calls us to be fellow-workers with ,him in a great plan which shall in the end tend gloriously to advance the highest welfare of man8 ,this habit of meditation on the law which ,joshua was instructed to practise was of great value to one who was to lead a busy life4 ,no mere cursory perusal of a book of law can secure the ends for which it is given4 ,the memory is treacherous1 the heart is careless1 and the power of worldly objects to withdraw attention is proverbial4 ,we must be continually in contact with the ,book of ,god4 ,the practice enjoined on ,joshua has kept its ground among a limited class during all the intervening generations4 ,in every age of the ,church it has been impressed on all devout and earnest hearts that there can be no spiritual prosperity and progress without daily meditation on the ,word of ,god4 ,it would be hard to believe in the genuine ,christianity of any one who did not make a practice morning and evening of bringing his soul into contact with some portion of that ,word4 ,and wherever an eminent degree of piety has been reached1 we shall find that an eminently close study of the ,word has been practised4 ,where the habit is perfunctory1 the tendency is to omit the meditation and to be content with the reading4 ,even in pious families there is a risk that the reading of the ,scriptures morning and evening may push the duty of meditation aside1 though even then we are not to despise the benefit that arises from the familiarity gained with their contents4 ,but1 on the other hand1 the instances are numberless of men attaining to great intimacy with the ,divine will and to a large conformity to it1 through meditation on the ,scriptures4 ,to many the daily portion comes fresh as the manna gathered each morning at the door of ,israel's camp4 ,think of men like ,george ,mller of ,bristol reading the ,bible from beginning to end as many as a hundred times1 and finding it more fresh and interesting at each successive perusal4 ,think of ,livingstone reading it right on four times when detained at ,manyuema1 and ,stanley three times during his ,emin expedition4 ,what resources must be in it1 what hidden freshness1 what power to feed and revive the soul6 ,the sad thing is that the practice is so rare4 ,listen to the prophet-like rebuke of ,edward ,irving to the generation of his time3 ,who feels the sublime dignity there is in a fresh saying descended from the porch of heaven8 ,who feels the awful weight there is in the least iota that hath dropped from the lips of ,god8 ,who feels the thrilling fear or trembling hope there is in words whereon the eternal destinies of himself do hang8 ,who feels the swelling tide of gratitude within his breast for redemption and salvation1 instead of flat despair and everlasting retribution8444 ,this book1 the offspring of the ,divine mind and the perfection of heavenly wisdom is permitted to lie from day to day1 perhaps from week to week1 unheeded and unperused2 never welcome to our happy1 healthy1 and energetic moods2 admitted1 if admitted at all1 in seasons of weakness1 feeblemindedness1 and disabling sorrow4444 ,oh1 if books had but tongues to speak their wrongs1 then might this book exclaim1 ,hear1 ,o heavens1 and give ear1 ,o earth6 ,i came from the love and embrace of ,god1 and mute nature1 to whom ,i brought no boon1 did me rightful homage4444 ,i set open to you the gates of salvation and the way of eternal life1 heretofore unknown4444 ,but ye requited me with no welcome1 ye held no festivity on my arrival2 ye sequester me from happiness and heroism1 closeting me with sickness and infirmity2 ye make not of me1 nor use me as your guide to wisdom and prudence1 but press me into your list of duties1 and withdraw me to a mere corner of your time1 and most of you set me at nought and utterly disregard me4444 ,if you had entertained me1 ,i should have possessed you of the peace which ,i had with ,god when ,i was with ,him and was daily ,his delight rejoicing always before ,him4444 ,because ,i have called and ye refused4444 ,i also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh4#e #e ,for the ,oracles of ,god3 four ,orations4 ,pp4 #c-f4 ,it is no excuse for neglecting this habitual reading of the ,book of ,god that ,he places us now more under the action of principles than the discipline of details4 ,for the glory of principles is that they have a bearing on every detail of our life4 ,whatsoever ye do in word or in deed1 do all in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 giving thanks unto ,god and the ,father by ,him4 ,what could be more comprehensive than this principle of action--a principle that extends to whatsoever we do8 ,there is not a moment of our waking life1 not an action great or small we ever perform where the influence of this wide precept ought not to be felt4 ,and how can it become thus pervasive unless we make it a subject of continual meditation8 ,in the case of ,joshua1 all the strenuous exhortations to him to be strong and of a good courage1 and to meditate on the ,divine law as given by ,moses by day and by night1 were designed to qualify him for his great work--to divide the land for an inheritance to the people as ,god had sworn to their fathers4 ,first of all1 the land had to be conquered2 and there is no difficulty in seeing how necessary it was for one who had this task on hand to be strong and of a good courage1 and to meditate on ,god's law4 ,then the land had to be divided1 and the people settled in their new life1 and ,joshua had to initiate them1 as it were1 in that life2 he had to bind on their consciences the conditions on which the land was to be enjoyed1 and start them in the performance of the duties1 moral1 social and religious1 which the ,divine constitution required4 ,here lay the most difficult part of his task4 ,to conquer the country required but the talent of a military commander2 to divide the country was pretty much an affair of trigonometry2 but to settle them in a higher sense1 to create a moral affinity between them and their ,god1 to turn their hearts to the covenant of their fathers1 to wean them from their old idolatries and establish them in such habits of obedience and trust that the doing of ,god's will would become to them a second nature1--here was the difficulty for ,joshua4 ,they had not only to be planted physically in groups over the country1 but they had to be married to it morally1 otherwise they had no security of tenure1 but were liable to summary eviction4 ,it was no land of rest for idolaters2 all depended on the character they attained2 loyalty to ,god was the one condition of a happy settlement2 let them begin to trifle with the claims of ,jehovah1 punishment and suffering1 to be followed finally by dispersion and captivity1 was the inevitable result4 ,it was thus that ,joshua had to justify his name1--to show that he was worthy to be called by the name of ,jesus4 ,the work of ,jesus may be said to have been symbolized both by that of ,moses and that of ,joshua4 ,moses symbolized the ,redeemer in rescuing the people from ,egypt and their miserable bondage there2 as ,christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law4 ,joshua symbolized ,him as ,he renews our hearts and makes us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light4 ,for there are conditions moral and spiritual essential to our dwelling in the heavenly ,canaan4 ,lord1 who shall abide in ,thy tabernacle8 and who shall dwell in ,thy holy hill8 ,he that hath clean hands1 and a pure heart2 who hath not lifted up his soul to vanity1 nor sworn deceitfully4 ,the atmosphere of heaven is too pure to be breathed by the unregenerate and unsanctified4 ,there must be an adaptation between the character of the inhabitant and the place of his habitation4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit1 he cannot see the kingdom of ,god4 ,thus we see the connection between ,joshua's devotion to the book of the law1 and success in the great work of his life--then thou shalt make thy way prosperous1 and then thou shalt have good success4 ,no doubt he would have the appearance of success if he simply cleared out the inhabitants who were so degraded by sin that ,god was compelled to sweep them off1 and settled ,his people in their room4 ,but that1 after all1 was but a small matter unless accompanied by something more4 ,it would not secure the people from at last sharing the fate of the old inhabitants2 so far at least that though they should not be exterminated1 yet they would be scattered over the face of the globe4 ,how could ,joshua get rid of these ominous words in the song of ,moses to which they had so lately listened8--,they provoked ,him to jealousy with strange gods1 with abominations provoked they ,him to anger4 ,they sacrificed to devils1 not to ,god2 to gods whom they knew not1 to new gods that came newly up1 whom your fathers feared not4444 ,and ,he said1 ,i will hide ,my face from them1 ,i will see what their end shall be3 for they are a very froward generation1 children in whom is no faith4 ,but even if in the end of the day it should come to this1 nevertheless ,joshua might so move and impress the people for the time being1 that in the immediate future all would be well1 and the dreaded consummation would be put off to a distant day4 ,and so at all times1 in dealing with human beings1 we can obtain no adequate and satisfying success unless their hearts are turned to ,god4 ,your children may be great scholars1 or successful merchants1 or distinguished authors1 or brilliant artists1 or even statesmen2 what does it come to if they are dead to ,god1 and have no living fellowship with ,jesus ,christ8 ,your congregation may be large and influential1 and wealthy1 and liberal2 what if they are worldly1 proud1 and contentious8 ,we must aim at far deeper effects1 effects not to be found without the ,spirit of ,god4 ,the more we labour in this spirit1 the more shall our way be made prosperous1 the better shall be our success4 ,for them that honour ,me ,i will honour2 but they that despise ,me shall be lightly esteemed4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,joshua',s ,,charge ,,to ,,the ,,people4 ,,joshua i4 #aj-ah4 ,god has spoken to ,joshua2 it is now ,joshua's part to speak to the people4 ,the crossing of the ,jordan must be set about at once1 and in earnest1 and all the risks and responsibilities involved in that step firmly and fearlessly encountered4 ,and in the steps taken by ,joshua for this purpose we see1 what we so often see1 how the natural must be exhausted before the supernatural is brought in4 ,thus1 in communicating with the people through the shoterim1 or officers1 the first order which he gives is to command the people to prepare them victuals4 ,victuals denotes the natural products of the country1 and is evidently used in opposition to manna4 ,in another passage we read that the manna ceased on the very morning after they had eaten of the old corn of the land 7chap4 v4 #ab74 ,this may have been a considerable time before1 for the conquest of ,sihon and ,og would give the people possession of ample stores of food out of the old corn of the land4 ,the manna was a provision for the desert only1 where few or no natural supplies of food could be found4 ,but the very day when natural stores become available1 the manna is discontinued4 ,one cannot but contrast the carefully limited use of the supernatural in ,scripture with its arbitrary and unstinted employment in mythical or fictional writings4 ,often in such cases it is brought in with a wanton profusion1 simply to excite wonder1 sometimes to gratify the love of the grotesque1 not because natural means could not have accomplished what was sought1 but through sheer love of revelling in the supernatural4 ,in ,scripture the natural is never superseded when it is capable of either helping or accomplishing the end4 ,the east wind helps to dry the ,red ,sea1 although the rod of ,moses has to be stretched out for the completion of the work4 ,the angel of ,god knocks ,peter's chains from his limbs and opens the prison gates for him1 but leaves him to find his way thereafter as best he can4 ,so now4 ,it is now in the power of the people to prepare them victuals1 and though ,god might easily feed them as ,he has fed them miraculously for forty years1 ,he leaves them to find food for themselves4 ,in all cases the co-operation of the ,divine and the human is carried out with an instructive combination of generosity and economy2 man is never to be idle2 alike in the affairs of the temporal and the spiritual life1 the ,divine energy always stimulates to activity1 never lulls to sleep4 ,a little explanation is needed respecting the time when ,joshua said the ,jordan must be crossed--within three days4 ,if the narrative of the first two chapters be taken in chronological order1 more than three days must have elapsed between the issuing of this order and the crossing of the river1 because it is expressly stated that the two spies who were sent to examine ,jericho hid themselves for three days in the mountains1 and thereafter recrossed the ,jordan and returned to ,joshua 7ii4 #bb74 ,but it is quite in accordance with the practice of ,scripture narrative to introduce an episode out of its chronological place so that it may not break up the main record4 ,it is now generally held that the spies were sent on before ,joshua issued this order to the people1 because it is not likely that he would have committed himself to a particular day before he got the information which he expected the spies to bring4 ,in any case1 it is plain that no needless delay was allowed4 ,half a week more and ,jordan would be crossed1 although the means of crossing it had not yet been made apparent2 and then the people would be actually in their own inheritance1 within the very country which in the dim ages of the past had been promised to their fathers4 ,yes1 the people generally2 but already an arrangement had been made for the ,reubenites1 the ,gadites1 and the half-tribe of ,manasseh on the east side of the river4 ,how1 then1 were they to act in the present crisis8 ,that had been determined between them and ,moses when they got leave to occupy the lands of ,sihon and ,og1 on account of their suitableness for their abundant flocks and herds4 ,it had been arranged then that1 leaving their cattle and their children1 a portion of the men likewise1 the rest would cross the river with their brethren and take their share of the toils and risks of the conquest of ,western ,canaan4 ,all that ,joshua needs to do now is to remind them of this arrangement4 ,happily there was no reluctance on their part to fulfil it4 ,there was no going back from their word1 even though they might have found a loophole of escape4 ,they might have said that as the conquest of ,sihon and ,og had been accomplished so easily1 so the conquest of the western tribes would be equally simple4 ,or they might have said that the nine tribes and a half could furnish quite a large enough army to dispossess the ,canaanites4 ,or they might have discovered that their wives and children were exposed to dangers they had not apprehended1 and that it would be necessary for the entire body of the men to remain and protect them4 ,but they fell back on no such after thought4 ,they kept their word at no small cost of toil and danger1 and furnished thereby a perpetual lesson for those who1 having made a promise under pressure1 are tempted to resile from it when the pressure is removed4 ,fidelity to engagements is a noble quality1 just as laxity in regard to them is a miserable sin4 ,even ,pagan ,rome could boast of a ,regulus who kept his oath by returning to ,carthage1 though it was to encounter a miserable death4 ,in the fifteenth psalm it is a feature in the portrait of the man who is to abide in ,god's tabernacle and dwell in ,his holy hill1 that he sweareth to his own hurt1 and changeth not4 ,one arrangement was made by these transjordanic tribes that was perfectly reasonable--a portion of the men remained to guard their families and their property4 ,the number that passed over was forty thousand 7,josh4 iv4 #ac71 whereas the entire number of men capable of bearing arms 7dividing ,manasseh into two7 was a hundred and ten thousand 7,num4 xxvi4 #g1 #ah1 and #cd74 ,but the contingent actually sent was amply sufficient to redeem the promise1 and1 consisting probably of picked men1 was no doubt a very efficient portion of the force4 ,the actual fighting force of the other tribes would probably be in the same proportion to the whole2 and there1 too1 a section would have to be left to guard the women1 children1 and flocks1 so that in point of fact the labours and dangers of the conquest were about equally divided between all the tribes4 ,here1 then1 was an edifying spectacle3 those who had been first provided for did not forget those who had not yet obtained any settlement2 but held themselves bound to assist their brethren until they should be as comfortably settled as themselves4 ,it was a grand testimony against selfishness1 a grand assertion of brotherhood1 a beautiful manifestation of loyalty and public spirit2 and1 we may add1 an instructive exhibition of the working of the method by which ,god's providence seeks to provide for the dissemination of many blessings among the children of men4 ,it was an act of socialism1 without the drawbacks which most forms of socialism involve4 ,god has allowed many differences in the lots of mankind1 bestowing on some ample means1 for which they toiled not neither did they spin2 bestowing1 often on the same individuals1 a higher position in life1 with corresponding social influence2 setting some nations in the van of the world's march1 bestowing on some churches very special advantages and means of influence2 and it is a great question that arises--what obligations rest on these favoured individuals and communities8 ,does ,god lay any duty on them toward the rest of mankind8 ,the inquiry in its full scope is too wide for our limits2 let us restrict ourselves to the element in respect of which the transjordanic tribes had the advantage of the others--the element of time4 ,what do those who have received their benefits early owe to those who are behind them in time8 ,the question leads us first to the family constitution1 but there is really no question here4 ,the obligations of parents to their children are the obligations of those who have already got their settlement to those who have not2 of those who have already got means1 and strength1 and experience1 and wisdom to those who have not yet had time to acquire them4 ,it is only the vilest of our race that refuse to own their obligations here1 and this only after their nature has been perverted and demonized by vice4 ,to all others it is an obligation which amply repays itself4 ,the affection between parent and child in every well-ordered house sweetens the toil that often falls so heavily on the elders2 while the pleasure of seeing their children filling stations of respectability and usefulness1 and the enjoyment of their affection1 even after they have gone out into the world1 amply repay their past labours1 and greatly enrich the joys of life4 ,we advance to the relation of the rich to the poor1 especially of those who are born to riches to those who are born to obscurity and toil4 ,had the providence of ,god no purpose in this arrangement8 ,you who come into the world amid luxury and splendour1 who have never been required to work for a single comfort1 who have the means of gratifying expensive tastes1 and who grudge no expenditure on the objects of your fancy3--was it meant that you were to sustain no relation of help and sympathy to the poor1 especially your neighbors1 your tenants1 or your workpeople8 ,do you fulfil the obligations of life when1 pouring into your coffers the fruits of other men's toil1 you hurry off to the resorts of wealth and fashion1 intent only on your own enjoyment1 and without a thought of the toiling multitude you leave at home8 ,is it right of you to leave deserving people to fall peradventure into starvation and despair1 without so much as turning a finger to prevent it8 ,what are you doing for the widows and orphans8 ,selfish and sinful beings6 let these old ,hebrews read you a lesson of condemnation6 ,they could not selfishly enjoy their comfortable homes till they had done their part on behalf of their brethren1 for wherever there is a brotherly heart a poor brother's welfare is as dear as one's own4 ,then there is the case of nations1 and pre-eminently of our own4 ,some races attain to civilization1 and order1 and good government sooner than others4 ,they have all the benefit of settled institutions and enlightened opinion1 of discoveries in the arts and sciences1 and of the manifold comforts and blessings with which life is thus enriched1 while other nations are sunk in barbarism and convulsed by disorder4 ,but how much more prone are such nations to claim the rights of superiority than to play the part of the elder brother6 ,we are thankful for the great good that has been done in ,india1 and in other countries controlled by the older nations4 ,but even in the case of ,india1 how many have gone there not to benefit the natives1 but with the hope of enriching themselves4 ,how ready have many been to indulge their own vices at the cost of the natives1 and how little has it pained them to see them becoming the slaves of new vices that have sunk them lower than before4 ,our ,indian opium traffic1 and our drink traffic generally among native races--what is their testimony to our brotherly feeling8 ,what are we to think of the white traders among the ,south ,sea islands1 stealing and robbing and murdering their feebler fellow-creatures8 ,what are we to think of the traffic in slaves1 and the inconceivable brutalities with which it is carried on8 ,or what are we to think of our traders at home1 sending out in almost uncountable profusion the rum1 and the gin1 and the other drinks by which the poor weak natives are at once enticed1 enslaved1 and destroyed8 ,is there any development in selfishness that has ever been heard of more heartless and horrible8 ,why can't they let them alone1 if they will not try to benefit them8 ,what can come to any man in the end but the well-merited punishment of those who out of sheer greed have made miserable savages tenfold more the children of hell than before8 ,we pass over the case of the early settlers in colonies1 because there is hardly any obligation more generally recognised than that of such settlers to lend a helping hand to new arrivals4 ,we go on to the case of ,churches4 ,the light of saving truth has come to some lands before others4 ,we in this country have had our ,christianity for centuries1 and in these recent years have had so lively a dispensation of the gospel of ,christ that many have felt more than ever ,his power to forgive1 to comfort1 to lift us up and bless us4 ,have we no duty to those parts of the earth which are still in the shadow of death8 ,if we are not actually settled in the ,promised ,land1 we are as good as settled1 because we have the ,divine promise1 and we believe in that promise4 ,but what of those who are yet without ,christ1 alienated from the commonwealth of ,israel1 and strangers to the covenants of promise1 having no hope1 and without ,god in the world8 ,have we no responsibility for them8 ,have we no interest in that ,divine plan which seeks to use those who first receive the light as instruments of imparting it to the rest8 ,infidels object that ,christianity cannot be of ,god1 because if ,christianity furnishes the only ,divine remedy for sin it would have been diffused as widely as the evil for which it is the cure4 ,our reply is1 that ,god's plan is to give the light first to some1 and to charge them to give it freely and cordially to others4 ,we say1 moreover1 that this plan is a wholesome one for those who are called to work it1 because it draws out and strengthens what is best and noblest in them1 and because it tends to form very loving bonds between those who give and those who get the benefit4 ,but what if the first recipients of the light fold their hands1 content to have got the blessing themselves1 and decline to do their part in sending it to the rest8 ,surely there is here no ordinary combination of sins6 ,indolence and selfishness at the root1 and1 with these1 a want of all public spirit and beneficent activity2 and1 moreover1 not mere neglect but contempt of the ,divine plan by which ,god has sought the universal diffusion of the blessing4 ,again we say1 look to these men of ,reuben1 ,gad1 and ,manasseh4 ,they were not the lite of the race of ,israel4 ,their fathers1 at least in the case of ,reuben and ,dan1 were not among the more honoured of the sons of ,jacob4 ,and yet they had the grace to think of their brethren1 when so many among us are utterly careless of ours4 ,and not only to think of them1 but to go over the ,jordan and fight for them1 possibly die for them2 nor would they think of returning to the comfort of their homes till they had seen their brethren in the west settled in theirs4 ,and this readiness of ,reuben1 ,gad1 and the half-tribe of ,manasseh to fulfil the engagement under which they had come to ,moses1 was not the only gratifying occurrence which ,joshua met with on announcing the impending crossing of the ,jordan4 ,for the whole people declared very cordially their acceptance of ,joshua as their leader1 vowed to him the most explicit fidelity1 declared their purpose to pay him the same honour as they had paid to ,moses1 and denounced a sentence of death against any one that would not hearken to his words in all that he commanded them4 ,joshua1 in fact1 obtained from them a promise of loyalty beyond what they had ever given to ,moses till close on his death4 ,it was the great trial of ,moses that the people so habitually complained of him and worried him1 embittering his life by ascribing to him even the natural hardships of the wilderness1 as well as the troubles that sprang directly from their sins4 ,it is the unwillingness of his people to trust him1 after all he has sacrificed for them1 that gives such a pathetic interest to the life of ,moses1 and makes him1 more than perhaps any other ,old ,testament prophet1 so striking an example of unrequited affection4 ,after crossing the ,red ,sea1 all the marvels of that deliverance from ,pharaoh of which he had been the instrument are swallowed up and forgotten by the little inconveniences of the journey4 ,and afterwards1 when they are doomed to the forty years' wandering1 they are ready enough to blame him for it1 forgetting how he fell down before ,god and pled for them when ,god threatened to destroy them4 ,moreover1 his enactments against the idolatry they loved so well made him anything but popular1 to say nothing of the burdensome ceremonial which he enjoined them to observe4 ,the time of real loyalty to ,moses was just the little period before his death1 when he led them against ,sihon and ,og1 and a great stretch of fertile and beautiful land fell into their hands4 ,moses had just gained the greatest victory of his life1 he had just become master of the hearts of his people1 when he was called away4 ,for ,moses at last did gain the people's hearts1 and those to whom ,joshua appealed could say without irony or sarcasm1 ,according as we hearkened unto ,moses in all things1 so will we hearken unto thee4 ,in point of fact a great change had been effected on the people at last4 ,moses had laboured1 and ,joshua now entered into his labours4 ,the same thing has often occurred in history1 and notably in our own4 ,in civil life how much do we owe to the noble champions of freedom of other days1 through whose patriotism1 courage1 and self-denial the hard fight was fought and the victory won that enables us to sit under our vine and under our fig tree4 ,in ecclesiastical life was it not the blood of the martyrs and the struggles of those of whom the world was not worthy1 who wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth1 that won for us the freedom and the peace in which we now rejoice8 ,what blessings we owe to those that have gone before us6 ,and how can we better discharge our obligations to them than by hastening to the aid of those who have but emerged from the period of struggle and suffering1 like the ,christians of ,madagascar or of ,uganda1 whose fearful sufferings and awful deaths under the merciless rule of heathen kings made ,christendom stand aghast1 and drew a wail of anguish from her bosom8 ,the unanimity of the people in their loyalty to ,joshua is a touching sight4 ,so far as appears there was not one discordant note in that harmonious burst of loyalty4 ,no ,korah1 ,dathan1 or ,abiram rose up to decline his rule and embarrass him in his new position4 ,it is a beautiful sight1 the united loyalty of a great nation4 ,nothing more beautiful has ever been known in the long reign of ,queen ,victoria than the crowding of her people in hundreds of thousands to witness her procession to ,st4 ,paul's on that morning when she went to return thanks for the rescue of her eldest son from the very jaws of death4 ,not one discordant note was uttered1 not one disloyal feeling was known2 the vast multitude were animated by the spirit of sympathy and affection for one who had tried to do her duty as a queen and as a mother4 ,it was a sight not unlike to this that was seen in the streets of ,new ,york at the centennial celebration of the inauguration of ,george ,washington as first ,president of the ,united ,states4 ,one was thrilled by the thought that not only the multitude that thronged the streets1 but the representatives of the whole nation1 gathered in their churches throughout the land1 were animated by a common sentiment of gratitude to the man whose wisdom and courage had laid the foundation of all the prosperity and blessing of the last hundred years4 ,are not such scenes the pattern of that spirit of loyalty which the entire race of man owes to ,him who by ,his blood redeemed the world1 and whose rule and influence1 if the world would but accept of it1 are so beneficent and so blessed8 ,yet how far are we from such a state6 ,how few are the hearts that throb with true loyalty to the ,saviour1 and whose most fervent aspiration for the world is1 that it would only throw down its weapons of rebellion1 and give to him its hearty allegiance6 ,strange that the ,old ,testament ,joshua should have got at once what eighteen hundred years have failed to bring to the ,new ,testament ,jesus6 ,god hasten the day of universal light and universal love1 when ,he shall reign from sea to sea1 and from the river to the ends of the earth6 ,one song employs all nations1 and all cry ',worthy the ,lamb1 for ,he was slain for us'6 ,the dwellers in the vales and on the rocks ,shout to each other1 and the mountain tops ,from distant mountains catch the flying joy1 ,till nation after nation taught the strain ,earth rolls the rapturous ,hosanna round4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,spies ,,in ,,jericho4 ,,joshua ii4 ,it was not long ere ,joshua found an occasion not only for the exercise of that courage to which he had been so emphatically called both by ,god and the people1 but for calling on others to practise the same manly virtue4 ,for the duty which he laid on the two spies--detectives we should now call them--to enter ,jericho and bring a report of its condition1 was perhaps the most perilous to which it was possible for men to be called4 ,it was like sending them into a den of lions1 and expecting them to return safe and sound4 ,evidently he was happy in finding two men ready for the duty and the risk4 ,young men they are called further on 7vi4 #bc71 and it is quite likely that they were leading men in their tribes4 ,no doubt they might disguise themselves1 they might divest themselves of anything in dress that was characteristically ,hebrew1 they might put on the clothes of neighbouring peasants1 and carry a basket of produce for sale in the city2 and as for language1 they might be able to use the ,canaanite dialect and imitate the ,canaanite accent4 ,but if they did try any such disguise1 they must have known that it would be of doubtful efficacy2 the officials of ,jericho could not fail to be keenly on the watch1 and no disguise could hide the ,hebrew features1 or divest them wholly of the air of foreigners4 ,nevertheless the two men had courage for the risky enterprise4 ,doubtless it was the courage that sprang from faith2 it was in ,god's service they went1 and ,god's protection would not fail them4 ,to be able to find agents so willing and so suitable was a proof to ,joshua that ,god had already begun to fulfil ,his promises4 ,joshua had been a spy himself1 and it was natural enough that he should think of the same mode of reconnoitring the country1 now that they were again on the eve of making the entrance into it which they should have made nearly forty years before4 ,there is no reason to think that in taking this step ,joshua acted presumptuously1 proceeding on his own counsel when he should have sought counsel of ,god4 ,for ,joshua might rightly infer that he ought to take this course inasmuch as it had been followed before with ,god's approval in the case of the twelve4 ,its purpose was twofold--to obtain information and confirmation4 ,information as to the actual condition and spirit of the ,canaanites1 as to the view they took of the approaching invasion of the ,israelites1 and the impression that had been made on them by all the remarkable things that had happened in the desert2 and confirmation1--new proof for his own people that ,god was with them1 fresh encouragement to go up bravely to the attack1 and fresh assurance that not one word would ever fail them of all the things which the ,lord had promised4 ,we follow the two men as they leave ,shittim1 so named from the masses of bright acacia which shed their glory over the plain2 then cross the river at the fords1 which1 flooded though they were1 were still practicable for swimmers2 enter the gates of ,jericho1 and move along the streets4 ,in such a city as ,jericho1 and among such an immoral people as the ,canaanites1 it was not strange that they should fall in with a woman of ,rahab's occupation1 and should receive an invitation to her house4 ,some commentators have tried to make out that she was not so bad as she is represented1 but only an innkeeper2 but the meaning of the word both here and as translated in ,heb4 xi4 and ,james ii4 is beyond contradiction4 ,others have supposed that she was one of the harlot-priestesses of ,ashtoreth1 but in that case she would have had her dwelling in the precincts of a temple1 not in an out-of-the-way place on the walls of the city4 ,we are to remember that in the degraded condition of public opinion in ,canaan1 as indeed much later in the case of the ,hetairai of ,athens1 her occupation was not regarded as disgraceful1 neither did it banish her from her family1 nor break up the bonds of interest and affection between them1 as it must do in every moral community4#f ,it was not accompanied with that self-contempt and self-loathing which in other circumstances are its fruits4 ,we may quite easily understand how the spies might enter her house simply for the purpose of getting the information they desired1 as modern detectives when tracking out crime so often find it necessary to win the confidence and worm out the secrets of members of the same wretched class4 ,but the emissaries of ,joshua were in too serious peril1 in too devout a mood1 and in too high-strung a state of nerve to be at the mercy of any ,delilah that might wish to lure them to careless pleasure4 ,their faith1 their honour1 their patriotism1 and their regard to their leader ,joshua1 all demanded the extremest circumspection and self-control2 they were1 like ,peter1 walking on the sea2 unless they kept their eye on their ,divine protector1 their courage and presence of mind would fail them1 they would be at the mercy of their foes4 #f ,it is somewhat remarkable that the present village of ,riha1 at or near the site of the ancient ,jericho1 is noted for its licentiousness4 ,the men1 it is said1 wink at the infidelity of the women1 a trait of character singularly at variance with the customs of the ,bedouin4 ,at our encampment over ',ain ,terbeh 7says ,robinson7 the night before we reached this place1 we overheard our ,arabs asking the ,khatib for a paper or written charm to protect them from the women of ,jericho2 and from their conversation it seemed that illicit intercourse between the latter and strangers that come here is regarded as a matter of course4 ,strange that the inhabitants of the valley should have retained this character from the earliest ages2 and that the sins of ,sodom and ,gomorrah should still flourish upon the same accursed soil4--,researches in ,palestine1 i4 #eec4 ,whether disguised or not1 the two men had evidently been noticed and suspected when they entered the city1 which they seem to have done in the dusk of evening4 ,but1 happily for them1 the streets of ,jericho were not patrolled by policemen ready to pounce on suspicious persons1 and run them in for judicial examination4 ,the king or burgomaster of the place seems to have been the only person with whom it lay to deal with them4 ,whoever had detected them1 after following them to ,rahab's house1 had then to resort to the king's residence and give their information to him4 ,rahab had an inkling of what was likely to follow1 and being determined to save the men1 she hid them on the roof of the house1 and covered them with stalks of flax1 stored there for domestic use4 ,when1 after some interval1 the king's messengers came1 commanding her to bring them forth since they were ,israelites come to search the city1 she was ready with her plausible tale4 ,two men had indeed come to her1 but she could not tell who they were1--it was no business of hers to be inquisitive about them2 the men had left just before the gates were shut1 and doubtless1 if they were alert and pursued after them1 they would overtake them1 for they could not be far off4 ,the king's messengers had not half the wit of the woman2 they took her at her word1 made no search of her house1 but set out on the wild-goose chase on which she had sent them4 ,sense and spirit failed them alike4 ,we are not prepared for the remarkable development of her faith that followed4 ,this first ,canaanite across the ,jordan with whom the ,israelites met was no ordinary person4 ,rays of ,divine light had entered that unhallowed soul1 not to be driven back1 not to be hidden under a bushel1 but to be welcomed1 and ultimately improved and followed4 ,our minds are carried forward to what was so impressive in the days of our ,lord1 when the publicans and the harlots entered into the kingdom before the scribes and the pharisees4 ,we are called to admire the riches of the grace of ,god1 who does not scorn the moral leper1 but many a time lays ,his hand upon him1 and says ,i will1 be thou clean4 ,they shall come from the east1 and from the west1 and from the north1 and from the south1 and shall enter into the kingdom of heaven2 but the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness2 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth4 ,in the first place1 ,rahab made a most explicit confession of her faith1 not only in ,jehovah as the ,god of the ,hebrews1 but in ,him as the one only ,god of heaven and earth4 ,it would have been nothing had she been willing to give to the ,hebrew ,god a place1 a high place1 or even the highest place among the gods4 ,her faith went much further4 ,the ,lord your ,god1 ,he is ,god in heaven above and in earth beneath4 ,this is an exclusive faith--,baal and ,ashtoreth are nowhere4 ,what a remarkable conviction to take hold of such a mind6 ,all the traditions of her youth1 all the opinions of her neighbours1 all the terrors of her priests set at nought1 swept clean off the board1 in face of the overwhelming evidence of the sole ,godhead of ,jehovah6 ,again1 she explained the reason for this faith4 ,we have heard how the ,lord dried up the water of the ,red ,sea for you1 when ye came out of ,egypt2 and what ye did unto the two kings of the ,amorites1 that were on the other side ,jordan1 ,sihon and ,og1 whom ye utterly destroyed4 ,the woman has had an eye to see and an ear to hear4 ,she has not gazed in stupid amazement on the marvellous tokens of ,divine power displayed before the world1 nor accepted the sophistry of sceptics referring all these marvels to accidental thunderstorms and earthquakes and high winds4 ,she knew better than to suppose that a nation of slaves by their own resources could have eluded all the might of ,pharaoh1 subsisted for forty years in the wilderness1 and annihilated the forces of such renowned potentates as ,sihon and ,og4 ,she was no philosopher1 and could not have reasoned on the doctrine of causation1 but her common sense taught her that you cannot have extraordinary effects without corresponding causes4 ,it is one of the great weaknesses of modern unbelief that with all its pretensions to philosophy1 it is constantly accepting effects without an adequate cause4 ,jesus ,christ1 though ,he revolutionized the world1 though ,he founded an empire to which that of the ,csars is not for a moment to be compared1 though all that were about ,him admitted ,his supernatural power and person1 after all1 was nothing but a man4 ,the gospel that has brought peace and joy to so many weary hearts1 that has transformed the slaves of sin into children of heaven1 that has turned cannibals into saints1 and fashioned so many an angelic character out of the rude blocks of humanity1 is but a cunningly devised fable4 ,what contempt for such sophistries1 such vain explanations of facts patent to all would this poor woman have shown6 ,how does she rebuke the many that keep pottering in poor natural explanations of plain supernatural facts1 instead of manfully admitting that it is the ,arm of ,god that has been revealed1 and the ,voice of ,god that has spoken6 ,further1 ,rahab informed the spies that when they heard these things the inhabitants of the land had become faint1 their hearts melted1 and there remained no more courage in them because of the ,israelites4 ,for they felt that the tremendous ,power that had desolated ,egypt and dried up the sea1 that had crushed ,sihon ,king of the ,amorites and ,og ,king of ,bashan like nuts under the feet of a giant1 was now close upon themselves4 ,what could they do to arrest the march of such a power1 and avert the ruin which it was sure to inflict8 ,they had neither resource nor refuge--their hearts melted in them4 ,it is when ,divine ,power draws near to men1 or when men draw near to ,divine ,power that they get the right measure of its dimensions and the right sense of their own impotence4 ,caligula could scoff at the gods at a distance1 but in any calamity no man was more prostrate with terror4 ,it is easy for the atheist or the agnostic to assume a bold front when ,god is far off1 but woe betide him when ,he draws near in war1 in pestilence1 or in death6 ,if we ask1 ,how could ,rahab have such a faith and yet be a harlot8 or how could she have such faith in ,god and yet utter that tissue of falsehoods about the spies with which she deluded the messengers of the king8 we answer that light comes but gradually and slowly to persons like ,rahab4 ,the conscience is but gradually enlightened4 ,how many men have been slaveholders after they were ,christians6 ,worse than that1 did not the godly ,john ,newton1 one of the two authors of the ,olney hymns1 continue for some time in the slave trade1 conveying cargoes of his fellow-creatures stolen from their homes1 before he awoke to a sense of its infamy8 ,are there no persons among us calling themselves ,christians engaged in traffic that brings awful destruction to the bodies and souls of their fellow-men8 ,that ,rahab should have continued as she was after she threw in her lot with ,god's people is inconceivable2 but there can be no doubt how she was living when she first comes into ,bible history4 ,and as to her falsehoods1 though some have excused lying when practised in order to save life1 we do not vindicate her on that ground4 ,all falsehood1 especially what is spoken to those who have a right to trust us1 must be offensive to the ,god of truth1 and the nearer men get to the ,divine image1 through the growing closeness of their ,divine fellowship1 the more do they recoil from it4 ,rahab was yet in the outermost circle of the ,church1 just touching the boundary2 the nearer she got to the centre the more would she recoil alike from the foulness and the falseness of her early years4 ,we have to notice further in ,rahab a determination to throw in her lot with the people of ,god4 ,in spirit she had ceased to be a ,canaanite and become an ,israelite4 ,she showed this by taking the side of the spies against the king1 and exposing herself to certain and awful punishment if it had been found out that they were in her house4 ,and her confidential conversation with them before she sent them away1 her cordial recognition of their ,god1 her expression of assurance that the land would be theirs1 and her request for the protection of herself and her relations when the ,israelites should become masters of ,jericho1 all indicated one who desired to renounce the fellowship of her own people and cast in her lot with the children of ,god4 ,that she was wholly blameless in the way in which she went about this1 in favouring the spies against her own nation in this underhand way1 we will not affirm2 but one cannot look for a high sense of honour in such a woman4 ,still1 whatever may be said against her1 the fact of her remarkable faith remains conspicuous and beyond dispute1 all the more striking1 too1 that she is the last person in whom we should have expected to find anything of the kind4 ,that faith beyond doubt was destined to expand and fructify in her heart1 giving birth to virtues and graces that made her after life a great contrast to what it had been4 ,no doubt the words of the ,apostle might afterwards have been applied to her--,such were some of you3 but ye are washed1 but ye are sanctified1 but ye are justified in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 and by the ,spirit of the ,lord4 ,and yet1 though her faith may at this time have been but as a grain of mustard seed1 we see two effects of it that are not to be despised4 ,one was her protection of the ,lord's people1 as represented by the spies2 the other was her concern for her own relations4 ,father1 mother1 brothers1 and sisters and all that they had1 were dear to her1 and she took measures for their safety when the destruction of ,jericho should come4 ,she exacted an oath of the two spies1 and asked a pledge of them1 that they would all be spared when the crisis of the city arrived4 ,and the men passed their oath and arranged for the protection of the family4 ,no doubt it may be said that it was only their temporal welfare about which she expressed concern1 and for which she made provision4 ,but what more could she have been expected to do at that moment8 ,what more could the two spies have engaged to secure8 ,it was plain enough that if they were ever to obtain further benefit from fellowship with ,god's people1 their lives must be preserved in the first instance from the universal destruction which was impending4 ,her anxiety for her family1 like her anxiety for herself1 may even then have begun to extend beyond things seen and temporal1 and a fair vision of peace and joy may have begun to flit across her fancy at the thought of the vile and degrading idolatry of the ,canaanites being displaced in them by the service of a ,god of holiness and of love4 ,but neither was she far enough advanced to be able as yet to give expression to this hope1 nor were the spies the persons to whom it would naturally have been communicated4 ,the usual order in the ,christian life is1 that as anxiety about ourselves begins in a sense of personal danger and a desire for deliverance therefrom1 so spiritual anxiety about the objects of our affection has usually the same beginning4 ,but as it would be a miserable thing for the new life to stand still as soon as our personal safety was secured1 so it would be a wretched affection that sought nothing more on behalf of our dearest friends4 ,when1 by accepting ,christ1 we get the blessing of personal safety1 we only reach a height from which we see how many other things we need4 ,we become ashamed of our unholy passions1 our selfish hearts1 our godless ways1 and we aspire1 with an ardour which the world cannot understand1 to purity and unselfishness and consecration to ,god4 ,for our friends we desire the same2 we feel for them as for ourselves1 that the bondage and pollution of sin are degrading1 and that there can be neither peace1 nor happiness1 nor real dignity for the soul until it is created anew after the image of ,god4 ,some commentators have laid considerable stress on the line of scarlet thread that was to be displayed in the window by which the spies had been let down1 as a token and remembrance that that house was to be spared when the victorious army should enter ,jericho4 ,in that scarlet thread they have seen an emblem of atonement1 an emblem of the blood of ,christ by which sinners are redeemed4 ,to us it seems more likely that1 in fixing on this as the pledge of safety1 the spies had in view the blood sprinkled on the lintels and door posts of the ,hebrew houses in ,egypt by which the destroying angel was guided to pass them by4 ,the scarlet rope had some resemblance to blood1 and for this reason its special purpose might be more readily apprehended4 ,obviously the spies had no time to go into elaborate explanations at the moment4 ,it is to be observed that1 as the window looked to the outside of the city1 the cord would be observed by the ,israelites and the house recognised as they marched round and round1 according to the instructions of ,joshua4 ,not a man of all the host but would see it again and again1 as they performed their singular march1 and would mark the position of the house so carefully that its inmates1 gathered together like the family of ,noah in the ark1 would be preserved in perfect safety4 ,the stratagem of ,rahab1 and the mode of flight which she recommended to the spies1 fruits of woman's ready wit and intuitive judgment1 were both successful4 ,she reminds us of the self-possession of ,jael1 or of ,abigail1 the wife of ,nabal4 ,in the dark1 the spies escaped to the mountain1--the rugged rampart which bounded the valley of the ,jordan on the west4 ,hiding in its sequestered crevices for three days1 till the pursuit of the ,jerichonians was over1 they stole out under cover of darkness1 recrossed the ,jordan1 told ,joshua of their stirring and strange adventure1 and wound up with the remark that the hearts of the people of the country were melting because of them4 ,how often is this true1 though unbelief cannot see it6 ,when ,jesus told ,his disciples that ,he beheld ,satan fall as lightning from heaven1 ,he taught us that those who set themselves against ,him and ,his cause are fallen powers1 no longer flushed with victory and hope1 but defeated and dejected1 and consciously unable to overcome the heaven-aided forces that are against them4 ,well for all ,christian philanthropists and missionaries of the ,cross1 and brave assailants of lust and greed and vice and error1 to bear this in mind6 ,the cause of darkness never can triumph in the end1 it has no power to rally and rush against the truth2 if only the servants of ,christ would be strong and of a good courage1 they too would find that the boldest champions of the world do faint because of them4 ,when the spies return to ,joshua and tell him all that has befallen them1 he accepts their adventure as a token for good4 ,they have not given him any hint how ,jericho is to be taken2 but1 what is better1 they have shown him that the outstretched arm of ,god has been seen by the heathen1 and that the inhabitants of the country are paralysed on account of it4 ,the two spies were a great contrast to the ten that accompanied ,joshua and ,caleb so long before3 the ten declared the land unassailable2 the two looked on it as already conquered--,the ,lord hath delivered into our hands all the land4 ,children of ,israel1 you must not be outdone in faith by a harlot2 believe that ,god is with you1 go up1 and possess the land6 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,jordan ,,reached4 ,,joshua iii4 #a-g4 ,the host of ,israel had been encamped for some time at ,shittim on the east side of the river ,jordan4 ,it is well to understand the geographical position4 ,the ,jordan has its rise beyond the northern boundary of ,palestine in three sources1 the most interesting and beautiful of the three being one in the neighbourhood of ,csarea ,philippi4 ,the three streamlets unite in the little lake now called ,huleh1 but ,merom in ,bible times4 ,issuing from ,merom in a single stream the ,jordan flows on to the lake of ,galilee or ,gennesareth1 and from thence1 in a singularly winding course1 to the ,dead ,sea4 ,its course between the lake of ,galilee and the ,dead ,sea is through a kind of ravine within a ravine2 the outer ravine is the valley or plain of ,jordan1 now called by the ,arabs ,el ,ghor1 which is about six miles in width at its northern part1 and considerably more at its southern1 where the ,israelites now were4 ,within this ,el ,ghor is a narrower ravine about three-quarters of a mile in width1 in the inner part of which flows the river1 its breadth varying from twenty to sixty yards4 ,some travellers say that the ,jordan does not now rise so high as formerly1 but others tell us they have seen it overflowing its banks at the corresponding season4 ,but the plain is not fertilized by the rising waters3 hence the reason why the banks of the river are not studded with towns as in ,egypt4 ,it is quite possible1 however1 that in the days of ,abraham and ,lot artificial irrigation was made use of3 hence the description given of it then that it was like the land of ,egypt 7,gen4 xiii4 #aj74 ,if it be remarked as strange that ,jordan should have overflowed his banks in time of harvest 7,josh4 iii4 #ae7 when usually rain does not fall in ,palestine1 it is to be remembered that all the sources of the ,jordan are fountains1 and that fountains do not usually feel the effects of the rain until some time after it has fallen4 ,the harvest referred to is the barley harvest1 and near ,jericho that harvest must have occurred earlier than throughout the country on account of the greater heat4 ,the host of ,israel lay encamped at ,shittim1 or ,abel ,shittim1 the meadow or moist place of the acacias1 somewhere in the ,arboth-,moab or fields of ,moab4 ,the exact spot is unknown1 but it was near the foot of the ,moabite mountains1 where the streams1 coming down from the heights on their way to the ,jordan1 caused a luxuriant growth of acacias1 such as are still found in some of the adjacent parts4 ,sunk as this part of the plain is far below the level of the ,mediterranean1 and enclosed by the mountains behind it as by the walls of a furnace1 it possesses an almost tropical climate which1 though agreeable enough in winter and early spring1 would have been unbearable to the ,israelites in the height of summer4 ,it was while ,israel abode in ,shittim1 during the lifetime of ,moses1 that they were seduced by the ,moabites to join in the idolatrous revels of ,baal-peor and punished with the plague4 ,the acacia groves gave facilities for the unhallowed revelling4 ,that chastisement had brought them into a better spirit1 and now they were prepared for better things4 ,the ,jordan was not crossed then by bridges nor by ferry boats2 the only way of crossing was by fords4 ,the ford nearest to ,jericho1 now called ,el ,mashra'a1 is well known2 it was the ford the ,israelites would have used had the river been fordable2 and perhaps the tradition is correct that there the crossing actually took place4 ,when the spies crossed and recrossed the river it must have been by swimming1 as it was too deep for wading at the time2 but though this mode of crossing was possible for individuals1 it was manifestly out of the question for a host4 ,that the ,israelites could by no possibility cross at that season must have been the forlorn hope of the people of ,jericho2 possibly they smiled at the folly of ,joshua in choosing such a time of the year1 and asked in derision1 ,how is he ever to get over8 ,the appointed day for leaving ,shittim has come1 and ,joshua1 determined to lose no time1 rises early in the morning4 ,nor is it without a purpose that so often in the ,old ,testament narrative1 when men of might commence some great undertaking1 we are told that it was early in the morning4 ,in all hot climates work in the open air1 if done at all1 must be done early in the morning or in the evening4 ,but1 besides this1 morning is the appropriate time for men of great energy and decision to be astir2 and it readily connects itself with the ,new ,testament text--,not slothful in business1 fervent in spirit1 serving the ,lord4 ,the benefits of an early start for all kinds of successful work are in the proverbs of all nations2 and we may add that few have reached a high position in the ,christian life who could not say1 in the spirit of the hymn1 early in the morning my song shall rise to thee4 ,nor can it easily be understood how under other conditions the precept could be fulfilled--,whatsoever thy hand findeth to do1 do it with thy might4 ,from ,shittim to the banks of the ,jordan is an easy journey of a few miles1 the road being all over level ground1 so that the march was probably finished before the sun had risen high4 ,however strong their faith1 it could not be without a certain tremor of heart that the people would behold the swollen river1 and mark the walls and towers of ,jericho a few miles beyond4 ,three days are to be allowed1 if not for physical1 certainly for moral and spiritual preparation for the crossing of the river4 ,the three days are probably the same as those adverted to before 7chap4 i4 #c71 just as the order to select twelve men to set up twelve stones 7chap4 iii4 #ab7 is probably the same as that more fully detailed in chap4 iv4 #b4 ,the host is assembled in orderly array on the east bank of the ,jordan1 when the officers pass through to give instructions as to their further procedure4 ,three such instructions are given4 ,first1 they are to follow the ark4 ,whenever they see the priests that bear it in motion1 they are to move from their places and follow it4 ,there was no longer the pillar of fire to guide them--that was a wilderness-symbol of ,god's presence1 now superseded by a more permanent symbol--the ark4 ,both symbols represented the same great truth--the gracious presence and guidance of ,god1 and both called the people to the same duty and privilege1 and to the same assurance of absolute safety so long as they followed the ,lord4 ,familiar sights are apt to lose their significance1 and the people must have become so familiar with the wilderness-pillar that they would hardly think what it meant4 ,now a different symbol is brought forward4 ,the ark carried in solemn procession by the priests is now the appointed token of ,god's guidance1 and therefore the object to be unhesitatingly followed4 ,a blessed truth for all time was clearly shadowed forth4 ,follow ,god implicitly and unhesitatingly in every time of danger1 and you are safe4 ,set aside the counsels of casuistry1 of fear1 and of worldly wisdom2 find out ,god's will and follow it through good report and through evil report1 and you will be right4 ,it was thus that ,joshua and ,caleb did1 and counselled the people to do1 when they came back from exploring the land2 and now these two were reaping the benefit2 while the generation1 that would have been comfortably settled in the land if they had done the same1 had perished in the wilderness on account of their unbelief4 ,secondly1 a span of two thousand cubits was to be left between the people and the ark4 ,some have thought that this was designed as a token of reverence2 but this is not the reason assigned4 ,had it been designed as a token of reverence1 it would have been prescribed long before1 as soon as the ark was constructed1 and began to be carried with the host through the wilderness4 ,the intention was1 that ye may know the way by which you must go 7ver4 #d74 ,if this arrangement had not been made1 the course of the ark through the flat plains of the ,jordan would not have been visible to the mass of the host1 but only to those in the immediate neighbourhood1 and the people would have been liable to straggle and fall into confusion1 if not to diverge altogether4 ,in all cases1 when we are looking out for ,divine guidance1 it is of supreme importance that there be nothing in the way to obscure the object or to distort our vision4 ,alas1 how often is this direction disregarded6 ,how often do we allow our prejudices1 or our wishes1 or our worldly interests to come between us and the ,divine direction we profess to desire6 ,at some turn of our life we feel that we ought not to take a decisive step without asking guidance from above4 ,but our own wishes bear strongly in a particular direction1 and we are only too prone to conclude that ,god is in favour of our plan4 ,we do not act honestly2 we lay stress on all that is in favour of what we like2 we think little of considerations of the opposite kind4 ,and when we announce our decision1 if the matter concern others1 we are at pains to tell them that we have made it matter of prayer4 ,but why make it matter of prayer if we do so with prejudiced minds8 ,it is only when our eye is single that the whole body is full of light4 ,this clear space of two thousand cubits between the people and the ark deserves to be remembered4 ,let us have a like clear space morally between us and ,god when we go to ask ,his counsel1 lest peradventure we not only mistake ,his directions1 but bring disaster on ourselves and dishonour on ,his name4 ,thirdly1 the people were instructed1--,sanctify yourselves1 for to-morrow the ,lord will do wonders among you4 ,it is an instinct of our nature that when we are to meet with some one of superior worldly rank preparation must be made for the meeting4 ,when ,joseph was summoned into the presence of ,pharaoh1 and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon1 he shaved himself1 and changed his raiment1 and came in unto ,pharaoh4 ,the poorest subject of the realm would try to wear his best and to look his best in the presence of his sovereign4 ,but while man looketh on the outward appearance the ,lord looketh on the heart4 ,and our very instincts teach us1 that the heart needs to be prepared when ,god is drawing near4 ,it is not in our ordinary careless mood that we ought to stand before ,him who sets our iniquities before ,him1 our secret sins in the light of ,his countenance4 ,grant that we can neither atone for our sin1 nor cleanse our hearts without ,his grace2 nevertheless1 in ,god's presence everything that is possible ought to be done to remove the abominable thing which ,he hates1 so that ,he may not be affronted and offended by its presence4 ,most appropriate1 therefore1 was ,joshua's counsel1--,sanctify yourselves1 for to-morrow the ,lord will do wonders among you4 ,he will surpass all that your eyes have seen since that night1 much to be remembered1 when ,he divided the sea4 ,he will give you a token of ,his love and care that will amaze you1 much though you have seen of it in the wilderness1 and in the country of ,sihon and ,og4 ,expect great things1 prepare for great things2 and let the chief of your preparations be to sanctify yourselves1 for the foolish shall not stand in ,his sight1 and ,he hateth all workers of iniquity4 ,next day 7compare ver4 #e1 to-morrow1 and ver4 #g1 this day7 ,joshua turns to the priests and bids them take up the ark of the covenant4 ,the priests obey2 they take up the ark1 and go before the people4 ,shall we take notice of the assertion of some that all those parts of the narrative which refer to priests and religious service were introduced by a writer bent on glorifying the priesthood8 ,or must we repel the insinuation that the introduction of the ark1 and the miraculous effects ascribed to its presence1 are mere myths8 ,if they are mere myths1 they are certainly myths of a very peculiar kind4 ,twice only in this book is the ark associated with miraculous events--at the crossing of the ,jordan and at the taking of ,jericho4 ,if these were myths1 why was the myth confined to these two occasions8 ,when mythical writers find a remarkable talisman they introduce it at all sorts of times4 ,why was the ark not brought to the siege of ,ai8 ,why was it absent from the battles of ,bethhoron and ,merom8 ,why was its presence restricted to the ,jordan and ,jericho1 unless it was ,god's purpose to inspire confidence at first through the visible symbol of ,his presence1 but leave the people afterwards to infer ,his presence by faith8 ,the taking up of the ark by the priests was a decisive step4 ,there could be no resiling now from the course entered on4 ,the priests with the ark must advance1 and it will be seen whether ,joshua has been uttering words without foundation1 or whether he has been speaking in the name of ,god4 ,shall mere natural forces be brought into play1 or shall the supernatural might of heaven come to the conflict1 and show that ,god is faithful to ,his promise8 ,let us put ourselves in ,joshua's position4 ,we do not know in what manner the communications were carried on between him and ,jehovah of which we have the record under the words the ,lord spake unto ,joshua4 ,was it by an audible voice8 ,or was it by impressions on ,joshua's mind of a kind that could not have originated with himself1 but that were plainly the result of ,divine influence8 ,in any case1 they were such as to convey to ,joshua a very clear knowledge of the ,divine will4 ,yet even in the best of men nature is not so thoroughly subdued in such circumstances but that the shadow of anxiety and fear is liable to flit across them4 ,they crave something like a personal pledge that all will go well4 ,hence the seasonableness of the assurance now given to ,joshua--,this day will ,i begin to magnify thee in the sight of all ,israel1 that they may know that1 as ,i was with ,moses1 so ,i will be with thee4 ,how full and manifold the assurance6 ,first1 ,i will magnify thee4 ,i will endue thee with supernatural might1 and that will give you authority and weight1 corresponding to the position in which you stand4 ,further1 this shall be but the beginning of a process which will be renewed as often as there is occasion for it4 ,this day ,i will begin4 ,you are not to go a warfare on your own charges1 but as your days1 so shall your strength be4 ,moreover1 this exaltation of your person and office will take place in the sight of all ,israel1 so that no man of them shall ever be justified in refusing you allegiance and obedience4 ,and to sum up--you shall be just as ,moses was2 the resources of ,my might will be as available for you as they were for him4 ,after this1 what misgivings could ,joshua have8 ,could he doubt the generosity1 the kindness1 the considerateness of his ,master8 ,here was a promise for life2 and no doubt the more he put it to the test in after years the more trustworthy did he find it1 and the more convincing was the proof it supplied of the mindfulness of ,god4 ,it is an experience which has been often repeated in the case of those who have had to undertake difficult work for their ,master4 ,of all our misapprehensions1 the most baseless and the most pernicious is1 that ,god does not care much about us1 and that we have not much to look for from ,him4 ,it is a misapprehension which dishonours ,god greatly1 and which ,he is ever showing ,himself most desirous to remove4 ,it stands fearfully in the way of that spirit of trust by which ,god is so much honoured1 and which ,he is ever desirous that we should show4 ,and those who have trusted ,god1 and have gone forward to their work in ,his strength1 have always found delightful evidence that their trust has not been in vain4 ,what is the testimony of our great ,christian philanthropists1 our most successful missionaries1 and other devoted ,christian workers8 ,led to undertake enterprises far beyond their strength1 and undergo responsibilities far beyond their means1 we know not a single case in which they have not had ample proof of the mindfulness of their ,master1 and found occasion to wonder at the considerateness and the bountifulness which ,he has brought to bear upon their position4 ,and is it not strange that we should be so slow to learn how infinite ,god is in goodness8 ,that we should have no difficulty in believing in the goodness of a parent or of some kind friend who has always been ready to help us in our times of need1 but so slow to realize this in regard to ,god1 though we are constantly acknowledging in words that ,he is the best as well as the greatest of beings8 ,it is a happy era in one's spiritual history when one escapes from one's contracted views of the love and liberality of ,god1 and begins to realize that as far as heaven is above the earth1 so far are ,his ways above our ways1 and ,his thoughts above our thoughts2 and when one comes to find that in one's times of need1 whether arising from one's personal condition or from the requirements of public service1 one may go to ,god for encouragement and help with more certainty of being well received than one may go to the best and kindest of friends4 ,it is sometimes said that the ,old ,testament presents us with a somewhat limited view of ,god's love4 ,certainly it is in the ,new ,testament that we see it placed in the brightest of all lights--the ,cross1 and that we find the argument in its most irresistible form--,he that spared not ,his own ,son1 but delivered ,him up for us all1 how shall ,he not1 with ,him also1 freely give us all things8 ,but one must have read the ,old ,testament in a very careless spirit if one has not been struck with its frequent and most impressive revelations of ,god's goodness4 ,what scenes of gracious intercourse with ,his servants does it not present from first to last1 what outpourings of affection1 what yearnings of a father's heart6 ,if there were many in ,old ,testament times whom these revelations left as heedless as they found them1 there were certainly some whom they filled with wonder and roused to words of glowing gratitude4 ,the ,bible is not wont to repeat the same thought in the same words4 ,but there is one truth and one only which we find repeated again and again in the ,old ,testament1 in the same words1 as if the writers were never weary of them--,for ,his mercy endureth for ever4 ,not only is it the refrain of a whole psalm 7cxxxvi471 but we find it at the beginning of three other psalms 7cvi41 cvii41 cxviii471 we find it in ,david's song of dedication when the ark was brought up to ,jerusalem 7#a ,chron4 xvi4 #cd71 and we find also that on the same occasion a body of men1 ,heman and ,jeduthun and others1 were told off expressly to give thanks to the ,lord1 because ,his mercy endureth for ever 7#a ,chron4 xvi4 #da74 ,this1 indeed1 is the great truth which gives the ,old ,testament its highest interest and beauty4 ,in the ,new ,testament1 in its evangelical setting1 it shines with incomparable brightness4 ,vividly realized1 it makes the ,christian's cup to flow over2 as it fills him likewise with the hope of a joy to come--a joy unspeakable and full of glory4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,jordan ,,divided4 ,,joshua iii4 ,at ,joshua's command1 the priests carrying the ark are again in motion4 ,bearing the sacred vessel on their shoulders1 they make straight for the bank of the river4 ,the exact spot is unknown2 it certainly cannot be that which the ,greek tradition has fixed1 where the eastern banks are sheer precipices of ten or fifteen feet high4 ,probably it was either immediately above or below1 where the cliffs break away2 above at the fords1 or below where the river assumes a tamer character on its way to the ,dead ,sea4#g ,following the priests1 at the interval of a full half-mile1 was the host of ,israel4 ,there was the mailed warrior with sword and shield1 and the aged patriarch1 trembling on his staff4 ,anxious mothers and timid maidens were there1 and helpless infants of a day old2 and there1 too1 were flocks and herds and all the possessions of a great nation migrating westward in search of a home4 ,before them lay their promised inheritance1 ',while ,jordan rolled between1' full to the brim1 and overflowing all its banks4 ,nevertheless1 through it lies their road1 and ,god commands the march4 ,the priests take up the sacred ark and bear it boldly down to the brink2 when lo6 'the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon a heap very far from the city ,adam1 that is before ,zaretan3 and those that came down toward the sea of the plain1 even the ,salt ,sea1 failed1 and were cut off3 and the people passed over right against ,jericho4' ,and thus1 too1 has all-conquering faith carried the thousand times ten thousand of ,god's people in triumph through the ,jordan of death to the ,canaan of eternal rest4#h #g ,stanley's ,sinai and ,palestine1 p4 #cjc4 #h ,land and ,book1 vol4 ii41 pp4 #dfj-fa4 ,the description of the parting of the waters is clear enough in the main1 though somewhat obscure in detail4 ,the obscurity arises from the meaningless expression in the ,authorized ,version1 very far from the city ,adam1 which is beside ,zaretan4 ,the ,revised rendering gives a much more natural meaning--rose up in one heap1 very far off1 at ,adam1 the city that is beside ,zarethan4 ,the names ,adam and ,zaretan occur nowhere else in ,scripture1 nor are they mentioned by ,josephus2 some think we have a relic of ,adam in the first part of ed-,damieh1 the name of a ford1 and others1 following the rendering of the ,septuagint1 which has 1 consider the final arim to be equivalent to adim or adam1 the ,hebrew letter r being almost the same as d4 ,what we are taught is1 that the waters were cut off from the descending river a long way up1 while down below the whole channel was laid bare as far as the ,dead ,sea4 ,the miracle involved an accumulation of water in the upper reaches of the river1 and as it was obviously undesirable that this should continue for a long time1 enough of the channel was laid bare to enable the great host to cross rapidly in a broad belt1 and without excitement or confusion4 ,the sceptical objection is completely obviated that it was physically impossible for so vast a host to make the passage in a short time4 ,as soon as the waters began to retreat1 after the feet of the priests were planted in them1 the priests passed on to the middle of the channel1 and stood there firm1 on dry ground1 until all the people were passed clean over4 ,the vast host crossed at once1 and drew up on the opposite bank4 ,that no attempt was made by the men of ,jericho1 which was only about five miles on1 to attack them and stop their passage1 can be explained only on the supposition that they were stricken with panic4 ,one inhabitant undoubtedly heard of the passage without surprise4 ,rahab could feel no astonishment that the arm of ,god should thus be made bare before the people whom ,he was pledged to protect and guide4 ,as little could she wonder at the paralysis which had petrified her own people4 ,the priests passed on before the people1 and stood firm in the midst of the river until the whole host had passed4 ,it was both a becoming thing that they should go before1 and that they should stand so firm4 ,it is not always that either priests or ,christian ministers have set the example of going before in any hazardous undertaking4 ,they have not always moved so steadily in the van of great movements1 nor stood so firmly in the midst of the river4 ,what shall we say of those whose idea1 whether of ,hebrew priesthood or of ,christian ministry1 has been that of a mere office1 that of men ordained to perform certain mechanical functions1 in whom personal character and personal example signified little or nothing8 ,is it not infinitely nearer to the ,bible view that the ministers of religion are the leaders of the people1 and that they ought as such to be ever foremost in zeal1 in holiness1 in self-denial1 in victory over the world1 the flesh1 and the devil8 ,and of all men ought they not to stand firm8 ,where are ,mr4 ,byends1 and ,mr4 ,facing-,both-,ways1 and ,mr4 ,worldly-,wiseman more out of place than in the ministry8 ,where does even the world look more for consistency and devotion and fearless regard to the will of ,god8 ,what should we think of an army where the officers counted it enough to see to the drill and discipline of the men1 and in the hour of battle confined themselves to mere mechanical duties1 and were outstripped in self-denial1 in courage1 in dash and daring by the commonest of their soldiers8 ,happy the ,church where the officers are officers indeed6 ,feeling ever that their place is in the front rank of the battle and in the vanguard of every perilous enterprise1 and that it is their part to set the men an example of unwavering firmness even when the missiles of death are whistling or bursting on every side6 ,who shall try to picture the feelings of the people during that memorable crossing8 ,the outstretched arm of ,god was even more visibly shown than in the crossing of the ,red ,sea1 for in that case a natural cause1 the strong east wind1 contributed something to the effect1 while in this case no secondary cause was employed1 the drying up of the channel being due solely to miracle4 ,who among all that host could fail to feel that ,god was with them8 ,and how solemn yet cheering must the thought have been alike to the men of war looking forward to scenes of danger and death1 and to the women and children1 and the aged and infirm1 dreading otherwise lest they should be trampled down amid the tumult6 ,but of all whose hearts were moved by the marvellous transaction1 ,joshua must have been pre-eminent4 ,as ,i was with ,moses1 so ,i will be with thee4 ,at the dividing of the sea the leadership of ,moses began1 and they were all baptized unto him in the cloud and in the sea4 ,and now1 in like manner1 the leadership of ,joshua begins at the dividing of the river1 and baptism unto ,joshua takes the place of baptism unto ,moses4 ,a new chapter of an illustrious history begins as its predecessor had begun1 but not to be marred and rendered abortive by unbelief and disobedience like the last4 ,how true ,god has been to ,his word6 ,what wonders ,he has done among the people6 ,what honour ,he has put upon ,joshua6 ,how worthy ,he is to be praised6 ,will disloyalty to ,him ever occur again1 will this marvellous deed be forgotten1 and the miserable gods of the heathen be preferred to ,jehovah8 ,will any future prophet have cause to say1 ,o ,ephraim1 what shall ,i do unto thee8 ,o ,judah1 what shall ,i do unto thee8 ,for your goodness is as a morning cloud1 and as the early dew1 it goeth away8 ,it is to be especially remarked that ,god took into ,his own hands the prescription of the method by which this great event was to be commemorated4 ,it seems as if ,he could not trust the people to do it in a way that would be free from objection and from evil tendency4 ,it was assumed that the event was worthy of special commemoration4 ,true1 indeed1 there had been no special commemoration of the passage of the sea1 but then the ,passover was instituted so near to that event that it might serve as a memorial of it as well as of the protection of the ,israelites when the firstborn of the ,egyptians was slain4 ,and generally the people had been taught1 what their own hearts in some degree recognised1 that great mercies should be specially commemorated4 ,the ,divine method of commemorating the drying up of the ,jordan was a very simple one4 ,in the first place1 twelve men were selected1 one from every tribe1 to do the prescribed work4 ,the democratic constitution of the nation was recognised--each tribe was to take part in it2 and as it was a matter in which all were concerned1 each person was to take part in the election of the representative of his tribe4 ,then each of these twelve representatives was to take from the bed of the river1 from the place where the priests had stood with the ark1 a stone1 probably as large as he could carry4 ,the twelve stones were to be carried to the place where the host lodged that night1 and to be erected as a standing memorial of the miracle4 ,it was a very simple memorial1 but it was all that was needed4 ,it was not like the proud temples or glorious pyramids of ,egypt1 reared as these were to give glory to man more than to ,god4 ,it was like ,jacob's pillar before1 or ,samuel's ,ebenezer afterwards2 void of every ornament or marking that could magnify man1 and designed for one single purpose--to recall the goodness of ,god4 ,it would appear1 from chap4 iv4 #i1 that two sets of stones were set up1 ,joshua1 following the spirit of the ,divine direction1 having caused a second set to be erected in the middle of the river on the spot where the priests had stood4 ,some have supposed that that verse is an interpolation of later date2 but1 as it occurs in all the manuscripts1 and as it is expressly stated in the ,septuagint and ,vulgate versions that this was a different transaction from the other1 we must accept it as such4 ,the one memorial stood on the spot where the ark had indicated the presence of ,god1 the other where the first encampment of the host had shown ,god's faithfulness to ,his word4 ,both seemed to proclaim the great truth afterwards brought out in the exquisite words of the psalm--,god is our refuge and our strength2 a very present help in time of trouble4 ,they might not be needed so much for the generation that experienced the deliverance2 but in future generations they would excite the curiosity of the children1 and thus afford an opportunity to the parents to rehearse the transactions of that day1 and thrill their hearts with the sense of ,god's mercy4 ,among devout ,israelites1 that day was never forgotten4 ,the crossing of the ,jordan was coupled with the crossing of the sea1 as the two crowning tokens of ,god's mercy in the history of ,israel1 and the most remarkable exhibitions of that ,divine power which had been so often shown among them4 ,in that wailing song1 the seventy-fourth psalm1 where ,god's wonderful works of old are contrasted in a very sad spirit with the unmitigated desolations that met the writer's eye1 almost in the same breath in which he extols the miracle of the sea1 ,thou didst divide the sea by ,thy strength1 he gives thanks for the miracle of the river1 ,thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood3 ,thou driedst up mighty rivers4 ,and in a song1 not of wailing1 but of triumph1 the hundred and fourteenth psalm1 we have the same combination3-- ,when ,israel went forth out of ,egypt1 ,the house of ,jacob from a people of strange language2 ,judah became ,his sanctuary1 ,israel ,his dominion4 ,the sea saw it1 and fled2 ,jordan was driven back4 ,the mountains skipped like rams1 ,the little hills like lambs4 ,what aileth thee1 ,o thou sea1 that thou fleest8 ,thou ,jordan1 that thou turnest back8 ,ye mountains1 that ye skip like rams2 ,ye little hills like lambs8 ,tremble1 thou earth1 at the presence of the ,lord1 ,at the presence of the ,god of ,jacob2 ,which turned the rock into a pool of water1 ,the flint into a fountain of waters4 ,the point of this psalm lies in the first verse--in the reference to the time when ,israel came out of ,egypt1 the house of ,jacob from a people of strange language4 ,israel on that occasion gave a signal proof of his trust in ,god4 ,at ,god's bidding1 and with none but ,god to trust in1 he turned his back on ,egypt1 and made for the wilderness4 ,it was a delight to ,god to receive this mark of trust and obedience1 and in recognition of it the mightiest masses and forces of nature were moved or arrested4 ,the mountains and hills skipped like living creatures1 and the sea saw it and fled4 ,it seemed as if ,god could not do too much for ,his people4 ,it was the same spirit that was shown when they followed ,joshua to the river4 ,they showed that they trusted ,god4 ,they renounced the visible and the tangible for the invisible and the spiritual4 ,they rose up at ,joshua's command1 or rather at the command of ,god by ,joshua2 and1 pleased with this mark of trust1 ,god caused the waters of the ,jordan to part asunder4 ,surely there is something pathetic in this2 the ,almighty is so pleased when ,his children trust ,him1 that to serve them the strongest forces are moved about as if they were but feathers4 ,in many ways the truth has been exemplified in later times4 ,when a young convert1 at home or abroad1 takes up decided ground for ,christ1 coming out from the world and becoming separate1 very blessed tokens of ,god's nearness and of ,god's interest are usually given him4 ,and ,churches that at the call of ,christ surrender their worldly advantages1 receive tokens of spiritual blessing that infinitely outweigh in sweetness and in spiritual value all that they lose4 ,them that honour ,me1 ,i will honour4 ,occurrences of more recent times show clearly that ,god did well in taking into ,his own hands the prescription of the way in which the crossing of the ,jordan was to be commemorated4 ,tradition has it that it was at the same place where ,joshua crossed that ,jesus was baptized by ,john4 ,that may well be doubted1 for the ,bethabara where ,john was baptizing was probably at a higher point of the river4 ,but it is quite possible that it was at this spot that ,elijah's mantle smote the river1 and he and his servant passed over on dry ground4 ,holding that all these events occurred at the same place1 tradition has called in the aid of superstition1 and given a sacred character to the waters of the river at this spot4 ,many have seen1 and every one has read of the pilgrimage to the ,jordan1 performed every spring1 from which many hope to reap such advantage4 ,in the mosaics of the earliest churches at ,rome and ,ravenna1 says ,dean ,stanley1 before ,christian and pagan art were yet divided1 the ,jordan appears as a river god pouring his streams out of his urn4 ,the first ,christian emperor had always hoped to receive his long-deferred baptism in the ,jordan1 up to the moment when the hand of death struck him at ,nicomedia4444 ,protestants1 as well as ,greeks and ,latins1 have delighted to carry off its waters for the same sacred purpose to the remotest regions of the ,west4 ,no doubt the expectation of spiritual benefit from the waters of the ,jordan is one cause of the annual pilgrimage thither1 and of the strange scene that presents itself when the pilgrims are bathing4 ,it seems impossible for man1 except under the influence of the strongest spiritual views1 to avoid the belief that somehow mechanical means may give rise to spiritual results4 ,there is nothing from which he is naturally more averse than spiritual activity4 ,any amount of mechanical service he will often render to save him from spiritual exercise4 ,symbols without number he will willingly provide1 if he thereby escape the necessity of going into the immediate presence of ,god1 and worshipping ,him who is a ,spirit in spirit and in truth4 ,but can mechanical service or material symbols be anything but an evil1 if the would-be worshipper is thereby prevented from recognising the necessity of a heart-to-heart fellowship with the living ,god8 ,must we not be in living touch with ,god if the stream of ,divine influence is to reach our hearts1 and we are to be changed into ,his image8 ,in the ,psalms1 which express the very essence of ,hebrew devotion1 spiritual contact with ,god is the only source of blessing4 ,o ,god1 ,thou art my ,god2 early will ,i seek ,thee3 my soul thirsteth for ,thee1 my flesh longeth for ,thee in a dry and thirsty land1 where there is no water4 ,to see ,thy power and ,thy glory1 so as ,i have seen ,thee in the sanctuary4 ,thus it was that by ,god's prescription the twelve plain stones taken out of the ,jordan were the only memorial of the great deliverance4 ,there was no likeness on them of the ,divine ,being by whom the miracle had been performed4 ,there was nothing to encourage acts of reverence or worship directed toward the memorial4 ,twelve rough stones1 with no sculptured figures or symbols1 not even dressed by hammer and chisel1 but simply as they were taken out of the river1 were the memorial4 ,they were adapted for one purpose1 and for one only3 ,when your children shall ask their fathers in time to come1 saying1 ,what mean these stones8 then ye shall let your children know1 saying1 ,israel came over this ,jordan on dry land4 ,for the ,lord your ,god dried up the waters of the ,jordan from before you1 until ye were passed over1 as the ,lord your ,god did to the ,red ,sea1 which ,he dried up from before us1 until we were gone over3 that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the ,lord1 that it is mighty3 that ye might fear the ,lord your ,god for ever4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,circumcision ,,and ,,passover--,,manna ,,and ,,corn4 ,,joshua v4 #a-ab4 ,the first two facts recorded in this chapter seem to be closely connected with each other4 ,one is1 that when all the ,amorite and ,canaanite kings on the west side of the ,jordan heard of the miraculous drying up of the waters and the passage of the ,israelites1 their heart melted1 neither was there spirit in them any more4 ,the other is1 that the opportunity was taken then and there to circumcise the whole of the generation that had been born after leaving ,egypt4 ,but for the fact recorded in the first verse1 it would have been the most unsuitable time that could be conceived for administering circumcision4 ,the whole male population would have been rendered helpless for the time1 and an invitation would have been given to the men of ,jericho to commit such a massacre as in the like circumstances the sons of ,jacob inflicted on the men of ,shechem 7,gen4 xxxiv4 #be74 ,why was not this business of circumcising performed while the host were lying inactive on the other side1 and while the ,jordan ran between ,israel and his foes8 ,it was because the kings of the ,canaanites were petrified4 ,it is true they plucked up courage by-and-by1 and many of the kings entered into a league against ,joshua4 ,but this was after the affair of ,ai1 after the defeat of the ,israelites before that city had showed that1 as in the case of ,achilles1 there was a vulnerable spot somewhere1 notwithstanding the protection of their ,god4 ,meanwhile the people of ,jericho were paralysed1 for though the whole male population of ,israel under forty lay helpless in their tents1 not a finger was raised by the enemy against them4 ,it is with no little surprise that we read that circumcision had been suspended during the long period of the wilderness sojourn4 ,why was this8 ,some have said that1 owing to the circumstances in which the people were1 it would not have been convenient1 perhaps hardly possible1 to administer the rite on the eighth day4 ,moving as they were from place to place1 the administration of circumcision would often have caused so much pain and peril to the child1 that it is no wonder it was delayed4 ,and once delayed1 it was delayed indefinitely4 ,but this explanation is not sufficient4 ,there were long1 very long periods of rest1 during which there could have been no difficulty4 ,a better explanation1 brought forward by ,calvin1 leads us to connect the suspension of circumcision with the punishment of the ,israelites1 and with the sentence that doomed them to wander forty years in the wilderness4 ,when the worship of the golden calf took place1 the nation was rejected1 and the breaking by ,moses of the two tables of stone seemed an appropriate sequel to the rupture of the covenant which their idolatry had caused4 ,and though they were soon restored1 they were not restored without certain drawbacks1--tokens of the ,divine displeasure4 ,afterwards1 at the great outburst of unbelief in connection with the report of the spies1 the adult generation that had come out of ,egypt were doomed to perish in the wilderness1 and1 with the exception of ,joshua and ,caleb1 not one of them was permitted to enter the land of promise4 ,now1 though it is not expressly stated1 it seems probable that the suspension of circumcision was included in the punishment of their sins4 ,they were not to be allowed to place on their children the sign and seal of a covenant which in spirit and in reality they had broken4 ,but it was not an abolition1 but only a suspension of the sacrament for a time that took place4 ,the time might come when it would be restored4 ,the natural time for this would be the end of the forty years of chastisement4 ,these forty years had now come to an end4 ,doubtless it would have been a great joy to ,moses if it had been given him to see the restoration of circumcision1 but that was not to take place until the people had set foot on ,abraham's land4 ,now they have crossed the river4 ,they have entered on the very land which ,god sware to ,abraham and ,isaac and ,jacob to give it them4 ,and the very first thing that is done after this is to give back to them the holy sign of the covenant1 which was now administered to every man in the congregation who had not previously received it4 ,we may well think of it as an occasion of great rejoicing4 ,the visible token of his being one of ,god's children was now borne by every man and boy in the camp4 ,in a sense they now served themselves heirs to the covenant made with their fathers1 and might thus rest with firmer trust on the promise--,i will bless them that bless thee1 and curse him that curseth thee4 ,two other points in connection with this transaction demand a word of explanation4 ,the first is the statement that all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of ,egypt1 them they had not circumcised 7ver4 #e74 ,if the view be correct that the suspension of circumcision was part of the punishment for their sins1 the prohibition would not come into operation for some months1 at all events1 after the exodus from ,egypt4 ,we think1 with ,calvin1 that for the sake of brevity the sacred historian makes a general statement without waiting to explain the exceptions to which it was subject4 ,the other point needing explanation is the ,lord's statement after the circumcision--,this day have ,i rolled the reproach of ,egypt from off you4 ,wherefore the name of the place is called ,gilgal 7i4e41 ,rolling7 unto this day4 ,how could the suspension of circumcision be called the reproach of ,egypt8 ,the words imply that1 owing to the want of this sacrament1 they had lain exposed to a reproach from the ,egyptians1 which was now rolled away4 ,the brevity of the statement1 and our ignorance of what the ,egyptians were saying of the ,israelites at the time1 make the words difficult to understand4 ,what seems most likely is1 that when the ,egyptians heard how ,god had all but repudiated them in the wilderness1 and had withdrawn from them the sign of ,his covenant1 they malignantly crowed over them1 and denounced them as a worthless race1 who had first rejected their lawful rulers in ,egypt under pretext of religion1 and1 having shown their hypocrisy1 were now scorned and cast off by the very ,god whom they had professed themselves so eager to serve4 ,we may be sure that the ,egyptians would not be slow to seize any pretext for denouncing the ,israelites1 and would be sure to make their jibes as sharp and as bitter as they could4 ,but now the tables are turned on the ,egyptians4 ,the restoration of circumcision stamps this people once more as the people of ,god4 ,the stupendous miracle just wrought in the dividing of the ,jordan indicates the kind of protection which their ,god and ,king is sure to extend to them4 ,the name of ,gilgal will be a perpetual testimony that the reproach of ,egypt is rolled away4 ,circumcision being now duly performed1 the way was prepared for another holy rite for which the appointed season had arrived--the ,passover4 ,some have supposed that the ,passover as well as circumcision was suspended after the sentence of the forty years' wandering1 the more especially that it was expressly enacted that no uncircumcised person was to eat the ,passover4 ,we know 7,num4 ix4 #e7 that the ,passover was kept the second year after they left ,egypt1 but no other reference to it occurs in the history4 ,on this1 as on many other points connected with the wilderness history1 we must be content to remain in ignorance4 ,we are not even very sure how far the ordinary sacrifices were offered during that period4 ,it is quite possible that the considerations that suspended the rite of circumcision applied to other ordinances4 ,but whether or not the ,passover was observed in the wilderness1 we may easily understand that after being circumcised the people would observe it with a much happier and more satisfied feeling4 ,there were many things to make this ,passover memorable4 ,the crossing of the ,jordan was so like the crossing of the ,red ,sea that the celebration in ,egypt could not fail to come back vividly to all the older people1--those that were under twenty at the exodus1 to whom the sentence of exclusion from ,canaan did not apply 7,num4 xiv4 #bi74 ,many of these must have looked on while their fathers sprinkled the lintels and door posts with the blood of the lamb1 and must have listened to the awful death-cry of the firstborn of the ,egyptians4 ,they must have remembered well that memorable midnight when all were in such excitement marching away from ,egypt2 and not less vividly must they have remembered the terror that seized them when the ,egyptian host was seen in pursuit2 and then again the thrill of triumph with which they passed between the crystal walls1 under the glow of the fiery pillar2 and once more the triumphant notes of ,miriam's timbrel and the voices of the women1 ,sing unto the ,lord1 for ,he hath triumphed gloriously2 the horse and his rider ,he hath cast into the sea4 ,and now these days of glory were coming back6 ,as surely as the passage of the sea had been followed by the destruction of the ,egyptians1 so surely would the passage of the ,jordan be followed by the destruction of the ,canaanites4 ,glorious things were spoken of the city of their ,god4 ,the benediction of ,moses was about to receive a new fulfilment--,happy art thou1 ,o ,israel3 who is like unto thee1 ,o people saved by the ,lord1 the shield of thy help1 and who is the sword of thy excellency6 and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee2 and thou shalt tread upon their high places4 ,the remembrance of the past is often an excellent preparation for the trials of the future1 and as often it proves a remarkable support under them4 ,it was the very nature of the ,passover to look back to the past1 and to recall ,god's first great interposition on behalf of ,his people4 ,it was a precious encouragement both to faith and hope4 ,so also is our ,christian ,passover4 ,it is a connecting link between the first and second comings of our ,lord4 ,the first coming lends support to faith1 the second to hope4 ,no exercise of soul can be more profitable than to go back to that memorable day when ,christ our ,passover was sacrificed for us4 ,for then the price of redemption was paid in full1 and the door of salvation flung wide open4 ,then the ,son sealed ,his love by giving ,himself to the cross for us4 ,what blessing1 whether for this life or the life to come1 was not purchased by that transaction8 ,life may be dark and stormy1 but hope foresees a bright to-morrow4 ,when ,christ1 who is our life1 shall appear1 then shall ye also appear with ,him in glory4 ,yet another incident is connected with this transition period of the history4 ,they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover1 unleavened cakes1 and parched corn in the selfsame day4 ,and the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land2 neither had the children of ,israel manna any more2 but they did eat of the fruit of the land of ,canaan that year4 ,it is not necessary to suppose that they did not partake at all of the fruits of the land till the morning after that ,passover4 ,the conquest of ,sihon and ,og must have put a large share of produce in their hands1 and we can hardly suppose that they did not make some use of it4 ,the narrative is so brief that it does not undertake to state every modification that may be applicable to its general statements4 ,the main thing to be noticed is1 that while the manna continued to descend1 it was the staple article of food2 but when the manna was withdrawn1 the old corn and other fruits of the country took its place4 ,in other words1 the miracle was not continued when it ceased to be necessary4 ,the manna had been a provision for the wilderness1 where ordinary food in sufficient quantity could not be obtained2 but now that they were in a land of fields and orchards and vineyards the manna was withdrawn4 ,we have already adverted to the ,bible law of the supernatural4 ,no sanction is given to the idea of a lavish and needless expenditure of supernatural power4 ,a law of economy1 we might almost say parsimony1 prevails1 side by side with the exercise of unbounded liberality4 ,jesus multiplies the loaves and fishes to feed the multitude1 but ,he will not let one fragment be lost that remains after the feast4 ,a similar law guides the economy of prayer4 ,we have no right to ask that mercies may come to us through extraordinary channels1 when it is in our power to get them by ordinary means4 ,if it is in our power to procure bread by our labour1 we dare not ask it to be sent direct4 ,we are only too prone to make prayer at the eleventh hour an excuse for want of diligence or want of courage in what bears on the prosperity of the spiritual life4 ,it may be that of ,his great generosity ,god sometimes blesses us1 even though we have made a very inadequate use of the ordinary means4 ,but on that we have no right to presume4 ,we are fond of short and easy methods where the natural method would be long and laborious4 ,but here certainly we find the working of natural law in the spiritual world4 ,we cannot look for ,god's blessing without diligent use of ,god's appointed means4 ,more generally1 this occurrence in the history of ,israel1 the cessation of one provision when another comes into operation1 exemplifies a great law in providence by which the loss of one kind of advantage is compensated by the advent of another4 ,in childhood and early youth we depend for our growth in knowledge on the instructions of our teachers4 ,what puzzles us we refer to them1 and they guide us through the difficulty4 ,if they are wise teachers they will not tell us everything1 but they will put us on the right method to find out4 ,still they are there as a court of appeal1 so to speak1 and we have always the satisfaction of a last resort4 ,but the time comes when we bid farewell to teachers4 ,happily it is the time when the judgment becomes self-reliant1 independent1 penetrating4 ,we are thrown mainly upon our own resources4 ,and the very fact of our having to depend on our own judgment fosters and promotes independence1 and fits us better for the responsibilities of life4 ,when we become men we put away childish things4 ,a habit of leaning on others keeps us children2 but grappling with difficulties as we find them1 and trying to make our way through them and over them1 promotes manliness4 ,the manna ceases1 and we eat the fruit of the land4 ,so in family life4 ,the affection that binds parents and children1 brothers and sisters to one another in the family is both beautiful and delightful2 and it were no wonder if1 on the part of some1 there were the desire that their intercourse should suffer no rude break1 but go on unchanged for an indefinite time4 ,but it is seldom ,god's will that family life shall remain unbroken4 ,often the interruption comes in the rudest and most terrible form--by the death of the head of the house4 ,and the circumstances of the family may require that all who are capable of earning anything shall turn out to increase the family store4 ,it is often a painful and distressing change4 ,but at least it wakens up all who can do anything1 it rescues them from the temptation of a slumbering1 aimless life1 and often draws out useful gifts that turn their lives into a real blessing4 ,and there are other compensations4 ,when ,sarah died1 ,isaac was left with an empty heart2 but when ,rebecca came to him1 he was comforted4 ,the precise blank that death leaves may never be wholly filled1 but the heart expands in other directions1 and with new objects of affection the gnawing void ceases to be acutely felt4 ,as old attachments are snapped1 new are gradually formed4 ,and even in old age a law of compensation often comes in2 children and children's children bring new interests and pleasures1 and the green hues of youth modify the grey of age4 ,then there is the happy experience by which the advent of spiritual blessings compensates the loss of temporal4 ,nothing at first appears more desolate than loss of fortune1 loss of health1 or loss of some principal bodily sense--like sight or hearing4 ,but in a ,milton intellectual vigour1 patriotic ardour1 and poetic sensibility attain their noblest elevation1 though ,cloud and ever-during dark ,surrounds me1 from the cheerful ways of men ,cut off1 and1 for the book of knowledge fair1 ,presented with a universal blank ,of nature's works1 to me expunged and rased1 ,and wisdom at one entrance quite shut out4 ,it is the total loss of hearing1 the result of a sudden accident1 that turns the slater1 ,john ,kitto1 into a most instructive and interesting ,oriental scholar and writer4 ,how often temporal loss has proved in a higher sense spiritual gain1 all ,christian biography testifies4 ,such instances are not uncommon as that which the ,rev4 ,charles ,simeon gives1 in speaking of some blind men from ,edinburgh whom nearly a century ago he found at work in a country house in ,scotland3 ,one of the blind men1 on being interrogated with respect to his knowledge of spiritual things1 answered1 ',i never saw till ,i was blind2 nor did ,i ever know contentment while ,i had my eyesight1 as ,i do now that ,i have lost it2 ,i can truly affirm1 though few know how to credit me1 that ,i would on no account change my present situation and circumstances with any that ,i ever enjoyed before ,i was blind4' ,he had enjoyed eyesight till twenty-five1 and had been blind now about three years4#i #i ,life of ,rev4 ,charles ,simeon1 p4 #abe4 ,lastly1 of all exchanges in room of old provisions the most striking is that which our ,lord thus set forth3 ,it is expedient for you that ,i go away3 for if ,i go not away1 the ,comforter will not come unto you2 but if ,i depart1 ,i will send ,him to you4 ,if we should think of life1 even the ,christian life1 as a mere time of enjoyment1 albeit spiritual enjoyment1 no statement could be more paradoxical or unpalatable4 ,it is because life is a training school1 and because what we most need in that school is the immediate action of the ,divine ,spirit on our spirits1 purifying1 elevating1 strengthening1 guiding all that is deepest in our nature1 that our ,lord's words are true4 ,very precious had been the manna that ceased when ,jesus left4 ,but more nourishing is the new corn with which the ,spirit feeds us4 ,let us prize it greatly so long as we are in the flesh4 ,we shall know the good of it when we enter on the next stage of our being4 ,then1 in the fullest sense1 the manna will cease1 and we shall eat the corn of the land4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,the ,,captain ,,of ,,the ,,lord',s ,,host4 ,,joshua v4 #ac-ae1 vi4 #a4 ,the process of circumcision is over1 and the men are well2 the feast of unleavened bread has come to an end2 all honour has been paid to these sacred ordinances according to the appointment of ,god2 the manna has ceased1 and the people are now depending on the corn of the land1 of which1 in all probability1 they have but a limited supply4 ,everything points to the necessity of further action1 but it is hard to say what the next step is to be4 ,naturally it would be the capture of ,jericho4 ,but this appears a ,quixotic enterprise4 ,the city is surrounded by a wall1 and its gates are straitly shut up1 barred1 and closely guarded to prevent the entrance of a single ,israelite4 ,joshua himself is at a loss4 ,no ,divine communication has yet come to him1 like that which came as to the crossing of the ,jordan4 ,see him walking all alone by ,jericho1 as near the city as it is safe for him to go4 ,with mind absorbed in thought and eyes fixed on the ground1 he is pondering the situation1 but unable to get light upon it1 when something comes athwart his sphere of vision4 ,he lifts his eyes1 and right against him perceives a soldier1 brandishing his sword4 ,a less courageous man would have been startled1 perhaps frightened4 ,his first thought is1 that it is an enemy4 ,none of his own soldiers would have ventured there without his orders1 or would have dared to take up such an attitude towards his commander-in-chief4 ,with a soldier's presence of mind1 instead of moving off1 he assumes an aggressive attitude1 challenges this warrior1 and demands whether he is friend or foe4 ,if friend1 he must explain his presence2 if foe1 prepare for battle4 ,joshua is himself a thorough soldier1 and will allow no one to occupy an ambiguous position4 ,and ,joshua went unto him1 and said unto him1 ,art thou for us1 or for our adversaries8 ,if the appearance of the soldier was a surprise1 his answer to the question must have been a greater4 ,nay2 but as ,captain of the host of the ,lord am ,i now come4 ,the nay deprecates his being either friend or foe in the common sense1 but especially his being foe4 ,his position and his office are far more exalted4 ,as ,captain of the host of the ,lord1 he is at the head1 not of human armies1 but of all the principalities and powers of heavenly places1-- ,the mighty regencies ,of seraphim1 and potentates and thrones4 ,and now the real situation flashes on ,joshua4 ,this soldier is no other than the ,angel of the ,covenant1 the same who came to ,abraham under the oak at ,mamre1 and that wrestled with ,jacob on the banks of this very ,jordan at ,peniel4 ,joshua could not but remember1 when ,god threatened to withdraw from ,israel after the sin of the golden calf1 and send some created angel to guide them through the wilderness1 how earnestly ,moses remonstrated1 and how his whole soul was thrown into the pleading--,if ,thy presence go not with us1 carry me not up hence4 ,he could not but remember the intense joy of ,moses when this pleading proved successful--,my presence shall go with thee1 and ,i will give thee rest4 ,there could be little doubt in his mind who this ,captain of the host of ,jehovah was1 and no hesitation on his part in yielding to ,him the ,divine honour due to the ,most ,high4 ,and then he must have felt warmly how very kind and seasonable this appearance was1 just at the very moment when he was in so great perplexity1 and when his path was utterly dark4 ,it was a new proof that man's extremity is ,god's opportunity4 ,it was just like what used to happen afterwards1 when the ,word became flesh and dwelt among us1 and was so promptly at hand for ,his disciples in all times of their tribulation4 ,it was an anticipation of the scene when the ship was tossed so violently on the waves1 and ,jesus appeared with ,his ,peace1 be still4 ,or1 on that dreary morning1 soon after the crucifixion1 after they had spent the whole night on the lake and caught nothing1 when ,jesus came and brought the miraculous draught of fishes to their nets4 ,it is the truth with which all ,his suffering and stricken children have been made so familiar in all ages of the ,church's history3--that1 however ,he may seem to hide ,himself and stand afar off in times of trouble1 ,he is in reality ever near1 and can never forget that last assurance to ,his faithful people--,lo1 ,i am with you alway1 even to the end of the world4 ,it is not likely that ,joshua found any cause to discuss the question that modern criticism has so earnestly handled1 whether this being that now appeared in human form really was ,jehovah4 ,and as little does it seem necessary for us to discuss it4 ,there seems no good reason to reject the view that these theophanies1 though not incarnations1 were yet foreshadows of the incarnation1--hints of the mystery afterwards to be realized when ,jesus was born of ,mary4 ,if these appearances looked like incarnations1 it was incarnation after the pagan1 not the ,christian type2 momentary alliances of the ,divine being with the human form or appearance1 assumed merely for the occasion1 and capable of being thrown aside as rapidly as they were assumed4 ,this might do very well to foreshadow the incarnation1 but it fell a long way short of the incarnation itself4 ,the ,christian incarnation was after a type never dreamt of by the pagan mind4 ,that the ,son of ,god should be born of a woman1 ,his body formed in the womb by the slow but wonderful process which fashioned all ,his members in continuance1 when as yet there was none of them 7,psalm cxxxix4 #af71 and that ,he should thus stand in relations to ,his fellow-men that could not be obliterated1 was very wonderful2 but most wonderful of all that the manhood once assumed could never be thrown off1 but that the ,son of ,god must continue to be the ,son of man1 in two distinct natures and one person for ever4 ,the fact that all this has taken place is well fitted to give us unshaken confidence in the love and sympathy of our ,elder ,brother4 ,for ,he is as really our ,brother as ,he ever was in the days of ,his flesh1 and as full of the care and thoughtful interest that the kindest of elder brothers takes in the sorrows and struggles of his younger brethren4 ,it has often been remarked as an instructive circumstance1 that now1 as on other occasions1 the ,angel of the ,lord appeared in the character most adapted to the circumstances of ,his people4 ,he appeared as a soldier with a drawn sword in ,his hand4 ,a long course of fighting lay before the ,israelites ere they could get possession of their land1 and the sword in the hand of the ,angel was an assurance that ,he would fight with them and for them4 ,it was also a clear intimation that in the judgment of ,god1 it was necessary to use the sword4 ,but it was not the sword of the ambitious warrior who falls upon men simply because they are in his way1 or because he covets their territories for his country4 ,it was the judicial sword1 demanding the death of men who had been tried for their sins1 long warned1 and at last judicially condemned4 ,the iniquity of the ,amorites was now full4 ,we know what kind the people were who dwelt near ,jericho four or five hundred years before1 while the cities of ,sodom and ,gomorrah stood in the plain1 cities that even then were reeking with the foulest corruption4 ,it is true the judgment of ,god came down on these cities1 but bare judgments have never reformed the world4 ,the destruction of ,sodom and ,gomorrah removed the foulest stain-spot for the time1 but it did not change the hearts nor the habits of the nations4 ,it has seemed good to the ,spirit of ,god to give us one glimpse of the foulness that had been reached at that early period1 but not to multiply the filthy details at a future time1--after the long interval between ,abraham and ,joshua4 ,but we know that if ,sodom was bad1 ,jericho was no better4 ,the country as a whole1 which had now filled up its cup of iniquity1 was no better4 ,no wonder that the ,angel bore a drawn sword in ,his hand4 ,the longsuffering of the righteous ,god was exhausted1 and ,joshua and his people were the instruments by whom the judicial punishment was to be inflicted4 ,the ,captain of the ,lord's host had drawn ,his sword from its scabbard to show that the judgment of that wicked people was to slumber no more4 ,it was not in this spirit nor in this attitude that the ,angel of the ,covenant had met with ,jacob1 centuries before1 a little higher up the river1 at the confluence of the ,jabbok4 ,yet there was not a little that was similar in the two meetings4 ,like ,joshua now1 ,jacob was then about to enter the land of promise4 ,like him1 he was confronted by an enemy in possession1 who1 in ,jacob's case1 was bent on avenging the wrong of his youth4 ,how that enemy was to be overcome ,jacob knew not1 just as ,joshua knew not how ,jericho was to be taken4 ,but there was this difference between the two1 that in ,jacob's case the ,angel dealt with him as an opponent2 in ,joshua's ,he avowed ,himself a friend4 ,the difference was no doubt due to the different dispositions of the two men4 ,jacob does not seem to have felt that it was only in ,god's name1 and in ,god's strength1 and under ,god's protection that he could enter ,canaan2 he appears to have been trusting too much to his own devices1--especially to the munificent present which he had forwarded to his brother4 ,he must be taught the lesson ,not by might1 nor by power1 but by ,my ,spirit1 saith the ,lord4 ,at first ,jacob dealt with his opponent simply as an obstructionist2 then he discovered ,his ,divine rank1 and immediately he became the aggressor1 and1 spite of his dislocated thigh1 held on to his opponent1 declaring that he would not let ,him go except ,he blessed him4 ,it is otherwise with ,joshua4 ,he has no personal matter to settle with ,god before he is ready to advance into the land4 ,he is in perplexity1 and the ,angel comes to relieve him4 ,it is neither for reproof nor correction but simply for blessing that ,he is there4 ,the appearance of the ,angel denoted a special method of communication with ,joshua4 ,we have already remarked that we do not know in what manner ,god's communications to ,his servant were made before4 ,this incident shows that the ordinary method was not that of personal intercourse1--probably it was that of impressions made supernaturally on ,joshua's mind4 ,why1 then1 is the method changed now8 ,why does this ,warrior-angel present ,himself in person8 ,probably because the way in which ,jericho was to be taken was so extraordinary that1 to encourage the faith of ,joshua and the people1 a special mode of announcement had to be used4 ,one might have thought this unnecessary after the display of ,divine power at the crossing of the ,jordan4 ,but steadiness of faith was no characteristic of the ,israelites1 and such as it was it was as liable to fail after crossing the ,jordan as it had been after crossing the sea4 ,special means were taken to invigorate it and fit it for the coming strain4 ,it was one of those rare occasions when a personal visit from the ,angel of the ,covenant was desirable4 ,something visible and tangible was needed1 something which might be spoken of and readily understood by the people1 and which could not possibly be gainsayed4 ,the moment that ,joshua understood with whom he was conversing1 he fell on his face1 and offered to his visitor not only obeisance but worship1 which the visitor did not decline4 ,and then came a question indicating profound regard for his ,lord's will1 and readiness to do whatsoever he might be told--,what saith my ,lord unto ,his servant8 ,it cannot but remind us of the question put by ,saul to the ,lord while yet lying on the ground on the way to ,damascus--,lord1 what wilt ,thou have me to do8 ,joshua compares favourably with ,moses at the burning bush1 not only now1 but throughout the whole interview4 ,no word of remonstrance does he utter1 no token of unwillingness or unbelief does he show4 ,and it cannot be said that the instructions which the ,angel gave him respecting the taking of ,jericho were of a kind to be easily accepted4 ,the course to be followed seemed to human wisdom the very essence of silliness4 ,to all appearance there was not a vestige of adaptation of means to the end4 ,yet so admirable is the temper of ,joshua1 that he receives all with absolute and perfect submission4 ,the question ,what saith my ,lord unto ,his servant8 is very far from mere matter of courtesy4 ,it is a first principle with ,joshua that when the mind of ,god is once indicated there is nothing for him but to obey4 ,what is he that he should dare to criticise the plans of omnipotence8 that he should propose to correct and improve the methods of ,divine wisdom8 ,anything of the kind was alike preposterous and irreverent4 ,let all the earth fear the ,lord2 let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of ,him4 ,for ,he spake1 and it was done2 ,he commanded1 and it stood fast4 ,thus saith the high and lofty ,one that inhabiteth eternity1 and whose name is ,holy3 ,i dwell in the high and holy place1 and with him also who is of a humble and contrite spirit1 and who trembleth at ,my word4 ,the first answer to the question ,what saith my ,lord unto ,his servant8 is somewhat remarkable4 ,put off thy shoes from off thy feet1 for the place whereon thou standest is holy4 ,rationalists have explained this as meaning that this was an ancient shrine of the ,canaanites1 and therefore a place holy in the eyes of ,israel2 but such an idea needs no refutation4 ,others conceive it to mean that ,joshua1 having crossed the ,jordan1 had now set foot on the land promised to the fathers1 and that the soil for that reason was called holy4 ,but if that was the reason for his putting off his shoes1 it is difficult to see how he could ever have been justified in again putting them on4 ,and when ,god called to ,moses out of the bush and bade him do the very same thing1 it surely was not because the peninsula of ,sinai was holy2 it was because ,moses stood in the immediate presence of the holy ,god4 ,and it is simply to remind ,joshua of the ,divine presence that this command is given2 and being given it is no sooner uttered than obeyed4 ,and then follow ,god's instructions for the taking of ,jericho4 ,never was such a method propounded to reasonable man1 or one more open to the objections and exceptions of worldly wisdom4 ,no arrangement of his forces could have been more open to objection than that which ,god required of him4 ,he was to march round ,jericho once a day for six successive days1 and seven times on the seventh day1 the priests carrying the ark and blowing with trumpets1 the men of war going before1 and others following the ark1 making a long narrow line round the place4 ,we know that the city was provided with gates1 like other fortified cities4 ,what was there to prevent the men of ,jericho from sallying out at each of the gates1 breaking up the line of ,israel into sections1 separating them from each other1 and inflicting dreadful slaughter on each8 ,such a march round the city seems to be the very way to invite a murderous attack4 ,but it is the ,divine command4 ,and this process of surrounding the city is to be carried on in absolute silence on the part of the people1 with no noise save the sounding of trumpets until a signal is given2 then a great shout is to be raised1 and the walls of ,jericho are to fall down flat on the ground4 ,who would have thought it strange if ,joshua had been somewhat staggered by so singular directions1 and if1 like ,moses at the bush1 he had suggested all manner of objections1 and shown the greatest unwillingness to undertake the operation8 ,the noble quality of his faith is shown in his raising no objection at all4 ,after ,god has thus answered his question1 ,what saith my ,lord unto ,his servant8 he is just as docile and submissive as he was before4 ,true faith is blind to everything except the ,divine command4 ,when ,god has given him his orders1 he simply communicates them to the priests and to the people4 ,he leaves the further development of the plan in ,god's hands1 assured that ,he will not leave ,his purpose unfulfilled4 ,nor do the priests or the people appear to have made any objection on their part4 ,the plan no doubt exposed them to two things which men do not like1 ridicule and danger4 ,possibly the ridicule was as hard to bear as the danger4 ,god would protect them from the danger1 but who would shield them from the ridicule8 ,even if at the end of the seven days1 the promised result should take place1 would it not be hard to make themselves for a whole week the sport of the men of ,jericho1 who would ask all that time whether they had lost their senses1 whether they imagined that they would terrify them into surrender by the sound of their rams' horns8 ,how often1 especially in the case of young persons1 do we find this dread of ridicule the greatest obstacle to ,christian loyalty8 ,and even where they have the strongest conviction that ere long the laugh1 if laughter may be spoken of in the case1 will be turned against their tormentors1 and that it will be clearly seen who the men are whom the ,king delighteth to honour1 what misery is caused for the time by ridicule1 and how often do the young prove traitors to ,christ rather than endure it8 ,all the more remarkable is the steadiness of the priests and people on this occasion4 ,we cannot think that this was due simply and solely to their loyalty to the leader to whom they had recently sworn allegiance4 ,we cannot but believe that personal faith animated many of them1 the same faith as that of ,joshua himself4 ,their wilderness training and trials had not been in vain2 the manifest interposition of ,god in the defeat of ,sihon and ,og had sunk into their hearts2 the miraculous passage of the river had brought ,god very near to them2 and it was doubtless in a large measure their conviction that ,he who had begun the work of conquest for them would carry it on to the end1 that procured for ,joshua's announcement the unanimous acquiescence and hearty support alike of priests and people4 ,and hence1 too1 the reason why1 in the eleventh chapter of ,hebrews1 the falling down of the walls of ,jericho is specially accounted for as the result of faith3 ,by faith the walls of ,jericho fell down1 after they were compassed about seven days 7ver4 #cj74 ,the act of faith lay in the conviction that ,god1 who had prescribed the method of attack1 foolish though it seemed1 would infallibly bring it to a successful issue4 ,it was not merely ,joshua's faith1 but the priests' faith1 and the people's faith1 that shone in the transaction4 ,faith repelled the idea that the enemy would sally forth and break their ranks2 it triumphed over the scorn and ridicule which would certainly be poured on them2 it knew that ,god had given the directions1 and it was convinced that ,he would bring all to a triumphant issue4 ,never had the spiritual thermometer risen so high in ,israel1 and seldom did it rise so high at any future period of their history4 ,that singular week1 spent in marching round ,jericho again and again and again1 was one of the most remarkable ever known2 the people were near heaven1 and the grace and peace of heaven seem to have rested on their hearts4 ,we sometimes speak of ages of faith4 ,there have been times when the disposition to believe in the unseen1 in the presence and power of ,god1 and in the certain success at last of all that is done in obedience to ,his will1 has dominated whole communities1 and led to a wonderful measure of holy obedience4 ,such a period was this age of ,joshua4 ,we cannot say1 thinking of ourselves1 that the present is an age of faith4 ,rather1 on the part of the masses1 it is an age when the secular1 the visible1 the present lords it over men's minds4 ,yet we are not left without splendid examples of faith4 ,the missionary enterprise that contemplates the conquest of the whole world for ,christ1 because ,god has given to ,his ,messiah the heathen for ,his inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for ,his possession1 and that looks forward to the day when this promise shall be fulfilled to the letter1 is a fruit of faith4 ,and the ready surrender of so many young lives for the world's evangelization1 as missionaries1 and teachers1 and medical men and women1 is a crowning proof that faith is not dead among us4 ,would only it were a faith that pervaded the whole community1--princes1 priests1 and people alike2 and that there were a harmony among us in the attack on the strongholds of sin and ,satan as great as there was in the host of ,israel when the people1 one in heart and one in hope1 marched out1 day after day1 round the walls of ,jericho6 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,the ,,fate ,,of ,,jericho4 ,,joshua vi4 #h-bg4 ,the instructions of ,joshua to the priests and the people are promptly obeyed4 ,in the bright rays of the morning sun1 on the day when ,jericho is to be surrounded1 the plain between the ,jordan and ,jericho1 a space of some five miles1 may be seen dotted over with the tents of ,israel1 arranged in that orderly manner which had been prescribed by ,moses in the wilderness4 ,the whole encampment is astir in the prospect of great events4 ,the erect carriage1 the flashing eye1 the compressed lip of the soldiers show that something great and unusual is expected4 ,by-and-by1 there is a stir near the spot where the ark rests1 and1 borne on the shoulders of the priests1 the sacred vessel is seen in motion in the direction of ,jericho4 ,right in front of it are seven priests carrying trumpets of rams' horns1 or1 as some render it1 jubilee horns4 ,the procession of the ark halts a little1 till a body of armed men advance and form in front of it4 ,others of the people take up their places in the rear4 ,the seven priests sound their trumpets1 and the procession moves on4 ,their course is round the walls of ,jericho1 far enough removed to be beyond the reach of the arrows of its defenders4 ,not a shout is raised4 ,not a sound is heard1 save that of the trumpets of the seven priests4 ,at last the procession returns to the camp1 leaving ,jericho just as it found it4 ,next day the same process is repeated2 and the next1 and the next1 on to the sixth4 ,on the seventh day1 the march begins early and is continued late4 ,the spirits of the people are sustained during their weary1 monotonous tramp by the expectation of a crisis4 ,at length1 when the seventh circuit has been made1 the signal is given by ,joshua4 ,the air is rent with the shouts of the people and the noise of the trumpets1 and immediately1 all round1 the wall falls flat to the ground1 and the people march straight into the city4 ,paralysed with astonishment and terror1 the inhabitants are unable to resist1 and lie1 men1 women and children1 at the mercy of their assailants4 ,and the instructions to the ,israelites are to destroy everything that is in the city1 both man and woman1 young and old1 ox and sheep and ass1 with the edge of the sword4 ,as for the more solid part of the spoil1 the silver and the gold and the vessels of brass and iron1 they are devoted to the service of ,god 7the ,authorized translation unhappily uses the word accursed74 ,no one is to appropriate a single article to his own use4 ,an exception to the universal massacre was to take place only in the case of the harlot ,rahab1 who was to be saved1 with all her relations1 in accordance with the solemn promise of the spies4 ,there is no difficulty in perceiving the great lesson for all time to be derived from this extraordinary transaction1 or the great law of the kingdom of ,god that was made so conspicuous by it4 ,when we have clear indications of the ,divine mind as to any course of action1 we are to advance to it promptly and without fear1 even though the means at our disposal appear utterly inadequate to the object sought to be gained4 ,no man goeth a warfare at his own charges in the service of ,god4 ,the resources of infinite power avail for that service1 and they are sure to be brought into play if it be undertaken for ,god's glory1 and in accordance with ,his will4 ,who could have supposed that the fishermen of ,galilee would in the end triumph over all the might of kings and rulers2 over all the influence of priesthoods and systems of worship enshrined in the traditions of centuries2 over all the learning and intellect of the philosopher1 and over all the prejudices and passions of the multitude8 ,the secret lay manifestly in the promise of ,jesus--,lo1 ,i am with you alway1 even to the end of the world4 ,who could have thought that the efforts of a poor ,german student in ,berlin1 on behalf of some neglected children1 would expand into the widespread and well-rooted ,inner ,mission of ,wichern8 ,or that the concern of a prison chaplain for the welfare of some of the prisoners after their release would develop into the worldwide work of ,fliedner8 ,or that the distress of a kind-hearted medical student in ,london for a batch of poor boys who didn't live nowhere1 and whose pale faces1 as they lay on a cold night on the roof of a shed1 stirred in him an irrepressible compassion1 would give birth to one of the marvels of ,london philanthropy1--,dr4 ,barnardo's twenty institutions1 caring for three to four thousand children1 in connection with which the announcement could be made that no really destitute child was ever turned from its doors8 ,when ,carey on his shoemaker's stool contemplated the evangelization of ,india1 there was as great a gulf between the end and the apparent means1 as when the priests blew with their rams' horns round the walls of ,jericho4 ,but ,carey felt it to be a ,divine command1 and ,joshua-like set himself to obey it1 leaving to ,god from whom it came to furnish the power by which the work was to be done4 ,and wherever there have been found men and women of strong faith in ,god1 who have looked on ,his will as recorded in the ,scriptures with as much reverence as if it had been announced personally to themselves1 and who have set themselves to obey that will with a sense of its reality1 and a faith in ,god's promised help1 like that of ,joshua as the priests marched round ,jericho1 the same result has been realized2 before ,zerubbabel the great mountain has become a plain1 and success has been achieved worthy of the acknowledgment--,the ,lord hath done great things for us1 whereof we are glad4 ,far more effectual has this brave and thorough method of doing the ,divine will proved than all the contrivances of compromise and worldly wisdom4 ,the attempt to serve two masters has never proved either dignified or permanently successful4 ,if the ,lord be ,god1 follow ,him2 but if ,baal1 then follow him2 but do not attempt to combine in one what will please ,god and ,baal too4 ,it is the single eye that is full of light1 and full of blessing4 ,if ,god really is our ,master1 all the resources of heaven and earth are at our back4 ,if we are able to go forward in sole and simple reliance on ,his might1 as ,david did in the conflict with ,goliath1 all will go well4 ,if we waver in our trust in ,him1 if we fly to the resources of human policy1 if we seek deliverance from present evil at whatever cost1 we arrest1 as it were1 the electric current flowing from heaven1 and become weak as other men4 ,still more if we are guilty of deceit and cunning4 ,how different was ,david confronting ,goliath1 and ,david feigning madness before ,king ,achish6 ,in the one case a noble hero1 in the other a timid1 faltering child4 ,it is a dear price we pay for present safety or convenience when we forfeit the approval of our conscience and the favour of ,god4 ,it is a sublime attitude that faith takes up even in the face of overwhelming danger--,lord1 it is nothing with ,thee to help1 whether with many1 or with them that have no power3 help us1 ,o ,lord our ,god2 for we rest on ,thee1 and in ,thy name we go against this multitude4 ,o ,lord1 ,thou art our ,god2 let not man prevail ,,against ,,thee 7#b ,chron4 xiv4 #aa74 ,this1 however1 is but one half the lesson of the siege of ,jericho4 ,the other and not less valuable lesson is1 that in many good enterprises1 all that is done may appear for a long time to be labour lost1 and not to advance us by one step nearer to the object in view4 ,for six days the priests carried the ark round ,jericho1 but not one stone was loosened from the walls1 not by one iota did the defences seem to yield4 ,six times on the seventh day there was an equally complete want of result4 ,nay1 the seventh perambulation on the seventh day appeared to be equally unsuccessful1 until the very last moment2 but when that moment came1 the whole defences of the city came tumbling to the ground4 ,it is often ,god's method to do a great deal of work unseen1 and then on a sudden effect the consummation4 ,and whenever we are working in accordance with ,god's will1 it is our encouragement to believe that though our visible success is hardly appreciable1 yet good and real work is done4 ,for one day is with the ,lord as a thousand years1 and a thousand years as one day4 ,sometimes in a thousand years ,god does not seem to accomplish a good day's work1 but at other times in a single day ,he does the work of a thousand years4 ,the reformation of the ,church in the ,middle ,ages1--how little progress it seemed to make during weary centuries2 and even when victory seemed to be drawing nigh1 how thoroughly was it arrested by the martyrdom of ,huss and ,jerome in ,bohemia1 the extinction of the light of ,wicliffe in ,england1 and the suppression of the ,lollards in ,scotland6 ,and when in ,providence some causes began to operate that seemed to have a bearing on the desired consummation1 such as the invention of printing1 the revival of learning1 and the love of freedom1 how feebly they seemed to operate in opposition to that overwhelming force which the ,papacy had been accumulating for centuries1 and which nothing seemed able to touch6 ,but when ,luther appeared1 nailed his theses to the door of the church at ,wittemberg1 and took up the bold attitude of an out-and-out opponent to ,rome1 in one hour the ,church was struck as with an earthquake2 it reeled to its foundations1 and half of the proud structure fell4 ,the conflict with ,american slavery1 how slowly it advanced for many a year1 nay1 at times it seemed to be even losing ground2 till in the midst of the great ,civil ,war the ,president signed a certain proclamation1 and in one moment ,american slavery received its death blow4 ,an eminent historian of ,england has a striking picture of the slow1 steady1 awful triumph of iniquity in the career of ,cardinal ,wolsey1 and the sudden collapse of the structure built up so carefully by that wicked man4 ,speaking of the final retribution1 he says3 ,the time of reckoning at length was arrived4 ,slowly the hand had crawled along the dial plate1 slowly as if the event would never come1 and wrong was heaped on wrong1 and oppression cried1 and it seemed as if no ear had heard its voice1 till the measure of the wickedness was at length fulfilled2 the finger touched the hour1 and as the strokes of the great hammer rang out above the nation1 in an instant the mighty fabric of iniquity was shivered to ruins4 ,it is the prerogative of faith to believe that the same law of ,providence is ever in operation1 and that the rapidity with which some great drama is to be wound up may be as striking as the slowness of its movement was trying in its earlier stages4 ,may we not be living in an age destined to furnish another great example of this law8 ,the years as they pass seem laden with great events1 and we seem to hear the angel that hath power over fire calling to the angel with the sharp sickle1--,thrust in thy sharp sickle1 and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth1 for the grapes thereof are fully ripe4 ,we cannot tell but before a year ends some grand purpose of ,providence shall be accomplished1 the death blow given to some system of force or of fraud that has scourged the earth for centuries1 or some great prophetic cycle completed for which ,simeons and ,annas have been watching more than they that watch for the morning4 ,god hasten the day when on every side truth shall finally triumph over error1 good over evil1 peace over strife1 love over selfishness1 and order over confusion2 and when from every section of ,god's great but scattered family the shout of triumph shall go up1 ,alleluia3 for the ,lord ,god omnipotent reigneth4 ,but let us return to the narrative of the fall of ,jericho1 and advert to two of the difficulties that have occurred to many minds in connection with it2 one of comparatively little moment1 but another of far more serious import4 ,the lesser difficulty is connected with the order to march round ,jericho for seven successive days4 ,was it not contrary to the spirit of the law to make no difference on the ,sabbath8 ,as the narrative reads we are led to think that the ,sabbath was the last of the seven days1 in which case1 instead of a cessation of labour1 there was an increase of it sevenfold4 ,possibly this may be a mistake2 but at the least it seems as if1 all days being treated alike1 there was a neglect of the precept1 ,in it thou shalt not do any work4 ,to this it has usually been replied that the law of the ,sabbath being only a matter of arrangement1 and not founded on any unchangeable obligation1 it was quite competent for ,god to suspend it or for a time repeal it1 if occasion required4 ,the present instance has been viewed as one of those exceptional occasions when the obligation to do no work was suspended for a time4 ,but this is hardly a satisfactory explanation4 ,was it likely that immediately after ,god had so solemnly charged ,joshua respecting the book of the law1 that it was not to depart out of his mouth1 but he was to meditate therein day and night1 to observe to do according to all that was written therein1 that almost on the first occurrence of a public national interest ,he would direct him to disregard the law of the ,sabbath8 ,or was it likely that now that the people were about to get possession of the land1 under the most sacred obligation to frame both their national and their personal life by the ,divine law1 one of the most outstanding requirements of that law should be even temporarily superseded8 ,we cannot help thinking that it is in another direction that we must look for the solution of this difficulty4 ,and what seems the just explanation is1 that this solemn procession of the ark was really an act of worship1 a very public and solemn act of worship1 and that therefore the labour which it involved was altogether justifiable1 just as the ,sabbath labour involved in the offering of the daily sacrifices could not be objected to4 ,it was a very solemn and open demonstration of honour to that great ,being in whom ,israel trusted--of obedience to ,his word1 and unfaltering confidence that ,he would show ,himself the ,god of ,his chosen people4 ,at every step of their march they might well have sung--,i will lift up mine eyes unto the hills1 from whence cometh my help4 ,the absurdity of their proceeding to the eye of flesh invested it with a high sanctity1 because it testified to a conviction that the presence of that ,god who dwelt symbolically in the ark would more than compensate for all the feebleness and even apparent silliness of the plan4 ,it was indeed an exception to the usual way of keeping the ,sabbath1 but an exception that maintained and exalted the honour of ,god4 ,and1 in a sense1 it might be called resting1 inasmuch as no aggressive operations of any kind were carried on2 it was simply a waiting on ,god1 waiting till ,he should arise out of ,his place1 and cause it to be seen that ,israel got not the land in possession by their own sword1 neither did their own arm save them3 but ,thy right hand1 and ,thine arm1 and the light of ,thy countenance1 because ,thou hadst a favour unto them 7,psalm xliv4 #c74 ,a more serious objection in the eyes of many is that which is founded on the promiscuous massacre of the people of ,jericho1 which1 according to the narrative1 the ,israelites were ordered to make4 ,and it is not wonderful that1 with the remarkable sense of the sanctity of human life attained in our country and in our age1 and the intense horror which we have at scenes of blood and death1 the idea of this slaughter should excite a strong feeling of repugnance4 ,for in truth human life has never been held so sacred among men as it is in these our days and in this our island1 where by the mercy of ,god war and bloodshed have been unknown for nearly a century and a half4 ,we must remember that three thousand years ago1 and in the tumultuous regions of the ,east1 such a sentiment was unknown4 ,the massacre of one tribe by another was an event of frequent occurrence1 and so little thought of that a year or two after its occurrence the survivors of the massacre might be found on perfectly good terms with those who had committed it4 ,this of course does not affect the righteousness of the sentence executed on the men of ,jericho1 but it shows that as executioners of that sentence the ,israelites were not exposed either to the harrowing or the hardening influence which would now be inseparable from such a work4 ,we reserve the general question for consideration further on4#aj ,we confine ourselves for the present to the inquiry1 ,why was ,jericho singled out for treatment so specially severe8 ,not only were all its inhabitants put to the sword1 as indeed the inhabitants of other cities were too1 but the city was burnt with fire1 and a special curse was pronounced upon any one that should set up its gates and its walls4 ,of only two other cities do we read that they were destroyed in this way--,ai and ,hazor 7viii4 #bh1 xi4 #ac74 ,and in regard to all the three we may see special considerations dictating ,joshua's course4 ,jericho and ,ai were the first two cities taken by him1 and it may have been useful to set an example of severity in their case4 ,hazor was the centre of a conspiracy1 and being situated in the extreme north1 its fate might read a lesson to those who were too far from ,jericho and ,ai to see what had happened there4 ,but in the case of ,jericho there was another consideration4 ,gilgal1 which ,joshua had made his headquarters1 was but three or four miles distant4 ,at that place there were no doubt gathered a great part of the flocks and herds of the ,israelites1 with the women and children1 as well as the ark and the sacred tabernacle4 ,it was necessary to prevent the possibility of a fortress being again erected at ,jericho4 ,for if it should fall into the enemy's hands1 it would endanger the very existence of ,gilgal4 ,we shall see in the after part of the narrative that the policy of sparing the towns even when the inhabitants were destroyed proved a mistake1 and was very disastrous to the ,israelites4 ,we shall find that in very many cases1 while ,joshua was occupied elsewhere1 the towns were taken possession of anew by the ,canaanites1 and new troubles befell the ,israelites4 ,for ,joshua's conquest was not a complete subjugation1 and much remained to be done by each tribe in its settlement in order to get quit of the old inhabitants4 ,it was the failure of most of the tribes to do their part in this process that led to most of the troubles in the future history of ,israel1 both in the way of temptation to idolatry and in the form of actual war4 #aj ,see ,chapter ,,xxxi41 ,jehovah the ,champion of ,israel4 ,the only things saved from utter destruction at ,jericho were the gold and the silver and other metallic substances1 which were put into the treasury of the house of the ,lord4 ,the fact that the house of the ,lord1 situated at this time at ,gilgal1 was an establishment of such size as to be able to employ all these things in its service refutes the assertion of those critics who would make out that at the settlement in ,canaan there was no place that might be called emphatically the house of the ,lord4 ,it indicates that the arrangements for worship were on a large scale1--a fact which is confirmed afterwards by the circumstance that the ,gibeonites were assigned by ,joshua to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my ,god4 ,if little is said about the arrangements for worship in the ,book of ,joshua1 it is because the one object of the book is to record the settlement of the nation in the country4 ,if it were true that the book was overhauled by some priestly writer who took every opportunity of magnifying his office1 he must have done his work in a strange manner4 ,we find in it such hints as we have noticed showing that the service of the sanctuary was not neglected1 but we have none of those full or formal details that would have been given if a writer with such a purpose had worked over the book4 ,we hear of ,jericho from time to time as a place of abode both in the ,old ,testament and in the ,new2 but when ,hiel the ,bethelite rebuilt it with walls and gates1 he laid the foundation thereof in ,abiram his firstborn1 and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son ,segub1 according to the word of the ,lord1 which ,he spake by ,joshua the son of ,nun 7#a ,kings xvi4 #cd74 ,it was ordained that that first fortress which had withstood the people of ,god on the west of ,jordan should remain a perpetual desolation4 ,as the stones set up in the channel and on the banks of the river witnessed to future generations of ,god's care for ,his own people1 so the stones of ,jericho cast down and lying in ruined heaps were designed to testify to the dread retribution that overtook the guilty4 ,the two great lessons of ,providence from ,jericho are1 the certainty of the reward of faith and obedience on the one hand1 and of the punishment of wickedness on the other4 ,the words which ,balaam had proclaimed from the top of the mountain on the other side now received their first fulfilment3-- ,how goodly are thy tents1 ,o ,jacob1 ,thy tabernacles1 ,o ,israel6444 ,god bringeth him forth out of ,egypt2 ,he hath1 as it were1 the strength of the wild ox2 ,he shall eat up the nations his adversaries1 ,and shall break their bones in pieces1 ,and smite them through with ,his arrows4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,rahab ,,saved4 ,,joshua vi4 #ag1 #bb-be4 ,it has not been the lot of ,rahab to share the devout interest which has been lavished on ,mary ,magdalene4 ,our ,correggios1 ,titians1 and ,carlo ,dolcis have not attempted to represent the spirit of contrition and devotion transfiguring the face of the ,canaanite girl4 ,and this is not surprising4 ,rahab had never seen the human face of ,jesus1 nor heard the words that dropped like honey from ,his lips4 ,she had never come under that inexpressible charm which lay in the bearing of the living ,jesus1 the charm that made so remarkable a change not only on the woman that was a sinner1 but on ,zaccheus1 on ,peter in the high priest's hall1 on the penitent thief1 and on ,saul of ,tarsus on the way to ,damascus4 ,for there was a wonderful power in the very looks and tones of ,jesus to touch the heart1 and thereby to throw a new light on all one's past life1 making sin look black and odious1 and inspiring an intense desire for resemblance to ,him who was so much fairer than all the children of men4 ,rahab had never seen the ,divine image in any purer form than it appeared in ,joshua and men and women like-minded with him4 ,but though she was not one of those whose contrite and holy love painters delight to represent1 she belonged to the same order1 and in some respects is more remarkable than any of the ,new ,testament penitents4 ,for her light was much dimmer than theirs who lived in the days of the ,son of man4 ,she was utterly without support or sympathy from those among whom she lived1 for with the exception of her own relations1 who seem to have been influenced by herself1 not a creature in ,jericho shared her faith1 or showed the slightest regard for the ,god of ,israel4 ,but the time has now come for her to reap the reward of her faith and its works4 ,in her case there was but a short interval between the sowing and the reaping4 ,and ,god showed ,himself able to do in her exceeding abundantly above what she could ask or think4 ,for she was not only protected when ,jericho and all its people were destroyed1 but incorporated with the children of ,israel4 ,she became an heir of ,abraham's blessing2 she came among those to whom pertained the adoption1 and the glory1 and the covenants1 and the giving of the law1 and the service of ,god1 and the promises4 ,an old tradition made her the wife of ,joshua1 but1 according to the genealogies she married ,salmon 7,matt4 i4 #e71 prince of the imperial tribe of ,judah1 great-grandfather of ,david1 and ancestor of the ,messiah4 ,in the golden roll of the eleventh chapter of ,hebrews1 she is the only woman who shares with ,sarah1 the great mother of the nation1 the honour of a place among the heroes of the faith4 ,such honours could not have been attained by her had she not been a changed character1--one of those who erewhile had lain among the pots1 but who became like the wings of a dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold4 ,very special mention is made of her in the narrative of the destruction of ,jericho4 ,in the first place1 before the overthrow of the city1 ,joshua gives particular instructions regarding her1 accepting very readily the promise that had been made to her by the two spies4 ,if ,joshua had been a man of unreasonable temper1 he might have refused to ratify their action in her case4 ,he might have said that ,god had doomed the whole inhabitants of the city to destruction1 and as no instructions had been given by ,him to spare ,rahab1 she must share the doom of the rest4 ,but ,joshua at once recognised the propriety of an exception in favour of one who had shown such faith1 and who had rendered such service to the spies and to the nation2 and1 moreover1 he looked on the promise made by the spies as reasonable1 for it would have been gross tyranny to send them on such an errand without power to make fair compensation for any assistance they might receive4 ,yet how often have promises made in danger been broken when the danger was past6 ,rahab must have known that had it been some ,canaanite chief and not ,joshua that had to decide her fate1 he would have scorned the promise of the spies1 and consigned her to the general doom4 ,she must have been impressed with the honourable conduct of ,joshua in so cordially endorsing the promise of the spies1 and thought well of his religion on that account4 ,honour and religion go well together2 meanness and religion breed contempt4 ,we see meanness with a religious profession culminating in the treachery of ,judas4 ,we see honour in alliance with religion culminating in the ,garden of ,gethsemane1 when the bleeding ,sufferer rallied ,his fainting courage and stood firm to ,his undertaking--,the cup which ,my ,father hath given ,me1 shall ,i not drink it8 ,no doubt the scarlet cord was hung from her window1 as had been arranged with the spies1 and the ,israelites1 when they saw it1 would be reminded of the blood of the lamb sprinkled on their door posts and lintels when the destroying angel passed through ,egypt4 ,it was the two men who had acted as spies that ,joshua instructed to enter her house1 and bring out the woman and all that she had4 ,and a happy woman she no doubt was when she saw the faces of her old guests1 and under their protection was brought out with all her kindred and all that she had and led to a place of safety4 ,it is a blessed time1 after you have stood fast to duty while many have failed1 when the hour comes that brings you peace and blessing1 while it carries confusion and misery to the faithless4 ,how thankful one is at such a moment for the grace that enabled one to choose the right6 ,with what awe one looks into the gulf on whose edge one stood1 and thanks ,god for the grace that brought the victory6 ,and how often is the welfare of a lifetime secured in some crisis by the firm attitude of an hour4 ,what do we not gain by patience when we do the right and wait for the reward8 ,one of the pictures in the ,interpreter's ,house is that of a little room where sat two little children1 each in his chair4 ,the name of the eldest was ,passion1 and of the other ,patience4 ,passion seemed much discontent1 but ,patience was very quiet4 ,then asked ,christian1 ,what is the reason of the discontent of ,passion8 ,the ,interpreter answered1 ,the ,governor of them would have them stay for his best things till the beginning of the next year2 but he will have them all now2 but ,patience is willing to wait4 ,how invaluable is the spirit that can wait till the beginning of the next year6 ,and especially with reference to the awards of eternity4 ,the rush for good things now1 the desire at all hazards to gratify inclination as it rises1 the impatience that will not wait till next year--how many lives they wreck1 what misery they gender for eternity6 ,but when you do choose that good part that shall not be taken away1 and count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of ,christ ,jesus1 what ecstatic bliss you make sure of in that solemn hour when the dead1 small and great1 shall stand before ,god2 and1 amid weeping and wailing inexpressible on the left hand1 the ,judge shall pronounce the words1 ,come1 ye blessed of ,my ,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world4 ,the case of ,rahab was one of those where whole families were saved on account of the faith of one member4 ,such was the case of ,noah1 whose faith secured the exemption of himself and all his family from the flood4 ,such1 hypothetically1 was the case of ,lot1 whose whole family would have been preserved from the fire and brimstone1 if only they had received his warning and left ,sodom with him4 ,on the other hand1 there were cases1 like that of ,korah in the wilderness1 and of ,achan1 near this very place1 ,jericho1 where the sin of the father involved the death of the whole family4 ,in the case of ,rahab1 we find a family saved1 not through the faith of the head of the house1 but of a member of it1 and that member a woman4 ,the head of a ,hebrew house was eminently a representative man1 and by a well-understood and recognised law his family were implicated in his acts1 whether for good or for evil4 ,but in this case the protector of the family1 the member of it that determines the fate of the whole1 is not the one whom the law recognises1 but his child1 his daughter4 ,a woman occupies here a higher and more influential place1 in relation to the rest of the family1 than she has ever held at any previous time4 ,the incident comes in as a kind of foreshadow of what was to be abundantly verified in after times4 ,for it is in ,christian times that woman has most conspicuously attained that position of high influence on the welfare of the family1 and especially its eternal welfare1 which ,rahab showed in delivering her house from the destruction of ,jericho4 ,at a very early period in the history of the ,christian ,church1 the great influence of godly women on the welfare of their male relations began to be seen4 ,about the fourth century we can hardly peruse the biography of any eminent ,christian father1 without being struck with the share which the prayers and efforts of some pious female relative had in his conversion4 ,monica1 the mother of ,augustine1 is held in reverence all over ,christendom for her tears and wrestling prayers on behalf of her son2 and the name of ,anthusa1 the mother of ,chrysostom1 is hardly less venerable4 ,nonna1 the mother of ,gregory ,nazianzen2 ,macrina and ,emmelia1 the mother and the grandmother of ,basil the ,great and ,gregory of ,nyssa1 as well as their sister1 also called ,macrina2 ,theosebia too1 the wife of ,gregory1 and ,marallina1 the sister of ,ambrose1 all share a similar renown4 ,and in more recent times1 how many are the cases where sisters and daughters have exercised a blessed influence on brothers and fathers6 ,every right-hearted sister has a peculiarly warm and tender interest in the welfare of her brothers4 ,it is a feeling not to be neglected1 but carefully nursed and deepened4 ,this narrative shows it to be in the line of ,god's providence that sisters and daughters shall prove instruments of deliverance to their relations4 ,it is blessed when they are so even in earthly things1 but far more glorious when1 through faith and prayer and unwearied interest1 they are enabled to win them to ,christ1 and turn them into living epistles for ,him4 ,it can hardly be necessary to dwell at length on the commentary which we find in the ,epistle of ,james on the faith of ,rahab4 ,for it is not so much anything personal to her that he handles1 but an important quality of all true faith1 and of her faith as being true4 ,was not ,rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers1 and had sent them out another way8 ,no intelligent person needs to be told that the view of justification here given is in no wise at variance with that of ,st4 ,paul4 ,paul's doctrine was propounded in the early years of the ,church1 when1 in opposition to the notion prevalent among the ,gentiles1 it was necessary to show clearly that there was no justifying merit in works4 ,the doctrine of ,james was propounded at a later period1 when men1 presuming on free grace1 were beginning to get lax in their practice1 and it was necessary to insist that faith could not be true faith if it was not accompanied by corresponding works4 ,the case of ,rahab is employed by ,st4 ,james to illustrate this latter position4 ,if ,rahab had merely professed belief in the ,god of ,israel as the only true ,god1 and in the certainty that ,israel would possess the land1 according to ,god's promise1 her faith would have been a barren or dead faith2 in other words1 it would have been no true faith at all4 ,it was her taking up the cause of the spies1 protecting them1 endangering her life for them1 and then devising and executing a scheme for their safety1 that showed her faith to be living1 and therefore real4 ,let it be true that faith is only the instrument of justification1 that it possesses no merit1 and that its value lies solely in its uniting us to ,christ1 so that we get justification and all other blessings from ,him2 still that which really unites us to ,christ must be living4 ,dr4 ,chalmers used to sum up the whole doctrine in the formula1 ,we are justified by faith alone1 but not by a faith which is alone4 ,but let us now advert to the reception of ,rahab into the nation and church of the ,israelites4 ,they brought out all her kindred1 and left them without the camp of ,israel4444 ,and ,joshua saved ,rahab the harlot alive1 and her father's household1 and all that she had2 and she dwelleth in ,israel even unto this day2 because she hid the messengers which ,joshua sent to spy out ,jericho4 ,first1 they left them without the camp4 ,at first they could be treated only as unclean until the rites of purification should be performed4 ,in the case of ,rahab this was doubly necessary--owing to her race1 and owing to her life4 ,thereafter they were admitted to the commonwealth of ,israel1 and had an interest in the covenants of promise4 ,the ceremonial purification and the formal admission signified little1 except in so far as they represented the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,whether this vital change took place we are not told1 but we seem justified in inferring it both from what we read in ,hebrews and from the fact that ,rahab was one of the ancestors of our ,lord4 ,it is interesting and instructive to think of her as exemplifying that law of grace by which the door of heaven is flung open even to the vilest sinner4 ,where sin abounded grace did much more abound4 ,when the enemy ensnares a woman1 wiles her into the filthiest chambers of sin1 and so enchains her there that she cannot escape1 but must sink deeper and deeper in the mire1 the case is truly hopeless4 ,more rapidly and more thoroughly than in the case of a man1 the leprosy spreads till every virtuous principle is rooted out1 and every womanly feeling is displaced by the passions of a sensual reprobate4 ,son of man1 can these bones live8 ,is there any art to breathe the breath of purity and pure love into that defiled soul8 ,can such a woman ever find her home on the mountains of spices1 and hear a loving bridegroom say1 ,my love1 my undefiled is but one8 ,it is just here that the religion of the ,bible achieves its highest triumphs4 ,we say the religion of the ,bible1 but we should rather say1 that gracious ,being whose grace the ,bible unfolds4 ,the things that are impossible with men are possible with ,god4 ,jesus ,christ is the prince of life4 ,experience of ,his saving grace1 living fellowship with ,him1 can so change fornicators and idolaters1 and adulterers and effeminate and abusers of themselves with mankind1 and thieves and covetous and drunkards and revilers and extortioners1 that it may be said of them1 ,but ye are washed1 but ye are sanctified1 but ye are justified in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 and by the ,spirit of our ,god4 ,living faith in a living and loving ,saviour can do all things4 ,ten thousand times has this truth been illustrated in evangelistic addresses1 in sermons1 and in tracts innumerable from the case of the prodigal son4 ,and what imagination can estimate the good which that parable has done8 ,in this point of view it is strange that little use has been made of an ,old ,testament passage1 in which the same truth is unfolded with touching beauty from the case of a faithless woman4 ,we refer to the second chapter of ,hosea4 ,it is the case of a guilty and apparently shameless wife4 ,impelled by greed1 meanest of all motives1 she has gone after this lover and that1 because they seemed able to gratify her love of finery and luxury1 and all the vain show of the world4 ,but the time comes when her eyes are opened1 her lovers are brought to desolation1 she sees that they have all been a lie and a deception1 and that no real good has ever come to her save from the husband whom she has forsaken and insulted4 ,and now when she turns to him she is simply overwhelmed by his graciousness and generosity4 ,he does all that can be done to make her forget her past miseries1 all her past life1 and he succeeds4 ,the valley of ,achor becomes a door of hope2 she is so transformed inwardly1 and her outward surroundings are so changed1 that she sings as in the days of her youth4 ,the happy feelings of her unpolluted childhood return to her1 as if she had drunk the waters of ,lethe1 and she sings like a light-hearted girl once more4 ,the allegory is hardly an allegory1--it is ,divine love that has effected the change2 that love that many waters cannot quench and floods cannot drown4 ,we wonder whether ,rahab obtained much help in her new life from the fellowship of those among whom she came when she joined the ,church4 ,if the ,church then was what the ,church ever ought to be1 if its outstanding members were like the three fair damsels1 ,prudence1 ,piety and ,charity1 in the ,palace ,beautiful1 no doubt she would be helped greatly4 ,but it is not very often that that emblem is realized4 ,and strange to say1 among the members of our ,churches now1 we usually find a very imperfect sense of the duty which they owe to those who come among them from without1 and especially out of great wickedness4 ,it is quite possible that ,rahab was chilled by the coldness of some of her ,hebrew sisters1 looking on her as an intruder1 looking on her as a reprobate1 and grieved because their select society was broken in upon by this outlandish woman4 ,and it is quite possible that she was disappointed to find that1 though they were nominally the people of ,god1 there was very little of what was divine or heavenly about them4 ,so it often happens that what ought to be the greatest attraction in a ,church1 the character of its members1 is the greatest repellant4 ,if all sin-worn and world-worn souls1 weary of the world's ways1 and longing for a society more loving1 more generous1 more pure1 more noble1 could find in the ,christian ,church their ideal fulfilled1 could find in the fellowship of ,christians the reality of their dreams1 how blessed would be the result6 ,alas1 in too many cases they find the world's bitterness and meanness and selfishness reproduced under the flag of ,christ6 ,if all so-called ,christians1 it has been said1 should live for but one year in accordance with the thirteenth chapter of #ast ,corinthians1 unbelief would vanish4 ,will the day ever be when every one that names the name of ,christ shall be a living epistle1 known and read of all men8 ,but1 however she may have been affected by the spirit of those among whom she came1 ,rahab undoubtedly attained to a good degree before ,god1 and a place of high honour in the ,hebrew community4 ,it was well for her that what at first arrested and impressed her was not anything in the people of ,israel2 it was the glorious attributes of their ,god4 ,for this would preserve her substantially from disappointment4 ,men might change1 or they might pass away1 but ,god remained the same yesterday and to-day and for ever4 ,if she kept looking to ,him1 admiring ,his grace and power1 and drawing from ,his inexhaustible fulness1 she would be able to verify one at least of the prophet's pictures3 ,cursed be the man that trusteth in man1 and maketh flesh his arm1 and whose heart departeth from the ,lord3 for he shall be like the heath in the desert1 and shall not see when good cometh2 but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness1 in a salt land and not inhabited4 ,blessed is the man that trusteth in the ,lord1 and whose hope the ,lord is3 for he shall be as a tree planted by the waters1 and that spreadeth out her roots by the river1 and shall not see when heat cometh1 but her leaf shall be green2 and shall not be careful in the year of drought1 neither shall cease from yielding fruit4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,achan',s ,,trespass4 ,,joshua vii4 ,a vessel in full sail scuds merrily over the waves4 ,everything betokens a successful and delightful voyage4 ,the log has just been taken1 marking an extraordinary run4 ,the passengers are in the highest spirits1 anticipating an early close of the voyage4 ,suddenly a shock is felt1 and terror is seen on every face4 ,the ship has struck on a rock4 ,not only is progress arrested1 but it will be a mercy for crew and passengers if they can escape with their lives4 ,not often so violently1 but often as really1 progress is arrested in many a good enterprise that seemed to be prospering to a wish4 ,there may be no shock1 but there is a stoppage of movement4 ,the vital force that seemed to be carrying it on towards the desired consummation declines1 and the work hangs fire4 ,a mission that in its first stages was working out a beautiful transformation1 becomes languid and advances no further4 ,a ,church1 eminent for its zeal and spirituality1 comes down to the ordinary level1 and seems to lose its power4 ,a family that promised well in infancy and childhood fails of its promise1 its sons and daughters waver and fall4 ,a similar result is often found in the undertakings of common life4 ,something mysterious arrests progress in business or causes a decline4 ,in enterprises of great pith and moment1 the currents turn awry1 and lose the name of action4 ,in all such cases we naturally wonder what can be the cause4 ,and very often our explanation is wide of the mark4 ,in religious enterprises1 we are apt to fall back on the sovereignty and inscrutability of ,god4 ,he moves in a mysterious way1 ,his wonders to perform4 ,it seems good to ,him1 for unknown purposes of ,his own1 to subject us to disappointment and trial4 ,we do not impugn either ,his wisdom or ,his goodness2 all is for the best4 ,but1 for the most part1 we fail to detect the real reason4 ,that the fault should lie with ourselves is the last thing we think of4 ,we search for it in every direction rather than at home4 ,we are ingenious in devising far-off theories and explanations1 while the real offender is close at hand--,israel hath sinned4 ,it was an unexpected obstacle of this kind that ,joshua now encountered in his next step towards possessing the land4 ,let us endeavour to understand his position and his plan4 ,jericho lay in the valley of the ,jordan1 and its destruction secured nothing for ,joshua save the possession of that low-lying valley4 ,from the west side of the valley rose a high mountain wall1 which had to be ascended in order to reach the plateau of ,western ,palestine4 ,various ravines or passes ran down from the plateau into the valley2 at the top of one of these1 a little to the north of ,jericho1 was ,bethel1 and farther down the pass1 nearer the plain1 the town or village of ,ai4 ,no remains of ,ai are now visible1 nor is there any tradition of the name1 so that its exact position cannot be ascertained4 ,it was an insignificant place1 but necessary to be taken1 in order to give ,joshua command of the pass1 and enable him to reach the plateau above4 ,the plan of ,joshua seems to have been to gain command of the plateau about this point1 and thereby1 as it were1 cut the country in two1 so that he might be able to deal in succession with its southern and its northern sections4 ,if once he could establish himself in the very centre of the country1 keeping his communications open with the ,jordan valley1 he would be able to deal with his opponents in detail1 and thus prevent those in the one section from coming to the assistance of the other4 ,neither ,ai nor ,bethel seemed likely to give him trouble2 they were but insignificant places1 and a very small force would be sufficient to deal with them4 ,hitherto ,joshua had been eminently successful1 and his people too4 ,not a hitch had occurred in all the arrangements4 ,the capture of ,jericho had been an unqualified triumph4 ,it seemed as if the people of ,ai could hardly fail to be paralysed by its fate4 ,after reconnoitring ,ai1 ,joshua saw that there was no need for mustering the whole host against so poor a place--a detachment of two or three thousand would be enough4 ,the three thousand went up against it as confidently as if success were already in their hands4 ,it was probably a surprise to find its people making any attempt to drive them off4 ,the men of ,israel were not prepared for a vigorous onslaught1 and when it came thus unexpectedly they were taken aback and fled in confusion4 ,as the men of ,ai pursued them down the pass1 they had no power to rally or retrieve the battle2 the rout was complete1 some of the men were killed1 while consternation was carried into the host1 and their whole enterprise seemed doomed to failure4 ,and now for the first time ,joshua appears in a somewhat humiliating light4 ,he is not one of the men that never make a blunder4 ,he rends his clothes1 falls on his face with the elders before the ark of the ,lord till even1 and puts dust upon his head4 ,there is something too abject in this prostration4 ,and when he speaks to ,god1 it is in the tone of complaint and in the language of unbelief4 ,alas1 ,o ,lord ,god1 wherefore hast ,thou at all brought this people over ,jordan1 to deliver us into the hand of the ,amorites1 to destroy us8 would to ,god we had been content1 and dwelt on the other side ,jordan6 ,o ,lord1 what shall ,i say1 when ,israel turneth their backs before their enemies6 ,for the ,canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it1 and shall environ us round1 and cut off our name from the earth3 and what wilt ,thou do unto ,thy great name8 ,thus ,joshua almost throws the blame on ,god4 ,he seems to have no idea that it may lie in quite another quarter4 ,and very strangely1 he adopts the very tone and almost the language of the ten spies1 against which he had protested so vehemently at the time3 ,would ,god that we had died in the land of ,egypt1 or would ,god we had died in this wilderness6 ,and wherefore hath the ,lord brought us unto this land1 to fall by the sword1 that our wives and our children should be a prey8 ,what has become of all your courage1 ,joshua1 on that memorable day8 ,is this the man to whom ,god said so lately1 ,be strong1 and of good courage2 as ,i was with ,moses1 so ,i will be with thee4 ,i will not fail thee nor forsake thee8 ,like ,peter on the waters1 and like so many of ourselves1 he begins to sink when the wind is contrary1 and his cry is the querulous wail of a frightened child6 ,after all he is but flesh and blood4 ,now it is ,god's turn to speak4 ,get thee up2 wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face8 ,why do you turn on ,me as if ,i had suddenly changed1 and become forgetful of ,my promise8 ,alas1 my friends1 how often is ,god slandered by our complaints6 ,how often do we feel and even speak as if ,he had broken ,his word and forgotten ,his promise1 as if ,he had induced us to trust in ,him1 and accept ,his service1 only to humiliate us before the world1 and forsake us in some great crisis6 ,no wonder if ,god speak sharply to ,joshua1 and to us if we go in ,joshua's steps4 ,no wonder if ,he refuse to be pleased with our prostration1 our wringing of our hands and sobbing1 and calls us to change our attitude4 ,get thee up2 wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face8 ,then comes the true explanation--,israel hath sinned4 ,might you not have divined that this was the real cause of your trouble8 ,is not sin directly or indirectly the cause of all trouble8 ,what was it that broke up the joy and peace of ,paradise8 ,sin4 ,what brought the flood of waters over the face of the earth to destroy it8 ,sin4 ,what caused the confusion of ,babel and scattered the inhabitants over the earth in hostile races8 ,sin4 ,what brought desolation on that very plain of ,jordan1 and buried its cities and its people under an avalanche of fire and brimstone8 ,sin4 ,what caused the defeat of ,israel at ,hormah forty years ago1 and doomed all the generation to perish in the wilderness8 ,sin4 ,what threw down the walls of ,jericho only a few days ago1 gave its people to the sword of ,israel1 and reduced its homes and its bulwarks to the mass of ruins you see there8 ,again1 sin4 ,can you not read the plainest lesson8 ,can you not divine that this trouble which has come on you is due to the same cause with all the rest8 ,and if it be a first principle of ,providence that all trouble is due to sin1 would it not be more suitable that you and your elders should now be making diligent search for it1 and trying to get it removed1 than that you should be lying on your faces and howling to me1 as if some sudden caprice or unworthy humour of mine had brought this distress upon you8 ,behold1 the ,lord's ear is not heavy that it cannot hear1 nor ,his arm shortened that it cannot save4 ,but your iniquities have separated between you and your ,god4 ,what a curse that sin is1 in ways and forms1 too1 which we do not suspect6 ,and yet we are usually so very careless about it4 ,how little pains we take to ascertain its presence1 or to drive it away from among us6 ,how little tenderness of conscience we show1 how little burning desire to be kept from the accursed thing6 ,and when we turn to our opponents and see sin in them1 instead of being grieved1 we fall on them savagely to upbraid them1 and we hold them up to open scorn4 ,how little we think if they are guilty1 that their sin has intercepted the favour of ,god1 and involved not them only1 but probably the whole community in trouble6 ,how unsatisfactory to ,god must seem the bearing even of the best of us in reference to sin6 ,do we really think of it as the object of ,god's abhorrence8 ,as that which destroyed ,paradise1 as that which has covered the earth with lamentation and mourning and woe1 kindled the flames of hell1 and brought the ,son of ,god to suffer on the cross8 ,if only we had some adequate sense of sin1 should we not be constantly making it our prayer--,search me1 ,o ,god1 and know my heart2 try me1 and know my thoughts2 and see if there be any wicked way in me1 and lead me in the way everlasting8 ,the peculiar covenant relation in which ,israel stood to ,god caused a method to be fallen on for detecting their sin that is not available for us4 ,the whole people were to be assembled next morning1 and inquiry was to be made for the delinquent in ,god's way1 and when the individual was found condign punishment was to be inflicted4 ,first the tribe was to be ascertained1 then the family1 then the man4 ,for this is ,god's way of tracking sin4 ,it might be more pleasant to us that ,he should deal with it more generally1 and having ascertained1 for example1 that the wrong had been done by a particular tribe or community1 inflict a fine or other penalty on that tribe in which we should willingly bear our share4 ,for it does not grieve us very much to sin when every one sins along with us4 ,nay1 we can even make merry over the fact that we are all sinners together1 all in the same condemnation1 in the same disgrace4 ,but it is a different thing when we are dealt with one by one4 ,the tribe is taken1 the family is taken1 but that is not all2 the household that ,god shall take shall come ,,man ,,by ,,man6 ,it is that individualizing of us that we dread2 it is when it comes to that1 that conscience makes cowards of us all4 ,when a sinner is dying1 he becomes aware that this individualizing process is about to take place1 and hence the fear which he often feels4 ,he is no longer among the multitude1 death is putting him by himself1 and ,god is coming to deal with him by himself4 ,if he could only be hid in the crowd it would not matter1 but that searching eye of ,god--who can stand before it8 ,what will all the excuses or disguises or glosses he can devise avail before ,him who sets our iniquities before ,him1 our secret sins in the light of ,his countenance8 ,neither is there any creature that is not manifest in ,his sight2 for all things are naked1 and opened unto the eyes of ,him with whom we have to do4 ,happy1 in that hour1 they who have found the ,divine covering for sin3 ,blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven1 whose sin is covered4 ,blessed is the man to whom the ,lord imputeth not iniquity1 and in whose spirit there is no guile4 ,but before passing on to the result of the scrutiny1 we find ourselves face to face with a difficult question4 ,if1 as is here intimated1 it was one man that sinned1 why should the whole nation have been dealt with as guilty8 ,why should the historian1 in the very first verse of this chapter1 summarise the transaction by saying3 ,but the children of ,israel committed a trespass in the devoted thing3 for ,achan1 the son of ,carmi1 the son of ,zabdi1 the son of ,zerah1 of the tribe of ,judah1 took of the devoted thing2 and the anger of the ,lord was kindled against the children of ,israel8 ,why visit the offence of ,achan on the whole congregation1 causing a peculiarly humiliating defeat to take place before an insignificant enemy1 demoralizing the whole host1 driving ,joshua to distraction1 and causing the death of six-and-thirty men8 ,in dealing with a question of this sort1 it is indispensable that we station ourselves at that period of the world's history2 we must place before our minds some of the ideas that were prevalent at the time1 and abstain from judging of what was done then by a standard which is applicable only to our own day4 ,and certain it is that1 what we now call the solidarity of mankind1 the tendency to look on men rather as the members of a community than as independent individuals1 each with an inalienable standing of his own1 had a hold of men's minds then such as it has not to-day1 certainly among ,western nations4 ,to a certain extent1 this principle of solidarity is inwoven in the very nature of things1 and cannot be eliminated1 however we may try4 ,absolute independence and isolation of individuals are impossible4 ,in families1 we suffer for one another's faults1 even when we hold them in abhorrence4 ,we benefit by one another's virtues1 though we may have done our utmost to discourage and destroy them4 ,in the ,divine procedure toward us1 the principle of our being a corporate body is often acted upon4 ,the covenant of ,adam was founded on it1 and the fall of our first parents involved the fall of all their descendants4 ,in the earlier stages of the ,hebrew economy1 wide scope was given to the principle4 ,it operated in two forms3 sometimes the individual suffered for the community1 and sometimes the community for the individual4 ,and the operation of the principle was not confined to the ,hebrew or to other ,oriental communities4 ,even among the ,romans it had a great influence4 ,admirable though ,roman law was in its regulation of property1 it was very defective in its dealings with persons4 ,its great blot was the domestic code4 ,the son was the property of the father1 without rights1 without substantial being1 in the eye of ,roman law4444 ,the wife again was the property of her husband1 an ownership of which the moral result was most disastrous4#aa #aa ,see ,mozley's ,ruling ,ideas in the ,early ,ages1 p4 #dj4 ,we are to remember that practically the principle of solidarity was fully admitted in ,joshua's time among his people4 ,the sense of injustice and hardship to which it might give rise among us did not exist4 ,men recognised it as a law of wide influence in human affairs1 to which they were bound to defer4 ,hence it was that when it became known that one man's offence lay at the foundation of the defeat before ,ai1 and of the displeasure of ,god toward the people at large1 there was no outcry1 no remonstrance1 no complaint of injustice4 ,this could hardly take place if the same thing were to happen now4 ,it is hard to reconcile the transaction with our sense of justice4 ,and no doubt1 if we view the matter apart and by itself1 there may be some ground for this feeling4 ,but the transaction will assume another aspect if we view it as but a part of a great whole1 of a great scheme of instruction and discipline which ,god was developing in connection with ,israel4 ,in this light1 instead of a hardship it will appear that in the end a very great benefit was conferred on the people4 ,let us think of ,achan's temptation4 ,a large amount of valuable property fell into the hands of the ,israelites at ,jericho4 ,by a rigorous law1 all was devoted to the service of ,god4 ,now a covetous man like ,achan might find many plausible reasons for evading this law4 ,what ,i take to myself 7he might say7 will never be missed4 ,there are hundreds of ,babylonish garments1 there are many wedges of gold1 and silver shekels without number1 amply sufficient for the purpose for which they are devoted4 ,if ,i were to deprive another man of his rightful share1 ,i should be acting very wickedly2 but ,i am really doing nothing of the kind4 ,i am only diminishing imperceptibly what is to be used for a public purpose4 ,nobody will suffer a whit by what ,i do1--it cannot be very wrong4 ,now the great lesson taught very solemnly and impressively to the whole nation was1 that this was just awfully wrong4 ,the moral benefit which the nation ultimately got from the transaction was1 that this kind of sophistry1 this flattering unction which leads so many persons ultimately to destruction1 was exploded and blown to shivers4 ,a most false mode of measuring the criminality of sin was stamped with deserved reprobation4 ,every man and woman in the nation got a solemn warning against a common but ruinous temptation4 ,in so far as they laid to heart this warning during the rest of the campaign1 they were saved from disastrous evil1 and thus1 in the long run1 they profited by the case of ,achan4 ,that sin is to be held sinful only when it hurts your fellow-creatures1 and especially the poor among your fellow-creatures1 is a very common impression1 but surely it is a delusion of the devil4 ,that it has such effects may be a gross aggravation of the wickedness1 but it is not the heart and core of it4 ,and how can you know that it will not hurt others8 ,not hurt your fellow-countrymen1 ,achan8 ,why1 that secret sin of yours has caused the death of thirty-six men1 and a humiliating defeat of the troops before ,ai4 ,more than that1 it has separated between the nation and ,god4 ,many say1 when they tell a lie1 it was not a malignant lie1 it was a lie told to screen some one1 not to expose him1 therefore it was harmless4 ,but you cannot trace the consequences of that lie1 any more than ,achan could trace the consequences of his theft1 otherwise you would not dare to make that excuse4 ,many that would not steal from a poor man1 or waste a poor man's substance1 have little scruple in wasting a rich man's substance1 or in peculating from ,government property4 ,who can measure the evil that flows from such ways of trifling with the inexorable law of right1 the damage done to conscience1 and the guilt contracted before ,god8 ,is there safety for man or woman except in the most rigid regard to right and truth1 even in the smallest portions of them with which they have to do8 ,is there not something utterly fearful in the propagating power of sin1 and in its way of involving others1 who are perfectly innocent1 in its awful doom8 ,happy they who from their earliest years have had a salutary dread of it1 and of its infinite ramifications of misery and woe6 ,how well fitted for us1 especially when we are exposed to temptation1 is that prayer of the psalmist3 ,who can understand his errors8 cleanse ,thou me from secret faults4 ,keep back ,thy servant also from presumptuous sins2 let them not have dominion over me3 then shall ,i be perfect1 and ,i shall be clear of great transgression4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,achan',s ,,punishment4 ,,joshua vii4 ,be sure your sin will find you out4 ,it has an awful way of leaving its traces behind it1 and confronting the sinner with his crime4 ,though he hide himself in the top of ,carmel1 ,i will search and take him out thence2 and though he be hid from ,my sight in the bottom of the sea1 thence will ,i command the serpent1 and he shall bite him 7,amos ix4 #c74 ,for ,god shall bring every work into judgment1 with every secret thing1 whether it be good1 or whether it be evil 7,eccles4 xii4 #ad74 ,when ,achan heard of the muster that was to take place next morning1 in order to detect the offender1 he must have spent a miserable night4 ,between the consciousness of guilt1 the sense of the mischief he had done1 the dread of detection1 and the foreboding of retribution1 his nerves were too much shaken to admit the possibility of sleep4 ,weariedly and anxiously he must have tossed about as the hours slowly revolved1 unable to get rid of his miserable thoughts1 which would ever keep swimming about him like the changing forms of a kaleidoscope1 but with the same dark vision of coming doom4 ,at length the day dawns1 the tribes muster1 the inquiry begins4 ,it is by the sure1 solemn1 simple1 process of the lot that the case is to be decided4 ,first the lot is cast for the tribes1 and the tribe of ,judah is taken4 ,that must have given the first pang to ,achan4 ,then the tribe is divided into its families1 and the family of the ,zarhites is taken2 then the ,zarhite family is brought out man by man1 and ,zabdi1 the father of ,achan1 is taken4 ,may we not conceive the heart of ,achan giving a fresh beat as each time the casting of the lot brought the charge nearer and nearer to himself8 ,the coils are coming closer and closer about him2 and now his father's family is brought out1 man by man1 and ,achan is taken4 ,he is quite a young man1 for his father could only have been a lad when he left ,egypt4 ,look at him1 pale1 trembling1 stricken with shame and horror1 unable to hide himself1 feeling it would be such a relief if the earth would open its jaws and swallow him up1 as it swallowed ,korah4 ,look at his poor wife2 look at his father2 look at his children4 ,what a load of misery he has brought on himself and on them6 ,yes1 the way of transgressors is hard4 ,joshua's heart is overcome1 and he deals gently with the young man4 ,my son1 give1 ,i pray thee1 glory to the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 and make confession unto ,him2 and tell me now what thou hast done2 hide it not from me4 ,there was infinite kindness in that word my son4 ,it reminds us of that other ,joshua1 the ,jesus of the ,new ,testament1 so tender to sinners1 so full of love even for those who had been steeped in guilt4 ,it brings before us the ,great ,high ,priest1 who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities1 seeing ,he was in all things tempted like as we are1 yet without sin4 ,a harsh word from ,joshua might have set ,achan in a defiant attitude1 and drawn from him a denial that he had done anything amiss4 ,how often do we see this6 ,a child or a servant has done wrong2 you are angry1 you speak harshly1 you get a flat denial4 ,or if the thing cannot be denied1 you get only a sullen acknowledgment1 which takes away all possibility of good arising out of the occurrence1 and embitters the relation of the parties to each other4 ,but not only did ,joshua speak kindly to ,achan1 he confronted him with ,god1 and called on him to think how ,he was concerned in this matter4 ,give glory to the ,lord ,god of ,israel4 ,vindicate ,him from the charge which ,i and others have virtually been bringing against ,him1 of proving forgetful of ,his covenant4 ,clear ,him of all blame1 declare ,his glory1 declare that ,he is unsullied in ,his perfections1 and show that ,he has had good cause to leave us to the mercy of our enemies4 ,no man as yet knew what ,achan had done4 ,he might have been guilty of some act of idolatry1 or of some unhallowed sensuality like that which had lately taken place at ,baal-peor2 in order that the transaction might carry its lesson1 it was necessary that the precise offence should be known4 ,joshua's kindly address and his solemn appeal to ,achan to clear the character of ,god had the desired effect4 ,achan answered ,joshua1 and said1 ,indeed ,i have sinned against the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 and thus and thus have ,i done3 when ,i saw among the spoils a goodly ,babylonish garment1 and two hundred shekels of silver1 and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight1 then ,i coveted them1 and took them2 and1 behold1 they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent1 and the silver under it4 ,the confession certainly was frank and full2 but whether it was made in the spirit of true contrition1 or whether it was uttered in the hope that it would mitigate the sentence to be inflicted1 we cannot tell4 ,it would be a comfort to us to think that ,achan was sincerely penitent1 and that the miserable doom which befell him and his family ended their troubles1 and formed the dark introduction to a better life4 ,where there is even a possibility that such a view is correct we naturally draw to it1 for it is more than our hearts can well bear to think of so awful a death being followed by eternal misery4 ,certain it is that ,joshua earnestly desired to lead ,achan to deal with ,god in the matter4 ,make confession1 he said1 unto ,him4 ,he knew the virtue of confession to ,god4 ,for he that covereth his sins shall not prosper2 but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy 7,prov4 xxviii4 #ac74 ,when ,i kept silence1 my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day4444 ,i acknowledged my sin unto ,thee1 and mine iniquity have ,i not hid4 ,i said1 ,i will confess my transgressions unto the ,lord2 and ,thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin 7,psalm xxxii4 #c1 #e74 ,it is a hopeful circumstance in ,achan's case that it was after this solemn call to deal with ,god in the matter that he made his confession4 ,one hopes that the sudden appearance on the scene of the ,god whom he had so sadly forgotten1 led him to see his sin in its true light1 and drew out the acknowledgment1--,against ,thee1 ,thee only1 have ,i sinned4 ,for no moral effect can be greater than that arising from the difference between sin covered and sin confessed to ,god4 ,sin covered is the fruitful parent of excuses1 and sophistries1 and of all manner of attempts to disguise the harsh features of transgression1 and to show that1 after all1 there was not much wrong in it4 ,sin confessed to ,god shows a fitting sense of the evil1 of the shame which it brings1 and of the punishment which it deserves1 and an earnest longing for that forgiveness and renewal which1 the gospel now shows us so clearly1 come from ,jesus ,christ4 ,for nothing becomes a sinner before ,god so well as when he breaks down4 ,it is the moment of a new birth when he sees what miserable abortions all the refuges of lies are1 and1 utterly despairing of being able to hide himself from ,god in his filthy rags1 unbosoms everything to ,him with whom there is mercy and plenteous redemption1 and who will redeem ,israel from all his transgressions4 ,it is a further presumption that ,achan was a true penitent1 that he told so frankly where the various articles that he had appropriated were to be found4 ,behold1 they are hid in the midst of my tent4 ,they were scalding his conscience so fearfully that he could not rest till they were taken away from the abode which they polluted and cursed4 ,they seemed to be crying out against him and his with a voice which could not be silenced4 ,to bring them away and expose them to public view might bring no relaxation of the doom which he expected1 but it would be a relief to his feelings if they were dragged from the hiding hole to which he had so wickedly consigned them4 ,for the articles were now as hateful to him as formerly they had been splendid and delightful4 ,the curse of ,god was on them now1 and on him too on their account4 ,is there anything darker or deadlier than the curse of ,god8 ,and now the consummation arrives4 ,messengers are sent to his tent1 they find the stolen goods1 they bring them to ,joshua1 and to all the children of ,israel1 and they lay them out before the ,lord4 ,we are not told how the judicial sentence was arrived at4 ,but there seems to have been no hesitation or delay about it4 ,joshua and all the children of ,israel took ,achan the son of ,zerah1 and the silver1 and the garment1 and the wedge of gold1 and his sons1 and his daughters1 and his oxen1 and his asses1 and his sheep1 and his tent1 and all that he had3 and they brought them unto the valley of ,achor4 ,and ,joshua said1 ,why hast thou troubled us8 the ,lord shall trouble thee this day4 ,and all ,israel stoned him with stones1 and they burned him with fire1 after they had stoned them with stones4 ,and they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day4 ,so the ,lord turned from the fierceness of ,his anger4 ,therefore the name of that place was called1 ,the valley of ,achor1 unto this day4 ,it seems a terrible punishment1 but ,achan had already brought defeat and disgrace on his countrymen1 he had robbed ,god1 and brought the whole community to the brink of ruin4 ,it must have been a strong lust that led him to play with such consequences4 ,what sin is there to which covetousness has not impelled men8 ,and1 strange to say1 it is a sin which has received but little check from all the sad experience of the past4 ,is it not as daring as ever to-day8 ,is it not the parent of that gambling habit which is the terror of all good men1 sapping our morality and our industry1 and disposing tens of thousands to trust to the bare chance of an unlikely contingency1 rather than to ,god's blessing on honest industry8 ,is it not sheer covetousness that turns the confidential clerk into a robber of his employer1 and uses all the devices of cunning to discover how long he can carry on his infamous plot1 till the inevitable day of detection arrive and he must fly1 a fugitive and a vagabond1 to a foreign land8 ,is it not covetousness that induces the blithe young maiden to ally herself to one whom she knows to be a moral leper1 but who is high in rank and full of wealth8 ,is it not the same lust that induces the trader to send his noxious wares to savage countries and drive the miserable inhabitants to a deeper misery and degradation than ever8 ,catastrophes are always happening3 the ruined gambler blows out his brains2 the dishonest clerk becomes a convict1 the unhappy young wife gets into the divorce court1 the scandalous trader sinks into bankruptcy and misery4 ,but there is no abatement of the lust which makes such havoc4 ,if the old ways of indulging it are abandoned1 new outlets are always being found4 ,education does not cripple it2 civilization does not uproot it2 even ,christianity does not always overcome it4 ,it goeth about1 if not like a roaring lion1 at least like a cunning serpent intent upon its prey4 ,within the ,church1 where the minister reads out ,thou shalt not covet1 and where men say with apparent devoutness1 ,lord1 have mercy upon us1 and incline our hearts to keep this law--as soon as their backs are turned1 they are scheming to break it4 ,still1 as of old1 love of money is the root of all evil1 which while some coveted after they erred from the faith1 and pierced themselves through with many sorrows4 ,achan's sin has found him out1 and he suffers its bitter doom4 ,all his visions of comfort and enjoyment to be derived from his unlawful gain are rudely shattered4 ,the pictures he has been drawing of what he will do with the silver and the gold and the garment are for ever dispersed4 ,he has brought disaster on the nation1 and shame and ruin on himself and his house4 ,in all coming time1 he must stand in the pillory of history as the man who stole the forbidden spoil of ,jericho4 ,that disgraceful deed is the only thing that will ever be known of him4 ,further1 he has sacrificed his life4 ,young though he is1 his life will be cut short1 and all that he has hoped for of enjoyment and honour will be exchanged for a horrible death and an execrable memory4 ,o sin1 thou art a hard master6 ,thou draggest thy slaves1 often through a short and rapid career1 to misery and to infamy6 ,nevertheless1 the hand of ,god is seen here4 ,the punishment of sin is one of the inexorable conditions of ,his government4 ,it may look dark and ugly to us1 but it is there4 ,it may create a very different feeling from the contemplation of ,his love and goodness1 but in our present condition that feeling is wholesome and necessary4 ,as we follow unpardoned sinners into the future world1 it may be awful1 it may be dismal to think of a state from which punishment will never be absent2 but the awfulness and the dismalness will not change the fact4 ,it is the mystery of ,god's character that ,he is at once infinite love and infinite righteousness4 ,and if it be unlawful for us to exclude ,his love and dwell only on ,his justice1 it is equally unlawful to exclude ,his justice and dwell only on ,his love4 ,now1 as of old1 ,his memorial is1 ,the ,lord1 the ,lord ,god merciful and gracious1 longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth1 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin1 and that will by no means clear the guilty4 ,but if it be awful to contemplate the death1 and the mode of death of ,achan1 how much more when we think that his wife and his sons and his daughters were stoned to death along with him6 ,would that not have been a barbarous deed in any case1 and was it not much more so if they were wholly innocent of his offence8 ,to mitigate the harshness of this deed1 some have supposed that they were privy to his sin1 if not instigators of it4 ,but of this we have not a tittle of evidence1 and the whole drift of the narrative seems to show that the household suffered in the same manner and on the same ground as that of ,korah 7,num4 xvi4 #ca-cc74 ,as regards the mode of death1 it was significant of a harsh and hard-tempered age4 ,neither death nor the sufferings of the dying made much impression on the spectators4 ,this callousness is almost beyond our comprehension1 the tone of feeling is so different now4 ,but we must accept the fact as it was4 ,and as to the punishment of the wife and children1 we must fall back on that custom of the time which not only gave to the husband and father the sole power and responsibility of the household1 but involved the wife and children in his doom if at any time he should expose himself to punishment4 ,as has already been said1 neither the wife nor the children had any rights as against the husband and father2 as his will was the sole law1 so his retribution was the common inheritance of all4 ,with him they were held to sin1 and with him they suffered4 ,they were considered to belong to him just as his hands and his feet belonged to him4 ,it may seem to us very hard1 and when it enters1 even in a modified form1 into the ,divine economy we may cry out against it4 ,many do still1 and ever will cry out against original sin1 and against all that has come upon our race in consequence of the sin of ,adam4 ,but it is in vain to fight against so apparent a fact4 ,much wiser surely it is to take the view of the ,apostle ,paul1 and rejoice that1 under the economy of the gospel1 the principle of imputation becomes the source of blessing infinitely greater than the evil which it brought at the fall4 ,it is one of the greatest triumphs of the ,apostle's mode of reasoning that1 instead of shutting his eyes to the law of imputation1 he scans it carefully1 and compels it to yield a glorious tribute to the goodness of ,god4 ,when his theme was the riches of the grace of ,god1 one might have thought that he would desire to give a wide berth to that dark fact in the ,divine economy--the imputation of ,adam's sin4 ,but instead of desiring to conceal it1 he brings it forward in all its terribleness and universality of application2 but with the skill of a great orator1 he turns it round to his side by showing that the imputation of ,christ's righteousness has secured results that outdo all the evil flowing from the imputation of ,adam's sin4 ,therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation2 even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life4 ,for as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners1 even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous4 ,moreover the law entered that the offence might abound2 but where sin abounded1 grace did much more abound3 that1 as sin reigned in death1 even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life1 through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord 7,rom4 v4 #ah-ba74 ,very special mention is made of the place where the execution of ,achan and his family took place4 ,they brought them unto the valley of ,achor1 444 and they raised over him a great heap of stones1 444 wherefore the name of that place is called1 ,the valley of ,achor1 unto this day4 ,achor1 which means trouble1 seems to have been a small ravine near the lower part of the valley in which ,ai was situated1 and therefore near the scene of the disaster that befell the ,israelites4 ,it was not an old name1 but a name given at the time1 derived from the occurrence of which it had just been the scene4 ,it seemed appropriate that poor ,achan should suffer at the very place where others had suffered on his account4 ,it is subsequently referred to three times in ,scripture4 ,later in this book it is given as part of the northern boundary of the tribe of ,judah 7chap4 xv4 #g72 in ,isaiah 7lxv4 #aj7 it is referred to on account of its fertility2 and in ,hosea 7ii4 #ae7 it is introduced in the beautiful allegory of the restored wife1 who has been brought into the wilderness1 and made to feel her poverty and misery1 but of whom ,god says1 ,i will give her vineyards from thence1 and the valley of ,achor for a door of hope4 ,the reference seems to be to the evil repute into which that valley fell by the sin of ,achan1 when it became the valley of trouble4 ,for1 by ,achan's sin1 what had appeared likely to prove the door of access for ,israel into the land was shut2 a double trouble came on the people--partly because of their defeat1 and partly because their entrance into the land appeared to be blocked4 ,in ,hosea's picture of ,israel penitent and restored1 the valley is again turned to its natural use1 and instead of a scene of trouble it again becomes a door of hope1 a door by which they may hope to enter their inheritance4 ,it is a door of hope for the penitent wife1 a door by which she may return to her lost happiness4 ,the underlying truth is1 that when we get into a right relation to ,god1 what were formerly evils become blessings1 hindrances are turned into helps4 ,sin deranges everything1 and brings trouble everywhere4 ,the ground was cursed on account of ,adam3 not literally1 but indirectly1 inasmuch as it needed hard and exhausting toil1 it needed the sweat of his face to make it yield him a maintenance4 ,we know1 says the ,apostle1 that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now4 ,for the creation was subjected to vanity1 not of its own will1 but by reason of ,him who subjected it1 in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered out of the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of ,god4 ,no man can tell all the trouble that has come into the world by reason of sin4 ,as little can we know the full extent of that deliverance that shall take place when sin comes to an end4 ,if we would know anything of this we must go to those passages which picture to us the new heavens and the new earth3 ,in the midst of the street of it1 and on either side of the river1 was there the tree of life1 which bare twelve manner of fruits1 and yielded her fruit every month3 and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations4 ,and there shall be no more curse3 but the throne of ,god and of the ,lamb shall be in it2 and ,his servants shall serve ,him3 and they shall see ,his face2 and ,his name shall be in their foreheads4 ,and there shall be no night there2 and they need no candle1 neither light of the sun2 for the ,lord ,god giveth them light3 and they shall reign for ever and ever4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,capture ,,of ,,ai4 ,,joshua viii4 #a-bi4 ,joshua1 having dealt faithfully with the case of ,achan1 whose sin had intercepted the favour of ,god1 is again encouraged1 and directed to renew1 but more carefully1 his attack on ,ai4 ,that word is addressed to him which has always such significance when coming from the ,divine lips--,fear not4 ,how much of our misery arises from fear6 ,how many a beating heart1 how many a shaking nerve1 how many a sleepless night have come1 not from evil experienced1 but from evil apprehended6 ,to save one from the apprehension of evil is sometimes more important1 as it is usually far more difficult1 than to save one from evil itself4 ,an affectionate father finds that one of his most needed services to his children is to allay their fears4 ,never is he doing them a greater kindness than when he uses his larger experience of life to assure them1 in some anxiety1 that there is no cause for fear4 ,our heavenly ,father finds much occasion for a similar course4 ,he has indeed got a very timid family4 ,it is most interesting to mark how the ,bible is studded with fear nots1 from ,genesis to ,revelation2 from that early word to ,abraham--,fear not1 ,i am thy shield1 and thy exceeding great reward--to that most comforting assurance to the beloved disciple1 ,fear not2 ,i am the first and the last3 ,i am ,he that liveth1 and was dead2 and1 behold1 ,i am alive for evermore1 ,amen2 and have the keys of hades and of death4 ,if only ,god's children could hear ,him uttering that one word1 from how much anxiety and misery would it set them free6 ,virtually the command to ,joshua is to try again4 ,success1 though denied to the first effort1 often comes to the next1 or at least to a subsequent one4 ,even apart from spiritual considerations1 it is those who try oftenest who succeed best4 ,there is little good in a man who abandons an undertaking simply because he has tried once and failed4 ,who does not recall in this connection the story of ,alfred the ,great8 ,or of ,robert the ,bruce watching the spider in the barn that at last reached the roof after sixteen failures8 ,or1 looking to what has a more immediate bearing on the kingdom of ,god1 who has not admired the perseverance of ,livingstone1 undaunted by fever and famine1 and the ferocity of savage chiefs2 unmoved by his longings for home and dreams of plenty and comfort that mocked him when he awoke to physical wretchedness and want8 ,such perseverance gives a man the stamp of true nobility2 we are almost tempted to fall down and worship4 ,if failure be humiliating1 it is redeemed by the very act and attitude of perseverance1 and the self-denial and scorn of ease which it involves4 ,in the ,christian warfare no man is promised victory at the first4 ,let us not be weary in welldoing1 for in due season we shall reap if we faint not4 ,to ,christian men especially1 failure brings very valuable lessons4 ,there is always something to be learned from it4 ,in our first attempt we were too self-confident4 ,we went too carelessly about the matter1 and did not sufficiently realize the need of ,divine support4 ,never was there a servant of ,god who learned more from his failures than ,st4 ,peter4 ,nothing could have been more humiliating than his thrice-repeated denial of his ,lord4 ,but when ,peter came to himself1 he saw on what a bruised reed he had been leaning when he said1 ,though ,i should die with ,thee yet will ,i not deny ,thee4 ,how miserably misplaced that self-confidence had been6 ,but it had the effect of startling him1 of showing him his danger1 and of leading him to lift up his eyes to the hills from whence came his help4 ,it might have seemed a risky1 nay reckless thing for our ,lord to commit the task of steering ,his infant ,church over the stormy seas of her first voyage to a man who1 six weeks before1 had proved so weak and treacherous4 ,but ,peter was a genuine man1 and it was that first failure that afterwards made him so strong4 ,it is no longer ,peter1 but ,christ in ,peter that directs the movement4 ,and thus it came to pass that1 during the critical period of the ,church's birth1 no carnal drawback diminished his strength or diluted his faith2 all his natural rapidity of movement1 all his natural outspokenness1 boldness1 and directness were brought to bear without abatement on the advancement of the young cause4 ,he conducted himself during this most delicate and vital period with a nobility beyond all praise4 ,he took the ship out into the open sea amid raging storms without touching a single rock4 ,and it was all owing to the fact that by ,god's grace he profited by his failure6 ,in the case of ,joshua and his people1 one of the chief lessons derived from their failure before ,ai was the evil of covering sin4 ,alas1 this policy is the cause of failures innumerable in the spiritual life6 ,in numberless ways it interrupts ,divine fellowship1 withdraws the ,divine blessing1 and grieves the ,holy ,spirit4 ,we have not courage to cut off a right hand and pluck out a right eye4 ,we leave besetting sins in a corner of our hearts1 instead of trying to exterminate them1 and determining not to allow them a foothold there4 ,the acknowledgment of sin1 the giving up of all leniency towards it1 the determination1 by ,god's grace1 to be done with it1 always go before true revivals1 before a true return of ,god to us in all ,his graciousness and power4 ,rather1 we should say1 they are the beginning of revival4 ,in ,israel of old the land had to be purged of every vestige of idolatry under ,hezekiah and other godly kings1 before the light of ,god's countenance was again lifted upon it4 ,to this man will ,i look1 even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit1 and that trembleth at ,my word4 ,joshua is instructed to go up again against ,ai1 but in order to interest and encourage the people1 he resorts to a new plan of attack4 ,a stratagem is to be put in operation4 ,an ambuscade is to be stationed on the west side of the city1 while the main body of the assaulting force is to approach it1 as formerly1 from the east4 ,there is some obscurity and apparent confusion in the narrative1 confined1 however1 to one point1 the number composing the ambuscade and the main body respectively4 ,some error in the text appears to have crept in4 ,from the statement in ver4 #c we might suppose that the men who were to lie in ambush amounted to thirty thousand2 but in ver4 #ab it is expressly stated that only five thousand were employed in this way4 ,there can be little doubt 7though it is not according to the letter of the narrative7 that the whole force employed amounted to thirty thousand1 and that1 of these1 five thousand formed the ambush4 ,indeed1 in such a valley1 it would not have been possible for thirty thousand men to conceal themselves so as to be invisible from the city4 ,it would appear 7ver4 #ag7 that the people of ,bethel had left their own village and gone into ,ai4 ,bethel1 as we have said1 was situated higher up2 in fact1 it was on the very ridge of the plateau of ,western ,palestine4 ,it must have been but a little place1 and its people seem to have deemed it better to join those of ,ai1 knowing that if the ,israelites were repulsed from the lower city1 the upper was safe4 ,the ruse was that the ambush should be concealed behind the city2 that ,ai1 as before1 should be attacked from the east by the main body of troops2 that on receiving the onslaught from the city they should seem to be defeated as before2 that ,joshua1 probably standing on some commanding height1 should give a signal to the men in ambush by raising his spear2 whereupon these men should rush down on the now deserted place and set it on fire4 ,on seeing the flames1 the pursuers would naturally turn and rush back to extinguish them2 then the main body of ,israel would turn likewise1 and thus the enemy would be caught as in a trap from which there was no escape1 and fall a victim to the two sections of ,israel4 ,to plots of this kind1 the main objection in a strategical sense lies in the risk of detection4 ,for the five thousand who went to station themselves in the west it was a somewhat perilous thing to separate themselves from the host1 and place themselves in the heart of enemies both in front and in rear4 ,it needed strong faith to expose themselves in such a situation4 ,suppose they had been detected as they went stealing along past ,ai in the darkness of the night2 suppose they had come on some house or hamlet1 and wakened the people1 so that the alarm should have been carried to ,ai1 what would have been the result8 ,it was well for ,israel that no such mishap occurred1 and that they were able in silence to reach a place where they might lie concealed4 ,the ground is so broken by rocks and ravines that this would not have been very difficult2 the people of ,ai suspected nothing2 probably the force on the east were at pains1 by camp-fires and otherwise1 to engage their attention1 and whenever that force began to move1 as if for the attack1 every eye in the city would be fixed intently upon it4 ,the plot was entirely successful2 everything fell out precisely as ,joshua had desired4 ,a terrible slaughter of the men of ,ai took place1 caught as they were on the east of the city between the two sections of ,joshua's troops1 for the ,israelites gave no quarter either to age or sex4 ,the whole number of the slain amounted to twelve thousand1 and that probably included the people of ,bethel too4 ,we see from this what an insignificant place ,ai must have been1 and how very humiliating was the defeat it inflicted at first4 ,with reference to the spoil of the city1 the rigid law prescribed at ,jericho was not repeated2 the people got it for themselves4 ,jericho was an exceptional case2 it was the firstfruits of the conquest1 therefore holy to the ,lord4 ,if ,achan had but waited a little1 he would have had his share of the spoil of ,ai or some other place4 ,he would have got legitimately what he purloined unlawfully4 ,in the slaughter1 the king1 or chief of the place1 suffered a more ignominious doom than his soldiers2 instead of being slain with the sword1 he was hanged1 and his body was exposed on a tree till sunset4 ,joshua did not want some drops of ,oriental blood2 he had the stern pleasure of the ,eastern warrior in humbling those who were highest in honour4 ,what remained of the city was burned2 it continued thereafter a heap of ruins1 with a great cairn of stones at its gate1 erected over the dead body of the king4 ,we see that already light begins to be thrown on what at the time must have seemed the very severe and rigid order about the spoil of ,jericho4 ,although ,achan was the only offender1 he was probably far from being the only complainer on that occasion4 ,many another ,israelite with a covetous heart must have felt bitterly that it was very hard to be prevented from taking even an atom to oneself4 ,were not our fathers allowed to spoil the ,egyptians--why1 then1 should we be absolutely prevented from having a share of the spoil of ,jericho8 ,it might have been enough to answer that ,god claimed the firstfruits of the land for ,himself4 ,or to say that ,god designed at the very entrance of ,his people into ,canaan to show that they were not a tumultuous rabble1 rushing greedily on all they could lay their hands on1 but a well-trained1 well-mannered family1 in whom self-restraint was one of the noblest virtues4 ,but to all this it might have been added1 that the people's day was not far off4 ,it is not ,god's method to muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn4 ,and so to all who rush tumultuously upon the good things of this life1 ,he says1 ,seek first the kingdom of heaven and ,his righteousness1 and all these things shall be added unto you4 ,let ,god arrange the order in which ,his gifts are distributed4 ,never hurry ,providence1 as ,sarah did when she gave ,hagar to ,abraham4 ,sarah had good cause to repent of her impetuosity2 it brought her many a bitter hour4 ,whereas ,god was really kinder to her than she had thought1 and in due time ,he gave her ,isaac1 not the son of the bondwoman1 but her own4 ,a question has been raised respecting the legitimacy of the stratagem employed by ,joshua in order to capture ,ai4 ,was it right to deceive the people2 to pretend to be defeated while in reality he was only executing a ruse1 and thus draw on the poor men of ,ai to a terrible death8 ,calvin and other commentators make short work of this objection4 ,if war is lawful1 stratagem is lawful4 ,stratagem indeed1 as war used to be conducted1 was a principal part of it2 and even now the term strategic1 derived from it1 is often used to denote operations designed for a different purpose from that which at first appears4 ,it is needless to discuss here the lawfulness of war1 for the ,israelites were waging war at the express command of the ,almighty4 ,and if it be said that when once you allow the principle that it is lawful in war to mislead the enemy1 you virtually allow perfidy1 inasmuch as it would be lawful for you1 after pledging your word under a flag of truce1 to disregard your promise1 the answer to that is1 that to mislead in such circumstances would be infamous4 ,a distinction is to be drawn between acts where the enemy has no right to expect that you will make known your intention1 and acts where they have such a right4 ,in the ordinary run of strategic movements1 you are under no obligation to tell the foe what you are about4 ,it is part of their business to watch you1 to scrutinize your every movement1 and in spite of appearances to divine your real purpose4 ,if they are too careless to watch1 or too stupid to discern between a professed and a real plan1 they must bear the consequences4 ,but when a flag of truce is displayed1 when a meeting takes place under its protection1 and when conditions are agreed to on both sides1 the case is very different4 ,the enemy is entitled now to expect that you will not mislead them4 ,your word of honour has been passed to that effect4 ,and to disregard that pledge1 and deem it smart to mislead thereby1 is a proceeding worthy only of the most barbarous1 the most perfidious1 the most shameless of men4 ,thus far we may defend the usages of war2 but at best it is a barbarous mode of operations4 ,very memorable was the observation of the ,duke of ,wellington1 that next to the calamity of suffering a defeat was that of gaining a victory4 ,to look over a great battle-field1 fresh from the clash of arms2 to survey the trampled crops1 the ruined houses1 the universal desolation2 to gaze on all the manly forms lying cold in death1 and the many besides wounded1 bleeding1 groaning1 perhaps dying2 to think of the illimitable treasure that has been lavished on this work of destruction and the comforts of which it has robbed the countries engaged2 to remember in what a multitude of cases1 death must carry desolation and anguish to the poor widow1 and turn the remainder of life into a lonely pilgrimage1 is enough surely to rob war of the glory associated with it1 and to make good the position that on the part of civilized and ,christian men it should only be the last desperate resort1 after every other means of effecting its object has failed4 ,we are not forgetful of the manly self-sacrifice of those who expose themselves so readily to the risk of mutilation and death1 wherever the rulers of their country require it1 for it is the redeeming feature of war that it brings out so much of this high patriotic devotion2 but surely they are right who deem arbitration the better method of settling national differences2 who call for a great disarmament of the ,european nations1 and would put a stop to the attitude of every great country shaking its fist in the face of its neighbours4 ,what has become of the prophecy ,they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks8 ,or the beautiful vision of ,milton on the birth of the ,saviour8-- ,no war1 or battle's sound ,was heard the world around2 ,the idle spear and shield were high uphung2 ,the hookd chariot stood ,unstained with hostile blood1 ,the trumpet spake not to the armd throng2 ,and kings sat still with awful eye ,as if they surely knew their sovran ,lord was by4 ,one lesson comes to us with pre-eminent force from the operations of war4 ,the activity displayed by every good commander is a splendid example for all of us in spiritual warfare4 ,joshua arose2 ,joshua lodged that night among the people2 ,joshua rose up early in the morning2 ,joshua went that night into the middle of the valley2 ,joshua drew not his hand back wherewith he stretched out the spear1 until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of ,ai4 ,such expressions show how intensely in earnest he was1 how unsparing of himself1 how vigilant and indefatigable in all that bore upon his enterprise4 ,and generally we still see that1 wherever military expeditions are undertaken1 they are pushed forward with untiring energy1 and the sinews of war are supplied in unstinted abundance1 whatever grumbling there may be afterwards when the bill comes to be paid4 ,has the ,christian ,church ever girded herself for the great enterprise of conquering the world for ,christ with the same zeal and determination8 ,what are all the sums of money contributed for ,christian missions1 compared to those spent annually on military and naval forces1 and multiplied indefinitely when active war goes on6 ,alas1 this question brings out but one result of a painful comparison--the contrast between the ardour with which secular results are pursued by secular men1 and spiritual results by spiritual men4 ,let the rumour spread that gold or diamonds have been found at some remote region of the globe1 what multitudes flock to them in the hope of possessing themselves of a share of the spoil6 ,not even the prospect of spending many days and nights in barbarism1 amid the misery of dirt and heat and insects1 and with company so rude and rough and reckless that they have hardly the appearance of humanity1 can overcome the impetuous desire to possess themselves of the precious material1 and come home rich4 ,what crowds rush in when the prospectus of a profitable brewery promises an abundant dividend1 earned too often by the manufactory of drunkards6 ,what eager eyes scan the advertisements that tell you that if persons bearing a certain name1 or related to one of that name1 would apply at a certain address1 they would hear of something to their advantage6 ,once we knew of a young man who had not even seen such an advertisement1 but had been told that it had appeared4 ,there was a vague tradition in his family that in certain circumstances a property would fall to them4 ,the mere rumour that an advertisement had appeared in which he was interested set him to institute a search for it4 ,he procured a file of the ,times newspaper1 reaching over a series of years1 and eagerly scanned its advertisements4 ,failing to find there what he was in search of1 he procured sets of other daily newspapers and subjected them to the same process4 ,and thus he went on and on in his unwearied search1 till first he lost his situation1 then he lost his reason1 and then he lost his life4 ,what will men not do to obtain a corruptible crown8 ,could it be supposed from our attitude and ardour that we are striving for the incorruptible8 ,could it be thought that the riches which we are striving to accumulate are not those which moth and rust do corrupt1 but the treasures that endure for evermore8 ,surely it is high time for us to awake out of sleep4 ,surely we ought to lay to heart that the things which are seen are temporal1 but the things which are not seen are eternal4 ,memorable are the poet's words respecting the great objects of human desire3-- ,the cloud-capt towers1 the gorgeous palaces1 ,the solemn temples1 the great globe itself1 ,yea1 all which it inherit1 shall dissolve3 ,and like this unsubstantial pageant faded1 ,leave not a rack behind4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,ebal ,,and ,,gerizim4 ,,joshua viii4 #cj-ce4 ,commentators on ,joshua have been greatly perplexed by the place which this narrative has in our ,bibles4 ,no one can study the map1 and take into account the circumstances of ,joshua and the people1 without sharing in this perplexity4 ,it will be observed from the map that ,ebal and ,gerizim1 rising from the plain of ,shechem1 are a long way distant from ,ai and ,bethel4 ,if we suppose ,joshua and not his army only1 but the whole of his people 7ver4 #cc71 to have gone straight from ,gilgal to ,mount ,ebal after the capture of ,ai1 the journey must have occupied several days each way1 besides the time needed for the ceremony that took place there4 ,it certainly would have needed an overwhelming reason to induce him at such a time1 first to march a host like this all the way to ,mount ,ebal1 and then to march them back to their encampment at ,gilgal4 ,hence many have come to believe that1 in some way which we cannot explain1 this passage has been inserted out of its proper place4 ,the most natural place for it would be at the end of chap4 xi4 or chap4 xii41 after the conquest of the whole country1 and before its division among the tribes4 ,nearly all the manuscripts of the ,septuagint insert it between vv4 #b and #c of the ninth chapter1 but this does not go far to remove the difficulty4 ,it has been thought by some that ,joshua left the original ,gilgal in the plain of ,jordan1 and fixed his camp at another ,gilgal1 transferring the name of his first encampment to the second4 ,mention is certainly made in ,scripture of another ,gilgal in the neighbourhood of ,bethel 7#b ,kings ii4 #b71 but nothing is said to lead us to suppose that ,joshua had removed his encampment thither4 ,some have thought that no record has been preserved of one of ,joshua's great campaigns1 the campaign in which he subdued the central part of the country4 ,a good deal may be said for this supposition4 ,in the list of the thirty-one kings whom he subdued over the country 7chap4 xii47 we find several whose dominions were in this region4 ,for instance1 we know that ,aphek1 ,taanach1 and ,megiddo were all situated in the central part of the country1 and probably other cities too4 ,yet1 while the fact is recorded that they were defeated1 no mention is made of any expedition against them4 ,they belonged neither to the confederacy of ,adonizedec in the south nor to that of ,jabin in the north1 and they must have been subdued on some separate occasion4 ,it is just possible that ,joshua defeated them before encountering the confederacy of ,adonizedec at ,gibeon and ,bethhoron4 ,but it is far more likely that it was after that victory that he advanced to the central part of the country4 ,on the whole1 while admitting the perplexity of the question1 we incline to the belief that the passage has been transferred from its original place4 ,this in no way invalidates the authority of the book1 or of the passage1 for in the most undoubtedly authentic books of ,scripture we have instances beyond question--very notably in ,jeremiah--of passages inserted out of their natural order4 ,it has been said that the passage in ,deuteronomy 7xxvii4 #d-ai7 could not have been written by ,moses1 because he had never set foot in ,canaan1 and therefore could not have been acquainted with the names or the locality of ,ebal and ,gerizim4 ,on the contrary1 we believe that he had very good reason to be acquainted with both4 ,for at the foot of ,ebal lay the portion of ground which ,jacob gave to his son ,joseph1 and where both ,jacob's well and ,joseph's tomb are pointed out at the present day4 ,that piece of ground must have been familiar to ,jacob1 and carefully described to ,joseph by its great natural features when he made it over to him4 ,and as ,joseph regarded it as his destined burial-place1 the tradition of its situation must have been carefully transmitted to those that came after him1 when he gave commandment concerning his bones4 ,joseph was not the oldest son of ,jacob1 any more than ,rachel was his oldest wife1 and for these reasons neither of them was buried in the cave of ,machpelah4 ,moses therefore had good reasons for being acquainted with the locality4 ,probably it was at the time of the ceremony at ,ebal that the bones of ,joseph were buried1 although the fact is not recorded till the very end of the book 7,josh4 xxiv4 #cb74 ,but that passage1 too1 is evidently not in its natural place4 ,it was a most fitting thing that when he had completed the conquest of the country1 ,joshua should set about performing that great national ceremony1 designed to rivet on the people's hearts the claims of ,god's law and covenant1 which had been enjoined by ,moses to be performed in the valley of ,shechem4 ,for though ,joshua was neither priest nor prophet1 yet as a warm believer and earnest servant of ,god1 he felt it his duty on all suitable occasions to urge upon the people that there was no prosperity for them save on condition of loyalty to ,him4 ,he sought to mingle the thought of ,god and of ,god's claims with the very life of the nation2 to make it run1 as it where1 in their very blood2 to get them to think of the ,divine covenant as their palladium1 the very pledge of all their blessings1 their one only guarantee of prosperity and peace4 ,when therefore ,joshua conducted his people to the ,mounts ,ebal and ,gerizim1 in order that they might have the obligations of the law set before them in a form as impressive as it was picturesque1 he was not merely fulfilling mechanically an injunction of ,moses1 but performing a transaction into which he himself entered heart and soul4 ,and when the writer of the book records the transaction1 it is not merely for the purpose of showing us how certain acts prescribed in a previous book were actually performed1 but for the purpose of perpetuating an occurrence which in the whole future history of the nation would prove either a continual inspiration for good1 or a testimony against them1 so that out of their own life they should be condemned4 ,knowing ,joshua as we do1 we can easily believe that all along it was one of his most cherished projects to implement the legacy of ,moses and superintend this memorable covenanting act4 ,it must have been a great relief from the bloody scenes and awful experiences of war to assemble his people among the mountains1 and engage them in a service which was so much more in harmony with the beauty and sublimity of nature4 ,no critic or writer who has any sense of the fitness of things can coolly remove this transaction from the sphere of history into that of fancy1 or deprive ,joshua of his share in a transaction into which his heart was doubtless thrown as enthusiastically as that of ,david in after times when the ark was placed upon ,mount ,zion4 ,it could not be without thrilling hearts that ,joshua and all of his people who were like-minded entered the beautiful valley of ,shechem1 which had been the first resting-place in ,canaan of their father ,abraham1 the first place where ,god appeared to him1 and the first place where he builded an altar unto the ,lord 7,gen4 xii4 #f1 #g74 ,by general consent the valley of ,shechem holds the distinction of being one of the most beautiful in the country4 ,its western side1 says ,stanley1 is bounded by the abutments of two mountain ranges1 running from west to east4 ,these ranges are ,gerizim and ,ebal2 and up the opening between them1 not seen from the plain1 lies the modern town of ,nablous ,neapolis ,shechem4444 ,a valley green with grass1 grey with olives1 gardens sloping down on each side1 fresh springs running down in all directions2 at the end a white town embosomed in all this verdure1 lodged between the two high mountains which extend on each side of the valley--that on the south ,gerizim1 that on the north ,ebal2--this is the aspect of ,nablous1 the most beautiful1 perhaps it might be said the only very beautiful spot in ,central ,palestine4 ,if the host of ,israel approached ,ebal and ,gerizim from the south1 they would pass along the central ridge or plateau of the country till they reached the vale of ,shechem1 where the mountain range would appear as if it had been cleft from top to bottom by some great convulsion of nature4 ,then1 as now1 the country was studded thickly with villages1 the plains clothed with grass and grain1 and the rounded hills with orchards of fig1 olive1 pomegranate1 and other trees4 ,on either side of the fissure rose a hill of about eight hundred feet1 about the height of ,arthur ,seat at ,edinburgh1 ,ebal on the north and ,gerizim on the south4 ,it was not like the scene at ,sinai1 where the bare and desolate mountains towered up to heaven1 their summits lost among the clouds4 ,this was a more homely landscape1 amid the fields and dwellings where the people were to spend their daily life4 ,if the proclamation of the law from ,sinai had something of an abstract and distant character1 ,ebal and ,gerizim brought it home to the business and bosoms of men4 ,it was now to be the rule for every day1 and for every transaction of every day2 the bride was now to be settled in her home1 and if she was to enjoy the countenance and the company of her heavenly ,bridegroom1 the law of ,his house must be fully implemented1 and its every requirement riveted on her heart4 ,the ceremony here under ,joshua was twofold3 first1 the rearing of an altar2 and second1 the proclamation of the law4 #a4 ,the altar1 as enjoined in ,exod4 xx4 #bd1 was of whole1 undressed stones4 ,in its simple structure it was designed to show that the ,most ,high dwelleth not in temples made with hands4 ,in its open position it demonstrated that the most fitting place for ,his worship was not the secret recesses of the woods1 but the open air and full light of heaven1 seeing that ,he is light1 and in ,him is no darkness at all4 ,on this altar were offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the ,lord4 ,the sacrificial system had been little attended to amid the movements of the wilderness1 and the warlike operations in which the people had been more or less engaged ever since their entrance on the land2 but now was the beginning of a more regular worship4 ,the first transaction here performed was the sacrificial4 ,here sin was called to mind1 and the need of propitiation4 ,here it was commemorated that ,god ,himself had appointed a method of propitiation2 that ,he had thereby signified ,his gracious desire to be at peace with ,his people2 that ,he had not left them to sigh out1 ,oh that we knew where we might find ,him1 that we might come even to ,his seat6--but had opened to ,his people the gates of righteousness1 that they might go in and praise the ,lord4 ,moreover1 we read in ,joshua1 that he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of ,moses1 which he wrote in the presence of the children of ,israel4 ,there is sufficient difference between the passages in ,deuteronomy and ,joshua to show that the one was not copied from the other4 ,from ,joshua we might suppose that it was on the stones of the altar that ,joshua wrote1 and there is no reference to the command given in ,deuteronomy to plaister the stones with plaister4 ,but from ,deuteronomy it is plain that it was not the stones of the altar that were plaistered over1 but memorial stones set up for the purpose4 ,there has been no little controversy as to the manner in which this injunction was carried out4 ,according to ,dr4 ,thomson1 in the ,land and the ,book1 the matter is very simple4 ,the difficulty in the eyes of commentators has arisen from the idea that plaister is altogether too soft a substance to retain the impression of what is written on it4 ,this ,dr4 ,thomson wholly disputes3 ,a careful examination of ,deut4 xxvii4 #d1 #h and ,josh4 viii4 #cj-cb will lead to the opinion that the law was written upon and in the plaister with which these pillars were coated4 ,this could easily be done2 and such writing was common in ancient times4 ,i have seen numerous specimens of it certainly more than two thousand years old1 and still as distinct as when they were first inscribed upon the plaister4444 ,in this hot climate1 where there is no frost to dissolve the cement1 it will continue hard and unbroken for thousands of years1--which is certainly long enough4 ,the cement on ,solomon's pools remains in admirable preservation1 though exposed to all the vicissitudes of the climate and with no protection4444 ,what ,joshua did therefore1 when he erected those great stones on ,mount ,ebal1 was merely to write in the still soft cement with a style1 or more likely on the polished surface when dry1 with red paint1 as in ancient tombs4 ,if properly sheltered1 and not broken by violence1 they would have remained to this day4 ,joshua could not have written the whole of the law on his pillars2 it was probably only the ten commandments4 ,as we shall see1 another arrangement was made for the rehearsal of the whole law2 it was solemnly read out afterwards4 ,but now the entire nation1 with all the strangers and followers1 took up their position in the valley between the two mountains4 ,half of the tribes separated from the rest to the slopes of ,gerizim1 and the other half to those of ,ebal4 ,from ,deuteronomy we gather that those who were grouped on ,gerizim were far the more important and numerous tribes4 ,they embraced ,simeon1 ,levi1 ,judah1 ,issachar1 ,joseph1 and ,benjamin4 ,on ,mount ,ebal were stationed ,reuben1 ,gad and ,asher1 ,zebulun1 ,dan and ,naphtali4 ,the priests stood between1 and read out blessings and curses4 ,when blessings were read out the tribes on ,gerizim shouted ,amen4 ,when curses were read out those on ,ebal did the same4 ,let us imagine the scene4 ,a mountain side covered with people is always a picturesque sight1 and the effect is greatly heightened when the clothing of the multitude is of light1 bright colours1 as probably it was on this occasion4 ,it was1 says ,dr4 ,thomson1 beyond question or comparison the most august assembly the sun has ever shone upon2 and ,i never stand in the narrow plain1 with ,ebal and ,gerizim rising on either hand to the sky1 without involuntarily recalling and reproducing the scene4 ,i have shouted to hear the echo1 and then fancied how it must have been when the loud-voiced ,levites proclaimed from the naked cliffs of ,ebal1 ',cursed is the man that maketh any graven image1 an abomination to ,jehovah4' ,and then the tremendous ,,amen6 tenfold louder from the united congregation1 rising and swelling and re-echoing from ,ebal to ,gerizim1 and from ,gerizim to ,ebal4 ,,amen6 ,even so1 let him be accursed4 ,no1 there never was an assembly to compare with this4 ,very explicit mention is made of the fact that there was not a word of all that ,moses commanded which ,joshua read not before all the congregation of the children of ,israel1 with the women and the little ones and the strangers that were conversant among them4 ,this obviously implies that the law of ,moses was in definite form1 and that the reading of it took up a considerable portion of time4 ,the order of events had been very significant4 ,first1 a great work of destruction--the dispossession of the ,canaanites4 ,next1 the erection of an altar1 and the offering up of sacrifices4 ,and1 lastly1 the inscribing and proclamation of the law4 ,the surgeon has done his duty1 and now nature will proceed to heal and comfort and bless4 ,the enemy has been driven off the field4 ,now the altar is put up and the law is promulgated4 ,society without law is chaos4 ,an altar without righteousness is evaporative sentiment4 ,prayer without duty may be a detachment of the wings from the bird they were designed to assist4444 ,having done the destructive work1 do not imagine that the whole programme is complete2 now begins the construction of the altar4 ,and having made a place for prayer1 do not imagine that the whole duty of man has been perfected2 next put up the law2 battle1 prayer1 law2 law1 prayer1 battle4#ab #ab ,the ,people's ,bible1 by ,joseph ,parker1 ,d4,d4 ,if the conjecture that this passage originally occupied a later place in the book be correct1 the army was now about to be disbanded1 and the people were about to be settled in homes of their own4 ,it was a momentous crisis4 ,they were about to lose1 in a great degree1 the influence of union1 and the presence of men like ,joshua and the godly elders1 whose noble example and stirring words had ever been a power for what was good and true4 ,scattered over the land1 they would now be more at the control of their own hearts1 and often of what in them was least noble and least godly4 ,on the part of ,joshua1 everything had been done1 by this solemn gathering1 to secure that they should separate with the remembrance of ,god's mighty works on their behalf filling their hearts1 and the words of ,god's law ringing in their ears4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,stratagem ,,of ,,the ,,gibeonites4 ,,joshua ix4 ,we now resume the thread of the story interrupted by the narrative of the transaction at ,ebal and ,gerizim4 ,we learn from the testimony of ,rahab of ,jericho1 as uttered to the spies 7chap4 ii4 #i71 that the terror of ,israel had caused the hearts of the inhabitants of the country to faint1 and that the fame of all that had been done for them by ,jehovah had quite paralysed them4 ,but when the host of ,israel actually entered ,western ,palestine1 and began their conquest by the destruction of ,jericho and ,ai1 the inhabitants seem to have plucked up courage1 and begun to consider what could be done in self-defence4 ,it is very probable that they found considerable encouragement from what happened at ,ai4 ,there it had been seen that ,israel was not invincible4 ,insignificant though ,ai was1 its people had been able to repel with great success the first attack of the ,israelites4 ,and though they had been destroyed in the second1 this was achieved only by the combined influence of stratagem and an overwhelming force4 ,the supernatural power under which ,jericho had fallen had not been shown at ,ai1 and might not come into play in the future4 ,there was therefore yet a chance for the ,canaanites1 if they should combine and act in concert4 ,steps were therefore taken for such a union4 ,the kings or chiefs who occupied the hills1 or central plateau of the country2 those of the valleys1 interspersed between the mountains2 and those occupying the ,shephelah1 or maritime plains of ,philistia1 ,sharon1 and ,phnicia2--all the nations comprised under the well-known names ,hittites1 ,amorites1 ,canaanites1 ,perizzites1 ,hivites1 and ,jebusites1 entered into a league of defence1 and prepared to confront ,joshua and the ,israelites with a determined resistance4 ,the news of the confederacy would bring a tremor over some timid hearts in the camp of ,israel1 but would cause no serious anxiety to ,joshua and all the men of faith1 who1 like him1 felt assured that the ,lord was with them4 ,there was one native community1 however1 that determined to follow another course4 ,the ,gibeonites were a branch of the ,hivite race1 inhabiting the town of ,gibeon1 and some other prominent towns in the great central plateau of the country4 ,gibeon is undoubtedly represented now by the village of ,el ,jib1 situated about half-way between ,jerusalem and ,bethel1 four or five miles distant from each4 ,dr4 ,robertson describes ,el ,jib as situated in a beautiful plain of considerable extent1 on an oblong hill or ridge1 composed of layers of limestone1 rising as if by regular steps out of the plain4 ,in the days of ,joshua1 it was a place of great importance1 a royal city1 and it had under its jurisdiction the towns of ,beeroth1 ,chephirah1 and ,kirjath-jearim4 ,its inhabitants were in no humour to fight with ,joshua4 ,they had faith enough to understand what would be the inevitable result of that1 and therein they were right1 and the confederate kings were wrong4 ,on the other hand1 they were not prepared to make an honest and unconditional surrender4 ,they probably knew that the orders under which ,joshua was acting called on him to destroy all the people of the land1 and they had no assurance that1 being of the doomed nations1 open submission would secure their lives4 ,they resolved therefore to proceed by stratagem4 ,a detachment was appointed to wait on ,joshua at his camp at ,gilgal1 as if they were ambassadors from a distant country1 and represent to him in pious tone that they had come from afar1 because of the name of the ,lord his ,god1 having heard the fame of ,him1 and all that ,he did in ,egypt1 and all that ,he did to the two kings of the ,amorites that were beyond ,jordan1 to ,sihon ,king of ,heshbon1 and to ,og ,king of ,bashan4 ,they came with the desire to show respect to the people whose ,god was so powerful1 and to be allowed1 though far off1 to live at peace with them4 ,then they presented their credentials1 as it were2 showing the old sacks1 the shrivelled bottles1 the musty bread they had brought with them1 and the clouts upon their feet and ragged garments which attested the great length of their journey4 ,those old ,gibeonites1 says the ,land and the ,book1 did indeed 'work wilily' with ,joshua4 ,nothing could be better calculated to deceive than their devices4 ,i have often thought that their ambassadors1 as described in the narrative1 furnish one of the finest groups imaginable for a painter2 with their old sacks on their poor asses2 their wine bottles of goat skin1 patched and shrivelled up in the sun1 old1 rent1 and bound up2 old shoes and clouted upon their feet2 old garments1 ragged and bedraggled1 with bread dry and mouldy1--the very picture of an over-travelled and wearied caravan from a great distance4 ,it is impossible to transfer to paper the ludicrous appearance of such a company4 ,no wonder that1 having tasted their mouldy victuals1 and looked upon their soiled and travel-worn costume1 ,joshua and the elders were deceived1 especially as they did not wait to ask counsel at the mouth of the ,lord4 ,it was just the completeness of the disguise that threw ,joshua and the men of ,israel on their guard4 ,for at first the idea did occur to them that the strangers might be neighbours1 and therefore of the nations that they were called on to destroy4 ,on closer inspection1 however1 that seemed out of the question2 indeed1 the supposition was so utterly preposterous that it was deemed hardly fitting to bring the matter before the ,lord4 ,it is as plain as day1 ,joshua and the elders would reason2 the evidence of what they say is beyond question2 theirs is no case of perplexity requiring us to go to ,god2 we may surely exercise our common sense and make a league with these far-travelled men4 ,in a short time they will be back in their own country1 far beyond our boundaries1 and the only effect of their visit and of our league will be a fresh tribute to the name and power of ,jehovah1 a fresh testimony to ,his presence with us1 and a fresh pledge that ,he will bear us to success in the enterprise in which we are engaged4 ,and when the confederate kings that are now leaguing against us hear that this distant people have come to us to propitiate our favour1 they will be struck by a new terror and will be the more easily subdued4 ,we see in all this the simple1 unsuspecting spirit of men who have spent their lives in the wilderness4 ,as for the ,gibeonites1 there was a combination of good and bad in their spirit4 ,they remind us in a measure of the woman with the issue of blood4 ,in her there was certainly faith2 but along with the faith1 extraordinary superstition4 ,in the ,gibeonites there was faith--a belief that ,israel was under the protection of a remarkable ,divine power1 under a ,divine promise the truth of which even ,balaam had very recently acknowledged--,i will bless them that bless thee1 and curse him that curseth thee4 ,undoubtedly a religious feeling lay at the bottom of the proceeding4 ,a great divine ,being was seen to be involved1 who was on ,israel's side and against his enemies1 and it would not do to trifle with ,him4 ,but in their way of securing exemption from the effects of ,his displeasure2 the grossest superstition appeared4 ,they were to gain their object by deceit4 ,they were to get ,him to favour them above their neighbours through an elaborate system of fraud1 through a tissue of lies1 through unmitigated falsehood4 ,what a strange conception of ,god6 ,what blindness to ,his highest attributes1--,his holiness and ,his truth6 ,what amazing infatuation to suppose that they could secure ,his blessing through acts fitted to provoke ,his utmost displeasure6 ,what a miserable ,god men fashion to themselves when they simply invest ,him with almighty power1 or perhaps suppose ,him to be moved by whims and prejudices and favouritisms like frail man1 but omit to clothe ,him with ,his highest glory--forget that justice and judgment are the habitation of ,his throne1 mercy and truth go before ,his face4 ,the conduct of the men was the more strange that it was impossible that they should not be speedily found out4 ,and it was quite possible that1 when found out1 they would be dealt with more severely than ever4 ,true1 indeed1 ,joshua1 when he did detect their plot1 did not so act2 he acted on a high1 perhaps a mistaken sense of honour2 but they had no right to count on that4 ,timidity is a poor adviser4 ,all it can do is to turn the next corner4 ,true faith1 resting on eternal truth1 acts for eternity4 ,true faith is often blind1 but in the deepest darkness it knows that it is on the right track1 and under the guidance of the eternal light4 ,blind faith is very different from blind fear4 ,faith holds on in full expectation of deliverance2 fear trembles and stumbles1 in perpetual dread of exposure and humiliation4 ,a lying tongue is but for a moment2 and the ,gibeonite fraud lived just three days4 ,then it was discovered by ,joshua that the ,gibeonites lived in the immediate neighbourhood4 ,but before that1 he had made peace with them1 and entered into a league to let them live1 and the princes of the congregation had confirmed it by an oath4 ,nothing could have been more provoking than to discover that they had been duped and swindled4 ,it is always a very bitter experience to find that our confidence has been misplaced4 ,men whom we thought trustworthy1 and whom we commended to others as trustworthy1 have turned out knaves4 ,it is hard to bear1 for we have committed ourselves to our friends in the matter4 ,what would ,joshua and his people think now of the supposed tribute to the ,god of ,israel1 and the impression expected to be made on the confederate kings8 ,before all the inhabitants of ,canaan he and his people were befooled1 humiliated4 ,not a man in all the country but would be making merry at their expense4 ,yet even that was not the worst of it4 ,they had been guilty of over-confidence1 and of neglect of means that were in their hands2 they had neglected to get counsel of their ,god4 ,they had trusted in their own hearts when they ought to have sought guidance from above4 ,the trouble was their own creation2 they were alone to blame4 ,we cannot but respect the way in which ,joshua and the princes acted when they discovered the fraud4 ,it might have been competent to repudiate the league on the ground that it was agreed to by them under false pretences4 ,it was made on the representation that the ,gibeonites had come from a far country1 and when that was seen to be utterly untrue there would have been an honourable ground for repudiating the transaction4 ,but ,joshua did not avail himself of this loophole4 ,he and the princes had such respect for the sanctity of an oath that1 even when they discovered that they had been grossly deceived1 they would not resile from it4 ,it seems to have been the princes that took up this ground1 and they did so in opposition to the congregation 7ver4 #ah74 ,the fact that the name of the ,lord ,god of ,israel had been invoked in the oath sworn to the ,gibeonites constrained them to abide by the transaction4 ,it is a good sign of their spirit that they were so jealous of the honour of their ,god1 and of the sanctity of their oath4 ,they came out of the transaction with more honour than we should have expected4 ,personal interests were subordinated to higher considerations4 ,they carried out that great canon of true religion--first and foremost giving glory to ,god in the highest4 ,but though the lives of the ,gibeonites were spared1 that was all4 ,they were to be reduced to a kind of slavery--to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and the altar of ,god4 ,the expression has become a household word to denote a life of drudgery1 but perhaps we fail to recognise the full significance of the terms4 ,i was forcibly reminded of this1 says the author of ,the ,land and the ,book1 by long files of women and children 7near ,el ,jib7 carrying on their heads heavy bundles of wood4444 ,it is the severest kind of drudgery1 and my compassion has often been enlisted in behalf of the poor women and children1 who daily bring loads of wood to ,jerusalem from these very mountains of the ,gibeonites4 ,to carry water1 also1 is very laborious and fatiguing4 ,the fountains are far off1 in deep wadies with steep banks1 and a thousand times have ,i seen the feeble and the young staggering up long and weary ways with large jars of water on their heads4 ,it is the work of slaves1 and of the very poor1 whose condition is still worse4 ,among the pathetic lamentations of ,jeremiah there is nothing more affecting than this3 ',they took the young men to grind1 and the children fell under the wood' 7i4 #af74 ,grinding at the hand-mill is a low1 menial work1 assigned to female slaves1 and therefore utterly humiliating to the young men of ,israel4 ,and the delicate children of ,zion falling under the loads of hard1 rough wood1 along the mountain paths6 ,alas6 'for these things ,i weep2 mine eye1 mine eye runneth down with water1 because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me3 my children are desolate1 because the enemy prevailed4' ,respecting the after history of ,gibeon and the ,gibeonites we find some notices in the ,old ,testament1 but none in the ,new4 ,at one time there was a sanctuary at ,gibeon1 even after the ark had been removed to ,mount ,zion2 for it was at ,gibeon that ,solomon offered his great sacrifice of a thousand burnt offerings1 and had that remarkable dream in which1 in reply to the ,divine offer of a choice of gifts1 he chose wisdom in preference to any other 7#a ,kings iii4 #d sq474 ,but the most remarkable reappearance of the ,gibeonites in history is in the reigns of ,saul and ,david4 ,for some unknown reason1 and probably quite unjustly1 ,saul had put some of them to death4 ,and in the reign of ,david1 probably the early part of it1 when a succession of famines desolated the land1 and inquiry was made as to the cause1 the reply of the oracle was3 ,it is for ,saul and his bloody house1 because he slew the ,gibeonites4 ,and it was to avenge this unjust slaughter that seven descendants of ,saul were put to death1 on that occasion when ,rizpah1 the mother of two of them1 showed such remarkable affection by guarding their dead bodies from the beasts and birds of prey4 ,it is possible that even after the ,babylonian captivity some ,gibeonites survived under their old name1 because it is said in ,nehemiah that among the others who repaired the wall of ,jerusalem were ,melatiah the ,gibeonite1 and ,jadon the ,meronothite1 the men of ,gibeon1 and of ,mizpah 7iii4 #g74 ,only it is uncertain whether ,melatiah was of the old ,gibeonite stock1 or an ,israelite who had ,gibeon for his city4 ,while the old ,gibeonites did survive they seem to have had a miserable lot1 and the question might have been often asked by them--,did our fraud bring us any real good8 ,is life worth living8 ,does anything resembling this fraud of the ,gibeonites ever take place among ourselves8 ,in answer1 let us ask first of all1 what is the meaning of pious frauds8 ,are they not transactions where fraud is resorted to in order to accomplish what are supposed to be religious ends8 ,granting that the fraud of the ,gibeonites was not for a religious but for a secular object--their deliverance from the sword of ,joshua--still they professed1 in practising it1 to be doing honour to ,god4 ,it is the part of superstition at once to lower the intellectual and the moral attributes of ,god4 ,it often represents that the most frivolous acts1 the uttering of mysterious words1 or the performance of senseless acts have such a power over ,god as to bring about certain desired results4 ,more frequently it holds that cruelty1 falsehood1 injustice1 and other crimes1 if brought to bear on religious or ecclesiastical ends1 are pleasing in ,god's sight4 ,is there anything more truly odious than this severance of religion from morality and humanity1--this representation that fraud and other immoral acts have value before ,god8 ,how can anything be a real religious gain to a man1 how can it be otherwise than disastrous in the last degree1 if it develops a fraudulent spirit1 if it perverts his moral nature1 if it deepens and intensifies the moral disorder of his heart8 ,if men saw the beauty of holiness1 the beauty of the ,lord1 they could never bring their minds to such miserable distortions4 ,it is pure blasphemy to suppose that ,god could thus demean ,himself4 ,it is self-degradation to imagine that anything that can be gained by oneself through such means1 could make up for what is lost1 or for the guilt incurred by such wickedness4 ,and this suggests a wider thought--the fearful miscalculation men make whensoever they resort to fraud in the hope of reaping benefit by means of it4 ,yet what practice is more common8 ,the question is1 ,does it really pay8 ,does it pay1 for instance1 to cheat at cards8 ,have we not seen recently what swift and terrible retribution that may bring1 making us feel for the culprit as we might have felt for ,cain4 ,does it pay the merchant to cheat as to the quality of his goods8 ,does it not leak out that he is not to be trusted1 and does not that suspicion lose more to him in the long run than it gains8 ,does it pay the preacher to preach another man's sermon as his own8 ,or1 to vary the illustration4 ,when one has entrapped a maiden under false promises1 and then forsakes her2 or when he conceals the fact that he is already married to another2 or when he controls himself for a time1 to conceal from her his ill temper1 or his profligate habits1 or his thirst for strong drink1 does it pay in the end8 ,the question is not1 ,does he succeed in his immediate object8 but1 ,how does the matter end8 ,is it a comfortable thought to any man that he has broken a trustful heart1 that he has brought misery to a happy home1 that he has filled some one's life with lamentation and mourning and woe8 ,we are not thinking only of the future life1 when so many wrongs will be brought to light1 and so many men and women will have to curse the infatuation that made fraud their friend and evil their good4 ,we think of the present happiness of those who live in an atmosphere of fraud1 and worship daily at its shrine4 ,can such disordered souls know aught of real peace and solid joy8 ,in the case of some of them1 are there not occasional moments of sober feeling1 when they think what their life was given them for1 and contrast their selfish and heartless devices with the career of those who deal truly and live to do good8 ,bitter1 very bitter is the feeling which the contrast raises4 ,it is bitter to think how unfit one is for the society of honest men2 how the master one is serving is the father of lies2 and how1 even when the master does grant one a momentary success1 it is at the sacrifice of all self-respect and conscious purity1 and with a dark foreboding of wrath in the life to come4 ,all ,eastern nations get the character of being deceitful2 but indeed the weed may be said to flourish in every soil where it has not been rooted out by living ,christianity4 ,but if it be peculiarly characteristic of ,eastern nations1 is it not remarkable how constantly it is rebuked in the ,bible1 even though that book sprang from an ,eastern soil8 ,no doubt the record of the ,bible abounds with instances of deceit1 but its voice is always against them4 ,and its instances are always instructive4 ,satan gained nothing by deceiving our first parents4 ,jacob was well punished for deceiving ,isaac4 ,david's misleading of the high priest when he fled from ,saul involved ultimately the slaughter of the whole priestly household4 ,ananias and ,sapphira had an awful experience when they lied unto the ,holy ,ghost4 ,all through the ,bible it is seen that lying lips are an abomination to the ,lord1 but they that deal truly are ,his delight4 ,and when our blessed ,lord comes to show us the perfect life1 how free ,he is from the slightest taint or vestige of deceit6 ,how beautifully transparent is ,his whole life and character6 ,no little child with his honest smile and open face was ever more guileless4 ,in the light of that perfect example1 who among us does not blush for our errors--for our many endeavours to conceal what we have done1 to appear better than we were1 to seem to be pleasing ,god when we were pleasing ourselves1 or to be aiming at ,god's glory when we were really consulting for our own interests8 ,is it possible for us ever to be worthy of such a ,lord8 ,first1 surely1 we must go to ,his cross1 and1 bewailing all our unworthiness1 seek acceptance through ,his finished work4 ,and then draw from ,his fulness1 even grace for grace2 obtain through the indwelling of ,his ,spirit that elixir of life which will send a purer life-blood through our souls1 and assimilate us to ,him of whom ,his faithful apostle wrote3 ,he did not sin1 neither was guile found in ,his mouth4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,,bethhoron4 ,,joshua x4 ,out of the larger confederacy of the whole ,canaanite chiefs against ,joshua and his people recorded in the beginning of chap4 ix41 a smaller number1 headed by ,adonizedec1 undertook the special task of chastising the ,gibeonites1 who had not only refused to join the confederacy1 but1 as it was thought1 basely and treacherously surrendered to ,joshua4 ,it is interesting to find the ,king of ,jerusalem1 ,adonizedec1 bearing a name so similar to that of ,melchizedek1 ,king of ,salem1 in the days of ,abraham4 ,no doubt1 since the days of ,jerome1 there have been some who have denied that the ,salem of ,melchizedek was ,jerusalem4 ,but the great mass of opinion is in favour of the identity of the two places4 ,melchizedek means ,king of ,righteousness2 ,adonizedec1 ,lord of ,righteousness2 in substance the same4 ,it was a striking name for a ruler1 and it was remarkable that it should have been kept up so long1 although in the time of ,adonizedec its significance had probably been forgotten4 ,jerusalem was but five miles south of ,gibeon2 the other four capitals1 whose chiefs joined in the expedition1 were farther off4 ,hebron1 eighteen miles south of ,jerusalem1 was memorable in patriarchal history as the dwelling-place of ,abraham and the burial-place of his family2 ,jarmuth1 hardly mentioned in the subsequent history1 is now represented by ,yarmuk1 six miles from ,jerusalem2 ,lachish1 of which we have frequent mention in ,scripture1 is probably represented by ,um ,lakis1 about fifteen miles south-west of ,jerusalem2 and ,eglon by ,ajlan1 a little farther west4 ,the five little kingdoms embraced most of the territory afterwards known as the tribe of ,judah1 and they must have been far more than a match for ,gibeon4 ,their chiefs are called the five ,amorite kings1 but this does not imply that they were exclusively of the ,amorite race1 for ,amorite1 like ,canaanite1 is often used generically to denote the whole inhabitants 7as in ,gen4 xv4 #af74 ,the five chiefs were so near ,gibeon that it was quite natural for them to undertake this expedition4 ,no doubt they reckoned that1 by making a treaty with ,joshua1 the ,gibeonites had strengthened his hands and weakened those of his opponents2 they had made resistance to ,joshua more difficult for the confederacy1 and therefore they deserved to be chastised4 ,to turn their arms against ,gibeon1 when they had ,joshua to deal with1 was probably an unwise proceeding2 but to their resources it would seem a very easy task4 ,gibeon enjoyed nothing of that aid from a great unseen ,power that made ,joshua so formidable2 little could they have dreamt that ,joshua would come to the assistance of his new allies1 and with ,god's help inflict on them a crushing defeat4 ,the ,lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought1 ,he maketh the devices of the people of none effect4 ,the counsel of the ,lord standeth for ever1 the thoughts of ,his heart to all generations4 ,the case was very serious for the ,gibeonites4 ,as ,gibeon lay so near ,jerusalem and the cities of the other confederates1 it is likely that the appearance of the enemy before its walls was the first1 or nearly the first1 intimation of the coming attack4 ,in their extremity they sent to ,joshua imploring help1 and the terms in which they besought him not to lose a moment1 but come to them at his utmost speed1 show the urgency of their danger4 ,to appeal to ,joshua at all after their shameful fraud was a piece of presumption1 unless--and this is very unlikely--the treaty between them had promised protection from enemies4 ,had ,joshua been of a mean nature he would have chuckled over their distress1 and congratulated himself that now he would get rid of these ,gibeonites without trouble on his part4 ,but the same generosity that had refused to take advantage of their fraud when it was detected showed itself in this their time of need4 ,joshua was encamped at ,gilgal on the banks of the ,jordan2 for the arguments that suppose him to have been at another ,gilgal are not consistent with the terms used in the narrative 7e4g41 ver4 #i1 went up from ,gilgal all night74 ,from ,gilgal to ,gibeon the distance is upwards of twenty miles1 and a great part of the way is steep and difficult4 ,encouraged by the assurance of ,divine protection and favoured by the moonlight1 ,joshua1 by a marvellous act of pluck and energy1 went up by night1 reached ,gibeon in the morning1 fell upon the army of the assembled kings1 possibly while it was yet dark1 and utterly discomfited them4 ,it would have been natural for the routed armies to make for ,jerusalem1 only five miles off1 by the south road1 but either ,joshua had occupied that road1 or it was too difficult for a retreat4 ,the way by which they did retreat1 running west from ,gibeon1 is carefully described4 ,first they took the way that goeth up to ,bethhoron4 ,as soon as they had traversed the plain of ,gibeon1 they ascended a gentle slope leading towards ,bethhoron the upper1 then fled down the well-known pass1 through the two ,bethhorons1 upper and nether1 making for ,jarmuth1 ,lachish1 and other towns at the bottom of the hills4 ,in the course of their descent a hailstorm overtook them1 one of those terrific storms which seem hardly credible to us1 but are abundantly authenticated both in ancient and modern times1 and they which died with hailstones were more than they whom the children of ,israel slew with the sword4 ,the ,israelites1 exhausted1 no doubt1 with their night march and morning exertions1 seem to have been outstripped by the flying army1 and in this way to have escaped the shower of hail4 ,by the time the five kings1 who had had to fly on foot1 reached ,makkedah at the foot of the mountains1 they were unable to go farther and hid themselves in a cave4 ,as ,joshua passed he was informed of this1 but1 unwilling to stop the pursuit of the fugitives1 he ordered large stones to be rolled to the door of the cave1 locking the kings up as it were in a prison1 and no doubt leaving a guard in charge4 ,then1 when the pursuit had been carried to the very gates of the walled cities1 he returned to the cave4 ,the five kings were brought out1 and the chiefs of the ,israelite army put their feet upon their necks4 ,the kings were slain1 and their bodies hanged on trees till the evening4 ,thereafter ,joshua attacked the chief cities of the confederates1 and took in succession ,makkedah1 ,libnah1 ,lachish1 ,eglon1 ,hebron1 and ,debir4 ,nothing is said of his taking ,jerusalem2 indeed it appears from the after history that the stronghold of ,jerusalem on ,mount ,zion remained in ,jebusite hands up to the time of ,david4 ,many of the inhabitants were able to escape destruction1 but substantially ,joshua was now in possession of the whole southern division of the land1 from the ,jordan on the east to the borders of the ,philistines on the west1 and from ,gibeon on the north to the wilderness on the south4 ,it does not appear1 however1 that he retained full possession2 while he was occupied in other parts of the country the people returned and occupied their cities4 ,the clemency of ,joshua in not destroying the inhabitants proved the source of much future trouble4 ,in all the subsequent history of the country1 the victory of ,gibeon was looked back on1 and justly1 as one of the most memorable that had ever been known4 ,for promptitude1 dash1 and daring it was never eclipsed by any event of the kind2 while the strength of the confederate army1 the completeness of its defeat1 and the picturesqueness of the whole situation constantly supplied materials for wonder and delight4 ,moreover1 the hand of ,god had been conspicuously shown in more ways than one4 ,the hailstorm that wrought such havoc was ascribed to ,his friendly hand1 but a far more memorable token of ,his interest and support lay in the miracle that arrested the movements of the sun and the moon1 in order that victorious ,israel might have time to finish his work4 ,and after the victory the capture of the fortified towns became comparatively easy4 ,the remnant that had escaped could have no heart to defend them4 ,joshua must have smiled at the fate of the cities walled up to heaven that had so greatly distressed his brother spies when they came up to examine the land4 ,and as he found them one by one yield to his army1 as though their defence had really departed from them1 he must have felt with fresh gratitude the faithfulness and lovingkindness of the ,lord1 and earnestly breathed the prayer that neither his faith nor that of his people might ever fail until the whole campaign was brought to an end4 ,in some respects this victory has a special significance4 ,in the first place1 it had a most important bearing on the success of the whole enterprise2 its suddenness1 its completeness1 its manifold grandeur being admirably fitted to paralyse the enemy in other parts of the country1 and open the whole region to ,joshua4 ,by some it has been compared to the battle of ,marathon1 not only on account of the suddenness with which the decisive blow was struck1 but also on account of the importance of the interests involved4 ,it was a battle for freedom1 for purity1 for true religion1 in opposition to tyranny1 idolatry1 and abominable sensuality2 for all that is wholesome in human life1 in opposition to all that is corrupt2 for all that makes for peaceful progress1 in opposition to all that entails degradation and misery4 ,the prospects of the whole world were brighter after that victory of ,bethhoron4 ,the relation of heaven to earth was more auspicious1 and more full of promise for the days to come4 ,had any hitch occurred in the arrangements2 had ,israel halted half-way up the eastern slopes1 and the troops of ,adonizedec driven them back2 had the tug of war in the plain of ,gibeon proved too much for them after their toilsome night march2 had no hailstorm broken out on the retreating enemy2 had he been able to form again at the western foot of the hills and arrest the progress of ,joshua in pursuit1 the whole enterprise would have had a different complexion4 ,no doubt the ,divine arm might have been stretched out for ,israel in some other way2 but the remarkable thing was1 that no such supplementary mode of achieving the desired result was required4 ,at every point the success of ,israel was complete1 and every obstacle opposed to him by the enemy was swept away for the time being as smoke before the wind4 ,in the next place1 the tokens of ,divine aid were very impressive4 ,after the experience which ,joshua had had of the consequences of failing to ask ,god for direction when first the ,gibeonites came to him1 we may be very sure that on the present occasion he would be peculiarly careful to seek ,divine counsel4 ,and he was well rewarded4 ,for the sun stood still1 and the moon stayed1 until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies4 ,it does not need to be said that this miraculous incident has from first to last given birth to an immensity of perplexity and discussion4 ,it will be observed that the record of it does not come in as part of the narrative1 but as a quotation from a pre-existing book4 ,concerning that book we know very little4 ,from its name1 ,jashar1 ,the upright1 we may believe it to have been a record of memorable deeds of righteous men4 ,in form it was poetical1 the extract in the present case being of that rhythmical structure which was the mark of ,hebrew poetry4 ,the only other occasion on which it is mentioned is in connection with the song composed by ,david1 after the death of ,saul and ,jonathan 7#b ,sam4 i4 #ah74 ,david 7as the ,revised ,version puts it7 bade them teach the children of ,israel the song of the bow2 behold1 it is written in the book of ,jashar4 ,as to the origin and nature of this book we can only conjecture4 ,it may have been a public record1 contributed to from time to time by various writers1 under conditions and arrangements which at this distance of time1 and under the obscurity of the whole subject1 we cannot ascertain4 ,then as to the miracle of the sun and the moon standing still4 ,it is well known that this was one of the passages brought forward by the ,church of ,rome to condemn ,galileo1 when he affirmed that the earth and the moon revolved round the sun1 and that it was not the motion of the sun round the earth1 but the rotation of the earth on her own axis that produced the change of day and night4 ,no one would dream now of making use of this passage for any such purpose4 ,whatever theory of inspiration men may hold1 it is admitted universally that the inspired writers used the popular language of the day in matters of science1 and did not anticipate discoveries which were not made till many centuries later4 ,that expressions occur in ,scripture which are not in accord with the best established conclusions of modern science would never be regarded by any intelligent person as an argument against the ,scriptures as the inspired records of ,god's will1 designed especially to reveal to us the way of life and salvation through ,jesus ,christ1 and to be an infallible guide to us on all that man is to believe concerning ,god1 and the duty that ,god requires of man4 ,a far more serious question has been raised as to whether this miracle ever occurred1 or could have occurred4 ,to those who believe in the possibility of miracles1 it can be no conclusive argument that it could not have occurred without producing injurious consequences the end of which can hardly be conceived4 ,for if the rotation of the earth on its axis was suddenly arrested1 all human beings on its surface1 and all loose objects whatever must have been flung forward with prodigious violence2 just as1 on a small scale1 on the sudden stoppage of a carriage1 we find ourselves thrown forward1 the motion of the carriage having been communicated to our bodies4 ,but really this is a paltry objection2 for surely the ,divine power that can control the rotation of the earth is abundantly able to obviate such effects as these4 ,we can understand the objection that ,god1 having adjusted all the forces of nature1 leaves them to operate by themselves in a uniform way without disturbance or interference2 but we can hardly comprehend the reasonableness of the position that if it is ,his pleasure miraculously to modify one arrangement1 ,he is unable to adjust all relative arrangements1 and make all conspire harmoniously to the end desired4 ,but was it a miracle8 ,the narrative1 as we have it1 implies not only that it was1 but that there was something in it stupendous and unprecedented4 ,it comes in as a part of that supernatural process in which ,god had been engaged ever since the deliverance of ,his people from ,egypt1 and which was to go on till they should be finally settled in the land4 ,it naturally joins on to the miraculous division of the ,jordan1 and the miraculous fall of the walls of ,jericho4 ,we must remember that the work in which ,god was now engaged was one of peculiar spiritual importance and significance4 ,he was not merely finding a home for ,his covenant people2 ,he was making arrangements for advancing the highest interests of humanity2 ,he was guarding against the extinction on earth of the ,divine light which alone could guide man in safety through the life that now is1 and in preparation for that which is to come4 ,he was taking steps to prevent a final and fatal severance of the relation between ,god and man1 and ,he was even preparing the way for a far more complete and glorious development of that relation--to be seen in the person of ,his ,incarnate ,son1 the spiritual ,joshua1 and made possible for men through that great work of propitiation which ,he was to accomplish on the cross4 ,who will take upon him to say that at an important crisis in the progress of the events which were to prepare the way for this grand consummation1 it was not fitting for the ,almighty to suspend for a time even the ordinances of heaven1 in order that a day's work1 carrying such vast consequences1 might not be interrupted before its triumphant close8 ,there are commentators worthy of high respect who have thought that the fact of this incident being noticed in the form of a quotation from the ,book of ,jashar somewhat diminishes the credit due to it4 ,it looks as if it had not formed part of the original narrative1 but had been inserted by a subsequent editor from a book of poetry1 expressed with poetic licence1 and perhaps of later date4 ,they are disposed to regard the words of ,joshua1 ,sun1 stand thou still upon ,gibeon2 and thou1 ,moon1 in the valley of ,ajalon1 as a mere expression of his desire that the light would last long enough to allow the decisive work of the day to be brought to a thorough conclusion4 ,they look on it as akin to the prayer of ,agamemnon 7,iliad1 ii4 #dab sq47 that the sun might not go down till he had sacked ,troy2 and the form of words they consider to be suited to poetical composition1 like some of the expressions in the eighteenth psalm--,there went up a smoke out of ,his nostrils1 and fire out of ,his mouth devoured3 coals were kindled by it4 ,he bowed the heavens also1 and did come down3 ,he rode upon a cherub1 and did fly4 ,but whatever allowance we may make for poetical licence of speech1 it is hardly possible not to perceive that the words as they stand imply a miracle of extraordinary sublimity2 nor do we see any sufficient ground for resisting the common belief that in whatsoever way it was effected1 there was a supernatural extension of the period of light1 to allow ,joshua to finish his work4#ac #ac ,it seems hardly necessary to notice an explanation of the phenomenon that has been made lately--to the effect that it was in the morning1 not the evening of the day1 that ,joshua expressed his wish4 ,it was to prevent the allied kings about ,gibeon knowing of his approach that he desired the sun to delay his rising in the east1 a desire which was virtually fulfilled by that dark1 cloudy condition of the sky which precedes a thunderstorm4 ,the natural sense of the narrative admits neither of this explanation of the time nor of the miracle itself4 ,one other notable feature in the transaction of this day was the completeness of the defeat inflicted by ,joshua on the enemy4 ,this defeat went on in successive stages from early morning till late at night4 ,first1 there was the slaughter in the plain of ,gibeon4 ,then the havoc produced by the hail and by ,joshua on the retreating army4 ,then the destruction caused as ,joshua followed the enemy to their cities4 ,and the work of the day was wound up by the execution of the five kings4 ,moreover1 there followed a succession of similar scenes at the taking and sacking of their cities4 ,when we try to realize all this in detail1 we are confronted with a terrible scene of blood and death1 and possibly we may find ourselves asking1 ,was there a particle of humanity in ,joshua1 that he was capable of such a series of transactions8 ,certainly ,joshua was a great soldier1 and a great religious soldier1 but he was in many ways like his time4 ,he had many of the qualities of ,oriental commanders1 and one of these qualities has ever been to carry slaughter to the utmost limit that the occasion allows4 ,his treatment of the conquered kings1 too1 was marked by characteristic ,oriental barbarity1 for he caused his captains to put their feet upon their necks1 needlessly embittering their dying moments1 and he exposed their dead bodies to the needless humiliation of being hanged on a tree4 ,but it must be said1 and said firmly for ,joshua1 that there is no evidence of his acting on this or on other such occasions in order to gratify personal feelings2 it was not done either to gratify a thirst for blood1 or to gratify the pride of a conqueror4 ,joshua all through gives us the impression of a man carrying out the will of another2 inflicting a judicial sentence1 and inflicting it thoroughly at the first so that there might be no need for a constant series of petty executions afterwards4 ,this certainly was his aim2 but the enemy showed themselves more vital than he had supposed4 ,and when we turn to ourselves and think what we may learn from this transaction1 we see a valuable application of his method to the spiritual warfare4 ,god has enemies still1 within and without1 with whom we are called to contend4 ,for we wrestle not against flesh and blood1 but against principalities and powers1 against the rulers of the darkness of this world1 against spiritual wickedness in high places4 ,when we are fighting with the enemy within our own hearts leniency is our great temptation1 but at the same time our greatest snare4 ,what we need here is1 courage to slay4 ,we content ourselves with confessions and regrets1 but the enemy lives1 returns to the attack1 and keeps us in perpetual discomfort4 ,oh that in this battle we resembled ,joshua1 aiming at killing the enemy outright1 and leaving nothing belonging to him that breathes6 ,and in reference to the outside world1 want of thoroughness in warfare is still our besetting sin4 ,we play at missions2 we trifle with the awful drunkenness and sensuality around us2 we look on1 and we see rural districts gradually depopulated2 and we wring our hands at the mass of poverty1 vice1 and misery in our great crowded cities4 ,how rare is it for any one to arise among us like ,general ,booth1 to face prevailing evils in all their magnitude1 and even attempt to do battle with them along the whole line6 ,why should not such a spirit be universal in the ,christian ,church8 ,who can tell the evil done by want of faith1 by languor1 by unwillingness to be disturbed in our quiet1 self-indulged life1 by our fear of rousing against us the scorn and rage of the world8 ,if only the ,church had more faith1 and1 as the fruit of faith1 more courage and more enterprise1 what help from heaven might not come to her6 ,true1 she would not see the enemy crushed by hailstones1 nor the sun standing in ,gibeon1 nor the moon in the valley of ,ajalon2 but she would see grander sights2 she would see men of spiritual might raised up in her ranks2 she would see tides of strong spiritual influence overwhelming her enemies4 ,jerichos dismantled1 ,ais captured1 and the champions of evil falling like ,lucifer from heaven to make way for the ,king of kings and ,lord of lords4 ,let us go to the cross of ,jesus to revive our faith and recruit our energies4 ,the ,captain of our salvation has not only achieved salvation for us1 but ,he has set us a blessed example of the spirit and life of true ,christian warriors4 ,at the ,name of ,jesus ,satan's legions flee2 ,on then1 ,christian soldiers1 ,on to victory4 ,hell's foundations quiver ,at the shout of praise2 ,brothers1 lift your voices1 ,loud your anthems raise6 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,,merom4 ,,joshua xi41 xii4 ,there is some appearance of confusion in the terms in which the great confederacy of native princes against ,israel is brought in4 ,in the beginning of the ninth chapter1 a combination that embraced the whole country1 north and south1 east and west1 is described as gathered together to fight with ,joshua and with ,israel4 ,nothing more is said till after the treaty with the ,gibeonites1 when five of these confederate kings residing in the south not far from ,gibeon muster their forces to besiege that city4 ,of the utter rout and ruin of these five kings and of some of their neighbours we have just been reading4 ,and now we read that1 after these things1 ,jabin1 ,king of ,hazor1 sent to his neighbours1 and to all the princes in the northern part of the country1 and organized a combined movement against ,israel1 for which the appointed rendezvous was at the waters of ,merom1 in the extreme north of the country4 ,the statement at the beginning of the ninth chapter that the confederates gathered themselves together1 seems to be made proleptically2 the actual gathering together not having taken place till the occasions specified in the tenth and eleventh chapters respectively4 ,the plan of the confederacy was no doubt formed soon after the fall of ,jericho and ,ai1 and the arrangements for a vast united movement began to be made then4 ,but it would necessarily consume a considerable time to bring so vast a host together4 ,meanwhile1 another event had taken place4 ,the ,gibeonites had refused to join the confederacy and had made peace with ,joshua4 ,their neighbours were intensely provoked1 especially ,adonizedec of ,jerusalem1 and without waiting for the general movement proceeded at once to chastise their treachery4 ,as we have said already1 they doubtless thought it would be an easy task4 ,to the surprise of them all1 ,joshua1 with an activity which they could not have looked for1 hastened to the relief of ,gibeon1 and inflicted a defeat on the confederates which amounted to absolute ruin4 ,it has not been generally noticed how remarkably the ,gibeonite fraud1 and the honourable action of ,joshua in connection with it1 tended in the end to the good of ,israel4 ,had ,joshua1 after the discovery of the fraud1 repudiated his treaty and attacked and exterminated the ,gibeonites1 or had he disregarded their appeal to him for help and suffered them to be crushed by ,adonizedec1 there would have been nothing to hinder the southern kings from uniting with the northern1 and thus presenting to ,joshua the most formidable opposition that was ever mustered in defence of a country4 ,the magnificent exploit of ,joshua in the plain of ,gibeon1 down the pass of ,bethhoron1 and in the valley of ,ajalon entirely frustrated any such arrangement4 ,the armies of the southern kings were destroyed or demoralized4 ,and though the united forces in the north1 with their vast resources of war1 still formed a most formidable opponent1 the case would have been very different if the two had combined1 or if one of them had hung on ,joshua's rear while he was engaged in front with the other4 ,nothing could have fallen out more for the advantage of ,israel than the procedure of the ,gibeonites1 which drew off so large and powerful a section of the confederates1 and exposed them thus separate to the sword of ,joshua4 ,joshua was not allowed a long rest at ,gilgal after his dealings with ,adonizedec and his brethren4 ,no doubt the news of that tremendous disaster would quicken the energies of the northern kings4 ,the head of the new conspiracy was ,jabin1 ,king of ,hazor4 ,jabin was evidently an official name borne by the chief ruler of ,hazor1 like ,pharaoh in ,egypt1 for when1 at a subsequent period1 the place has recovered somewhat of its importance1 and comes again into view as a ,canaanite capital1 ,jabin is again the name of its chief ruler 7,judg4 iv4 #b74 ,the situation of ,hazor has been disputed by geographers1 and ,robinson1 who is usually so accurate1 differs from other authorities4 ,he assigns it to a ruinous city on a hill called ,tell ,khuraibeh1 overhanging the ,lake ,merom1 for little other reason than that it seems to answer the conditions of the various narratives where ,hazor is introduced4 ,on the other hand1 the author of ,the ,land and the ,book assigns it to a place still called ,hazere1 a little west of ,merom1 the remains of which lie in a large natural basin1 and spread far up the hill1 toward the south4 ,heaps of hewn stone1 old and rotten2 open pits1 deep wells1 and vast cisterns cut in the solid rock--these are the unequivocal indications of an important city4444 ,i inquired of an old sheikh what saint was honoured there4 ,in a voice loud and bold1 as if to make a doubtful point certain1 he replied1 ,neby ,hazr1 who fought with ,yeshua ,ibn ,nun4 ,the matter is of no great moment2 all that it is important to know is that ,hazor was situated near ,lake ,merom1 and was the capital of a powerful kingdom4 ,the cities of some of the other confederates are named1 but it is not easy to identify them all4 ,the sites of ,madon1 ,shimron1 and ,achshaph1 are unknown1 but they were apparently not far from ,hazor4 ,the ,arabah south of ,chinneroth 7ver4 #b1 ,r4,v47 denotes the plain of ,jordan south of the lake of ,galilee2 the valley1 or lowland 7,r4,v471 denotes the maritime plain from the ,philistines northward2 the heights of ,dor on the west 7,r4,v471 or ,highlands of ,dor 7,speaker's ,commentary71 the hills about a city on the sea coast1 near the foot of ,carmel1 prominent in after history1 but now reduced to a village with a few poor houses4 ,the sacred historian1 however1 does not attempt to enumerate all the places from which the confederacy was drawn1 and falls back on the old comprehensive formula--,canaanites on the east and on the west1 ,amorites1 ,hittites1 the ,jebusites in the hill country1 and the ,hivite under ,hermon in the land of ,mizpeh4 ,the ,canaanites on the west embraced the people of ,zidon1 for ,joshua is expressly stated to have followed a band of the fugitives to that city 7ver4 #h74 ,the muster must have been an extraordinary one1 as numerous as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude4 ,josephus gives the numbers as #cjj1jjj footmen1 #aj1jjj horsemen1 and #bj1jjj chariots2 but we can hardly attach much value to his figures4 ,horses and chariots was an arm unknown to the ,israelites1 with which hitherto they had never contended4 ,this vast host came together and pitched at the waters of ,merom4 ,merom1 now called ,huleh1 is the little lake where1 as already stated1 the three streamlets that form the ,jordan unite4 ,it varies in size in summer and winter4 ,to the north1 a large plain spreads itself out1 sufficient for the encampment of a great army4 ,it was at or near this plain that ,abraham overtook the five kings of ,mesopotamia and defeated them1 rescuing ,lot1 and all that had been taken from ,sodom 7,gen4 xiv4 #ad1 #ae74 ,now again it is crowded with a mighty host3 far as the eye can reach1 the plain is darkened by the countless squadrons of the enemy4 ,probably1 after mustering here1 their intention was to bear down the ,jordan valley1 till they came on ,joshua at ,gilgal1 or such other place as he might choose to meet them4 ,but if this was their intention they were outwitted by the activity and1 intrepidity of ,joshua1 who resolved1 in spite of their overwhelming numbers1 to take the aggressive2 and1 marching1 as before1 with extraordinary rapidity1 to fall on them by surprise and throw them at once into confusion so that they should be unable to bring their chariots and horses into the action4 ,it was a very serious undertaking for ,joshua1 and before attempting it he stood much in need of the encouragement of ,jehovah--,be not afraid because of them3 for to-morrow about this time will ,i deliver them up all slain before ,israel3 thou shalt hough their horses1 and burn all their chariots with fire4 ,not on the number nor on the bravery of his own people1 though they had stood by him most nobly1 was he to place his reliance1 but on the power of ,god4 ,rule thou in the midst of thine enemies was his mot d'ordre1 as it was afterwards of that other ,joshua1 whose battles were not with confused noise nor with garments rolled in blood1 but were triumphs of truth and love4 ,where else should the true warrior be found but in the midst of his enemies8 ,joshua knew it1 and with the promised help of ,god1 did not flinch from the position1 though his opponents were like the sand of the seaside1 with a corresponding multitude of chariots and horses4 ,jesus1 too1 knew it1 and resting on the same promise did not shrink from the conflict in ,his own person2 nor did ,he hesitate to send ,his apostles into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature1 and look forward to a victory not less complete than that of ,joshua1 when the hordes of the ,canaanites were scattered before him4 ,to-morrow about this time will ,i deliver them up all slain before ,israel4 ,when he got that assurance1 ,joshua must already have left ,gilgal some days before1 and was now within a moderate distance of ,merom4 ,there was to be no delay in the completing of the enterprise4 ,to-morrow about this time4 ,though1 as a rule1 the mills of ,god grind slowly1 there are times when their velocity is wonderfully accelerated4 ,he has sometimes wonderful to-morrows4 ,when ,hezekiah was gazing appalled on the hosts of ,sennacherib as they lay coiled round ,jerusalem1 ,god had a to-morrow about this time when the terror would be exchanged for a glorious relief4 ,when the apostles met in the upper chamber1 and were wondering how they were ever to conquer the world for their ,master1 there was a to-morrow at hand1 when the ,spirit was to come down like rain on the mown grass1 and like showers that water the earth4 ,when1 at the end of the world1 iniquity abounds and faith is low1 and scoffers are asking1 ,where is the promise of ,his coming8 there will come a to-morrow about this time when the heavens will pass away with a great noise1 and the elements shall melt with fervent heat1 the earth also and all that is therein shall be destroyed4 ,hold on1 brave ,joshua1 for a little longer2 hold on too1 ye soldiers of the ,lord ,jesus1 though all the powers of darkness are leagued against you2 hold on1 ye suffering saints1 whose days of pain and nights of waking are such a weariness to your flesh2 the glorious to-morrow may be at hand which is to end your troubles and bring you the victory6 ,we expect a bright to-morrow1 ,all will be well4 ,and all was well with ,joshua4 ,arriving suddenly at the waters of ,merom1 he fell on the mighty host of the enemy1 who1 taken by surprise1 seem not to have struck one blow1 but to have been seized at once with that panic which so thoroughly demoralizes ,eastern hordes1 and to have fled in consternation4 ,in three great streams the fugitives sought their homes4 ,one portion made for ,misrephothmaim in the south-west1 now1 it is thought1 represented by ,musheirifeh on the north border of the plain of ,acre2 another struck in a north-easterly direction through the valley of the upper ,jordan1 or east of ,hermon to the valley of ,mizpeh2 a third1 passing through the gorge of the ,litany1 made for great ,zidon1 in the distant north4 ,joshua himself would seem to have pursued this column of fugitives1 and1 passing over a rough path of more than forty miles1 not to have abandoned them till they took refuge within the walls of ,zidon4 ,if he had attacked and destroyed that stronghold1 it might have changed for the better much of the future history of his country2 for the ,jezebels and ,athaliahs of after days were among the worst enemies of ,israel4 ,but he did not deem himself called to that duty4 ,it seemed more urgent that he should demolish ,hazor1 the capital of the confederacy that he had just scattered4 ,so he turned back and took ,hazor1 and smote the king thereof with the sword2 for ,hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms4 ,for this reason ,hazor was treated like ,jericho1 utterly destroyed1 as were also the other cities of the confederate kings4 ,one class of cities was spared1 called in our version the cities that stood still in their strength1 but better in the ,revised--the cities that stood on their mounds4 ,the custom referred to is that of building cities on mounds or hills for the sake of protection4 ,with the exception of ,hazor1 none of these were destroyed4 ,the reason probably was1 that it would have cost too much time4 ,but it was in such places that the old inhabitants rallied and entrenched themselves1 and from them they were able in after years to inflict much loss and give great trouble to ,israel4 ,joshua1 however1 had not received instructions to destroy them2 they were left to serve a purpose in ,god's plan of discipline 7,judg4 ii4 #c71 and while ,israel was often humbled under them their attacks proved occasions of rallying1 bringing them back to ,god1 whose worship they were so ready to neglect4 ,the conquest of ,western ,palestine was thus virtually completed4 ,first1 by taking ,jericho1 ,joshua had possessed himself of the ,jordan valley1 and established a clear communication with ,bashan and ,gilead1 which the two and a half tribes had received for their inheritance4 ,by the conquest of ,ai and ,bethel1 he had made a way to the great plateau of ,western ,palestine1 and by his treaty with the ,gibeonites he had extended his hold a considerable way farther to the south and the west4 ,then1 by the great victory of ,bethhoron1 he had crushed the southern chiefs and possessed himself1 for the time at least1 of all that quarter4 ,as to the inhabitants of the central part1 we know not 7as we have already said7 how they were dealt with1 but most probably they were too frightened to resist him4 7,see p4 #bjb74 ,the northern section had been subdued at ,merom1 and much crippled through the pursuit of ,joshua after the battle there4 ,the only important parts of the country of which he did not gain possession were the land of the ,philistines1 the strip of sea coast held by ,tyre and ,zidon1 and some small kingdoms on the north-east4 ,it would seem that in the instructions received by him from ,moses1 these were not included1 for it is expressly said of him that he left nothing undone of all that the ,lord commanded ,moses4 ,emphasis is laid on the fact that his conquests were not confined to one section or denomination of territory1 but embraced the whole4 ,joshua took all that land1 the hill country1 and all the ,south1 and all the land of ,goshen1 and the lowland1 and the ,arabah1 and the hill country of ,israel1 and the lowland of the same2 from ,mount ,halak 7or1 the bare mountain7 on the south1 that goeth up to ,seir the land of ,edom1 even unto ,baalgad in the valley of ,lebanon under ,mount ,hermon in the north3 and all their kings he took1 and smote them1 and put them to death 7,r4,v474 ,the ,goshen here spoken of cannot1 of course1 be the ,egyptian ,goshen1 for this city was in the neighbourhood of ,gibeon 7chap4 x4 #da72 but its site has not been identified4 ,we are told that the wars of ,joshua occupied a long time4 ,probably from five to seven years were consumed by them1 for though the pitched battles of ,bethhoron and ,merom virtually decided the mastership of the country1 there must have been a large amount of guerilla warfare1 and the sieges of the various cities must have required much time4 ,the list of kings subdued1 as given in chap4 xii41 is a remarkable document4 ,granting that though called kings they were mostly but little chieftains1 still they were formidable enough to a pastoral people unused to the pursuits of war2 and it was very striking that not one of them by himself1 nor all of them combined1 were equal to ,joshua4 ,if ,joshua was not divinely aided1 the conquest of all these chieftains and the capture of their cities is the most inexplicable event in history4 ,two additional statements are made towards the close of the eleventh chapter4 ,one is1 that with the single exception of ,gibeon1 no attempt was made by any of the chiefs or cities to make peace with ,joshua4 ,for it was of the ,lord to harden their hearts that they should come against ,israel in battle1 that he might destroy them utterly1 and that they might have no favour1 but that he might destroy them1 as the ,lord commanded ,moses4 ,it would have been very embarrassing to ,joshua if they had submitted spontaneously1 and cast themselves on his generosity1 for his orders were to destroy them4 ,but this difficulty did not arise4 ,none of the cities seem to have shared the conviction of the ,gibeonites that opposition was needless1 that ,israel was sure to prevail1 and get possession of the country4 ,when men's backs are up1 to use a common phrase1 they will do wonders in the way of facing danger and enduring suffering4 ,even the resistance of the martyrs cannot be wholly ascribed to holy faith and loyalty to ,god2 in many cases1 no doubt1 something was due to that dogged spirit that won't submit1 that won't be beat1 that will endure incredible privation rather than give in4 ,the effect of this resistance by the ,canaanites was1 that while ,joshua's task was increased in one way1 it was simplified in another4 ,ages before1 ,god had given the country to the fathers of the ,hebrew nation4 ,that people now came and demanded in ,god's name possession of the land which ,he had given them4 ,had the nations submitted voluntarily they must have left the country to seek new settlements elsewhere4 ,by resisting1 they compelled ,joshua to meet them with the sword2 and having resisted ,israel with all their might1 nothing remained but that they should encounter the doom which they had so fiercely provoked4 ,that some of the ,canaanites did leave the country seems very probable1 although little importance is to be attached to the statement of ,procopius that after trying ,egypt they settled in ,libya1 and overspread ,africa as far as the ,pillars of ,hercules4 ,at a fortress in ,numidia called ,tigisis or ,tingis he says that so late as the sixth century after ,christ there were discovered near a great wall two pillars of white stone bearing1 in ,phnician1 the inscription1 ,we are those who fled before the robber ,jeshus1 son of ,nane4 ,ewald and others by whom this tradition is noticed are not disposed1 owing to its late date1 to attach to it any weight4 ,the other statement relates to the ,anakim4 ,sometime1 not precisely defined1 while engaged in his conflicts ,joshua cut off the ,anakims from the mountains1 from ,hebron1 from ,debir1 from ,anab1 and from all the mountains of ,judah1 and from all the mountains of ,israel1 leaving none of them except in ,gaza1 in ,gath1 and in ,ashdod 7xi4 #ba74 ,afterwards it is said 7xv4 #ad7 that it was ,caleb that drove from ,hebron the three sons of ,anak1 ,sheshai1 ,ahiman1 and ,talmai2 but this cannot be counted a contradiction inasmuch as ,joshua1 being the leader of the army1 must be held to represent and include all who fought in connection with his enterprise4 ,these ,anakim were the men that had so terrified the ten spies4 ,and there we saw the giants1 the sons of ,anak1 which come of the giants3 and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers1 and so we were in their sight 7,num4 xiii4 #cc74 ,to men of little faith1 giants1 whether physical or moral1 are always formidable4 ,kings1 with the resources of an empire at their back2 generals1 at the head of mighty battalions2 intellectual chiefs1 with all their talent and brilliancy1 their wit1 their irony1 their power to make the worse appear the better reason1 are more than a match for the obscure handfuls to whom the battles of the faith are often left4 ,but if the obscure handfuls are allied with the ,lord of hosts1 their victory is sure2 the triumphant experience of the forty-sixth psalm awaits them3 ,god is in the midst of her1 she shall not be moved2 ,god shall help her1 and that right early4 ,we are weary of the din of arms1 and come at last to the refreshing statement3 ,and the land rested from war4 ,the annals of peace are always more brief than the records of war2 and when we reach this short but welcome clause we might wish that it were so expanded as to fill our eyes and our hearts with the blessings which peace scatters with her kindly hand4 ,for that impression we need only to turn to another page of our ,bible1 and read of the campaigns of another ,joshua4 ,and ,jesus went about all ,galilee1 teaching in their synagogues1 and preaching the gospel of the kingdom1 and healing all manner of sickness1 and all manner of disease among the people4 ,the contrast is very glorious4 ,in ,his ,galilee journeys1 ,jesus traversed the very region where ,joshua had drawn his sword against the confederate kings4 ,joshua had pursued them as far as ,zidon1 leaving marks of bloodshed along the whole way2 ,jesus1 when ,he departed to the coasts of ,tyre and ,sidon1 went to reward faith1 to dispossess devils1 and to kindle in a desolate heart thanksgiving and joy4 ,everywhere1 throughout all ,galilee and the regions beyond1 ,his advent was accompanied with benedictions1 and blessings were scattered by ,him in ,his path4 ,but let us not indulge in too complete a contrast between the two conquerors4 ,joshua's rough ploughshare prepared the way for ,jesus' words of mercy and deeds of love4 ,god's message to man is not all in honeyed words4 ,even ,jesus1 as ,he went through ,galilee1 proclaimed1 ,repent1 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand4 ,and it was those only who gave heed to the call to repent that became possessors of the kingdom4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,joshua',s ,,old ,,age--,,division ,,for ,,the ,,eastern ,,tribes4 ,,joshua xiii41 xiv4 #a-e4 ,the ,lord said unto ,joshua1 ,thou art old and stricken in years4 ,to many men and women this would not be a welcome announcement4 ,they do not like to think that they are old4 ,they do not like to think that the bright1 joyous1 playful part of life is over1 and that they are arrived at the sombre years when they must say1 ,there is no pleasure in them4 ,then1 again1 there are some who really find it hard to believe that they are old4 ,life has flown past so swiftly that before they thought it was well begun it has gone4 ,it seems so short a time since they were in the full play of their youthful energies1 that it is hardly credible that they are now in the sere and yellow leaf4 ,perhaps1 too1 they have been able to keep their hearts young all the time1 and still retain that buoyant sensation which seems to indicate the presence of youth4 ,and are there not some who have verified the psalm--,they that are planted in the house of the ,lord shall flourish in the courts of our ,god4 ,they shall still bring forth fruit in old age1 they shall be fat and flourishing8 ,but however much men may like to be young1 and however much some may retain in old age of the feeling of youth1 it is certain that the period of strength has its limit1 and the period of life also4 ,to the halest and heartiest1 if he be not cut off prematurely1 the time must come when ,god will say to him1 ,thou art old4 ,it is a solemn word to hear from the lips of ,god4 ,god tells me my life is past2 what use have ,i made of it8 ,and what does ,god think of the use ,i have made of it8 ,and what account of it shall ,i be able to give when ,i stand at ,his bar8 ,let the young think well of this1 before it is too late to learn how to live4 ,to ,joshua the announcement that he was old and stricken in years does not appear to have brought any painful or regretful feeling4 ,perhaps he had aged somewhat suddenly2 his energies may have failed consciously and rapidly1 after his long course of active and anxious military service4 ,he may have been glad to hear ,god utter the word2 he may have been feeling it himself1 and wondering how he should be able to go through the campaigns yet necessary to put the children of ,israel in full possession of the land4 ,that word may have fallen on his ear with the happy feeling--how considerate ,god is6 ,he will not burden my old age with a load not suited for it4 ,though ,his years have no end1 and ,he knows nothing of failing strength1 ,he knoweth our frame1 ,he remembereth that we are dust4 ,he will not cast me off in the time of old age1 nor forsake me when my strength faileth4 ,happy confidence1 especially for the aged poor6 ,it is the want of trust in the heavenly ,father that makes so many miserable in old age4 ,when you will not believe that ,he is considerate and kind1 you are left to your own resources1 and often to destitution and misery4 ,but when between ,him and you there is the happy relation of father and child2 when through ,jesus ,christ you realize ,his fatherly love and pity1 and in real trust cast yourselves on ,him who clothes the lilies and feeds the ravens1 your trust is sure to be rewarded1 for your heavenly ,father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask them4 ,so ,joshua finds that he is now to be relieved by his considerate ,master of laborious and anxious service4 ,not of all service1 but of exhausting service1 unsuited to his advancing years4 ,joshua had been a right faithful servant2 few men have ever done their work so well4 ,from that day when he stood against ,amalek from morning to night1 while the rod of ,moses was stretched out over him on the hill2 thereafter1 during all his companionship with ,moses on the mount2 next in that search-expedition when ,caleb and he stood so firm1 and did not flinch in the face of the congregation1 though every one was for stoning them2 and now1 from the siege of ,jericho to the victory of ,merom1 and all through the trying and perilous sieges of city after city1 year after year1 ,joshua has proved himself the faithful servant of ,god and the devoted friend of ,israel4 ,during these last years he has enjoyed supreme power1 apparently without a rival and without a foe2 yet1 strange to say1 there is no sign of his having been corrupted by power1 or made giddy by elevation4 ,he has led a most useful and loyal life1 which there is some satisfaction in looking back on4 ,no doubt he is well aware of unnumbered failings3 ,who can understand his errors8 ,but he has the rare satisfaction--oh6 who would not wish to share it8--of looking back on a well-spent life1 habitually and earnestly regulated amid many infirmities by regard to the will of ,god4 ,neither he1 nor ,st4 ,paul after him1 had any trust in their own good works1 as a basis of salvation2 yet ,paul could say1 and ,joshua might have said it in spirit3 ,i have fought the good fight1 ,i have finished my course1 ,i have kept the faith3 henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness4 ,yet ,joshua was not to complete that work to which he had contributed so much3 there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed4 ,at one time1 no doubt1 he thought otherwise1 and he desired otherwise4 ,when the tide of victory was setting in for him so steadily1 and region after region of the land was falling into his hands1 it was natural to expect that before he ended he would sweep all the enemies of ,israel before him1 and open every door for them throughout the land1 even to its utmost borders4 ,why not make hay when the sun shone8 ,when ,god had found so apt an instrument for ,his great design1 why did ,he not employ him to the end8 ,if the natural term of ,joshua's strength had come1 why did not that ,god who had supernaturally lengthened out the day for completing the victory of ,bethhoron1 lengthen out ,joshua's day that the whole land of ,canaan might be secured8 ,here comes in a great mystery of ,providence4 ,instead of lengthening out the period of ,joshua's strength1 ,god seems to have cut it short4 ,we can easily understand the lesson for ,joshua himself4 ,it is the lesson which so many of ,god's servants have had to learn4 ,they start with the idea they are to do everything2 they are to reform every abuse1 overthrow every stronghold of evil1 reduce chaos to order and beauty2 as if each were the only man on earth ,responsible for all the thistles blown ,and tigers couchant1 struggling in amaze ,against disease and winter1 snarling on ,for ever1 that the world's not paradise4 ,sooner or later they find that they must be satisfied with a much humbler rle4 ,they must learn to be content in work1 ,to do the thing we can1 and not presume ,to fret because it's little4 ',twill employ ,seven men1 they say1 to make a perfect pin1 444 ,seven men to a pin1 and not a man too much6 ,seven generations1 haply to this world1 ,to right it visibly a finger's breadth1 ,and mend its rents a little4 ,joshua must be made to feel--perhaps he needs this--that this enterprise is not his1 but ,god's4 ,and ,god is not limited to one instrument1 or to one age1 or to one plan4 ,never does ,providence appear to us so strange1 as when a noble worker is cut down in the very midst of his work4 ,a young missionary has just shown his splendid capacity for service1 when fever strikes him low1 and in a few days all that remains of him is rotting in the ground4 ,what can ,god mean8 we sometimes ask impatiently4 ,does ,he not know the rare value and the extreme scarcity of such men1 that ,he sets them up apparently just to throw them down8 ,but ,god reigneth1 let the people tremble4 ,all that bears on the ,christian good of the world is in ,god's plan1 and it is very dear to ,god1 and precious in the sight of the ,lord is the death of ,his saints4 ,but ,he is not limited to single agents4 ,when ,stephen died1 ,he raised up ,saul4 ,for ,wicliffe ,he gave ,luther4 ,when ,george ,wishart was burnt ,he raised up ,john ,knox4 ,kings1 it is said1 die1 but the king never4 ,the herald that announces ,the king is dead1 proclaims in the same breath1 ,god save the king6 ,god's workers die1 but ,his work goes on4 ,joshua is superannuated1 so far as the work of conquest is concerned1 and that work for a time is suspended4 ,but the reason is that1 at the present moment1 ,god desires to develop the courage and energy of each particular tribe4 ,and when the time comes to extend still farther the dominion of ,israel1 an agent will be found well equipped for the service4 ,from the hills of ,bethlehem1 a godly youth of dauntless bearing will one day emerge1 under whom every foe to ,israel shall be brought low1 and from the river of ,egypt to the great river1 the river ,euphrates1 the entire ,promised ,land shall come under ,israel's dominion4 ,and the conquests of ,david will shine with a brighter lustre than ,joshua's1 and will be set1 as it were1 to music of a higher strain4 ,associated with ,david's holy songs and holy experience1 and with his early life of sadness and humiliation1 crowned at last with glory and honour1 they will more fitly symbolize the work of the great ,joshua1 and there will then be diffused over the world a more holy aroma than that of ,joshua's conquests1--a fragrance sweet and refreshing to souls innumerable1 and fostering the hope of glory1--the rest that remaineth for the people of ,god1 the inheritance incorruptible1 and undefiled1 and that fadeth not away4 ,so ,joshua must be content to have done his part1 and done it well1 although he did not conquer all the land1 and there yet remained much to be possessed4 ,without entering in detail into all the geographical notices of this chapter1 it will be well to note briefly what parts of the country were still unsubdued4 ,first1 there were all the borders of the ,philistines1 and all ,geshuri2 the five lords of the ,philistines1 dwelling in ,gaza1 ,ashdod1 ,ascalon1 ,gath1 and ,ekron2 and also the ,avites4 ,this well defined country consisted mainly of a plain remarkable in all ages for the extreme riches of its soil2 its fields of standing corn1 its vineyards and oliveyards1 are incidentally mentioned in ,scripture 7,judg4 xv4 #e72 and in the time of famine the land of the ,philistines was the hope of ,palestine 7#b ,kings viii4 #b74444 ,it was also adapted to the growth of military power2 for while the plain itself permitted the use of war chariots1 which were the chief arm of offence1 the occasional elevations which rise out of it offered secure sites for towns and strongholds4 ,it was1 moreover1 a commercial country2 the great thoroughfare between ,phnicia and ,syria on the north and ,egypt and ,arabia on the south4 ,ashdod and ,gaza were the keys of ,egypt1 and commanded the transit trade1 and the stores of frankincense and myrrh which ,alexander captured in the latter place prove it to have been a dept of ,arabian produce4#ad #ad ,smith's ,bible ,dictionary4 ,geshuri lay between ,philistia and the desert1 and the ,avites were probably some remainder of the ,avims1 from whom the ,philistines conquered the land 7,deut4 ii4 #bc74 ,in many respects it would have been a great boon for the ,israelites if ,joshua had conquered a people that were so troublesome to them as the ,philistines were for many a day4 ,what ,joshua left undone1 ,saul began1 but failed to achieve1 and at last ,david accomplished4 ,the ,geshurites were subdued with the ,amalekites while he was dwelling at ,ziklag as an ally of the ,philistines 7#a ,sam4 xxvii4 #h71 and the ,philistines themselves were brought into subjection1 and had to yield to ,israel many of their cities 7#a ,sam4 vii4 #ad2 #b ,sam4 viii4 #a1 #ab74 ,another important section of the country unsubdued was the ,phnician territory--the land of the ,sidonians 7vv4 #d1 #f74 ,also the hilly country across ,lebanon1 embracing the valley of ,cle-,syria1 and apparently the region of ,mount ,carmel 7from ,lebanon unto ,misrephothmaim1 ver4 #f1 and comp4 chap4 xi4 #h74 ,no doubt much of this district was recovered in the time of the ,judges1 and still more in the time of ,david2 but ,david made peace with the ,king of ,tyre1 who still retained the rocky strip of territory that was so useful to a commercial nation1 but would have been almost useless to an agricultural people like the ,israelites4 ,joshua was not called on to conquer these territories in the sense of driving out all the old inhabitants2 but he was instructed to divide the whole land among his people--a task involving1 no doubt1 its own difficulties1 but not the physical labour which war entailed4 ,and in this division he was called first to recognise what had already been done by ,moses with the part of the country east of the ,jordan4 ,that part had been allotted to ,reuben1 ,gad1 and half the tribe of ,manasseh2 and the allotment was still to hold good4 ,it is remarkable with what fulness the places are described4 ,first1 we have the boundaries of that part of the country generally 7vv4 #i-ab72 then of the allotments of each of the two and a half tribes 7vv4 #ae-ca74 ,with regard to the district as a whole1 the conquest under ,moses was manifestly complete1 from the river ,arnon on the south1 to the borders of the ,geshurites and ,maachathites on the north4 ,the only part not subdued were the territories of these ,geshurites and ,maachathites4 ,the ,geshurites here are not to be confounded with the people of the same name mentioned in ver4 #b1 who were at the opposite extreme--the south-west instead of1 as here1 the north-east of the land4 ,but no doubt the ,syrian ,geshurites and ,maachathites were brought into subjection by ,david1 with all the other tribes in that region1 in his great ,syrian war1 when he went to recover his border at the river ,euphrates 7#b ,sam4 viii4 #c74 ,but instead of expelling or exterminating them1 ,david seems to have allowed them to remain in a tributary condition1 for ,geshur had its king in the days of ,absalom 7#b ,sam4 xiii4 #cg71 to whom that prince fled after the murder of ,amnon4 ,with the ,maachathites also ,david had a family connection 7#b ,sam4 iii4 #c74 ,but though the subjugation and occupation of the eastern part of the land was thus tolerably complete 7with the exceptions just mentioned71 it remained in the undisturbed possession of ,israel for the shortest time of any4 ,from ,moabites and ,ammonites on the south1 ,canaanites and ,syrians on the north and the east1 as well as the ,midianites1 ,amalekites1 and other tribes of the desert1 it was subject to continual invasions4 ,in fact1 it was the least settled and least comfortable part of all the country2 and doubtless it became soon apparent that though the two tribes and a half had seemed to be very fortunate in having their wish granted to settle in this rich and beautiful region1 yet on the whole they had been penny-wise and pound-foolish4 ,not only were they incessantly assailed and worried by their neighbours1 but they were the first to be carried into captivity1 when the ,king of ,assyria directed his eyes to ,palestine4 ,they had shown somewhat of the spirit of ,lot1 and they suffered somewhat of his punishment4 ,it is worthy of remark that even at this day this eastern province is the most disturbed part of ,palestine4 ,the ,bedouins are ever liable to make their attacks wherever there are crops or cattle to tempt their avarice4 ,people will not sow where they have no chance of reaping2 and thus it is that much of that productive region lies waste4 ,the moral is not far to seek3 in securing wealth1 look not merely at the apparent productiveness of the investment1 but give heed to its security1 its stability4 ,it is not all gold that glitters either on the stock-exchange or anywhere else4 ,and even that which is real gold partakes of the current instability4 ,we must come back to our ,saviour's advice to investors1 if we would really be safe3 ,lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth1 where moth and rust do corrupt1 and where thieves break through and steal4 ,but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven1 where moth and rust do not corrupt1 and where thieves do not break through nor steal4 ,the specification of the allotments need not detain us long4 ,reuben's was the farthest south4 ,his southern and eastern flanks were covered by the ,moabites1 who greatly annoyed him4 ,unstable as water1 he did not excel4 ,gad settled north of ,reuben4 ,in his lot was the southern part of ,gilead2 ,mahanaim1 and ,peniel1 celebrated in the history of ,jacob1 and ,ramoth-gilead1 conspicuous in after times4 ,east of ,gad were the ,ammonites1 who proved as troublesome to that tribe as ,moab did to ,reuben4 ,to the half-tribe of ,manasseh the kingdom of ,og fell1 and the northern half of ,gilead4 ,jabesh-gilead1 where ,saul routed the ,ammonites1 was in this tribe 7#a ,sam4 xi474 ,here also were some of the places on the lake of ,galilee mentioned in the gospel history2 here the desert place across the sea to which our ,lord used to retire for rest2 here ,he fed the multitude2 here ,he cured the demoniac2 and here were some of the mountains where ,he would spend the night in prayer4 ,in our ,lord's time this portion of ,palestine was called ,perea4 ,under the dominion of the ,romans1 it was comparatively tranquil1 and our ,lord would sometimes select it1 on account of its quiet1 as his route to ,jerusalem4 ,and many of ,his gifts of love and mercy were doubtless scattered over its surface4 ,two statements are introduced parenthetically in this chapter which hardly belong to the substance of it4 ,one of these1 occurring twice1 respects the inheritance of the ,levites 7vv4 #ad1 #cc74 ,no territorial possessions were allotted to them corresponding to those of the other tribes4 ,in the one place it is said that the sacrifices of the ,lord ,god of ,israel made by fire were their inheritance2 in the other1 that the ,lord ,god of ,israel was their inheritance4 ,we shall afterwards find the arrangements for the ,levites more fully detailed 7chaps4 xx41 xxi474 ,this early allusion to the subject1 even before the allotments in ,western ,palestine begin to be described1 shows that their case had been carefully considered1 and that it was not by oversight but deliberately that the country was divided without any section being reserved for them4 ,the other parenthetical statement respects the death of ,balaam4 ,balaam also1 the soothsayer1 did the children of ,israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them 7ver4 #bb74 ,it appears from ,numb4 xxxi4 #h that the slaughter of ,balaam took place in the days of ,moses1 by the hands of the expedition sent by him to chastise the ,midianites for drawing the ,israelites into idolatry4 ,that the fact should be again noticed here is probably due to the circumstance that the death of ,balaam occurred at the place which had just been noted--the boundary line between ,reuben and ,gad4 ,it was a fact well worthy of being again noted4 ,it was a fact never to be forgotten that the man who had been sent for to curse was constrained to bless4 ,as far as ,balaam's public conduct was concerned1 he behaved well to ,israel4 ,he emphasized their ,divine election and their glorious privileges4 ,he laid especial stress upon the fact that they were not a ,bedouin horde1 rushing about in search of plunder1 but a sacramental host1 executing the judgments of a righteous ,god--,the ,lord his ,god is with him1 and the shout of a king is among them4 ,this was a valuable testimony1 for which ,israel might well be grateful4 ,it was when ,balaam took part in that disgraceful plot to entice ,israel into sensuality and idolatry that he came out in his real colours4 ,it seemed to him very clever1 no doubt1 to obey the ,divine command in the letter by absolutely refusing to curse ,israel1 while at the same time he accomplished the object he was sent for by seducing them into sins which brought down on them the judgments of ,god4 ,nevertheless1 he reckoned without his host4 ,possibly he gained his reward1 but he did not live to enjoy it2 and what shall a man be profited if he gain the whole world and forfeit his own life8 7,matt4 xvi4 #bf1 ,r4,v474 ,the two and a half tribes were well taught by the fate of ,balaam that1 in the end1 however cunningly a man may act1 his sin will find him out4 ,they were emphatically reminded that the sins of sensuality and idolatry are exceedingly hateful in the sight of ,god1 and certain to be punished4 ,they were assured by the testimony of ,balaam1 that ,israel1 if only faithful1 would never cease to enjoy the ,divine protection and blessing4 ,but they were reminded that ,god is not mocked3 that whatsoever a man soweth1 that shall he also reap4 ,balaam had sown to the flesh2 of the flesh it behoved him to reap corruption4 ,and so must it ever be2 however ingeniously you may disguise sin1 however you may conceal it from yourself1 and persuade yourself to believe that you are not doing wrong1 sin must show itself ultimately in its true colours1 and your ingenious disguises will not shield it from its doom3--,the wages of sin is ,,death4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,the ,,inheritance ,,of ,,caleb4#ae ,,joshua xiv4 #f-ae4 #ae ,there is some difficulty in adjusting the three passages in which the settlement of ,caleb is referred to4 ,from this first passage of the three1 we are led to think that it was before the tribe of ,judah obtained its portion4 ,again1 from chap4 xv4 #ac we might suppose that it was simultaneously with the rest of the tribe4 ,from ,judg4 i4 #aj1 again1 it might be thought that the subduing of the natives in ,hebron was effected1 not by ,caleb alone1 but by the tribe of ,judah1 and that it took place after the death of ,joshua 7,judg4 i4 #a74 ,putting all these together1 it would appear that ,hebron was assigned to ,caleb before the tribe of ,judah was settled2 that this allocation was ratified at the general settlement2 that as ,caleb was a member of the tribe1 his services against the ,canaanites1 and especially the ,anakim1 were ascribed to his tribe2 and that the process of dispossessing the ,canaanites went on for some time after the death of ,joshua4 ,the repetitions in the narrative concerning ,caleb form one of the considerations that favour the idea of more sources than one having been made use of in the composition of this book4 ,caleb is one of those men whom we meet with seldom in ,bible history1 but whenever we do meet them we are the better for the meeting4 ,bright and brave1 strong1 modest and cheerful1 there is honesty in his face1 courage and decision in the very pose of his body1 and the calm confidence of faith in his very look and attitude4 ,it is singular that there should be cause to doubt whether his family were originally of the promised seed4 ,when introduced to us in the present passage he is emphatically called ,caleb1 the son of ,jephunneh the ,kenezite 7,r4,v41 ,kenizzite1 rightly1 same as ,kenizzite in ,gen4 xv4 #ai71 as if he had been a descendant of ,kenaz1 a son of ,esau 7,gen4 xxxvi4 #aa and #ae71 and a member of the ,kenizzite tribe4 ,it was not customary to distinguish ,israelites in this way1 but only those who had come among them from other tribes1 like ,heber the ,kenite1 ,jael1 the wife of ,heber the ,kenite 7,judg4 iv4 #aa1 #ag71 ,uriah the ,hittite1 ,hushai the ,archite1 etc4 ,moreover1 ,othniel1 ,caleb's younger brother1 is called the son of ,kenaz 7,josh4 xv4 #ag72 and further1 when it is recorded in the fourteenth verse of this chapter that ,hebron became the possession of ,caleb1 the reason assigned is that he wholly followed the ,lord ,god of ,israel4 ,on the other hand1 in the genealogical list of #a ,chron4 iv4 #ac1 #ae1 ,othniel and ,caleb occur as if they were regular members of the tribe2 but that list shows obvious signs of imperfection4 ,on the whole1 the preponderance of evidence is in favour of the opinion that ,caleb's family were originally outside the covenant1 but had become proselytes1 like ,hobab1 ,rahab1 ,ruth1 and ,heber4 ,their faith was pre-eminently the fruit of conviction1 and not the accident of heredity4 ,it had a firmer basis than that of most ,israelites4 ,it was woven more closely into the texture of their being1 and swayed their lives more powerfully4 ,it is pleasing to think that there may have been many such proselytes2 that the promise to ,abraham may have attracted souls from the east1 and the west1 and the north1 and the south2 that even beyond the limits of the twelve tribes many hearts may have been cheered1 and many lives elevated and purified by the promise to him1 ,in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed4 ,caleb and ,joshua had believed and acted alike1 in opposition to the other ten spies2 but ,caleb occupies the more prominent place in the story of their heroism and faith4 ,it was he that stilled the people before ,moses1 and said1 ,let us go up at once1 and possess it2 for we are well able to overcome it 7,numb4 xiii4 #cj72 and at first his name occurs alone1 as exempted from the sentence of exclusion against the rest of his generation3 ,but my servant ,caleb1 because he had another spirit with him1 and hath followed ,me fully1 him will ,i bring into the land whereinto he went3 and his seed shall possess it 7,numb4 xiv4 #bd74 ,as we have said before1 it is probable that ,caleb was the readier speaker1 and it is possible that he was the firmer man4 ,joshua seems to have wanted that power of initiation which ,caleb had4 ,it was because he had always been a good follower that ,joshua in his old age was fitted to be a leader4 ,because he had been a good servant he became a good master4 ,as long as ,moses lived1 ,joshua was his servant4 ,after ,moses died1 ,joshua set himself simply to carry out his instructions4 ,it was a happy thing for him on the return of the ten spies that ,caleb was one of them1 otherwise he might have found himself in a condition of embarrassment4 ,caleb was evidently the man who led the opposition to the ten1 not only asserting the course of duty1 but manifesting the spirit of contempt and defiance toward the faithless cowards that forgot that ,god was with them4 ,in his inmost heart ,joshua was quite of his mind1 but probably he wanted the energetic manner1 the ringing voice1 the fearless attitude of his more demonstrative companion4 ,certain it is that ,caleb reaped the chief honour of that day4#af #af ,some readers may no doubt prefer the explanation that when ,caleb is mentioned alone one document was followed1 and when ,caleb and ,joshua are coupled1 another4 ,it is beautiful to see that there was no rivalry between them4 ,not only did ,caleb interpose no remonstrance when ,joshua was called to succeed ,moses1 but he seems all through the wars to have yielded to him the most loyal and hearty submission4 ,god had set ,his seal on ,joshua1 and the people had ratified the appointment1 and ,caleb was too magnanimous to allow any poor ambition of his1 if he had any1 to come in the way of the ,divine will and the public good4 ,his affectionate and cordial bearing on the present occasion seems to show that not even in the corner of his heart did there linger a trace of jealousy toward the old friend and companion whom on that occasion he had surpassed1 but who had been set so much higher than himself4 ,he came to him as the recognised leader of the people--as the man whose voice was to decide the question he now submitted1 as the judge and arbiter in a matter which very closely concerned him and his house4 ,and yet there are indications of tact on the part of ,caleb1 of a thorough understanding of the character of ,joshua1 and of the sort of considerations by which he might be expected to be swayed4 ,there were two grounds on which he might reasonably look for the conceding of his request--his personal services1 and the promise of ,moses4 ,caleb knows well that the promise of ,moses will influence ,joshua much more than any other consideration2 therefore he puts it in the foreground4 ,thou knowest the thing that the ,lord said unto ,moses1 the man of ,god1 concerning me and thee in ,kadesh-barnea4 ,moses1 the man of ,god4 ,why does ,caleb select that remarkable epithet8 ,why add anything to the usual name1 ,moses8 ,the use of the epithet was honouring to all the three4 ,that which constituted the highest glory of ,moses was that he was so much at one with ,god4 ,god's will was ever his law1 and he was in such close sympathy with ,god that whatever instructions he gave on any subject might be assumed to be in accordance with ,god's will4 ,moreover1 in calling him the man of ,god when addressing ,joshua1 ,caleb assumed that ,joshua would be impressed by this consideration1 and would be disposed to agree to a request which was not only sanctioned by the will of ,moses1 but by that higher will which ,moses constantly recognised4 ,in short1 when ,joshua considered that the particular wish of ,moses which ,caleb now recalled was only the expression of the ,divine will1 ,caleb felt assured that he could not withhold his consent4 ,the three men were indeed a noble trio1 worthy descendants of their father ,abraham1 even if one of the three was no son of ,jacob4 ,long before our ,lord taught the petition ,thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven1 it had become habitual to them all4 ,moses was indeed the man of ,god1--pre-eminently in fellowship with ,him2 in a lower sphere both ,caleb and ,joshua were of the same order1 men who tried to live their lives1 and every part of them1 only in ,god4 ,having fortified his plea with this strong reference at once to ,moses and to ,god1 ,caleb proceeds to rehearse the service which had led to the promise of ,moses4 ,the facts could not but be well known to ,joshua4 ,forty years old was ,i when ,moses1 the servant of the ,lord1 sent me from ,kadesh-barnea to spy out the land1 and ,i brought him word again as it was in my heart4 ,nevertheless1 my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt2 but ,i wholly followed the ,lord my ,god4 ,why does ,caleb put the matter in this way8 ,why does he not couple ,joshua with himself as having been faithful on that never-to-be-forgotten occasion8 ,the only explanation that seems feasible is1 that from the pre-eminent position of ,joshua this was unnecessary1 perhaps it might have appeared even unbecoming4 ,a soldier making a request of the ,duke of ,wellington1 and recalling some service he had done at the battle of ,waterloo1 would hardly think it necessary1 or even becoming1 to say how the ,duke1 too1 had been there1 and what surpassing service he had rendered on that day4 ,a soldier like the ,duke occupying a position of unrivalled pre-eminence on account of long and brilliant service1 does not need to be told what he has done4 ,joshua was now the leader of ,israel1 and the last few years had crowned him with such manifold glory that his whole life was transfigured1 and individual acts of service did not need to be spoken of4 ,caleb was comparatively an obscure individual1 whose fame rested on a single service now nearly half a century old1 which could not1 indeed1 be quite forgotten1 but amid the brilliant events of later times might easily pass out of sight and out of mind4 ,there was no disparagement of ,joshua1 therefore1 in his not being mentioned by ,caleb1 but1 on the contrary1 a silent tribute to his exalted office as chief ruler of ,israel1 and to his all but unparalleled services1 especially during these later years4 ,i brought him word again1 as it was in my heart4 ,the statement is made in no boasting spirit1 and yet what a rare virtue it denotes6 ,caleb1 as we now say1 had the courage of his convictions4 ,he had both an honest heart and an honest tongue4 ,we can have but little idea what temptations he lay under not to speak what was in his heart4 ,for six weeks these ten men had been his close companions4 ,they had eaten together1 slept under the same canvas1 walked by the same paths1 beguiled the long way by story and anecdote1 and no doubt by joke and play of humour1 and done kind offices to each other as circumstances required4 ,to break away from your own set1 from the comrades of your campaign1 to upset their plans1 and counsel those in power to a course diametrically opposed to theirs1 is one of the most difficult of social duties4 ,and in these days of ours there is no duty more commonly set aside4 ,moral cowardice has been well said to be one of the most common vices of our age4 ,what more common in ,parliament1 for example1 than for men to differ strongly from some of the measures of their party1 and yet1 because it is their party1 support them by their votes8 ,and in the ranks of the ,church and of its various sections the same tendency prevails1 though it may be in a less degree4 ,of the many able and seemingly honest prelates of the ,roman ,church who dissented1 often with vehemence1 from the ,vatican decree of the pope's infallibility1 what became finally of their opposition8 ,were there more than one or two who did not surrender in the end1 and agree to profess what they did not believe8 ,and to come to more ordinary matters1 when our opinions on religious subjects are at a discount1 when they are met with ridicule1 how often do we conceal them1 or trim and modify them in order that we may not share in the current condemnation8 ,the men that have the courage of their convictions are often social martyrs1 shut out from the fellowship of their brethren1 shut out from every berth of honour or emolument1 and yet1 for their courage and honesty1 worthy of infinitely higher regard than whole hundreds of the time-servers that get on in the world by humouring its errors and its follies4 ,nevertheless1 though most of us show ourselves miserably weak by not speaking out all that is in our hearts1 especially when the honour of our ,lord and ,master is concerned1 we are able to appreciate and cannot fail to admire the noble exhibitions of courage that we sometimes meet with4 ,that beautiful creation of ,milton's1 the ,seraph ,abdiel1 faithful found among the faithless1 faithful only he1 is the type and ideal of the class4 ,shadrach1 ,meshach1 and ,abednego resisting the enthusiasm of myriads and calmly defying the fiery furnace2 the ,apostle ,paul clinging to his views of the law and the gospel when even his brother ,peter had begun to waver2 ,martin ,luther1 with his foot on the ,bible confronting the whole world2 ,john ,knox defying sovereign and nobles and priests alike1 determined that the gospel should be freely preached2 ,carey1 going out as a missionary to ,india amid the derision of the world1 because he could not get the words out of his head1 ,go ye into all the world1 and preach the gospel unto every creature1--have all exemplified the ,caleb spirit that must utter what is in the heart2 nor has any new idea commonly laid hold of mankind till the struggles of some great hero or the ashes of some noble martyr have gone to sanctify the cause4 ,he that believeth shall not make haste4 ,caleb believed1 and therefore he was patient4 ,five-and-forty long years had elapsed since ,moses1 the man of ,god1 speaking in the ,spirit of ,god1 had promised him a particular inheritance in the land4 ,it was a long time for faith to live on a promise1 but1 like a tree in the face of a cliff that seems to grow out of the solid rock1 it derived nourishment from unseen sources4 ,it was a long time to be looking forward2 but ,caleb1 though he did not receive the promise during all that time1 was persuaded of it and embraced it1 and believed that at last it would come true4 ,he did not anticipate the proper time1 though he might have had as plausible reasons for doing so as the two tribes and a half had for asking leave to settle on the east side of the river4 ,he bore his share of warlike work1 bore the burden and heat of the day1 waited till the proper time for dividing the land4 ,nor did he rush forward selfishly by himself1 disregarding the interests of the rest of his tribe2 for the children of ,judah1 recognising his claim1 draw near to ,joshua along with him4 ,nor was it a portion of the land which any tribe might be eager to enter upon that he asked2 for it was still so harassed by the ,anakim1 that there would be no peace till that formidable body of giants were driven out4 ,it seems that when acting as one of the twelve spies1 ,caleb had in some emphatic way taken his stand on ,hebron4 ,the land on which thy foot hath trodden will be an inheritance to thee4 ,perhaps the spies were too terrified to approach ,hebron1 for the sons of the ,anakim were there1 and1 in the confidence of faith1 ,caleb1 or ,caleb and ,joshua1 had gone into it alone4 ,moses had promised him ,hebron1 and now he came to claim it4 ,but he came to claim it under circumstances that would have induced most men to let it alone4 ,the driving out of the ,anakim was a formidable duty1 and the task might have seemed more suitable for one who had the strength and enthusiasm of youth on his side4 ,but ,caleb1 though eighty-five1 was yet young4 ,age is not best measured by years4 ,he was a remarkable instance of prolonged vigour and youthful energy4 ,as yet ,i am as strong this day as ,i was in the day that ,moses sent me2 as my strength was then1 even so is my strength now1 for war1 and to go out and to come in4 ,faith1 and temperance1 and cheerfulness are wonderful aids to longevity4 ,as one reads these words of ,caleb1 one recalls the saying of a well-known physician1 ,dr4 ,richardson1 that the human frame might last for a hundred years if it were only treated aright4 ,there is something singularly touching in ,caleb's asking as a favour what was really a most hazardous but important service to the nation4 ,rough though these ,hebrew soldiers were1 they were capable of the most gentlemanly and chivalrous acts4 ,there can be no higher act of courtesy than to treat as a favour to yourself what is really a great service to another4 ,well done1 ,caleb6 ,you do not ask for a berth which there will be no trouble in taking or in keeping4 ,you are not like ,issachar1 the strong ass couching between the sheepfolds3 and he saw a resting-place that it was good1 and the land that it was pleasant2 and he bowed his shoulder to bear1 and became a servant under task-work4 ,the dew of youth is yet upon you1 the stirring of lofty purpose and noble endeavour2 you are like the warhorse of ,job--he paweth in the valley and rejoiceth in his strength2 he mocketh at fear1 and is not dismayed2 he smelleth the battle afar off1 the thunder of the captains and the shouting4 ,there is nothing we admire more in military annals than a soldier volunteering for the most hazardous and difficult of posts1--showing ,that stern joy which warriors feel ,in foemen worthy of their steel4 ,in the spiritual warfare1 too1 we do not want instances of the same spirit4 ,we recall ,captain ,allan ,gardiner choosing ,tierra del ,fuego as his mission sphere just because the people were so ferocious1 the climate so repulsive1 and the work so difficult that no one else was likely to take it up4 ,we think of the second band who went out after ,gardiner and his companions had been starved to death2 and still more after these were massacred by the natives1 of the third detachment who were moved simply by the consideration that the case was seemingly so desperate4 ,or we think of ,livingstone begging the directors of the ,london ,missionary ,society1 wherever they sent him1 to be sure that it was ,forward2 turning aside from all previous mission stations1 and the comparative ease they afforded1 to grapple with the barbarian where he had never begun to be tamed2 his eyes thirsting for unknown scenes and untried dangers1 because he scorned to build on the foundation of others1 and thirsted for fresh woods and pastures new4 ,we think of him persevering in his task from year to year in the same lofty spirit2 disregarding the misery of protracted pain1 the intense longings of his weary heart for home1 the repulsive society of savages and cannibals1 the vexations1 disappointments1 and obstacles that seemed to multiply every day1 the treachery of so-called friends whom he had helped to raise1 the indifference of a careless world1 and of a languid ,church2 but ever girding himself with fresh energy for the task which he had undertaken1 and of which the difficulties and trials had never been absent from his thoughts4 ,we think of many a young missionary turning away from the comfortable life which he might lead at home and which many of his companions will lead1 that he may go where the need is greatest and the fight is hottest1 and so render to his ,master the greatest possible service4 ,a crowd of noble names comes to our recollection--,williams1 and ,judson1 and ,morrison1 and ,burns1 and ,patteson1 and ,keith-,falconer1 and ,hannington1 and ,mackay--men for whom even the ,anakim had no terrors1 but rather an attraction2 but who1 serving under another ,joshua1 differed from ,caleb in this1 that what they desired was not to destroy these ferocious ,anakim1 but to conquer them by love1 and to demonstrate the power of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ to change the vilest reprobates into sons of ,god4 ,and even now there are other ,anakim among us for whom the fate of the ,canaanite giants ought to be reserved4 ,anakim within us--greed1 selfishness1 love of ease1 lust1 passion1 cruelty--all1 if we are faithful1 to be put to the edge of the sword4 ,and there are ,anakim1 tremendous ,anakim1 around us--drunkenness1 and all that fosters it1 despite the paltry excuses we so often hear2 sensuality1 that vile murderer of soul and body together2 avarice1 so cruelly unjust1 and content to gather its hoard from the thews and sinews of men and women to whom life has become worse than slavery2 luxurious living1 that mocks the struggles of thousands to whom one crumb from the table or one rag from the wardrobe would bring such a blessed relief4 ,with giants like these we need to wage incessant war1 and for the necessary spirit we need constant supplies of the faith and courage that were so remarkable in ,caleb4 ,he followed the ,lord fully2 believing that if the ,lord deserved to be followed at all1 ,he deserved to be followed in full4 ,what was there to gain by following ,him one half1 and surrendering the other half to the world8 ,could he count on ,god helping him if he went with but half his heart into ,his service1 and1 like ,lot's wife1 looked back even when flying from ,sodom8 ,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 and with all thy soul1 and with all thy strength1 and with all thy might4 ,the tendency to compromise is one of the besetting sins of the day4 ,in the army or the navy1 if one is to serve ,god at all1 one must serve ,him wholly4 ,decision is eminently requisite there1 and ,christians there are commonly more whole-hearted and consistent than in many circles nominally ,christian4 ,decision is manly1 is noble2 it brings rest within1 and in the end it conciliates the respect of the bitterest foes4 ,courage is the ornament of ,christianity1 and the crown of the ,christian youth4 ,,fear ,,not is one of the brightest gems of the ,bible4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,distribution ,,of ,,the ,,land4 ,,joshua xv4-xix4 ,we come now in earnest to the distribution of the land4 ,the two and a half tribes have already got their settlements on the other side of ,jordan2 but the other side of ,jordan1 though included in the land of promise1 was outside the part specially consecrated as the theatre of ,divine manifestation and dealing4 ,from ,dan to ,beersheba and from ,jordan to the sea was par excellence the land of ,israel2 it was here the patriarchs had dwelt2 it was here that most of the promises had been given2 it was here that ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob had been buried2 and here also1 though in another tomb1 that the bones of ,joseph had been laid4 ,this portion was the kernel of the inheritance1 surrounded by a wide penumbra of more feeble light and fewer privileges4 ,in due time there arose a holy of holies within this consecrated region1 when ,jerusalem became the capital1 the focus of blessing and holy influence4 ,now that the distribution of this part of the country begins1 we must give special attention to the operation4 ,the narrative looks very bare1 but important principles and lessons underlie it4 ,these lists of unfamiliar names look like the dbris of a quarry--hard1 meaningless1 and to us useless4 ,but nothing is inserted in the ,bible without a purpose1--a purpose that in some sense bears on the edification of the successive generations and the various races of men4 ,we are not to pass the distribution over because it looks unpromising1 but rather to inquire with all the greater care what the bearing of it is on ourselves4 ,now1 in the first place1 there is something to be learned from the maintenance of the distinction of the twelve tribes1 and the distribution of the country into portions corresponding to each4 ,in some degree this was in accordance with ,oriental usage2 for the country had already been occupied by various races1 dwelling in a kind of unity--the ,canaanites1 ,amorites1 ,hittites1 ,hivites1 ,jebusites1 ,perizzites1 and ,girgashites4 ,what was peculiar to ,israel was1 that each of the tribes was descended from one of ,jacob's sons1 and that their relation to each other was conspicuously maintained1 though their dwelling-places were apart4 ,it was an arrangement capable of becoming a great benefit under a right spirit1 or a great evil under the opposite4 ,as in the case of the separate states of ,north ,america1 or the separate cantons of ,switzerland1 it provided for variety in unity2 it gave a measure of local freedom and independence1 while it maintained united action2 it contributed to the life and vigour of the commonwealth1 without destroying its oneness of character1 or impairing its common purpose and aim4 ,it promoted that picturesque variety often found in little countries1 where each district has a dialect1 or a pronunciation1 or traditions1 or a character of its own2 as ,yorkshire differs from ,devon1 or ,lancashire from ,cornwall2 ,aberdeenshire from ,berwick1 or ,fife from ,ayr4 ,as in a garden1 variety of species enlivens and enriches the effect1 so in a community1 variety of type enriches and enlivens the common life4 ,a regiment of soldiers clothed in the same uniform1 measuring the same stature1 marching to the same step1 may look very well as a contrast to the promiscuous crowd2 but when a painter would paint a striking picture it is from the promiscuous crowd in all their variety of costume and stature and attitude that his figures are drawn4 ,in the case of the ,hebrew commonwealth1 the distinction of tribes became smaller as time went on1 and in ,new ,testament times the three great districts ,juda1 ,samaria1 and ,galilee showed only the survival of the fittest4 ,a larger individuality and a wider variety would undoubtedly have prevailed if a good spirit had continued to exist among the tribes1 and if all of them had shown the energy and the enterprise of some4 ,but the wrong spirit came in1 and came in with a witness1 and mischief ensued4 ,for distinctions in race and family are apt to breed rivalry and enmity1 and not only to destroy all the good which may come of variety1 but to introduce interminable mischief4 ,for many a long day the ,scottish clans were like ,ishmael1 their hand against every man1 and every man's hand against them2 or at least one clan was at interminable feud with another1 and the country was wretched and desolate4 ,among the twelve tribes of ,israel the spirit of rivalry soon showed itself1 leading to disastrous consequences4 ,in the time of the judges1 the men of ,ephraim exhibited their temper by envying ,gideon when he subdued the ,midianites1 and ,jephthah when he subdued the ,ammonites2 and under ,jephthah a prodigious slaughter of ,ephraimites resulted from their unreasonable spirit4 ,in the time of the kings1 a permanent schism was caused by the revolt of the ten tribes from the house of ,david4 ,thus it is that the sin of man often perverts arrangements designed for good1 and so perverts them that they become sources of grievous evil4 ,the family order is a thing of heaven2 but let a bad spirit creep into a family1 the result is fearful4 ,let husband and wife become alienated2 let father and son begin to quarrel2 let brother set himself against brother1 and let them begin to scheme not for mutual benefit but for mutual injury1 no limits can be set to the resulting mischief and misery4 ,many arrangements of our modern civilization that conduce to our comfort when in good order1 become sources of unexampled evil when they go wrong4 ,the drainage of houses conduces much to comfort while it works smoothly2 but let the drains become choked1 and send back into our houses the poisonous gases bred of decomposition1 the consequences are appalling4 ,the sanitary inspector must be on the alert to detect mischief in its very beginnings1 and apply the remedy before we have well become conscious of the evil4 ,and so a vigilant eye needs ever to be kept on those arrangements of providence that are so beneficial when duly carried out1 and so pernicious when thoughtlessly perverted4 ,what a wonderful thing is a little forbearance at the beginning of a threatened strife6 ,what a priceless blessing is the soft answer that turneth away wrath6 ,there is a pithy tract bearing the title ,the ,oiled ,feather4 ,the oiled feather has a remarkable power of smoothing surfaces that would otherwise grate and grind upon each other1 and so of averting evil4 ,among ,christians it should be always at hand2 for surely1 if the forbearance and love that avert quarrels ought to be found anywhere1 it is among those who have received the fulness of ,divine love and grace in ,jesus ,christ4 ,surely among them there should be no perversion of ,divine arrangements2 in their homes no quarrels1 and in their hearts no rivalry4 ,they ought1 instead1 to be the peacemakers of the world1 not only because they have received the peace that passeth understanding1 but because their ,master has said1 ,blessed are the peacemakers1 for they shall be called the children of ,god4 #b4 ,again1 in the allocation of the tribes in their various territories we have an instance of a great natural law1 the law of distribution1 a law that1 on the whole1 operates very beneficially throughout the world4 ,in society there is both a centripetal and a centrifugal force2 the centripetal chiefly human1 the centrifugal chiefly ,divine4 ,men are prone to cluster together2 ,god promotes dispersion4 ,through the ,divine law of marriage1 a man leaves his father's house and cleaves to his wife2 a new home is established1 a new centre of activity1 a new source of population4 ,in the early ages they clustered about the plain of ,shinar2 the confusion of tongues scattered them abroad4 ,and generally1 in any fertile and desirable spot1 men have been prone to multiply till food has failed them1 and either starvation at home or emigration abroad becomes inevitable4 ,and so it is that1 in spite of their cohesive tendency1 men are now pretty well scattered over the globe4 ,and when once they are settled in new homes1 they acquire adaptation to their locality1 and begin to love it4 ,the ,esquimaux is not only adapted to his icy home1 but is fond of it4 ,the naked negro has no quarrel with the burning sun1 but enjoys his sunny life4 ,we of the temperate zone can hardly endure the heat of the tropics1 and we shiver at the very thought of ,lapland4 ,it is a proof of ,divine wisdom that a world that presents such a variety of climates and conditions has1 in all parts of it1 inhabitants that enjoy their life4 ,the same law operates in the vegetable world4 ,everywhere plants seem to discover the localities where they thrive best4 ,even in the same country you have one flora for the valley and another for the mountain4 ,the lichen spreads itself along the surface of rocks1 or the hard bark of ancient trees2 the fungus tarries in damp1 unventilated corners2 the primrose settles on open banks2 the fern in shady groves4 ,there is always a place for the plant1 and a plant for the place4 ,and it is so with animals too4 ,the elephant in the spreading forest1 the rabbit in the sandy down1 the beaver beside the stream1 the caterpillar in the leafy garden4 ,if we could explore the ocean we should find the law of distribution in full activity there4 ,there is one great order of fishes for fresh water1 another for salt2 one great class of insects in hot climates1 another in temperate2 birds of the air1 from the eagle to the humming-bird1 from the ostrich to the bat1 in localities adapted to their habits4 ,we ask not whether this result was due to creation or to evolution4 ,there it is1 and its effect is to cover the earth4 ,all its localities1 desirable and undesirable1 are more or less occupied with inhabitants4 ,some of the great deserts that our imagination used to create in ,africa or elsewhere do not exist4 ,barren spots there are1 and miry places and marshes given to salt1 but they are not many4 ,the earth has been replenished1 and the purpose of ,god so far fulfilled4 ,and then there is a distribution of talents4 ,we are not all created alike1 with equal dividends of the gifts and faculties that minister in some way to the purposes of our life4 ,we depend more or less on one another2 women on men1 and men on women2 the young on the old1 and sometimes the old on the young2 persons of one talent on those of another talent1 those with strong sinews on those with clear heads1 and those with clear heads on those with strong sinews2 in short1 society is so constituted that what each has he has for all1 and what all have they have for each4 ,the principle of the division of labour is brought in2 and in a well-ordered community the general wealth and well-being of the whole are better promoted by the interchange of offices1 than if each person within himself had a little stock of all that he required4 ,the same law of distribution prevails in the ,church of ,christ4 ,it was exemplified in an interesting way in the case of our ,lord's apostles4 ,no one of these was a duplicate of another4 ,four of them1 taking in ,paul1 were types of varieties which have been found in all ages of the ,church4 ,in a remarkable paper in the ,contemporary ,review1 ,professor ,godet of ,neuchtel1 after delineating the characteristics of ,peter1 ,james1 ,john1 and ,paul1 remarked what an interesting thing it was1 that four men of such various temperaments should all have found supreme satisfaction in ,jesus of ,nazareth1 and should have yielded up to ,him the homage and service of their lives4 ,and throughout the history of the ,church1 the distribution of gifts has been equally marked4 ,chrysostom and ,augustine1 ,jerome and ,ambrose1 ,bernard and ,anselm1 were all of the same stock1 but not of the same type4 ,at the ,reformation men of marked individuality were provided for every country4 ,germany had ,luther and ,melancthon2 ,france1 ,calvin and ,coligny2 ,switzerland1 ,zwingle and ,farel1 ,viret and colampadius2 ,poland1 -,lasco2 ,scotland1 ,knox2 ,england1 ,cranmer1 ,latimer1 and ,hooper4 ,the missionary field has in like manner been provided for4 ,india has had her ,schwartz1 her ,carey1 her ,duff1 and a host of others2 ,china her ,morrison1 ,burmah her ,judson1 ,polynesia her ,williams1 ,africa her ,livingstone4 ,the most unattractive and inhospitable spots have been supplied4 ,greenland was not too cold for the ,moravians1 nor the leper-stricken communities of ,india or ,africa too repulsive4 ,and never were ,christian men more disposed than to-day to honour that great ,christian law of distribution--,go ye into all the world1 and preach the gospel to every creature4 ,it was a great providential law1 therefore1 that was recognised in the partition of the land of ,canaan among the tribes4 ,provision was thus made for so scattering the people that they should occupy the whole country1 and become adapted to the places where they settled1 and to the pursuits proper to them4 ,even where there seems to us to have been a mere random distribution of places1 there may have been underlying adaptations for them1 or possibilities of adaptation known only to ,god2 at all events the law of adaptation would take effect1 by which a man becomes adapted and attached to the place that not only gives him a home but the means of living1 and by which1 too1 he becomes a greater adept in the methods of work which ensure success4 #c4 ,still further1 in the allocation of the tribes in their various territories we have an instance of the way in which ,god designed the earth to minister most effectually to the wants of man4 ,we do not say that the method now adopted in ,canaan was the only plan of distributing land that ,god ever sanctioned2 very probably it was the same method as had prevailed among the ,canaanites2 but it is beyond doubt that1 such as it was1 it was sanctioned by ,god for ,his chosen people4 ,it was a system of peasant proprietorship4 ,the whole landed property of the country was divided among the citizens4 ,each freeborn ,israelite was a landowner1 possessing his estate by a tenure1 which1 so long as the constitution was observed1 rendered its permanent alienation from his family impossible4 ,at the fiftieth year1 the year of jubilee1 every inheritance returned1 free of all encumbrance1 to the representatives of the original proprietor4 ,the arrangement was equally opposed to the accumulation of overgrown properties in the hands of the few1 and to the loss of all property on the part of the many4 ,the extremes of wealth and poverty were alike checked and discouraged1 and the lot eulogised by ,agur--a moderate competency1 neither poverty nor riches1 became the general condition of the citizens4 ,it is difficult to tell what extent of land fell to each family4 ,the portion of the land divided by ,joshua has been computed at twenty-five million acres4#ag ,dividing this by #fjj1jjj1 the probable number of families at the time of the settlement1 we get forty-two acres as the average size of each property4 ,for a ,roman citizen1 seven acres was counted enough to yield a moderate maintenance1 so that even in a country of ordinary productiveness the extent of the ,hebrew farms would1 before further subdivision became necessary1 have been ample4 ,when the population increased the inheritance would of course have to be subdivided4 ,but for several generations this1 so far from an inconvenience1 would be a positive benefit4 ,it would bring about a more complete development of the resources of the soil4 ,the great rule of the ,divine economy was thus honoured--nothing was lost4 #ag ,see ,wines on the ,laws of the ,ancient ,hebrews1 p4 #chh4 ,there is no reason to suppose that the peasant proprietorship of the ,israelites induced a stationary and stagnant condition of society1 or reduced it to one uniform level--a mere conglomeration of men of uniform wealth1 resources1 and influence4 ,though the land was divided equally at first1 it could not remain so divided long4 ,in the course of providence1 when the direct heirs failed1 or when a man married a female proprietor1 two or more properties would belong to a single family4 ,increased capital1 skill and industry1 or unusual success in driving out the remaining ,canaanites1 would tend further to the enlargement of properties4 ,accordingly we meet with men of great possessions1 like ,jair the ,gileadite1 ,boaz of ,bethlehem1 ,nabal of ,carmel1 or ,barzillai the ,gileadite1 even in the earlier periods of ,jewish history4#ah ,there was a sufficient number of men of wealth to give a pleasing variety and healthful impulse to society1 without producing the evils of enormous accumulation on the one hand1 or frightful indigence on the other4#ai #ah ,judg4 x4 #d2 ,ruth ii4 #a2 #a ,sam4 xxv4 #b2 #b ,sam4 xvii4 #bg4 #ai ,see the author's essay ,an ,old ,key to our ,social ,problems in ,counsel and ,cheer for the ,battle of ,life4 ,we in this country1 after reaching the extreme on the opposite side1 are now trying to get back in the direction of this ancient system4 ,all parties seem now agreed that something of the nature of peasant proprietorship is necessary to solve the agrarian problem in ,ireland and in ,great ,britain too4 ,it is only the fact that in ,britain commercial enterprise and emigration afford so many outlets for the energies of our landless countrymen that has tolerated the abuses of property so long among us1 the laws of entail and primogeniture1 the accumulation of property far beyond the power of the proprietor to oversee or to manage1 the employment of land agents acting solely for the proprietor1 and without that sense of responsibility or that interest in the welfare of the people which is natural to the proprietor himself4 ,it is little wonder that theories of land-possession have risen up which are as impracticable in fact as they are wild and lawless in principle4 ,such desperate imaginations are the fruit of despair--absolute hopelessness of getting back in any other way to a true land law1--to a state of things in which the land would yield the greatest benefit to the whole nation4 ,not only ought it to supply food and promote health1 but also a familiarity with nature1 and a sense of freedom1 and thus produce contentment and happiness1 and a more kindly feeling among all classes4 ,it seems to us one of the most interesting features of the land law recently brought in for ,ireland that it tends towards an arrangement of the land in the direction of ,god's early designs regarding it4 ,if it be feasible for ,ireland1 why not have it for ,england and ,scotland8 ,some may scout such matters as purely secular1 and not only unworthy of the interference of religious men1 but when advocated by them as fitted to prejudice spiritual religion4 ,it is a narrow view4 ,all that is right is religious2 all that is according to the will of ,god is spiritual4 ,whatever tends to realize the prayer of ,agur is good for rich and poor alike3 ,give me neither poverty nor riches2 feed me with food convenient for me4 #d4 ,lastly1 in the arrangements for the distribution of the land among the twelve tribes we may note a proof of ,god's interest in the temporal comfort and prosperity of men4 ,it is not ,god that has created the antithesis of secular and spiritual1 as if the two interests were like a see-saw1 so that whenever the one went up the other must go down4 ,things in this world are made to be enjoyed1 and the enjoyment of them is agreeable to the will of ,god1 provided we use them as not abusing them4 ,if ,scripture condemns indulgence in the pleasures of life1 it is when these pleasures are preferred to the higher joys of the ,spirit1 or when they are allowed to stand in the way of a nobler life and a higher reward4 ,in ordinary circumstances ,god intends men to be fairly comfortable2 ,he does not desire life to be a perpetual struggle1 or a dismal march to the grave4 ,the very words in which ,christ counsels us to consider the lilies and the ravens1 instead of worrying ourselves about food and clothing1 show this2 for1 under the ,divine plan1 the ravens are comfortably fed1 and the lilies are handsomely clothed4 ,this is the ,divine plan2 and if those who enjoy a large share of the comforts of life are often selfish and worldly1 it is only another proof how much a wrong spirit may pervert the gifts of ,god and turn them to evil4 ,the characteristic of a good man1 when he enjoys a share of worldly prosperity1 is1 that he does not let the world become his idol1--it is his servant1 it is under his feet2 he jealously guards against its becoming his master4 ,his effort is to make a friend of the mammon of unrighteousness1 and to turn every portion of it with which he may be entrusted to such a use for the good of others1 that when at last he gives in his account1 as steward to his ,divine ,master1 he may do so with joy1 and not with grief4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,the ,,inheritance ,,of ,,judah4#bj ,,joshua xv4 #bj ,we do not encumber our exposition with a discussion of the extraordinary theory of ,wellhausen1 to the effect that ,judah and ,simeon1 with ,levi1 were the first to cross the ,jordan and attack the ,canaanites2 that ,simeon and ,levi were all but annihilated2 that ,joshua1 who belonged to the tribe of ,ephraim1 did little more than settle that tribe2 and that there was hardly such a thing as united action by the tribes1 most of them having acted and fought at their own hand4 ,this theory rests professedly on the ground that ,judges i4 is a more true and trustworthy account of the settlement than the narrative of ,joshua4 ,it is a strange proof of the greater truthfulness of ,judges that1 according to this theory1 its very first statement should be a lie--,it came to pass after the death of ,joshua6 ,the narrative of ,judges naturally follows that of ,joshua because it is plain that while ,joshua secured for his people standing ground in the country1 he did not secure undisturbed possession4 ,joshua set them an example of faith and courage which1 if followed up by them1 would have secured undisturbed possession2 but with few exceptions they preferred to tolerate the ,canaanites at their side1 instead of making a vigorous effort to dispossess them wholly4 ,judah was the imperial tribe1 and it was fitting that he should be planted in a conspicuous territory4 ,even if the republic had not been destined to give place to the monarchy1 some pre-eminence was due to the tribe which had inherited the patriarchal blessing1 and from which ,he was to come in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed4 ,judah and the sons of ,joseph seem to have obtained their settlements not only before the other tribes1 but in a different manner4 ,they did not obtain them by lot1 but apparently by their own choice and by early possession4 ,judah was not planted in the heart of the country4 ,that position was gained by ,ephraim and ,manasseh1 the children of ,joseph1 while ,judah obtained the southern section4 ,in this position his influence was not so commanding at first as it would have been had he occupied the centre4 ,the portion taken possession of by ,judah had belonged to the first batch of kings that ,joshua subdued1--the kings that came up to take vengeance on the ,gibeonites4 ,what was first assigned to ,judah was too large1 and the tribe of ,simeon got accommodation within his lot 7chap4 xix4 #i74 ,dan also obtained several cities that had first been given to ,judah 7comp4 chaps4 xv4 #ba-fb and xix4 #dj-df74 ,in point of fact1 ,judah ere long swallowed up a great part of ,simeon and ,dan1 and ,benjamin was so hemmed in between him and ,ephraim that1 while ,jerusalem was situated within the limits of ,benjamin1 it was1 for all practical purposes1 a city of ,judah4 ,the territory of ,judah was not pre-eminently fruitful2 it was not equal in this respect to that of ,ephraim and ,manasseh4 ,it had some fertile tracts1 but a considerable part of it was mountainous and barren4 ,it was of four descriptions--the hill country1 the valley or low country1 the south1 and the wilderness4 ,the hill country1 says ,dean ,stanley1 is the part of ,palestine which best exemplifies its characteristic scenery2 the rounded hills1 the broad valleys1 the scanty vegetation1 the villages and fortresses sometimes standing1 more frequently in ruins1 on the hill tops2 the wells in every valley1 the vestiges of terraces whether for corn or wine4 ,here the lion of the tribe of ,judah entrenched himself1 to guard the southern frontier of the ,chosen ,land1 with ,simeon1 ,dan1 and ,benjamin nestled around him4 ,well might he be so named in this wild country1 more than half a wilderness1 the lair of savage beasts1 of which the traces gradually disappear as we advance into the interior4 ,fixed there1 and never dislodged1 except by the ruin of the whole nation1 he lay down1 he couched as a lion1 and as an old lion2 who shall rouse him up8 ,many parts of ,judah were adapted for the growth of corn3 witness ,bethlehem1 the house of bread4 ,but the cultivation of the vine was pre-eminently the feature of the tribe4 ,here more than elsewhere in ,palestine are to be seen on the sides of the hills the vineyards1 marked by their watch-towers and walls1 seated on their ancient terraces1 the earliest and latest symbol of ,judah4 ,the elevation of the hills and table-lands of ,judah is the true climate of the vine4 ,he 'bound his foal unto the vine1 and his ass's colt unto the choice vine2 he washed his garments in wine1 and his clothes in the blood of grapes4' ,it was from the ,judan valley of ,eshcol1 'the torrent of the cluster1' that the spies cut down the gigantic cluster of grapes4 ',a vineyard on a hill of olives' with the 'fence1' and 'the stones gathered out1' and the tower in 'the midst of it1' is the natural figure which both in the prophetical and evangelical records represents the kingdom of ,judah4 ,the 'vine' was the emblem of the nation on the coins of the ,maccabees1 and in the colossal cluster of golden grapes which overhung the porch of the second ,temple2 and the grapes of ,judah still mark the tombstones of the ,hebrew race in the oldest of their ,european cemeteries at ,prague4#ba #ba ,stanley's ,sinai and ,palestine4 ,the chapter now before us has a particularly barren look2 but if we examine it with care we shall find it not deficient in elements of interest4 #a4 ,first1 we have an elaborate delineation of the boundaries of the territory allotted to ,judah4 ,it is not difficult to follow the boundary line in the main1 though some of the names cannot be identified now4 ,the southern border began at the wilderness of ,zin1 where the host had been encamped more than forty years before1 when the twelve spies returned with their report of the land4 ,the line moved in a south-westerly course till it reached the river of ,egypt and the sea shore4 ,what this river of ,egypt was is far from clear4 ,naturally one thinks of the ,nile1 the only stream that seems to be entitled to such an appellation4 ,on the other hand1 the term translated river is commonly though not always1 applied to brooks or shallow torrents1 and hence it has been thought to denote a brook1 now called ,el ,arish1 about midway in the desert between ,gaza and the ,pelusiac mouth of the ,nile4 ,while we incline to the former view1 we own that practically the question is of little consequence2 the only difference being that if the boundary reached to the ,nile1 it included a larger share of the desert than if it had a more northerly limit4 ,the ,dead ,sea was the chief part of the eastern frontier4 ,the northern boundary began near ,gilgal1 and stretched westwards to the ,mediterranean by a line that passed just south of ,jerusalem4 ,the position of ,judah was peculiar1 in respect of the enemies by whom he was surrounded4 ,on his eastern frontier1 close to the ,dead ,sea1 he was in contact with ,moab1 and on the south with ,edom1 the descendants of ,esau4 ,on the south-west were the ,amalekites of the desert2 and on the west the ,philistines1 and pre-eminent among them1 until ,caleb subdued them1 the sons of ,anak1 the giants4 ,on his extreme north1 but within the tribe of ,benjamin1 was the great fortress of the ,jebusites4 ,it was no bed of roses that was thus prepared for the lion of the tribe of ,judah4 ,if he should rule at all1 he must rule in the midst of his enemies4 ,hemmed in by fierce foes on every side1 he needed to show his prowess if he was to prevail against them4 ,it was the necessity of contending with these and other enemies that developed the military genius of ,david 7#a ,sam4 xvii4 #ej1 xviii4 #e1 #ag1 #bg1 xxvii4 #h71 and made him the fitting type of the heavenly warrior who goes forth conquering and to conquer4 ,the vigilance that was needed to keep these enemies at bay was one means of preserving the vigour and independence of the tribe4 ,living thus in the very heart of foes1 ,judah was the better fitted to symbolize the ,church of ,christ1 as she is usually found when faithful to her high calling4 ,behold1 ,i send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves4 ,we wrestle not against flesh and blood1 but against principalities and powers1 against the rulers of the darkness of this world1 against spiritual wickedness in high places4 ,as long as the ,church is militant1 it cannot be otherwise2 and it little becomes her either to complain on the one hand1 or be despondent on the other1 however strong and bitter the opposition or even the persecution of her foes4 #b4 ,next1 a little episode comes into our narrative 7vv4 #ac-ai71 in connection with a special allocation of territory within the tribe4 ,the incident of ,caleb is rehearsed1 as an introduction to the narrative that follows4 ,caleb1 on the strength of his promise to drive out the ,anakim1 had got ,hebron for his inheritance1 and a portion of the country around4 ,near to ,hebron1 but on a site now unknown1 stood ,debir1 or ,kirjath-sepher1 apparently a stronghold of the ,anakim4 ,we do not know the circumstances that induced ,caleb to put this place up1 as it were1 to public competition4 ,whoever should capture it was promised his daughter ,achsah in marriage4 ,othniel1 who is called his younger brother1 which may perhaps mean his brother's son1 took the place1 and1 according to the bargain1 got ,achsah for his wife4 ,the capture of ,debir is recorded twice1 here and in ,judges i4 #ad1 #ae1 and in the latter case with the addition of an incident that followed the marriage1 as if in both cases it had been copied from an older record4 ,achsah was evidently a woman who could look well after her interests4 ,she was not satisfied with the portion of land that fell to ,othniel4 ,there was a certain field besides1 on which she had set her affection1 and which she induced her husband to ask of ,caleb4 ,this he appears to have obtained4 ,then she herself turned supplicant1 and having gone to ,caleb and lighted down from off her ass1#bb and ,caleb having said to her1 ,what wouldest thou8 she said unto her father1 ,give me a blessing2 for thou hast given me a south land2 give me also springs of water4 ,and she said1 ,give me a blessing 7margin1 present72 for thou hast set me in the land of the south2 give me also springs of water1 ,r4,v4 ,her request was granted3--he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs4 #bb ,founding on the expression1 having lighted off her ass1 some have thought that she feigned to fall off1 and that her father coming to help her in the compassionate spirit one shows in a case of accident1 she took the opportunity to ask and obtain this gift4 ,the explanation is far-fetched if not foolish4 ,her dismounting is explained by the universal custom when one met a person of superior rank4 ,comp4 ,gen4 xxiv4 #fd4 ,see ,kitto's ,pictorial ,commentary4 ,the incident1 though picturesque1 is somewhat strange1 and we naturally ask1 why should it have a place in the dry narrative of the settlement8 ,possibly for the very reason that what concerns the settlement was very dry1 and that an incident like this gave it something of living interest4 ,those who lived at the time must have had a special interest in the matter1 for in ,judges i4 #ad it is said that ,achsah moved ,othniel to ask of her father the field 7,heb471 implying that it was a particular field1 well known to the public4 ,the moral interest of the narrative is the light it throws on the generosity of ,caleb4 ,his son-in-law asked of him a field1 a field apparently of special value2 he got it3 his daughter asked springs of water1 and she too gained her request4 ,we contrast ,caleb with ,saul1 as we afterwards read of him4 ,in no such fashion was ,david treated by his father-in-law1 after his brilliant victories over the ,philistines4 ,so far was he from acquiring field or fountain1 that he did not even acquire his wife3--,it came to pass at the time when ,merab1 ,saul's daughter1 should have been given to ,david1 that she was given unto ,adriel the ,meholathite to wife 7#a ,sam4 xviii4 #ai74 ,caleb had another spirit with him4 ,he had the heart of a father1 he had a genuine interest in his daughter and son-in-law1 and desired to see them comfortable and happy4 ,kindly and large-hearted1 he at once transferred to them valuable possessions that a greedier man would have kept for himself4 ,evidently he was one of those godlike men that enjoy giving1 that have more pleasure in making others happy than in multiplying their own store4 ,the liberal man deviseth liberal things1 and by liberal things shall he stand4 ,there is that scattereth1 and yet increaseth2 and there is that withholdeth more than is meet1 and it tendeth to poverty4 ,it is no great wonder that an incident which reveals the flowing generosity of a godlike heart1 should sometimes be turned to account as a symbol of the liberality of ,god4 ,all human generosity is but a drop from the ocean of the ,divine bounty1 a faint shadow of the inexhaustible substance4 ,if ye that are evil know how to give good gifts to your children1 how much more shall your ,father in heaven give good things to them that ask ,him8 ,if in the earthly father's bosom there be that interest in the welfare of his children which is eager to help them where help is needed and it is in his power to give it1 how much more in the bosom of the ,father in heaven8 ,why should any be backward to apply to ,him--to say to ,him1 like ,achsah1 ,give me a blessing8 ,it pleases ,him to see ,his children reposing trust in ,him1 believing in ,his infinite love4 ,all that ,he asks of us is to come to ,him through ,jesus ,christ1 acknowledging our unworthiness1 and pleading the merit of ,his sacrifice and intercession1 as our only ground of acceptance in ,his sight4 ,after ,his revelation of ,his grace in ,christ our requests cannot be restricted to mere temporal things2 when we ask a blessing it must be one of higher scope and quality4 ,yet such is ,his bounty that nothing can be withheld that is really for our good4 ,no good thing will the ,lord withhold from them that walk uprightly4 ,prove me now herewith1 saith the ,lord2 if ,i will not open to you the windows of heaven1 and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it4 #c4 ,we leave this picturesque incident to re-enter the wilderness of unfamiliar names4 ,we find a list of no fewer than a hundred and fifteen cities which lay within the confines of the tribe of ,judah 7vv4 #ba-cb74 ,they fall into four divisions4 ,first1 twenty-nine cities belonged to the south--the ,negeb of the ,hebrews1 the part of the country which bordered on the desert1 and to some degree partook of its character4 ,cities they are called1 but few of them were more than villages1 and hardly any were important enough to leave their mark on the history4 ,there are two1 however1 having memorable associations with men of mark1 the one carrying us back to a glorious past1 the other forward to a disgraceful future4 ,strange association--,abraham and ,judas ,iscariot6 ,with ,beersheba the name of ,abraham is imperishably associated1 as well as the name of ,isaac4 ,and to this day the very name ,beersheba seems to emit a holy fragrance4 ,with ,kerioth 7ver4 #be7 we connect the traitor ,judas--the ,is-cariot of the ,new ,testament being equivalent to ,ish-,kerioth1 a man of ,kerioth1 of the ,old4 ,our heart fills with a sense of nausea as we recall the association4 ,the traitor was doubly connected with the tribe of ,judah1--by his name and by his birthplace4 ,what mockery of a noble name6 ,judah1 thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise4 ,what contrast could be greater than that between the ,judah who surrendered himself to slavery to set his brother free1 and the ,judah who sold his ,lord for thirty pieces of silver6 ,what extremes of character may we find under the same name1 and often in the same family6 ,strange that so few are drawn by the example of the noble1 and so many follow the course of the vile6 ,the next division1 the valley1 the lowland1 or ,shephelah1 embraced three subdivisions--the north-eastern ,shephelah with her fourteen towns 7vv4 #cc-cf71 the middle1 with sixteen 7vv4 #cg-da71 and the southern1 with nine 7vv4 #db-dd72 to which are added three of the cities of the ,philistines1--,ekron1 ,ashdod1 and ,gaza 7vv4 #de-dg74 ,many of the places in this list became famous in the history4 ,eshtaol and ,zorah were of note in the history of ,samson1 but in his time they were ,danite settlements4 ,jarmuth1 ,lachish1 ,eglon1 and ,makkedah had been conspicuous in ,joshua's great battle of ,bethhoron4 ,adullam and ,keilah figured afterwards in ,david's outlaw history1 and ,ashdod and ,ekron were two of the ,philistine cities to which the ark was taken after the battle of ,ebenezer and ,aphek 7#a ,sam4 iv4 #a1 v4 #a1 #aj74 ,in later years ,lachish and ,libnah were among the places attacked by ,sennacherib1 ,king of ,assyria1 in his great raid upon the country 7,isa4 xxxvii4 #h74 ,the third great group of cities were those of the mountain1 or highlands4 ,these were mostly in the central part of the territory1 on the plateau or ridge that runs along it1 rising up from the valley of the ,dead ,sea on the east1 and the ,shephelah1 or valley1 on the west4 ,here there were four groups of cities3 eleven on the south-west 7vv4 #dh-ea71 nine farther north 7vv4 #eb-ed71 ten to the east 7vv4 #ee-eg71 and six to the north 7vv4 #eh1 #ei71 along with ,kirjath-baal and ,rabbah in the same neighbourhood4 ,this group included ,hebron1 of which we hear so much2 also ,carmel1 ,maon1 and ,ziph1 conspicuous in the outlaw life of ,david4 ,it is remarkable that there is no mention of ,bethlehem1 which lay in the mountain3 it probably had not yet attained to the rank of a town4 ,but its very omission may be regarded as a proof of the contemporaneous date of the book2 for soon after ,bethlehem was a well-known place 7,ruth i4-iv471 and if the ,book of ,joshua had been written at the late date sometimes assigned to it1 that city could not have failed to have a place in the enumeration4 ,a fourth group of cities were in the wilderness or ,migdar4 ,this was a wild rocky region extending between the ,dead ,sea and the mountains of ,hebron4 ,it is a plateau of white chalk1 terminated on the east by cliffs which rise vertically from the ,dead ,sea shore to a height of about two thousand feet4 ,the scenery is barren and wild beyond all description4 ,the chalky ridges are scored by innumerable torrents1 and their narrow crests are separated by broad1 flat valleys4 ,peaks and knolls of fantastic forms rise suddenly from the swelling downs1 and magnificent precipices of rugged limestone stand up like fortress walls above the sea4 ,not a tree nor a spring is visible in the waste2 and only the desert partridge and the ibex are found ranging the solitude4#bc ,this district was in large measure the scene of ,david's wanderings1 and well might he call it a dry and thirsty land where there is no water 7,psalm lxiii4 #a74 ,it was also the scene of the preaching of ,john the ,baptist1 at least at the beginning 7,matt4 iii4 #a72 for when the administration of baptism became common1 it was necessary for him to remove to a better-watered region 7,john iii4 #bc74 ,there is some reason to believe that it was also the scene of our ,lord's temptation 7,matt4 iv4 #a71 the more especially because one of the ,evangelists has said that ,he was there with the wild beasts 7,mark i4 #ab74 #bc ,conder's ,handbook to the ,bible1 pp4 #bac1 #bad4 ,only six cities are enumerated as in the wilderness 7vv4 #fa1 #fb71 so that its population must have been very small4 ,and of those mentioned some are wholly unknown4 ,the most interesting of the six is ,engedi1 which derived its name from a celebrated fountain1 meaning fountain of the kid4 ,it is noted as one of the hiding-places of ,david2 ,saul pursued him to it1 and it was there that ,david spared his life when he found him in a cave 7#a ,sam4 xxiv474 ,solomon extols its vineyards and its camphire 7,song of ,solomon i4 #ad7 henna-flowers1 ,r4,v41 ,josephus its balsam 7,ant41 ix4 #a1 #b71 and ,pliny its palms 7v4 #ag74 ,in ancient times it was the site of a town1 and in the fourth century1 in ,jerome's time1 there was still a considerable village2 now1 however1 there is no trace of anything of the kind4 ,sir ,walter ,scott1 in the ,talisman1 makes it the abode of a ,christian hermit--,theodoric of ,engaddi4 ,it is situated near the middle of the western shore of the ,dead ,sea4 ,a rich plain1 half a mile square1 slopes gently from the base of the mountains to the sea2 and about a mile up the western acclivity1 four hundred feet above the plain1 is the fountain of ,ain ,jiddy1 from which the place gets its name4 ,such1 then1 was the distribution of the cities of ,judah over the four sections of the territory1 the south1 the ,shephelah1 the highlands1 and the wilderness4 ,it was an ample and varied domain1 and after ,caleb expelled the ,anakim1 there seems to have been little or no opposition to the occupation of the whole by the tribe4 ,but the crook in the lot was not wanting4 ,the great ,jebusite fortress1 ,jerusalem1 was on the very edge of the northern boundary of ,judah4 ,nominally1 as we have said1 ,jerusalem was in the territory of ,benjamin1 but really it was a city of ,judah4 ,for it is said 7ver4 #fc71 ,as for the ,jebusites1 the children of ,judah could not drive them out2 but the ,jebusites dwell with the children of ,judah at ,jerusalem unto this day4#bd ,for some reason ,joshua had omitted to take possession of this stronghold after the battle of ,bethhoron4 ,the stream of pursuit had gone westward1 and the opportunity of taking ,jerusalem when the king had been slain and his army cut to pieces1 was lost4 ,and just as in modern history1 when the opportunity of taking ,sebastopol was lost after the battle of the ,alma1 and a long1 harassing and most disastrous siege had to be resorted to1 so it was with ,jerusalem2 the ,jebusites1 recovering their spirits after the defeat1 were able to hold it1 and to defy the tribe of ,judah1 and all the tribes1 for many a long year4 ,while the fortress was held by the ,jebusites1 ,jew and ,jebusite dwelt together in the city1 leading no doubt a comfortless life1 neither the one nor the other feeling truly at home4 #bd ,a proof that ,joshua was written before the time of ,david4 ,the moral is not far to seek4 ,there is a crisis in some men's lives1 when they come under the power of religion1 and feel the obligation to live to ,god4 ,if they had decision and courage enough at this crisis to break off all sinful habits and connections1 to renounce all unchristian ways of life1 to declare with ,joshua1 ,as for me and my house1 we will serve the ,lord1--they would no doubt experience a sharp opposition1 but it would pass over1 and peace would come4 ,but often they hesitate1 and shrink1 and cower2 they cannot endure opposition and ridicule2 they retain religion enough to appease their consciences1 but not to give them satisfaction and joy4 ,it is another case of the men of ,judah dwelling with the ,jebusites1 and with the same result2 they are not happy1 they are not at rest2 they bring little or no honour to their ,master1 and they have little influence on the world for good4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,the ,,inheritance ,,of ,,joseph4 ,,joshua xvi41 xvii4 ,next to ,judah1 the most important tribe was ,joseph2 that is1 the double tribe to which his two sons gave names1 ,ephraim and ,manasseh4 ,in perpetual acknowledgment of the service rendered by ,joseph to the family1 by keeping them alive in the famine1 it was ordained by ,jacob that his two sons should rank with their uncles as founders of tribes 7,gen4 xlviii4 #e74 ,it was also prophetically ordained by ,jacob that ,ephraim1 the younger son1 should take rank before ,manasseh 7,gen4 xlviii4 #ai74 ,the privilege of the double portion1 however1 remained to ,manasseh as the elder son4 ,hence1 in addition to his lot in ,gilead and ,bashan1 he had also a portion in ,western ,palestine4 ,but ,ephraim was otherwise the more important tribe2 and when the separation of the two kingdoms took place1 ,ephraim often gave his name to the larger division4 ,and in the beautiful prophetic vision of ,ezekiel1 when the coming re-union of the nation is symbolized1 it is on this wise3 ,son of man1 take thou one stick and write upon it1 ,for ,judah1 and for the children of ,israel his companions2 then take another stick and write upon it1 ,for ,joseph1 the stick of ,ephraim1 and for all the house of ,israel his companions1 and join them for thee one to another into one stick1 that they may become one in thine hand 7xxxvii4 #af1 #ag74 ,the superiority allotted to ,ephraim was not followed by very happy results2 it raised an arrogant spirit in that tribe1 of which we find some indications in the present chapter1 but more pronounced and mischievous manifestations further on4 ,the delimitation of the tribes of ,ephraim and ,manasseh is not easy to follow1 particularly in the ,authorized ,version1 which not only does not translate very accurately1 but uses some ,english expressions of uncertain meaning4 ,the ,revised ,version is much more helpful1 correcting both classes of defects in its predecessor4 ,yet even the ,revised ,version sometimes leaves us at a loss4 ,it has been supposed1 indeed1 that some words have dropped out of the text4 ,moreover1 it has not been found possible to ascertain the position of all the places mentioned4 ,uncertainty as to the precise boundaries cannot but prevail1 and differences of opinion among commentators4 ,but the uncertainty applies only to the minuter features of the description1 it bears chiefly on the points at which one tribe adjoined another4 ,the portion of the land occupied by ,ephraim and ,manasseh is1 on the whole1 very clearly known1 just as their influence on the history of the country is very distinctly marked4 ,in point of fact1 the lot of ,joseph in ,western ,palestine was1 in many respects1 the most desirable of any4 ,it was a fertile and beautiful district4 ,it embraced the valley of ,shechem1 the first place of ,abraham's sojourn1 and reckoned by travellers to be one of the most beautiful spots1 some say the most beautiful spot1 in ,palestine4 ,samaria1 at the head of another valley celebrated for its glorious beauty1 and for its fatness or fertility 7,isa4 xxviii4 #a71 was at no great distance4 ,tirzah1 a symbol of beauty1 in the ,song of ,solomon 7vi4 #d7 was another of its cities1 as was also ,jezreel1 a lovely position for a capital city 7,tristram74 ,on the other hand1 this portion of the country laboured under the disadvantage of not having been well cleared of its original inhabitants4 ,the men of ,ephraim did not exert themselves as much as the men of ,judah4 ,this is apparent from what is said in chap4 xvi4 #aj1 ,they drove not out the ,canaanites that dwelt in ,gezer2 and also from ,joshua's answer to the request of ,ephraim for more land 7xvii4 #ae-ah74 ,as we have said already1 we have no information regarding ,joshua's conquest of this part of the country4 ,it seems to have been run over more superficially than the north and the south4 ,consequently the ancient inhabitants were still very numerous1 and they were formidable likewise1 because they had chariots of iron4 ,in the definition of boundaries we have first a notice applicable to ,joseph as a whole1 then specifications applicable to ,ephraim and ,manasseh respectively4 ,the southern border is delineated twice with considerable minuteness1 and its general course1 extending from near the ,jordan at ,jericho1 past ,bethel and ,luz1 and down the pass of ,bethhoron to the ,mediterranean1 is clear enough4 ,the border between ,ephraim and ,manasseh is not so clear1 nor the northern border of ,manasseh4 ,it is further to be remarked that1 while we have an elaborate statement of boundaries1 we have no list of towns in ,ephraim and ,manasseh such as we have for the tribe of ,judah4 ,this gives countenance to the supposition that part of the ancient record has somehow dropped out4 ,we find1 however1 another statement about towns which is of no small significance4 ,at chap4 xvi4 #i we find that several cities were appropriated to ,ephraim that were situated in the territory of ,manasseh4 ,and in like manner several cities were given to ,manasseh which were situated in the tribes of ,issachar and ,asher4 ,of these last the names are given4 ,they were ,bethshean1 ,ibleam1 ,dor1 ,endor1 ,taanach1 and ,megiddo4 ,some of them were famous in after history4 ,bethshean was the city to whose wall the bodies of ,saul and his sons were fixed after the fatal battle of ,gilboa2 ,ibleam was in the neighbourhood of ,naboth's vineyard 7#b ,kings ix4 #be1 #bg72 ,endor was the place of abode of the woman with a familiar spirit whom ,saul went to consult2 ,taanach was the battle-field of the kings of ,canaan whom ,barak defeated1 and of whom ,deborah sung1-- ,the kings came and fought2 ,then fought the kings of ,canaan1 ,in ,taanach by the waters of ,megiddo3 ,they took no gain of money 7,judg4 v4 #ai74 ,as for ,megiddo1 many a battle was fought in its plain4 ,so early as the days of ,thotmes ,,iii4 of ,egypt 7about #afjj ,b4,c47 it was famous in battle1 for in an inscription on the temple of ,karnak1 containing a record of his conquests in ,syria1 ,megiddo flourishes as the scene of a great conflict4 ,the saddest and most notable of its battles was that between ,king ,josiah and the ,egyptians1 in which that good young king was killed4 ,in fact1 ,megiddo obtained such notoriety as a battle-field that in the ,apocalypse 7xvi4 #af7 ,ar-,mageddon 7,har-magedon1 ,r4,v47 is the symbol of another kind of battle-ground--the meeting-place for the war of the great day of ,god the ,almighty4 ,we can only conjecture why these cities1 most of which were in ,issachar1 were given to ,manasseh4 ,they were strongholds in the great plain of ,esdraelon1 where most of the great battles of ,canaan were fought4 ,for the defence of the plain it seemed important that these places should be held by a stronger tribe than ,issachar4 ,hence they appear to have been given to ,manasseh4 ,but1 like ,ephraim1 ,manasseh was not able to hold them at first4 ,the children of ,manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities2 but the ,canaanites would dwell in that land4 ,and it came to pass1 when the children of ,israel were waxen strong that they put the ,canaanites to task-work1 and did not utterly drive them out 7,r4,v474 ,this last verse appears to have been inserted at a later date1 and it agrees with #a ,chron4 vii4 #bi1 where several of the same towns are enumerated1 and it is added1 ,in these dwelt the children of ,joseph1 the son of ,israel4 ,undoubtedly these sons of ,joseph occupied a position which gave them unrivalled opportunities of benefiting their country4 ,but with the exception of the splendid exploit of ,gideon1 a man of ,manasseh1 and his little band1 we hear of little in the history that redounded to the credit of ,joseph's descendants4 ,nobility of character is not hereditary4 ,sometimes nature appears to spend all her intellectual and moral wealth on the father1 and almost to impoverish the sons4 ,and sometimes the sons live on the virtues of their fathers1 and cannot be roused to the exertion or the sacrifice needed to continue their work and maintain their reputation4 ,a humorous saying is recorded of an eminent pastor of the ,waldensian ,church who found his people much disposed to live on the reputation of their fathers1 and tried in vain to get them to do as their fathers did2 he said that they were like the potato--the best part of them was under the ground4 ,if you say1 ,we have ,abraham for our father1 take care that you say it in the proper sense4 ,be sure that you are following hard in his footsteps1 and using his example as a spur to move your languid energies1 and not as a screen to conceal your miserable defects4 ,if you think of ,abraham or of any forefather or body of forefathers as a cover for your nakedness1 or a compensation for your defects1 you are resorting to a device which has never proved successful in past ages1 and is not likely to change its character with you4 ,after the division1 the vain1 self-important spirit of ,ephraim broke out in a characteristic way4 ,why1 said he to ,joshua1 hast thou given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance1 seeing ,i am a great people1 forasmuch as hitherto the ,lord hath blessed me8 ,a grumbling reference seems to be made here to his brother ,manasseh1 who had received two lots1 one on each side of the ,jordan4 ,at first it appears that there was some reason in the complaint of ,ephraim4 ,the free part of his lot seems to have been small1 that is1 the part not occupied by ,canaanites4 ,but we cannot think that the whole inheritance of ,ephraim was so small as we find represented in the map of ,major ,conder1 of the ,palestine ,exploration ,fund1 in his ,handbook to the ,bible1 because it is said1 both in the ,authorized and in the ,revised ,version1 that his western boundary extended to the sea1 while ,major ,conder makes it cease much sooner4 ,but1 looking at the whole circumstances1 it is probable that ,ephraim's complaint was dictated by jealousy of ,manasseh1 who certainly had received the double inheritance4 ,alas1 how apt is the spirit of discontent still to crop up when we compare our lot with that of others6 ,were we quite alone1 or were there no case for comparison1 we might be content enough2 it is when we think how much more our brother has than we1 that we are most liable to murmur4 ,and1 bad though murmuring and grieving at the good of our brother may be1 it is by no means certain that the evil spirit will stop there4 ,at the very dawn of history we find ,cain the murderer of his brother because the one had the favour of ,god and not the other4 ,what an evil feeling it is that grudges to our brother a larger share of ,god's blessing2 if at the beginning it be not kept under it may carry us on to deeds that may well make us shudder4 ,joshua dealt very wisely and fearlessly with the complaint of ,ephraim1 though it was his own tribe4 ,you say you are a great people--be it so2 but if you are a great people1 you must be capable of great deeds4 ,two great undertakings are before you now4 ,there are great woodlands in your lot that have not been cleared--direct your energies to them1 and they will afford you more room for settlements4 ,moreover1 the ,canaanites are still in possession of a large portion of your lot2 up and attack them and drive them out1 and you will be furnished with another area for possession4 ,joshua accepted their estimate of their importance1 but gave it a very different practical turn4 ,what they had wished him to do was to take away a portion from some other tribe and give it as an extra allotment to them1 so that it would be theirs without labour or trouble4 ,what ,joshua did was to spur them to courageous and self-denying exertion1 in order that their object might be gained through the instrumentality of their own labour4 ,for the sickly sentiment that desires a mine of gold to start into being and scatter its untold treasure at our feet1 he substituted the manly sentiment of the proverb1 ,no gains without pains4 ,the soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing2 but the hand of the diligent maketh rich4 ,if they wished more land they must work for it2 they must not take idleness for their patron-saint4 ,we have all heard of the dying father who informed his sons that there was a valuable treasure in a certain field1 and counselled them to set to work to find it4 ,with great care they turned up every morsel of the soil2 but no treasure appeared1 till1 observing in autumn what a rich crop covered the field1 they came to understand that the fruit of persevering labour was the treasure which their father meant4 ,we have heard1 too1 of a physician who was consulted by a rich man suffering cruelly from gout1 and asked if he had any cure for it4 ,yes1 said the doctor1 live on sixpence a day1 and work for it4 ,the same principle underlay the counsel of ,joshua4 ,of course it gratifies a certain part of our nature to get a mass of wealth without working for it4 ,but this is not the best part of our nature4 ,probably in no class has the great object of life been so much lost1 and the habit of indolence and self-indulgence become so predominant as in that of young men born to the possession of a great fortune1 and never requiring to turn a hand for anything they desired4 ,after all1 the necessity of work is a great blessing4 ,we speak of the curse of toil1 but except when the labour is excessive1 or unhealthy in its conditions1 or when it has to be prosecuted in sickness or failing strength1 it is not a curse but a blessing4 ,instead of being ashamed of labour1 we have cause rather to be proud of it4 ,it guards from numberless temptations2 it promotes a healthy body and a healthy mind2 it increases the zest of life2 it promotes cheerfulness and flowing spirits2 it makes rest and healthy recreation far sweeter when they come1 and it gives us affinity to the great ,heavenly ,worker1 by whom1 and through whom1 and for whom are all things4 ,this great principle of ordinary life has its place too in the spiritual economy4 ,the age is now past that had for its favourite notion1 that seclusion from the world and exemption from all secular employment was the most desirable condition for a servant of ,god4 ,the experiment of the hermits was tried1 but it was a failure4 ,seclusion from the world and the consecration of the whole being to private acts of devotion and piety were no success4 ,he who moves about among his fellows1 and day by day knows the strain of labour1 is more likely to prosper spiritually than he who shuts himself up in a cell1 and looks on all secular work as pollution4 ,it is not the spiritual invalid who is for ever feeling his pulse and whom every whiff of wind throws into a fever of alarm1 that grows up to the full stature of the ,christian2 but the man who1 like ,paul1 has his hands and his heart for ever full1 and whose every spiritual fibre gains strength and vitality from his desires and labours for the good of others4 ,and it is with churches as with individuals4 ,an idle church is a stagnant church1 prone to strife1 and to all morbid experiences4 ,a church that throws itself into the work of faith and labour of love is far more in the way to be spiritually healthy and strong4 ,it was not for the good of the world merely1 but of the church herself likewise1 that our ,lord gave out that magnificent mot d'ordre1--,go ye into all the world1 and preach the gospel to every creature4 ,before we pass from the inheritance of the sons of ,joseph1 it is proper that we should direct attention to an incident which may seem trifling to us1 but which was evidently regarded as of no little moment at the time4 ,what we refer to is the petition presented by the five daughters of ,zelophehad1 a member of the tribe of ,manasseh1 for an inheritance in their tribe4 ,their father had no son1 so that the family was represented wholly by daughters4 ,no fewer than four times the incident is referred to1 and the names of the five girls given in full 7,numb4 xxvi4 #cc1 xxvii4 #a-aa1 xxxvi4 #aa2 ,josh4 xvii4 #c74 ,we know not if there be another case in ,scripture of such prominence given to names for no moral or spiritual quality1 but simply in connection with a law of property4 ,the question decided by their case was the right of females to inherit property in land when there were no heirs male in the family4 ,we find that the young women themselves had to be champions of their own cause4 ,evidently possessed of more than ordinary spirit1 they had already presented themselves before ,moses1 ,eleazar the priest1 and the princes of the congregation1 at the door of the tabernacle1 and formally made a claim to the inheritance that would have fallen to their father had he been alive4 ,the case was deemed of sufficient importance to be laid before the ,lord1 because the decision on it would settle similar cases for the whole nation and for all time4 ,the decision was1 that in such cases the women should inherit1 but under the condition that they should not marry out of their own tribe1 so that the property should not be transferred to another tribe4 ,in point of fact1 the five sisters married their cousins1 and thus kept the property in the tribe of ,manasseh4 ,the incident is interesting1 because it shows a larger regard to the rights of women than was usually conceded at the time4 ,some have1 indeed1 found fault with the decision as not going far enough4 ,why1 they have asked1 was the right of women to inherit land limited to cases in which there were no men in the family8 ,the decision implied that if there had been one brother1 he would have got all the land2 the sisters would have been entitled to nothing4 ,the answer to this objection is1 that had the rights of women been recognised to this extent1 it would have been too great an advance on the public opinion of the time4 ,it was not ,god's method to enjoin laws absolutely perfect1 but to enjoin what the conscience and public opinion of the time might be fairly expected to recognise and support4 ,it may be that under a perfect system women ought to inherit property on equal terms with men4 ,but the ,jewish nation was not sufficiently advanced for such a law4 ,the benefit of the enactment was that1 when propounded1 it met with general approval4 ,certainly it was a considerable advance on the ordinary practice of the nations4 ,it established the principle that woman was not a mere chattel1 an inferior creature1 subject to the control of the man1 with no rights of her own4 ,but it was far from being the first time when this principle obtained recognition4 ,the wives of the patriarchs--,sarah1 ,rebekah1 ,rachel--were neither chattels1 nor drudges1 nor concubines4 ,they were ladies1 exerting the influence and enjoying the respect due to cultivated1 companionable women4 ,and though the law of succession did not give the females of the family equal rights with the males1 it recognised them in another way4 ,while the eldest son succeeded to the family home and a double portion of the land1 he was expected to make some provision for his widowed mother and unmarried sisters4 ,in most cases the sisters came to be provided for by marriage4 ,it is the circumstance that among us so many women remain unmarried that has drawn so keen attention to their rights1 and already caused so much to be done1 as no doubt more will be done speedily1 for enlarging their sphere and protecting their interests4 ,no doubt these spirited daughters of ,zelophehad conferred a great benefit on their sex in ,israel4 ,their names are entitled to grateful remembrance1 as the names of all are who bring about beneficial arrangements that operate in many directions and to all time4 ,yet one would be sorry to think that this was the only service which they rendered in their day4 ,one would like to think of them as shedding over their households and friends the lustre of those gentle1 womanly qualities which are the glory of the sex4 ,advocacy of public rights may be a high duty1 for the faithful discharge of which the highest praise is due2 but such a career emits little of the fragrance which radiates from a female life of faithful love1 domestic activity1 and sacred devotion4 ,what blessed ideals of life ,christianity furnishes for women even of middling talent and ordinary education6 ,it is beautiful to see distinguished talents1 high gifts1 and persuasive elements directed to the advocacy of neglected claims4 ,and yet ,i show unto you a more excellent way4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,the ,,distribution ,,completed4 ,,joshua xviii41 xix4 ,an event of great importance now occurs2 the civil arrangements of the country are in a measure provided for1 and it is time to set in order the ecclesiastical establishment4 ,first1 a place has to be found as the centre of the religious life2 next1 the tabernacle has to be erected at that place--and this is to be done in the presence of all the congregation4 ,it is well that a godly man like ,joshua is at the head of the nation2 a less earnest servant of ,god might have left this great work unheeded4 ,how often1 in the emigrations of men1 drawn far from their native land in search of a new home1 have arrangements for ,divine service been forgotten6 ,in such cases the degeneracy into rough manners1 uncouth ways of life1 perhaps into profanity1 debauchery1 and lawlessness1 has usually been awfully rapid4 ,on the other hand1 when the rule of the old puritan has been followed1 ,wherever ,i have a house1 there ,god shall have an altar2 when the modest spire of the wooden church in the prairie indicates that regard has been had to the gospel precept--,seek ye first the kingdom of ,god and ,his righteousness1 and all these things shall be added unto you1--a touch of heaven is imparted to the rude and primitive settlement2 we may believe that the spirit of ,christ is not unknown2 the angels of virtue and piety are surely hovering around it4 ,the narrative is very brief1 and no reason is given why ,shiloh was selected as the religious centre of the nation4 ,we should have thought that the preference would be given to ,shechem1 a few miles north1 in the neighbourhood of ,ebal and ,gerizim1 which had already been consecrated in a sense to ,god4 ,that ,shiloh was chosen by ,divine direction we can hardly doubt1 although there may have been reasons of various kinds that commended it to ,joshua4 ,josephus says it was selected for the beauty of the situation2 but if the present ,seiln denotes its position1 as is generally believed1 there is not much to corroborate the assertion of ,josephus4 ,its locality is carefully defined in the ,book of ,judges 7xxi4 #ai71--on the north side of ,bethel1 on the east side of the highway that goeth up from ,bethel to ,shechem1 and on the south of ,lebonah4 ,as for its appearance1 ,dean ,stanley says1 ,shiloh is so utterly featureless that had it not been for the preservation of its name1 ,seiln1 and for the extreme precision with which its situation is described in the ,book of ,judges1 the spot could never have been identified2 and1 indeed1 from the time of ,jerome till the year #ahch when ,robinson identified it1 its real site was completely forgotten4 ,robinson does not think so poorly of it as ,stanley1 describing it as surrounded by hills1 and looking out into a beautiful oval basin 7,biblical ,researches1 ii4 #bfh74 ,from the days of ,joshua1 all through the period of the ,judges1 and on to the last days of ,eli the high priest1 ,shiloh continued to be the abode of the tabernacle1 and the great national sanctuary of ,israel4 ,situated about half-way between ,bethel and ,shechem1 in the tribe of ,ephraim1 it was close to the centre of the country1 and1 moreover1 not difficult of access for the eastern tribes4 ,here for many generations the annual assemblies of the nation took place4 ,here came ,hannah from her home in ,mount ,ephraim to pray for a son2 and here little ,samuel1 lent to the ,lord1 spent his beautiful childhood4 ,through that opening in the mountains1 old ,eli saw the ark carried by the rash hands of his sons into the battle with the ,philistines1 and there he sat on his stool watching for the messenger that was to bring tidings of the battle4 ,after the ark was taken by the ,philistines1 the city that had grown up around the tabernacle appears to have been taken and sacked and the inhabitants massacred 7,psalm lxxviii4 #fj-fd74 ,we hear of it in later history as the abode of ,ahijah the prophet 7#a ,kings xi4 #bi72 afterwards it sinks into obscurity4 ,it is to be noted that its name occurs nowhere among the towns of the ,canaanites2 it is likely that it was a new place1 founded by ,joshua1 and that it derived its name1 ,shiloh1 rest1 from the sacred purpose to which it was now devoted4 ,here1 then1 assembled the whole congregation of the children of ,israel1 to set up the tabernacle1 probably with some such rites as ,david performed when it was transferred from the house of ,obed-,edom to ,mount ,zion4 ,hitherto it had remained at ,gilgal1 the headquarters and dept of the nation4 ,the whole congregation that now assembled does not necessarily mean the whole community1 but only selected representatives1 not only of the part that had been engaged in warfare1 but also of the rest of the nation4 ,if we try to form a picture of the state of ,israel while ,joshua was carrying on his warlike campaigns1 it will appear that his army being but a part of the whole1 the rest of the people were occupied in a somewhat random manner1 here and there1 in providing food for the community1 in sowing and reaping the fields1 pasturing their flocks1 and gathering in the fruits4 ,and from the tone of ,joshua it would appear that many of them were content to lead this somewhat irregular life4 ,in a somewhat sharp and reproachful tone he says to them1 ,how long are ye slack to go to possess the land which the ,lord ,god of your fathers has given you8 ,one of ,joshua's great difficulties was to organize the vast mass of people over whom he presided1 to prevent them from falling into careless1 slatternly ways1 and to keep them up to the mark of absolute regularity and order4 ,many of them would have been content to jog on carelessly as they had been doing in the desert1 in a sort of confused jumble1 and to forage about1 here and there1 as the case might be1 in pursuit of the necessaries of life4 ,their listlessness was provoking4 ,they knew that the ,divine plan was quite different1 that each tribe was to have a territory of its own1 and that measures ought to be taken at once to settle the boundaries of each tribe4 ,but they were taking no steps for this purpose2 they were content with social hugger-mugger4 ,joshua is old1 but his impatience with laziness and irregularity still gives sharpness to his remonstrance1 ,how long are ye slack to possess the land8 ,the ring of authority is still in his voice2 it still commands obedience4 ,more than that1 the organizing faculty is still active--the faculty that decides how a thing is to be done4 ,give out from among you three men for each tribe2 and ,i will send them1 and they shall rise and go through the land and describe it according to the inheritance of them4 ,the men are chosen1 three from each of the seven tribes that are not yet settled2 and they go through and make a survey of the land4 ,judah and ,joseph are not to be disturbed in the settlements that have already been given to them2 but the men are to divide the rest of the country into seven parts1 and thereafter it is to be determined by lot to which tribe each part shall belong4 ,it would appear that special note was to be taken of the cities1 for when the surveyors returned and gave in their report they described the land by cities into seven parts in a book4 ,each city had a certain portion of land connected with it1 and the land always went with the city4 ,the art of writing was sufficiently practised to enable them to compose what has been called the ,domesday ,book of ,canaan1 and the record being in writing was a great safeguard against the disputes that might have arisen had so large a report consisted of mere oral statement4 ,when the seven portions had been balloted for1 there was no excuse for any of the tribes clinging any longer to that nomad life1 for which1 while in the wilderness1 they seem to have acquired a real love4 ,and now we come to the actual division4 ,the most interesting of the tribes yet unsupplied was ,benjamin1 and the region that fell to him was interesting too4 ,it may be remarked as an unusual arrangement1 that when portions were allotted to ,judah and to ,ephraim1 a space was allowed to remain between them1 so that the northern border of ,judah was at some distance from the southern border of ,ephraim4 ,as ,judah and ,ephraim were the two leading tribes1 and in some respects rivals1 the benefit of this intervening space between them is apparent4 ,but for this1 whenever their relations became strained1 hostilities might have taken place4 ,now it was this intervening space that constituted the inheritance of the tribe of ,benjamin4 ,for the most part it consisted of deep ravines running from west to east1 from the central table-land down to the valley of the ,jordan1 with mountains between4 ,many of its cities were perched high in the mountains1 as is shown by the commonness of the names ,gibeon1 ,gibeah1 ,geba1 or ,gaba1 all of which signify hill2 while ,ramah is a high place1 and ,mizpeh a tower4 ,in the wilderness1 ,benjamin had marched along with ,ephraim and ,manasseh1 all the descendants of ,joseph forming a united company2 and after the settlement ,benjamin naturally inclined towards fellowship with these tribes4 ,but1 as events went on1 he came more into fellowship with the tribe of ,judah1 and though ,saul1 ,shimei1 and ,sheba1 the bitterest enemies of the house of ,david1 were all ,benjamites1 yet1 when the separation of the two kingdoms took place under ,rehoboam1 ,benjamin took the side of ,judah 7#a ,kings xii4 #ba74 ,on the return from the captivity it was the tribes of ,judah and ,benjamin that took the lead 7,ezra i4 #e71 and throughout the ,book of ,ezra the returned patriots are usually spoken of as the men of ,judah and ,benjamin4 ,the cities of ,benjamin included several of the most famous4 ,among them was ,jericho1 the rebuilding of which as a fortified place had been forbidden1 but which was still in some degree inhabited2 ,bethel1 which was already very famous in the history1 but which1 after the separation of the kingdoms1 was taken possession of by ,jeroboam1 and made the shrine of his calves2 ,gibeon1 the capital of the ,gibeonites1 and afterwards a shrine frequented by ,solomon 7#a ,kings iii4 #e72 ,ramah1 afterwards the dwelling-place of ,samuel 7#a ,sam4 vii4 #ag72 ,mizpeh1 one of the three places where he judged ,israel 7#a ,sam4 vii4 #af72 ,gibeath1 or ,gibeah1 where ,saul had his palace 7#a ,sam4 x4 #bf72 and last1 not least1 ,jerusalem4 ,as to ,jerusalem1 some have thought that it lay partly in the territory of ,judah1 and partly in that of ,benjamin4 ,when certain terms in the description of the boundaries are studied there are difficulties that might suggest this solution4 ,but we have seen that in practice there was a considerable amount of giving and taking among the tribes with reference to particular cities1 and that sometimes a city1 locally within one tribe1 belonged to the people of another4 ,so it was with ,jerusalem2 locally within the inheritance of ,benjamin1 it was practically occupied by the men of ,judah 7see chap4 xv4 #fc74 ,benjamin was counted the least of the tribes 7#a ,sam4 ix4 #ca71 and when1 with other tribes1 it was represented by its chief magistrate1 it was rather disparagingly distinguished as little ,benjamin with their ruler 7,psalm lxviii4 #bg74 ,yet it was strong enough1 on one occasion1 to set at defiance for a time the combined forces of the other tribes 7,judg4 xx4 #ab1 etc474 ,it was distinguished for the singular skill of its slingers2 seven hundred1 who were left-handed1 could every one sling stones at an hair-breadth and not miss 7,judg4 xx4 #af74 ,the character of its territory1 abounding in rocky mountains1 and probably in game1 for the capture of which the sling was adapted1 might1 in some degree1 account for this peculiarity4 ,many famous battles were fought on the soil of ,benjamin4 ,the battle of ,ai2 that of ,gibeon1 followed by the pursuit through ,bethhoron1 both under ,joshua2 ,jonathan's battle with the ,philistines at ,michmash 7#a ,sam4 xiv472 and the duel at ,gibeon between twelve men of ,saul and twelve of ,david 7#b ,sam4 ii4 #ae1 #af72 were all fought within the territory of ,benjamin4 ,and when ,sennacherib approached ,jerusalem from the north1 the places which were thrown into panic as he came near were in this tribe4 ,he is come to ,aiath1 he is passed through ,migron2 at ,michmash he layeth up his baggage3 they are gone over the pass2 they have taken up their lodging at ,geba3 ,ramah trembleth2 ,gibeah of ,saul is fled4 ,cry aloud with thy voice1 ,o daughter of ,gallim6 hearken1 ,o ,laishah6 ,o thou poor ,anathoth6 ,madmenah is a fugitive2 the inhabitants of ,gebim gather themselves to flee4 ,this very day shall he halt at ,nob3 he shaketh his hand at the mount of the daughter of ,zion1 the hill of ,jerusalem 7,isa4 x4 #bh-cb1 ,r4,v474 ,in later times ,judas ,maccabeus gained a victory over the ,syrian forces at ,bethhoron2 and1 again1 ,cestius and his ,roman troops were defeated by the ,jews2 and1 once more1 centuries later1 ,richard ,cur de ,lion and the flower of ,english chivalry1 when they pushed up through ,bethhoron in the hope of reaching ,jerusalem1 were compelled to retire4 ,even down to ,new ,testament times1 as ,dean ,stanley remarks1 the influence of ,benjamin remained1 for the name of ,saul1 the king whom ,benjamin gave to the nation1 was preserved in ,hebrew families2 and when a far greater of that name appeals to his descent1 or to the past history of his nation1 a glow of satisfaction is visible in the marked emphasis with which he alludes to the stock of ,israel1 the tribe of ,benjamin 7,phil4 iii4 #e71 and to ,god's gift of ,saul the son of ,kish1 a man of the tribe of ,benjamin 7,acts xiii4 #ba74 ,there is little to be said of ,simeon1 the second of the seven that drew his lot4 ,it is admitted that his portion was taken out of the first allotment to ,judah 7ver4 #i71 which was found to be larger than that tribe required1 and many of his cities are contained in ,judah's list4 ,one act of valour is recorded of ,simeon in the first chapter of ,judges2 after the first settlement1 he responded to the appeal of ,judah and accompanied him against the ,canaanites4 ,but the history of this tribe as a whole might be written in the words of ,jacob's prophecy--,i will divide them in ,jacob1 and scatter them in ,israel4 ,there is no historical reason for the supposition of ,wellhausen that ,simeon and ,levi were all but annihilated on occasion of their attack on the ,canaanites4 ,if ,simeon had been virtually extinguished1 it would not have had a territory assigned to it in the ideal division of the country by ,ezekiel 7xlviii4 #bd71 nor would it have afforded the twelve thousand of the sealed in the symbolical vision of ,st4 ,john 7,rev4 vii4 #g74 ,while the tribe was scattered1 the name of its founder survived1 and both as ,simeon and ,simon it was crowned with honour4 ,it was the name of one of the family of ,maccabean patriots2 it was borne by the just and devout man that waited in the temple for the consolation of ,israel2 and it was the ,hebrew name of the great ,apostle whose honour it was to lay the foundation of the ,christian ,church4 ,next came the tribe of ,zebulun1 the boundaries of which are given with much precision2 but as most of the names are now unknown1 and there are also appearances of imperfection in the text1 the delineation cannot be followed4 ,the brook that is before ,jokneam is supposed to be the ,kishon1 and ,chisloth-,tabor1 or the flanks of ,tabor1 points to the mountain which is the traditional1 though probably not the real scene of our ,lord's transfiguration4 ,gittah-hepher1 or ,gath-hepher1 was the birthplace of the prophet ,jonah4 ,bethlehem1 now ,beit-,lahm1 is a miserable village1 not to be confounded with the ,bethlehem of ,judah4 ,as no mention is made either of the sea or the lake of ,galilee as a boundary1 it is probable that ,zebulun was wholly an inland tribe4 ,strange to say1 there is no mention1 either here or in any part of the ,old ,testament1 of by far the most famous place in the tribe1--,nazareth1 the early residence of our ,lord4 ,yet its situation would indicate that it must have been a very ancient place4 ,nor is it likely to have escaped the notice of the surveyors when they went through the land4 ,the omission of this name has given rise to the opinion that the list is incomplete4 ,issachar occupied an interesting and important site4 ,jezreel1 the first name in the definition of its boundaries1 is also the most famous4 ,jezreel1 now represented by ,zerin1 was situated on a lofty height1 and gave name to the whole valley around4 ,here ,ahab had his palace in the days of ,elijah4 ,by its association with the worship of ,baal1 ,jezreel got a bad reputation1 and in the prophet ,hosea degenerate ,israel is called ,jezreel1 a name somewhat similar1 but with very different associations 7chap4 i4 #d74 ,shunem was the place of encampment of the ,philistine army before the battle of ,gilboa1 and also the residence of the woman whose son ,elisha restored to life4 ,bethshemesh must not be confounded with the town of the same name in ,judah1 nor with that in the tribe of ,naphtali4 ,signifying house of the sun1 it was a very common name among the ,canaanites1 as being noted for the worship of the heavenly bodies4 ,as we have already remarked in connection with ,megiddo which belonged to ,manasseh1 the valley of ,jezreel1 now usually called the plain of ,esdraelon1 was noted as the great battle-field of ,palestine4 ,asher also had an interesting territory4 ,theoretically it extended from ,carmel to ,sidon1 embracing the whole of the ,phnician strip2 but practically it did not reach so far4 ,naphtali was adjacent to ,asher1 and had the ,jordan and the lakes of ,merom and ,galilee for its eastern boundary4 ,it is in the ,new ,testament that ,naphtali enjoys its greatest distinction1 the lake of ,galilee and the towns on its banks1 so conspicuous in the gospel history1 having been situated there4 ,these northern tribes1 as is well known1 constituted the district of ,galilee4 ,the contrast between its early insignificance and its later glory is well brought out in the ,revised ,version of ,isa4 ix4 #a1 #b3 ,but there shall be no gloom to her that was in anguish4 ,in the former time ,he brought into contempt the land of ,zebulun and the land of ,naphtali1 but in the latter time hath ,he made it glorious1 by the way of the sea1 beyond ,jordan1 ,galilee of the nations4 ,the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light3 they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death1 upon them hath the light shined4 ,dan was the last tribe whose lot was drawn4 ,and it really seemed as if the least desirable of all the portions fell to him4 ,he was hemmed in between ,judah on the one hand and the ,philistines on the other1 and the ,philistines were anything but comfortable neighbours4 ,the best part of the level land was no doubt in their hands1 and ,dan was limited to what lay at the base of the mountains 7see ,judg4 i4 #cd1 #ce74 ,very early1 therefore1 in the history1 a colony of ,dan went out in search of further possessions1 and1 having dispossessed some ,sidonians at ,laish in the extreme north1 gave their name to that city1 which proverbially denoted the most northerly city in the country1 as ,beersheba1 in like manner1 denoted the most southerly4 ,the division of the country was now completed1 save that one individual was still unprovided for4 ,and that was ,joshua himself4 ,as in a shipwreck1 the captain is the last to leave the doomed vessel1 so here the leader of the nation was the last to receive a portion4 ,with rare self-denial he waited till every one else was provided for4 ,here we have a glimpse of his noble spirit4 ,that there would be much grumbling over the division of the country1 he no doubt counted inevitable1 and that the people would be disposed to come with their complaints to him followed as matter of course4 ,see how he circumvents them6 ,whoever might be disposed to go to him complaining of his lot1 knew the ready answer he would get--you are not worse off than ,i am1 for as yet ,i have got none6 ,joshua was content to see the fairest inheritances disposed of to others1 while as yet none had been allotted to him4 ,when1 last of all1 his turn did come1 his request was a modest one--,they gave him the city that he asked1 even ,timnath-serah in the hill country of ,ephraim4 ,he might have asked for an inheritance in the fertile and beautiful vale of ,shechem1 consecrated by one of the earliest promises to ,abraham1 near to ,jacob's well and his ancestor ,joseph's tomb1 or under shadow of the two mountains1 ,ebal and ,gerizim1 where so solemn a transaction had taken place after his people entered the land4 ,he asks for nothing of the kind1 but for a spot on one of the highland hills of ,ephraim1 a place so obscure that no trace of it remains4 ,it is described in ,judg4 ii4 #i as ,timnath-heres1 in the hill country of ,ephraim1 on the north of the mountain of ,gaash4 ,the north side of the mountain does not indicate a spot remarkable either for amenity or fertility4 ,in the days of ,jerome1 his friend ,paula is said to have expressed surprise that the distributer of the whole country reserved so wild and mountainous a district for himself4 ,could it have been that it was a farm rejected by every one else8 that the head of the nation was content with what no one else would have8 ,if it was so1 how must this have exalted ,joshua in the eyes of his countrymen1 and how well fitted it is to exalt him in ours6 ,whether it was a portion that every one else had despised or not1 it undoubtedly was comparatively a poor and far-off inheritance4 ,his choice of it was a splendid rebuke to the grumbling of his tribe1 to the pride and selfishness of the great people who would not be content with a single lot1 and wished an additional one to be assigned to them4 ,up with you to the mountain was ,joshua's spirited reply2 cut down the wood1 and drive out the ,canaanites6 ,and ,joshua was not the man to give a prescription to others that he was not prepared to take to himself4 ,up to the mountain he certainly did go2 and as he was now too old to fight1 he quite probably spent his last years in clearing his lot1 cutting down timber1 and laboriously preparing the soil for crops4 ,in any case1 he set a splendid example of disinterested humility4 ,he showed himself the worthy successor of ,moses1 who had never hinted at any distinction for his family or any possession in the country beyond what might be given to an ordinary ,levite4 ,how nobly both contrasted with men like ,napoleon1 who used his influence so greedily for the enrichment and aggrandisement of every member of his family6 ,joshua came very near to the spirit of our blessed ,lord1 who though ,he was in the form of ,god1 and thought it no robbery to be equal with ,god1 made ,himself of no reputation1 and took on ,him the form of a servant1 and was made in the likeness of man4 ,as we see the ,old ,testament ,jesus retiring in ,his old age1 not to a paradise in some fertile and flowery vale1 but to a bleak and rocky farm on the north side of the mountain of ,gaash1 or to a shaggy forest1 still held by the wolf and the bear1 we are reminded of the ,joshua of the ,new ,testament3 ,foxes have holes1 and the birds of the air have nests2 but the ,son of man hath not where to lay his head4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,the ,,cities ,,of ,,refuge4 ,,joshua ,,xx4 ,cities of refuge had a very prominent place assigned to them in the records of the ,mosaic legislation4 ,first1 in that which all allow to be the earliest legislation 7,exod4 xx4-xxiii47 intimation is given of ,god's intention to institute such cities 7,exod4 xxi4 #ac72 then in ,numbers 7xxxv4 #i-cd7 the plan of these places is given in full1 and all the regulations applicable to them2 again in ,deuteronomy 7xix4 #a-ac7 the law on the subject is rehearsed2 and finally1 in this chapter1 we read how the cities were actually instituted1 three on either side of ,jordan4 ,this frequent introduction of the subject shows that it was regarded as one of great importance1 and leads us to expect that we shall find principles underlying it of great value in their bearing even on modern life4#be #be ,these frequent references do not prevent modern critics from affirming that the cities of refuge were no part of the ,mosaic legislation4 ,they found this view upon the absence throughout the history of all reference to them as being in actual use4 ,they were not instituted1 it is said1 till after the ,exile4 ,but the very test that rejects them from the early legislation fails here4 ,there is no reference to them as actually occupied in the post-exilian books1 amounting1 as these are said to do1 to half the ,old ,testament4 ,their occupation1 it is said1 with the other ,levitical cities1 was postponed to the time of ,messiah4 ,the shifts to which the critics are put in connection with this institution do not merely indicate a weak point in their theory2 they show also how precarious is the position that when you do not hear of an institution as in actual operation you may conclude that it was of later date4 ,little needs to be said on the particular cities selected1 except that they were conveniently dispersed over the country4 ,kedesh in ,galilee in the northern part1 ,shechem in the central1 and ,hebron in the south1 were all accessible to the people in these regions respectively2 as were also1 on the other side the river1 ,bezer in the tribes of ,reuben1 ,ramoth in ,gilead1 and ,golan in ,bashan4 ,those who are fond of detecting the types of spiritual things in material1 and who take a hint from ,heb4 vi4 #ah1 connecting these cities with the sinner's refuge in ,christ1 naturally think in this connection of the nearness of the ,saviour to all who seek ,him1 and the certainty of protection and deliverance when they put their trust in ,him4 #a4 ,the first thought that naturally occurs to us when we read of these cities concerns the sanctity of human life2 or1 if we take the material symbol1 the preciousness of human blood4 ,god wished to impress on ,his people that to put an end to a man's life under any circumstances1 was a serious thing4 ,man was something higher than the beasts that perish4 ,to end a human career2 to efface by one dread act all the joys of a man's life1 all his dreams and hopes of coming good2 to snap all the threads that bound him to his fellows1 perhaps to bring want into the homes and desolation into the hearts of all who loved him or leant on him--this1 even if done unintentionally1 was a very serious thing4 ,to mark this in a very emphatic way was the purpose of these cities of refuge4 ,though in certain respects 7as we shall see7 the practice of avenging blood by the next-of-kin indicated a relic of barbarism1 yet1 as a testimony to the sacredness of human life1 it was characteristic of civilization4 ,it is natural for us to have a feeling1 when through carelessness but quite unintentionally one has killed another2 when a young man1 for example1 believing a gun to be unloaded1 has discharged its contents into the heart of his sister or his mother1 and when the author of this deed gets off scot-free1--we may have a feeling that something is wanting to vindicate the sanctity of human life1 and bear witness to the terribleness of the act that extinguished it4 ,and yet it cannot be denied that in our day life is invested with pre-eminent sanctity4 ,never1 probably1 was its value higher1 or the act of destroying it wilfully1 or even carelessly1 treated as more serious4 ,perhaps1 too1 as things are with us1 it is better in cases of unintentional killing to leave the unhappy perpetrator to the punishment of his own feelings1 rather than subject him to any legal process1 which1 while ending with a declaration of his innocence1 might needlessly aggravate a most excruciating pain4 ,it is not a very pleasing feature of the ,hebrew economy that this regard to the sanctity of human life was limited to members of the ,hebrew nation4 ,all outside the ,hebrew circle were treated as little better than the beasts that perish4 ,for ,canaanites there was nothing but indiscriminate slaughter4 ,even in the times of ,king ,david we find a barbarity in the treatment of enemies that seems to shut out all sense of brotherhood1 and to smother all claim to compassion4 ,we have here a point in which even the ,hebrew race were still far behind4 ,they had not come under the influence of that blessed ,teacher who taught us to love our enemies4 ,they had no sense of the obligation arising from the great truth that ,god hath made of one blood all the nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth4 ,this is one of the points at which we are enabled to see the vast change that was effected by the spirit of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the very psalms in some places reflect the old spirit1 for the writers had not learned to pray as ,he did--,father1 forgive them2 for they know not what they do4 #b4 ,even as apportioned to the ,hebrew people1 there was still an uncivilized element in the arrangements connected with these cities of refuge4 ,this lay in the practice of making the go-el1 or nearest of kin1 the avenger of blood4 ,the moment a man's blood was shed1 the nearest relative became responsible for avenging it4 ,he felt himself possessed by a spirit of retribution1 which demanded1 with irrepressible urgency1 the blood of the man who had killed his relation4 ,it was an unreasoning1 restless spirit1 making no allowance for the circumstances in which the blood was shed1 seeing nothing and knowing nothing save that his relative had been slain1 and that it was his duty1 at the earliest possible moment1 to have blood for blood4 ,had the law been perfect1 it would have simply handed over the killer to the magistrate1 whose duty would have been calmly to investigate the case1 and either punish or acquit1 according as he should find that the man had committed a crime or had caused a misfortune4 ,but1 as we have seen1 it was characteristic of the ,hebrew legislation that it adapted itself to the condition of things which it found1 and not to an ideal perfection which the people were not capable of at once realizing4 ,in the office of the go-el there was much that was of wholesome tendency4 ,the feeling was deeply rooted in the ,hebrew mind that the nearest of kin was the guardian of his brother's life1 and for this reason he was bound to avenge his death2 and instead of crossing this feeling1 or seeking wholly to uproot it1 the object of ,moses was to place it under salutary checks1 which should prevent it from inflicting gross injustice where no crime had really been committed4 ,there was something both sacred and salutary in the relation of the go-el to his nearest of kin4 ,when poverty obliged a man to dispose of his property1 it was the go-el that was bound to intervene and redeem the property4 ,the law served as a check to the cold spirit that is so ready to ask1 in reference to one broken down1 ,am ,i my brother's keeper8 ,it maintained a friendly relation between members of families that might otherwise have been entirely severed from each other4 ,the avenging of blood was regarded as one of the duties resulting from this relation1 and had this part of the duty been rudely or summarily superseded1 the whole relationship1 with all the friendly offices which it involved1 might have suffered shipwreck4 #c4 ,the course to be followed by the involuntary manslayer was very minutely prescribed4 ,he was to hurry with all speed to the nearest city of refuge1 and stand at the entering of the gate till the elders assembled1 and then to declare his cause in their ears4 ,if he failed to establish his innocence1 he got no protection2 but if he made out his case he was free from the avenger of blood1 so long as he remained within the city or its precincts4 ,if1 however1 he wandered out1 he was at the mercy of the avenger4 ,further1 he was to remain in the city till the death of the high priest4 ,some have sought a mystical meaning in this last regulation1 as if the high priest figured the ,redeemer1 and the death of the high priest the completion of redemption by the death of ,christ4 ,but this is too far-fetched to be of weight4 ,the death of the high priest was probably fixed on as a convenient time for releasing the manslayer1 it being probable that by that time all keen feeling in reference to his deed would have subsided1 and no one would then think that justice had been defrauded when a man with blood on his hands was allowed to go at large4 #d4 ,as it was1 the involuntary manslayer had thus to undergo a considerable penalty4 ,having to reside in the city of refuge1 he could no longer cultivate his farm or follow his ordinary avocations2 he must have found the means of living in some new employment as best he could4 ,his friendships1 his whole associations in life1 were changed2 perhaps he was even separated from his family4 ,to us all this appears a harder line than justice would have prescribed4 ,but1 on the one hand1 it was a necessary testimony to the strong1 though somewhat unreasonable feeling respecting the awfulness1 through whatever cause1 of shedding innocent blood4 ,a man had to accept of this quietly1 just as many a man has to accept the consequences--the social outlawry1 it may be1 and other penalties--of having had a father of bad character1 or of having been present in the company of wicked men when some evil deed was done by them4 ,then1 on the other hand1 the fact that the involuntary destruction of life was sure1 even at the best1 to be followed by such consequences1 was fitted to make men very careful4 ,they would naturally endeavour to the utmost to guard against an act that might land them in such a situation2 and thus the ordinary operations of daily life would be rendered more secure4 ,and perhaps it was in this way that the whole appointment secured its end4 ,some laws are never broken4 ,and here may be the explanation of the fact that the cities of refuge were not much used4 ,in all ,bible history we do not meet with a single instance2 but this might indicate1 not the non-existence of the institution1 but the indirect success of the provision1 which1 though framed to cure1 operated by preventing4 ,it made men careful1 and thus in silence checked the evil more effectually than if it had often been put in execution4 ,the desire for vengeance is a very strong feeling of human nature4 ,nor is it a feeling that soon dies out2 it has been known to live1 and to live keenly and earnestly1 even for centuries4 ,we talk of ancient barbarism2 but even in comparatively modern times the story of its deeds is appalling4 ,witness its operation in the island of ,corsica4 ,the historian ,filippini says that in thirty years of his own time #bh1jjj ,corsicans had been murdered out of revenge4 ,another historian calculates that the number of the victims of the ,vendetta from #acei to #agbi was #ccj1jjj4bf ,if an equal number be allowed for the wounded1 we have #fff1jjj ,corsicans victims of revenge4 ,and ,corsica was but one part of ,italy where the same passion raged4 ,in former ages ,florence1 ,bologna1 ,verona1 ,padua1 and ,milan were conspicuous for the same wild spirit4 ,and1 however raised1 even by trifling causes1 the spirit of vengeance is uncontrollable4 ,the causes1 indeed1 are often in ludicrous disproportion to the effects4 ,in ,ireland1 for instance1 it is not so long since one of these blood-feuds in the county of ,tipperary had acquired such formidable proportions that the authorities of the ,roman ,catholic ,church there were compelled to resort to a mission in order to put an end to it4 ,a man had been killed nearly a century before in an affray which commenced about the age of a colt4 ,his relatives felt bound to avenge the murder1 and their vengeance was again deemed to require fresh vengeance1 until faction fights between the ',three ,year ,olds' and the ',four ,year ,olds' had grown almost into petty wars4#bg ,when we find the spirit of revenge so blindly fierce even in comparatively modern times1 we can the better appreciate the necessity of such a check on its exercise as the cities of refuge supplied4 ,the mere fact that blood had been shed was enough to rouse the legal avenger to the pitch of frenzy2 in his blind passion he could think of nothing but blood for blood2 and if1 in the first excitement of the news1 the involuntary manslayer had crossed his path1 nothing could have restrained him from falling on him and crimsoning the ground with his blood4 #bf ,gregorovius1 ,wanderings in ,corsica4 #bg ,pulpit ,comment41 in loco4 ,in ,new ,testament times the practice that committed the avenging of blood to the nearest of kin seems to have fallen into abeyance4 ,no such keen desire for revenge was prevalent then4 ,such cases as those now provided for were doubtless dealt with by the ordinary magistrate4 ,and thus our ,lord could grapple directly with the spirit of revenge and retaliation in all its manifestations4 ,ye have heard that it was said of old time1 ,an eye for an eye1 and a tooth for a tooth2 but ,i say unto you1 ,resist not him that is evil2 but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek1 turn to him the other also 7,r4,v474 ,the old practice was hurtful1 because1 even in cases where punishment was deserved1 it made vengeance or retribution so much a matter of personal feeling4 ,it stimulated to the utmost pitch what was fiercest in human temper4 ,it is a far better system that commits the dealing with crime to the hands of magistrates1 who ought to be1 and who are presumed to be1 exempt from all personal feeling in the matter4 ,and now1 for those whose personal feelings are roused1 whether in a case of premeditated or of unintended manslaughter1 or of any lesser injury done to themselves1 the ,christian rule is that those personal feelings are to be overcome2 the law of love is to be called into exercise1 and retribution is to be left in the hands of the great ,judge3--,vengeance is ,mine2 ,i will recompense1 saith the ,lord4 ,the attempt to find in the cities of refuge a typical representation of the great salvation fails at every point but one4 ,the safety that was found in the refuge corresponds to the safety that is found in ,christ4 ,but even in this point of view the city of refuge rather affords an illustration than constitutes a type4 ,the benefit of the refuge was only for unintentional offences2 the salvation of ,christ is for all4 ,what ,christ saves from is not our misfortune but our guilt4 ,the protection of the city was needed only till the death of the high priest2 the protection of ,christ is needed till the great public acquittal4 ,all that the manslayer received in the city was safety2 but from ,christ there is a constant flow of higher and holier blessings4 ,his name is called ,jesus because ,he saves ,his people from their sins4 ,not merely from the penalty1 but from the sins themselves4 ,it is ,his high office not only to atone for sin1 but to destroy it4 ,if the ,son makes you free1 ye shall be free indeed4 ,the virtue that goes out of ,him comes into contact with the lust itself and transforms it4 ,the final benefit of ,christ is the blessing of transformation4 ,it is the acquisition of the ,christlike spirit4 ,moreover whom ,he did foreknow1 them ,he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of ,his ,son1 that ,he might be the firstborn of many brethren4 ,in turning an incident like this to account1 as bearing on our modern life1 we are led to think how much harm we are liable to do to others without intending harm1 and how deeply we ought to be affected by this consideration1 when we discover what we have really done4 ,we may be helped here by thinking of the case of ,st4 ,paul4 ,what harm he did in the unconverted period of his life1 without intending to do harm1 cannot be calculated4 ,but when he came to the light1 nothing could have exceeded the depth of his contrition1 and1 to his last hour1 he could not think of the past without horror4 ,it was his great joy to know that his ,lord had pardoned him1 and that he had been able to find one good use of the very enormity of his conduct--to show the exceeding riches of ,his pardoning love4 ,but1 all his life long1 the ,apostle was animated by an overwhelming desire to neutralise1 as far as he could1 the mischief of his early life1 and very much of the self-denial and contempt of ease that continued to characterise him was due to this vehement feeling4 ,for though ,paul felt that he had done harm in ignorance1 and for this cause had obtained mercy1 he did not consider that his ignorance excused him altogether4 ,it was an ignorance that proceeded from culpable causes1 and that involved effects from which a rightly ordered heart could not but recoil4 ,in the case of ,his own murderers our blessed ,lord1 in ,his beautiful prayer1 recognised a double condition1--they were ignorant1 yet they were guilty1 ,father1 forgive them2 for they know not what they do4 ,they were ignorant of what they were doing1 and yet they were doing what needed forgiveness1 because it involved guilt4 ,and what we admire in ,paul is1 that he did not make his ignorance a self-justifying plea1 but in the deepest humility owned the inexcusableness of his conduct4 ,to have done harm to our fellow-creatures under any circumstances is a distressing thing1 even when we meant the best2 but to have down harm to their moral life owing to something wrong in our own1 is not only distressing1 but humiliating4 ,it is something which we dare not lightly dismiss from our minds1 under the plea that we meant the best1 but unfortunately we were mistaken4 ,had we been more careful1 had our eye been more single1 we should have been full of light1 and we should have known that we were not taking the right way to do the best4 ,errors in moral life always resolve themselves into disorder of our moral nature1 and1 if traced to their source1 will bring to light some fault of indolence1 or selfishness1 or pride1 or carelessness1 which was the real cause of our mistaken act4 ,and where is the man--parent1 teacher1 pastor1 or friend--that does not become conscious1 at some time or other1 of having influenced for harm those committed to his care8 ,we taught them1 perhaps1 to despise some good man whose true worth we have afterwards been led to see4 ,we repressed their zeal when we thought it misdirected1 with a force which chilled their enthusiasm and carnalised their hearts4 ,we failed to stimulate them to decision for ,christ1 and allowed the golden opportunity to pass which might have settled their relation to ,god all the rest of their life4 ,the great realities of the spiritual life were not brought home to them with the earnestness1 the fidelity1 the affection that was fitting4 ,who can understand his errors8 ,who among us but1 as he turns some new corner in the path of life1 as he reaches some new view-point1 as he sees a new flash from heaven reflected on the past1--who among us but feels profoundly that all his life has been marred by unsuspected flaws1 and almost wishes that he had never been born8 ,is there no city of refuge for us to fly to1 and to escape the condemnation of our hearts8 ,it is here that the blessed ,lord presents ,himself to us in a most blessed light4 ,come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest4 ,do we not labour indeed1 are we not in truth very heavy laden1 when we feel the burden of unintentional evil1 when we feel that unconsciously we have been doing hurt to others1 and incurring the curse of him who causeth the blind to stumble8 ,are we not heavy laden indeed when we cannot be sure that even yet we are thoroughly on the right track--when we feel that peradventure we are still unconsciously continuing the mischief in some other form8 ,yet is not the promise true8--,i will give you rest4 ,i will give you pardon for the past1 and guidance for the future4 ,i will deliver you from the feeling that you have been all your life sowing seeds of mischief1 sure to spring up and pervert those whom you love most dearly4 ,i will give you comfort in the thought that as ,i have guided you1 ,i will guide them1 and you shall have a vision of the future1 that may no doubt include some of the terrible features of the shipwreck of ,st4 ,paul1 but of which the end will be the same-- and so it came to pass that they escaped all safe to land4 ,and let us learn a lesson of charity4 ,let us learn to be very considerate of mischief done by others either unintentionally or in ignorance4 ,what more inexcusable than the excitement of parents over their children or of masters over their servants1 when1 most undesignedly and not through sheer carelessness1 an article of some value is broken or damaged8 ,have you never done such a thing yourself8 ,and if a like torrent fell on you then from your parent or master1 did you not feel bitterly that it was unjust8 ,and do you not even now have the same feeling when your temper cools8 ,how bitter the thought of having done injustice to those dependent on you1 and of having created in their bosoms a sullen sense of wrong6 ,let them have their city of refuge for undesigned offences1 and never again pursue them or fall on them in the excited spirit of the avenger of blood6 ,so also with regard to opinions4 ,many who differ from us in religious opinion differ through ignorance4 ,they have inherited their opinions from their parents or their other ancestors4 ,their views are shared by nearly all whom they love and with whom they associate2 they are contained in their familiar books2 they are woven into the web of their daily life4 ,if they were better instructed1 if their minds were more free from prejudice1 they might agree with us more4 ,let us make for them the allowance of ignorance1 and let us make it not bitterly but respectfully4 ,they are doing much mischief1 it may be4 ,they are retarding the progress of beneficent truth2 they are thwarting your endeavours to spread ,divine light4 ,but they are doing it ignorantly4 ,if you are not called to provide for them a city of refuge1 cover them at least with the mantle of charity4 ,believe that their intentions are better than their acts4 ,live in the hope of a day when perfect light shall pour its rays1 when all the mists of prejudice shall be scattered1 and you shall perhaps find that in all that is vital in ,christian truth and for the ,christian life1 you and your brethren were not so far separate after all4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,the ,,inheritance ,,of ,,the ,,levites4 ,,joshua xxi4 #a-db4 ,once and again we have found reference made to the fact that ,levites received no territorial inheritance among their brethren 7xiii4 #ad1 #cc1 xiv4 #c1 #d74 ,they had a higher privilege3 the ,lord was their inheritance4 ,in the present chapter we have an elaborate account of the arrangements for their settlement2 it will therefore be suitable here to rehearse their history1 and ascertain the relation they now stood in to the rest of the tribes4 ,in the days of the patriarchs and during the sojourn in ,egypt there were no official priests4 ,each head of a house discharged the duties of the priesthood in patriarchal times1 and a similar arrangement prevailed during the residence in ,egypt4 ,the whole nation was holy2 in this sense it was a nation of priests2 all were set apart for the service of ,god4 ,by-and-by it pleased ,god to select a portion of the nation specially for ,his service1 to establish1 as it were1 a holy of holies within the consecrated nation4 ,the first intimation of this was given on that awful occasion when the firstborn of the ,egyptians was slain4 ,in token of ,his mercy in sparing ,israel on that night1 all the firstborn of ,israel1 both of man and beast1 were specially consecrated to the ,lord4 ,the animals were to be offered in sacrifice1 except in the case of some1 such as the ass1 not suited for sacrifice2 these were to be redeemed by the sacrifice of another animal4 ,afterwards a similar arrangement was made with reference to the firstborn of men1 the tribe of ,levi being substituted for them 7see ,numb4 iii4 #ab74 ,but this arrangement was not made till after the tribe of ,levi had shown1 by a special act of service1 that they were fitted for this honour4 ,certainly we should not have thought beforehand that the descendants of ,levi would be the specially sacred tribe4 ,levi himself comes before us in the patriarchal history in no attractive light4 ,he and ,simeon were associated together in that massacre of the ,shechemites1 which we can never read of without horror 7,gen4 xxxiv4 #be74 ,levi was likewise an accomplice with his brethren in the lamentable tragedy of ,joseph4 ,and as nothing better is recorded of him1 we are apt to think of him as through life the same4 ,but this were hardly fair4 ,why should not ,levi have shared in that softening influence which undoubtedly came on the other brethren8 ,why may he not have become a true man of ,god1 and transmitted to his tribe the memory and the example of a holy character8 ,certain it is that we find among his descendants in ,egypt some very noble specimens of godliness4 ,the mother of ,moses1 a daughter of the house of ,levi1 is a woman of incomparable faith4 ,moses1 her son1 is emphatically the man of ,god4 ,aaron1 his brother1 moved by a ,divine influence1 goes to the wilderness to find him when the very crisis of oppression seems to indicate that ,god's time for the deliverance of ,israel is drawing nigh4 ,miriam1 his sister1 though far from faultless1 piously watched his bulrush-cradle1 and afterwards led the choir whose praises rose to ,god in a great volume of thanksgiving after crossing the sea4 ,the first honour conferred on ,levi in connection with religious service was the appointment of ,aaron and his sons to the special service of the priesthood 7,exod4 xxviii42 ,numb4 xviii4 #a74 ,this did not necessarily involve any spiritual distinction for the whole tribe of which ,aaron was a member1 nor was that distinction conferred at that time4 ,it was after the affair of the golden calf that the tribe of ,levi received this honour4 ,for when ,moses1 in his holy zeal against that scandal1 called upon all who were on the ,lord's side to come to him1 all the sons of ,levi gathered themselves unto him 7,exod4 xxxii4 #bf74 ,this seems to imply that that tribe alone held itself aloof from the atrocious idolatry into which even ,aaron had been drawn4 ,and apparently it was in connection with this high act of service that ,levi was selected as the sacred tribe1 and in due time formally substituted for the firstborn in every family 7,numb4 iii4 #ab1 sqq41 viii4 #f sqq41 xviii4 #b sqq474 ,from this time the tribe of ,levi stood to ,god in a relation of peculiar honour and sacredness1 and had duties assigned to them in harmony with this eminent position4 ,the tribe of ,levi consisted of three main branches1 corresponding to ,levi's three sons--,kohath1 ,gershon1 and ,merari4 ,the ,kohathites1 though apparently not the oldest 7see ,numb4 iii4 #ag7 were the most distinguished1 ,moses and ,aaron being of that branch4 ,as ,levites1 the ,kohathites had charge of the ark and its sacred furniture1 guarding it at all times1 and carrying it from place to place during the journeys of the wilderness4 ,the ,gershonites had charge of the tabernacle1 with its cords1 curtains1 and coverings4 ,the sons of ,merari had charge of the more solid parts of the tabernacle1 its boards and bars1 its pillars and its pins1 and all the vessels thereof4 ,korah1 the leader of the rebellion against ,moses and ,aaron1 was1 like them1 of the family of ,kohath1 and the object of his rebellion was to punish what he considered the presumption of the two brothers in giving to ,aaron the special honours of a priesthood which1 in former days1 had belonged alike to all the congregation 7,numb4 xvi4 #c74 ,we are accustomed to think that the supernatural proofs of the ,divine commission to ,moses were so overwhelming that it would have been out of the question for any man to challenge them4 ,but many things show that1 though we might have thought opposition to ,moses impossible1 it prevailed to a great extent4 ,the making of the golden calf1 the report of the spies and the commotion that followed1 the rebellion of ,korah1 and many other things1 prove that the prevalent spirit was usually that of unbelief and rebellion1 and that it was only after many signal miracles and signal judgments that ,moses was enabled at last to exercise an unchallenged authority4 ,the rationalist idea1 that it was enthusiasm for ,moses that led the people to follow him out of ,egypt1 and endure all the hardships of the wilderness1 and that there is nothing more in the ,exodus than the story of an ,eastern nation leaving one country under a trusted leader to settle in another1 is one to which the whole tenor of the history offers unqualified contradiction4 ,and not the least valid ground of opposition is the bitter1 deadly spirit in which attempts to frustrate ,moses were so often made4 ,many of the duties of the ,levites as detailed in the ,pentateuch were duties for the wilderness4 ,after the settlement in ,canaan1 and the establishment of the tabernacle at ,shiloh1 these duties would undergo a change4 ,the ,levites were not all needed to be about the tabernacle4 ,the ,gibeonites indeed had been retained as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the ,lord1 so that the more laborious part of the work at ,shiloh would be done by them4 ,if the ,levites had clustered like a swarm of bees around the sacred establishment1 loss would have been sustained alike by themselves and by the people4 ,it was desirable1 in accordance with the great law of distribution already referred to1 that they should be dispersed over the whole country4 ,the men that stood nearest to ,god1 and who were a standing testimony to the superiority of the spiritual over the secular1 who were ,divine witnesses1 indeed1 to the higher part of man's nature1 as well as to ,god's pre-eminent claims1 must have failed egregiously of their mission had they been confined to a single city or to the territory of a single tribe4 ,jacob had foretold both of ,simeon and ,levi that they would be divided in ,jacob and scattered in ,israel4 ,in the case of ,levi1 the scattering was overruled for good4 ,designed to point ,god-wards and heavenwards1 the mission of ,levi was to remind the people over the whole country that they were not mere earth-worms1 created to grub and burrow in the ground1 but beings with a nobler destiny1 whose highest honour it was to be in communion with ,god4 ,the functions of the ,levites throughout the country seem to have differed somewhat in successive periods of their history4 ,here1 as in other matters1 there was doubtless some development1 according as new wants appeared in the spiritual condition of the people1 and consequently new obligations for the ,levites to fulfil4 ,when the people fell under special temptations to idolatry1 it would naturally fall to the ,levites1 in connection with the priesthood1 to warn them against these temptations1 and strive to keep them faithful to their ,god4 ,but it does not appear that even the ,levites could be trusted to continue faithful4 ,it is a sad and singular fact that a grandson of ,moses was one of the first to go astray4 ,the ,authorized ,version1 indeed1 says that the young man who became a priest to the ,danites when they set up a graven image in the city of ,dan1 was ,jonathan1 the son of ,gershom1 the son of ,manasseh 7,judg4 xviii4 #cj74 ,but the ,revised ,version1 not without authority1 calls him ,jonathan1 the son of ,gershom1 the son of ,moses4 ,here we have a glimpse of two remarkable facts3 in the first place1 that a grandson of ,moses1 a ,levite1 was located in so confined a place that he had to leave it in search of another1 to sojourn where he could find a place--so entirely had ,moses abstained from steps to secure superior provision for his own family2 and1 in the second place1 that even with his remarkable advantages and relations1 this ,jonathan1 in defiance of the law1 was tempted to assume an office of priesthood1 and to discharge that office at the shrine of a graven image4 ,we are far indeed from the truth when we suppose that the whole nation of ,israel submitted to the law of ,moses from the beginning with absolute loyalty1 or when we accept the prevalent practice among them at any one period as undoubted evidence of what was then the law4 ,but let us now turn our attention to the distribution of the ,levites as it was planned4 ,we say deliberately as it was planned1 because there is every reason to believe that the plan was not effectually carried out4 ,in no case does there seem to have been such a failure of official arrangements as in the case of ,levi4 ,and the reason is not difficult to find4 ,few of the cities allotted to them were free of ,canaanites at the time4 ,to get actual possession of the cities they must have dispossessed the remaining ,canaanites4 ,but1 scattered as they were1 this was peculiarly difficult4 ,and the other tribes seem to have been in no humour to help them4 ,hence it is that in the early period of the ,judges we find ,levites wandering here and there seeking for a settlement1 and glad of any occupation they could find 7,judg4 xviii4 #g1 xix4 #a74 ,the provision made by ,joshua for the ,levites was that out of all the other tribes1 forty-eight cities with their suburbs1 including the six cities of refuge1 were allotted to them4 ,it is necessary for us here to call to mind how much ,canaan1 like other ,eastern countries and some countries not ,eastern1 was a land of towns and villages4 ,cottages and country-houses standing by themselves were hardly known4 ,a house in its own grounds--a lodge in a garden of cucumbers--might shelter a man for a time1 but could not be his permanent home4 ,the country was too liable to hostile raids for its inhabitants to dwell thus unprotected4 ,most of the people had their homes in the towns and villages with which their fields were connected4 ,in consequence of this each town had a circuit of land around it1 which always fell to the conquerors when the town was taken4 ,and it is this fact that sometimes makes the boundaries of the tribes so difficult to follow1 because these boundaries had to embrace all the lands connected with the cities which they embraced4 ,if it be asked1 ,did the ,levites receive as part of their inheritance all the lands adjacent to their cities1 the answer is1 ,no4 ,for in that case the only difference between them and the other tribes would have been that the ,levites had forty-eight little territories instead of one large possession1 and there would have been no ground for the distinction so emphatically made that the ,lord was their inheritance1 or the sacrifices of the ,lord made by fire4 ,the cities given to the ,levites1 even when cleared of ,canaanites1 were not possessed by ,levites alone4 ,we may gather the normal state of affairs from what is said regarding ,hebron and ,caleb4 ,hebron was a ,levitical city1 a city of the priests1 a city of refuge2 they gave to the ,kohathites the city1 with the suburbs thereof roundabout2 but the fields of the city1 and the villages thereof1 gave they to ,caleb the son of ,jephunneh for his possession 7vv4 #aa1 #ab74 ,what are called suburbs1 or1 as some prefer to render1 cattle-drives1 extended for two thousand cubits round about the city on every side 7,numb4 xxxv4 #e71 and were used only for pasture4 ,it behoved the ,levites to have cattle of some kind to supply them with their food1 the main part of which1 besides fruit1 was milk and its produce4 ,but1 beyond this1 the ,levites were not entangled with the business of husbandry4 ,they were left free for more spiritual service4 ,it was their part to raise the souls of the people above the level of earth1 and1 like the angel in the ,pilgrim's ,progress1 call on those who might otherwise have worshipped the mud-rake to lift up their eyes to the crown of glory1 and accept the heavenly gift4 ,in fact1 the whole function of the ,levites1 ideally at least1 was as ,moses sung3-- ,and of ,levi he said1 ,let thy ,urim and thy ,thummim be with thy godly one1 ,whom thou didst prove at ,massah1 ,with whom thou didst strive at the waters of ,meribah2 ,who said of his father1 and of his mother1 ,i have not seen him2 ,neither did he acknowledge his brethren1 ,nor knew his own children3 ,for they have observed ,thy word1 ,and kept ,thy covenant4 ,they shall teach ,jacob ,thy judgments1 ,and ,israel ,thy law3 ,they shall put incense before ,thee1 ,and whole burnt offering upon ,thine altar4 ,bless1 ,lord1 his substance1 ,and accept the work of his hands3 ,smite through the loins of them that rise up against him1 ,and of them that hate him1 that they rise not again4 ,deut4 xxxiii4 #h-aa 7,r4,v474 ,but to come now to the division itself4 ,the ,kohathites1 or leading family1 had no fewer than thirteen cities in the tribes of ,judah1 ,benjamin1 and ,simeon1 and ten more in ,ephraim1 ,dan1 and ,manasseh4 ,the thirteen in ,judah1 ,benjamin1 and ,simeon were for the priests2 the other ten were for the other branches of the ,kohathites4 ,at first the priests1 strictly so called1 could not occupy them all4 ,but1 as the history advances1 the priests become more and more prominent1 while the ,levites as such seem to hold a less and less conspicuous place4 ,in the ,psalms1 for example1 we sometimes find the house of ,levi left out when all classes of worshippers are called on to praise the ,lord4 ,in the #aceth ,psalm all are included3-- ,o house of ,israel1 bless ye the ,lord3 ,o house of ,aaron1 bless ye the ,lord3 ,o house of ,levi1 bless ye the ,lord3 ,ye that fear the ,lord1 bless ye the ,lord4 ,but in the #aaeth the ,levites are left out3-- ,o ,israel1 trust thou in the ,lord3 ,he is their help and their shield4 ,o house of ,aaron1 trust ye in the ,lord3 ,he is their help and their shield4 ,ye that fear the ,lord1 trust in the ,lord3 ,he is their help and their shield4 ,and in the #aahth3-- ,let ,israel now say ,that ,his mercy endureth for ever4 ,let the house of ,aaron now say ,that ,his mercy endureth for ever4 ,let them now that fear the ,lord say ,that ,his mercy endureth for ever4 ,there is this to be said for the region where the priests1 the house of ,aaron1 had their cities1 viz41 the tribe of ,judah1 that it maintained its integrity longest of any2 nor did it thoroughly succumb to idolatry till the dark days of ,manasseh1 one of its later kings4 ,but1 on the other hand1 in ,new ,testament times1 ,juda was the most bigoted part of the country1 and the most bitterly opposed to our ,lord4 ,and the explanation is1 that the true spirit of ,divine service had utterly evaporated from among the priesthood1 and the miserable spirit of formalism had come in4 ,the living sap of the institution had been turned into stone1 and the plant of renown of early days had become a stony fossil4 ,so true is it that the best institutions1 when perverted from their true end1 become the sources of greatest evil1 and the highest gifts of heaven1 when seized by the devil and turned to his purposes1 become the most efficient instruments of hell4 ,the other portions of the family of ,kohath were distributed in ten cities over the central part of ,western ,palestine4 ,some of them were important centres of influence1 such as ,bethhoron1 ,shechem1 and ,taanach4 ,but the influence of the ,levites for good seems to have been feeble in this region1 for it was here that ,jeroboam reigned1 and here that ,ahab and ,jezebel all but obliterated the worship of ,jehovah4 ,it is commonly believed that ,samuel was a member of the tribe of ,levi1 although there is some confusion in the genealogy as given in #a ,chron4 vi4 #bh1 #cd2 yet ,ramathaim ,zophim1 his father's place of abode1 was not one of the ,levitical cities4 ,and ,samuel's influence was exerted more on the southern than the central district2 for1 after the destruction of ,shiloh1 ,mizpeh appears to have been his ordinary residence 7#a ,sam4 vii4 #f71 and afterwards ,ramah#bh 7vii4 #ag74 ,it would indeed be a pleasant thought that the inefficiency of the ,kohathites as a whole was in some measure redeemed by the incomparable service of ,samuel4 ,if ,samuel was a ,levite1 he was a noble instance of what may be done by one zealous and consecrated man1 amid the all but universal defection of his official brethren4 #bh ,ramathaim and ,ramah are used interchangeably 7#a ,sam4 i4 #a and #ai1 ii4 #aa74 ,the ,gershonites were placed in cities in eastern ,manasseh1 ,issachar1 ,asher1 and ,naphtali2 while the ,merarites were in ,zebulun1 and in the transjordanic tribes of ,gad and ,reuben4 ,they thus garrisoned the northern and eastern districts4 ,those placed in the north ought to have been barriers against the gross idolatry of ,tyre and ,sidon1 and those in the east1 besides resisting the idolatry of the desert tribes1 should have held back that of ,damascus and ,syria4 ,but there is very little to show that the ,levites as a whole rose to the dignity of their mission in these regions1 or that they formed a very efficient barrier against the idolatry and corruption which they were designed to meet4 ,no doubt they did much to train the people to the outward observance of the law4 ,they would call them to the celebration of the great annual festivals1 and of the new moons and other observances that had to be locally celebrated4 ,they would look after cases of ceremonial defilement1 and no doubt they would be careful to enjoin payment of the tithes to which they had a claim4 ,they would do their best to maintain the external distinctions in religion1 by which the nation was separated from its neighbours4 ,but1 except in rare cases1 they do not appear to have been spiritually earnest1 nor to have done much of that service which ,samuel did in the southern part of the country4 ,externalism and formalism seem to have been their most frequent characteristics2 and externalism and formalism are poor weapons when the enemy cometh in like a food4 ,and1 whatever may have been the usual life and work of the ,levites over the country1 they never seem to have realized the glory of the distinction divinely accorded to them--,the ,lord is their inheritance4 ,few1 indeed1 in any age or country have come to know what is meant by having ,god for their portion4 ,unbelief can never grasp that there is a life in ,god--a real life1 so full of enjoyment that all other happiness may be dispensed with2 a real property1 so rich in every blessing1 that the goods and chattels of this world are mere shadows in comparison4 ,yet that there have been men profoundly impressed by these convictions1 in all ages and in many lands1 amid prevailing ungodliness1 cannot be denied4 ,how otherwise is such a life as that of ,st4 ,bernard or that of ,st4 ,francis to be accounted for8 ,or that of ,st4 ,columba and the missionaries of ,iona8 ,or1 to go farther back1 that of ,st4 ,paul8 ,there is a magic virtue1 or rather a ,divine power1 in real consecration4 ,them that honour ,me1 ,i will honour4 ,it is the want of such men that makes our churches feeble4 ,it is our mixing up our own interests with the interests of ,god's kingdom and refusing to leave self out of view while we profess to give ourselves wholly to ,god1 that explains the slowness of our progress4 ,if the ,levites had all been consecrated men1 idolatry and its great brood of corruptions would never have spread over the land of ,israel4 ,if all ,christian ministers were like their ,master1 ,christianity would spread like wildfire1 and in a very little time the light of salvation would brighten the globe4 ,,note4--,in this chapter we have accepted the statements of the ,pentateuch regarding the ,levites as they stand4 ,we readily own that there are difficulties not a few connected with the received view4 ,the modern critical theory that maintains that the ,levitical order was a much later institution would no doubt remove many of these difficulties1 but only by creating other difficulties far more serious4 ,besides1 the hypothesis of ,wellhausen that the tribe of ,levi was destroyed with ,simeon at the invasion of ,canaan--having no foundation to rest on1 except the assumption that the prophecy ascribed to ,jacob was written at a later date--is ludicrously inadequate to sustain the structure made to rest on it4 ,nor is it conceivable that1 after the captivity1 the priests should have been able to make the people believe a totally different account of the history of one of the tribes from that which had previously been received4 ,it is likewise incredible that the ,levites should have been annihilated or extinguished in the days of ,joshua1 without a single allusion in the history to so terrible a fact4 ,how inconsistent with the concern expressed when the tribe of ,benjamin was in danger of extinction 7,judg4 xxi4 #ag74 ,the loss of a tribe was like the loss of a limb2 it would have marred essentially the symmetry of the nation4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,no ,,failure ,,of ,,god',s ,,promise4 ,,joshua xxi4 #dc-de4 ,the historian has reached a point where he may stand still and look back4 ,one look is comparatively limited2 another reaches very far4 ,the immediate survey extends only over the last few years2 the remote embraces centuries1 and goes back to the time of ,abraham4 ,the historian sees the venerable patriarch of the nation among his flocks and herds in ,ur of the ,chaldees2 receiving there a ,divine summons to remove to an unknown land2 obeying the call1 tarrying at ,haran1 then traversing the desert1 and crossing the ,jordan4 ,at ,shechem1 at ,bethel1 at ,mamre1 and at ,beersheba1 he perceives him listening to the ,divine voice that promises that1 stranger and pilgrim though he was1 the ,lord would give his posterity all that land2 that he would bless those that blessed him1 and curse those that cursed him2 and that in him and in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed4 ,for one hundred long years ,abraham had wandered over the country without so much as a house or homestead in it4 ,isaac had come after him1 living the same pilgrim life4 ,jacob1 with a much more stirring and troubled life1 had in his old age gone down to ,joseph in ,egypt1 leaving but one field in the country which he could call his own4 ,then came the long centuries of ,egyptian bondage4 ,at last the ,divine call is heard to leave ,egypt1 but after this1 forty long years have still to be spent in the wilderness4 ,then ,moses1 the great leader of the people1 dies--dies at the very time when he is apparently most needed1 just at the very crisis of ,israel's history4 ,but ,joshua comes in ,moses' room1 and the ,lord is with ,joshua2 ,he rewards his faith and gives him victory over all his enemies4 ,and now at last comes the fulfilment of the promises to the fathers1 hoary with age1 and seemingly long forgotten4 ,the bill has at last matured and fallen due4 ,after so many generations1 it might be thought that it would have been enough to discharge the main substance of the obligation or that some compromise might have been proposed reducing the claim4 ,after having lain long out of their money1 creditors are usually ready to accept a composition4 ,but this was not ,god's method of settlement4 ,during the whole period of ,joshua's leadership1 ,god had been doing nothing but discharging old obligations4 ,not one word of the original bill had been obliterated2 not one item had been allowed to lapse through time4 ,east and west and north and south ,he had been giving what ,he had promised to give4 ,and now1 as the transaction comes to an end1 it is seen that nothing has been omitted or forgotten4 ,there failed not ought of any good thing which the ,lord had spoken concerning ,israel2 all came to pass4 ,he proved ,himself1 as ,moses had said1 the faithful ,god1 which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love ,him1 and keep ,his commandments to a thousand generations4 ,three gifts are specified which ,god bestowed on ,israel3 possession1 rest1 and victory4 ,first1 ,he gave them the land which ,he had sworn to give unto their fathers1 and they possessed it2 next1 ,he gave them rest round about1 according to all that ,he had sworn to their fathers2 and1 lastly1 ,he gave them victory over all their enemies4 ,he satisfied the longing soul1 and filled the hungry soul with goodness4 ,he brought ,his bride to her home1 and surrounded her with comforts4 ,and had the bride only been as faithful to her obligations as the ,divine bridegroom1 it might have been said that ,time had run back1 and fetched the age of gold4 ,but1 it may perhaps be said1--this is only the historian's view of the matter1 and it is hardly in accordance with facts4 ,are we not told that1 at an early period1 a colony of the tribe of ,dan had to go elsewhere in search of land1 because they were too hampered in the allotment they had received8 ,and1 in the beginning of ,judges1 are we not told that after the death of ,joshua1 ,judah and ,simeon had a desperate tussle with ,canaanites and ,perizzites who were still in their territories1 and that in ,bezek alone there were slain of them ten thousand men8 ,and is not the whole of the first chapter of ,judges a record of the relations of ,israel in various places to the original inhabitants1 from which it appears that very many of the ,canaanites continued to dwell in the land8 ,surely this was not what ,god's promise to the fathers was fitted to convey4 ,had not ,god promised that ,he would drive out the seven nations1 and give the seed of ,abraham possession of the whole8 ,how then could ,his word be said to be implemented when so many of the original inhabitants remained8 ,and1 in particular1 how could the historian of ,joshua say so explicitly that there failed not ought of any good thing which the ,lord had spoken unto the house of ,israel4 ,in answer to this objection it is to be remarked that ,god had never promised to give the people full possession of the land save through their own exertions made in dependence on ,him4 ,their possessions were not to fall into their hands as the manna fell in the wilderness or as the water gushed from the rock4 ,the seven nations were not to rush from before them the moment they crossed the ,jordan4 ,god always meant that they were to be ,his instruments for clearing the country4 ,now1 that clearance was evidently designed to be effected in two ways4 ,first1 under ,joshua1 a general encounter with the former possessors was to take place1 their confederacies were to be shattered1 their spirit was to be broken1 and to a certain extent their lands were to be set free4 ,but beyond this1 there was to be a further process of clearing out4 ,when each tribe was settled in its lot1 it was to address itself1 in detail1 to the task of dispossessing such ,canaanites as yet lingered there4 ,it might not be expedient that all should be engaged in this task together1 for this would necessarily interfere with the ordinary operations of agriculture4 ,it was judged better that it should be done piecemeal1 and therefore ,god was asked to say which of the tribes ought to begin it4 ,judah was named1 and ,judah aided by ,simeon did his work well1 and set a good example to the rest4 ,but the other tribes did not act with ,judah's spirit1 and therefore they did not enjoy his reward4 ,the testimony of the historian is1 that nothing failed of any good thing which the ,lord had spoken unto the house of ,israel4 ,the ,lord faithfully performed every part of ,his obligation4 ,he did not add ,israel's obligations to ,his own1 and discharge them too1 when they were remiss concerning them4 ,the ultimate result of the whole business was1 that trouble befell ,israel1 inasmuch as he neglected his obligations1 while the ,lord faithfully performed every one of ,his4 ,time therefore did not run back and fetch the age of gold4 ,israel did not enjoy all the possessions that had been allotted to him4 ,canaanites remained in the country to torment him like thorns in his sides4 ,but this was ,israel's fault1 not ,god's4 ,though you were to give a lazy farmer the finest farm in the country1 you could not make him prosperous if he neglected his fields and idled away the time that should be spent in continuous labour4 ,you cannot keep a man in health if he breathes unwholesome air or drinks water poisoned with putrid matter4 ,no more could ,israel be wholly prosperous if he allowed ,canaanites to settle quietly at his side4 ,if he had roused himself1 and attacked them with courage and in faith1 ,god would have made him to prevail4 ,but1 since he preferred ease and quiet to the painfulness of duty1 ,god left him to reap as he had sowed1 and suffer the consequences of his neglect4 ,he had seldom long periods of prosperity1 and often he had very bitter experiences of calamity and distress4 ,certainly ,god had furnished ,his people with the materials for a happy and prosperous life1 if only they had used them aright4 ,there was first the element of possessions4 ,they had comfortable homes and all the requisites of a comfortable life4 ,it is most true that a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth4 ,but moderate possessions are one element1 though not the chief or most essential of human prosperity4 ,possessions1 however rich or manifold1 in connection with a discontented temper1 an ungodly spirit1 or a selfish nature1 can bring no genuine pleasure4 ,in addition to possessions1 the ,lord had given ,israel rest4 ,their enemies were not disposed to attack them even when dwelling by their side4 ,true it is that the rest into which ,joshua brought them was not the true1 the ultimate rest4 ,if ,joshua had given them that rest1 the ,holy ,spirit would not have spoken of a rest that was still to come 7,heb4 iv4 #h74 ,but external rest1 like external possessions though not all1 was one contribution towards prosperity4 ,moreover1 none of their enemies had been able to stand before them2 in every encounter that had yet taken place the ,lord had delivered them into their hand4 ,this was a blessed presage for the future4 ,whatever encounters might yet remain1 they might count on the same result1 if they lifted up their eyes to ,god4 ,their life in the future would not be without toil1 without anxiety1 without danger4 ,but if they looked to ,him and made the requisite efforts1 ,god was ready to bless their toil1 ,he was able to overcome their anxieties1 ,he was sure as in the past to subdue their enemies4 ,the gifts that ,god had conferred on them1 and the materials of enjoyment with which ,he had surrounded them1 were not designed to make them independent1 as if they could now do everything for themselves4 ,god's purpose was the very reverse4 ,he wished to keep up the sense of dependence on ,him1 and to encourage at every turn the habit that seeks unto ,god1 and goes to ,him for help4 ,for this1 after all1 is the great lesson for all human beings4 ,the great thing for us all is to keep up a living connection with ,god1 so that our whole nature shall be replenished out of ,his fulness1 and purified and elevated by ,his ,divine influence4 ,whatever draws us to ,god draws us to the fountain of all that is best and purest and noblest4 ,god would have conferred but a poor blessing on ,israel if ,he had just settled them in the land1 and then left them to themselves1 without any occasion or inducement to fellowship with ,him4 ,the inducements to resort to ,him which they were to be continually under were by far the most valuable part of what ,god now conferred upon them4 ,the certainty that all would go wrong1 that their possessions would be invaded and their rest disturbed1 and that their enemies would prove victorious unless they sought continually to their ,god1 fostered the most precious of all habits--that drawing near to ,god which brings with it all spiritual blessing4 ,nearer1 my ,god1 to ,thee1 ,nearer to ,thee6 ,e'en though it be a cross ,that raiseth me1 ,still all my song would be ,nearer1 my ,god1 to ,thee1 ,nearer to ,thee6 ,there is no small amount of instruction to be drawn by all of us from this record of ,israel's experience4 ,first1 it is of supreme importance for us all to have our hearts firmly established in the conviction of the faithfulness of ,god4 ,it should be our habit to regard this as an attribute on which we not only may1 but must rely4 ,to ascribe to ,god any laxity as to ,his word or promises were to cast a fearful imputation on ,his holy nature4 ,heaven and earth shall pass away1 but ,my word shall not pass away4 ,he is not a man that he should lie1 or the son of man that he should repent4 ,nothing can be conceived that could make it better to ,god to break ,his word than to keep it4 ,this is the root of all religion2 it is the basis of faith1 the true ground of trust4 ,to train our minds to habitual reliance on all that ,god has said1 is one of the most vital and blessed exercises of spiritual religion4 ,it is alike honouring to ,god and beneficial to ourselves4 ,to search out from the body of ,scripture the promises of ,god2 to fasten our attention on them one by one2 and to exercise our minds on the thought that in ,christ ,jesus they are yea1 and in ,him ,amen1 is a most blessed help to spiritual stability and spiritual growth4 ,and in our prayers there is nothing more fitted to give us confidence than to plead in this spirit the promises that ,god has made4 ,no plea is more powerful than the ,psalmist's--,remember ,thy word unto ,thy servant1 upon which ,thou hast caused me to hope4 ,how many sadly perplexed men have found rest from the words3 ,commit thy way unto the ,lord2 trust also in ,him1 and ,he shall bring it to pass4 ,faithful is ,he that calleth you1 who also will do it4 ,but secondly1 we may learn from this passage that1 wherever the promises of ,god seem to fail1 the fault is not ,his1 but ours4 ,on the one hand1 we are taught clearly that delay is not failure1 and on the other that where there does seem to be failure there is none really on the part of ,god4 ,at least five-and-twenty long years elapsed between ,god's first promise to ,abraham and the birth of ,isaac4 ,four hundred years were to be spent by the chosen seed in bondage in ,egypt4 ,and even after the deliverance from ,egypt there came the sojourn in the wilderness of other forty years4 ,yet ,god was faithful all the time4 ,how often we need to recall the text1 that one day is with the ,lord as a thousand years1 and a thousand years as one day6 ,though the vision tarry1 do not give it up in despair1 but wait for it 7,hab4 ii4 #c74 ,perhaps it is in the matter of answers to prayer that we are most liable to the temptation that ,god forgets ,his promises4 ,have we not the most explicit and abundant promises that prayer will be answered8 ,yet how many have prayed1 and seemingly prayed in vain6 ,nay1 does not the very opposite of what we pray for often come8 ,we entreat ,god to spare a beloved life2 that life is taken away4 ,we pray for victory over temptation2 the temptation seems to acquire a redoubled force4 ,we pray for success in business2 the clouds seem to thicken the more4 ,we ask1 ,has ,god forgotten to be gracious8 ,is ,his mercy clean gone for ever8 ,does ,his promise fail for evermore8 ,nay1 let us rally our faith4 ,then ,i said1 ,this is my infirmity3 but ,i will remember the years of the right hand of the ,most ,high 7,psalm lxxvii4 #aj74 ,if my prayer was not answered1 it was not ,god's fault4 ,it may be that1 like ,israel1 ,i failed in my part4 ,i may have been laying the whole burden on ,god1 and omitting something that it fell to me to do4 ,i may have been asking for something that would not have been for my good or for ,god's glory4 ,i may have failed in that spirit of affectionate trust which is a requisite of acceptable prayer4 ,let us remember that ,god knows what things we have need of before we ask ,him4 ,and ,god is infinitely kind and willing to bless us4 ,what ,he longs for on our part is the spirit of filial trust4 ,what ,he values prayer for is that it is the channel of this spirit4 ,we can never say that ,god disregards prayer unless we can say that we approached ,him1 and spoke to ,him like confiding children dealing with a loving father1 and ,he cast us off4 ,but how often do we go to the footstool half hoping1 half doubting1 instead of going in the full conviction1--,our gracious ,father is sure to hear us2 and if ,he do not give us the precise thing we ask1 ,he is sure to give us something better4 ,let prayer ever be the outcome of a profound belief in the infinite love of ,god1 and ,his constant readiness to bless us in ,christ2 let it be the communing of a child with his father2 and let it never be darkened by a shade of suspicion that the ,hearer of prayer will not be faithful to ,his word4 ,it is the happy experience both of individuals and the ,church to have occasional periods of fulfilment--it may be after long periods of expectation and trial4 ,the patriarch ,job had a terrible time of trial1 when ,god seemed so untrue to ,his promises that he was sometimes on the very edge of blaspheming ,his name4 ,but a time of fulfilment came at last1 and through all the mystery of the past ,job at length saw the end of the ,lord1 that the ,lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy 7,james v4 #aa74 ,the aged ,simeon and the aged ,anna in the temple had waited long1 but the hour came at last when all that they had been looking for was accomplished1 and with a feeling of perfect satisfaction they could sing their ,nunc dimittis4 ,the souls under the altar of them that were slain for the word of ,god and for the testimony which they held1 when they groaned out their sad ,how long8 had still to wait a little season2 but the time came when1 clothed in white robes and with palms in their hands1 they attained complete satisfaction1 crying with a loud voice1 ,salvation to our ,god that sitteth on the throne1 and to the ,lamb 7,rev4 vi4 #aj1 vii4 #aj74 ,and in more recent times there have been eras of fulfilment and corresponding rejoicing4 ,when ,st4 ,augustine1 after year upon year of restless tossing1 at length found pardon and peace in ,christ2 when ,columbus1 after perils and privations innumerable1 at length saw the dim coast which he had often prayed to behold2 when ,wilberforce heard the slave trade declared an illegal traffic1 and ,fowell ,buxton saw the last fetter struck from the slave in the dominions of ,great ,britain2 when ,lord ,shaftesbury found the ten hours factory bill turned into law2 or when the friends of the slave learned that the ,president of the ,united ,states had signed the proclamation which set four millions at liberty--the old experience of ,joshua's days seemed to be repeated1 and gratitude to ,him who had failed in no good thing was the one feeling that filled the heart4 ,sometimes the death-bed affords a retrospect that kindles the same emotion4 ,the dying man looks along the way by which he has been led1 and1 with the walls of the ,new ,jerusalem gleaming before him1 he owns that he has been conducted by the right way to the city of habitation4 ,the objects of earth and heaven are seen by him in a truer light4 ,valuations are made more accurately on the margin of eternity4 ,the things that have been shaken and that have perished--of how little value are they seen to be1 compared to the things that cannot be shaken6 ,the loving purpose of ,divine providence in shattering so many hopes1 in defeating so many projects1 in inflicting so much pain1 is clearly apprehended4 ,the heart is grieved that it was so near charging ,god foolishly when ,his purpose was really so merciful and so kind4 ,the bright era of fulfilment is at hand2 and even already1 while the day is only dawning1 the soul can give forth its testimony that no good thing has failed of all that the ,lord hath spoken4 ,and then at last will come the end of the mystery4 ,the ,lord shall send ,his angels with a great sound of a trumpet1 and they shall gather together ,his elect from the four winds1 from the one end of heaven to the other4 ,on the sea of glass mingled with fire they take their stand1 having the harps of ,god1 and sing the song of ,moses1 the servant of ,god1 and the song of the ,lamb3 ,great and marvellous are ,thy works1 ,lord ,god ,almighty2 just and true are ,thy ways1 ,thou ,king of saints4 ,what a scene and what a sensation6 ,what joy in entering on possession of the ,promised ,land1 in experiencing the rest of the redeemed1 and in the consciousness that not a single enemy survives to annoy6 ,what delight in the harmonious working of the new nature1 in the free and happy play of all its faculties and feelings1 and in the conscious presence of a ,god and ,saviour to whose image you have been thoroughly conformed6 ,the last shadow that dimmed your vision on earth shall have fled away2 the last vestige of complaint of your earthly lot shall have vanished4 ,whatever you may have thought once1 no other feeling will now occupy your heart but gratitude to ,him who has not only not failed to fulfil all ,his promises1 but has done in you exceeding abundantly above all that ye could ask or think6 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,the ,,altar ,,ed4 ,,joshua xxii4 ,the two tribes and a half had behaved well4 ,they had kept their word1 remained with their brethren during all ,joshua's campaign1 and taken their part in all the perils and struggles through which the host had passed4 ,and now they receive the merited reward of honourable conduct4 ,they are complimented by their general2 their service's are rehearsed with approval2 their threefold fidelity1 to ,god1 to ,moses1 and to ,joshua1 is commended2 they are dismissed with honour1 and they receive as their reward a substantial share of the spoil which had been taken from the enemy4 ,return1 said ,joshua1 with much riches unto your tents1 and with very much cattle1 with silver and with gold1 and with brass1 and with iron1 and with very much raiment2 divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren4 ,it thus appeared that honour1 like honesty1 is the best policy4 ,had these two tribes and a half chosen the alternative of selfishness1 refused to cross the ,jordan to help their brethren1 and devoted their whole energies at once to their fields and flocks1 they would have fared worse in the end4 ,no doubt as they recrossed the ,jordan1 bearing with them the treasure which had been acquired on the western side1 their hearts would be full of that happy feeling which results from duty faithfully performed1 and honourable conduct amply rewarded4 ,they brought back peace with honour1 and prosperity to the bargain4 ,after all1 it is high principle that pays4 ,it demands a time of patient working and of patient waiting1 but its bills are fully implemented in the end4 ,in sending away the two tribes and a half ,joshua pressed two counsels on them4 ,one was that they were to divide the spoil with those of their brethren that had remained at home4 ,here1 again1 selfishness might possibly have found a footing4 ,why should the men that had incurred none of the labour and the peril enjoy any of the spoil8 ,would it not have been fair that those who had borne the burden and heat of the day should alone enjoy its rewards8 ,but1 in point of fact1 there had been good reason why a portion should remain at home4 ,to leave the women and children wholly undefended would have been recklessness itself4 ,some arrangement1 too1 had to be made for looking after the flocks and herds4 ,and as the supply of manna had ceased1 the production of food had to be provided for4 ,the men at home had been doing the duty assigned to them as well as the men abroad4 ,if they could not establish a claim in justice to a share of the spoil1 the spirit of brotherhood and generosity pleaded on their behalf4 ,the soldier-section of the two and a half tribes had done their part honourably and generously to the nine and a half2 let them act in the same spirit to their own brethren4 ,let them share in the good things which they had brought home1 so that a spirit of joy and satisfaction might be diffused throughout the community1 and the welcome given to those who had been absent might be cordial and complete1 without one trace of discontent or envy4 ,occasions may occur still on which this counsel of ,joshua may come in very suitably4 ,it does not always happen that brothers or near relatives who have prospered abroad are very mindful of those whom they have left at home4 ,they like to enjoy their abundance1 and if the case of their poor relations comes across their minds1 they dismiss it with the thought that men's lots must differ1 and that they are not going to lose all the benefit of their success by supporting other families besides their own4 ,yet1 how much good might accrue from a little generosity1 though it were but an occasional gift1 towards those who are straitened8 ,and how much better it would be to kindle by this means a thankful and kindly feeling1 than to have envy and jealousy rankling in their hearts6 ,the other counsel of ,joshua bore upon that which was ever uppermost in his heart--loyalty to ,god4 ,take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law1 which ,moses the servant of the ,lord charged you1 to love the ,lord your ,god1 and to walk in all ,his ways1 and to keep all ,his commandments1 and to cleave unto ,him1 and to serve ,him with all your heart and with all your soul4 ,it is evident that ,joshua poured his whole heart into this counsel4 ,he was evidently anxious as to the effect which their separation from their brethren would have on their religious condition4 ,it was west of the ,jordan that the sanctuary had been placed1 and that the great central influence in support of the national worship would mainly operate4 ,would not these eastern tribes be in great danger of drifting away from the recognised worship of ,god1 and becoming idolaters8 ,joshua knew well that as yet the nation was far from being weaned from idolatry 7see xxiv4 #ad74 ,he knew that among many there were strong propensities towards it4 ,he had something of the feeling that an earnest ,christian parent would have in sending off a son1 not very decided in religion1 to some colony where the public sentiment was loose1 and where the temptations to worldliness and religious indifference were strong4 ,he was therefore all the more earnest in his exhortations to them1 for he felt that all their prosperity1 all their happiness1 their very life itself1 depended on their being faithful to their ,god4 ,we cannot tell how long time had elapsed when word was brought to the western side that the two and a half tribes had built a great altar on the edge of ,jordan1 apparently as a rival to the ecclesiastical establishment at ,shiloh4 ,that this was their intention seems to have been taken for granted1 for we find the congregation or general assembly of ,israel assembled at ,shiloh to prepare for war with the schismatical tribes4 ,war had evidently become a familiar idea with them1 and at first no other course suggested itself for arresting the proposal4 ,it was one of the many occasions of unreasoning impetuosity which the history of ,israel presents4 ,no mention is made of ,joshua in the narrative of this transaction2 he had retired from active life1 and perhaps what is here recorded did not take place for a considerable time after the return of the two and a half tribes4 ,it may be that we have here an instance of the method so often pursued in ,hebrew annals1 of recording together certain incidents pertaining to the same transaction1 or to the same people1 though these incidents were separated from each other by a considerable interval of time4 ,it was well that the congregation assembled at ,shiloh4 ,they would be reminded by the very place that great national movements were not to be undertaken rashly1 since ,god was the supreme ruler of the nation4 ,we are not told whether the usual method of asking counsel of ,god was resorted to1 but certainly the course followed was more reasonable than rushing into war4 ,it was resolved to begin by remonstrating with the two and a half tribes4 ,the idea that their proposal was schismatical1 nay1 even idolatrous1 was not given up1 but it was thought that if a solemn remonstrance and warning were addressed to them1 they might be induced to abandon their project4 ,a deputation was sent over1 consisting of ,phinehas1 the son of ,eleazar the priest1 as representing the religious interest1 and ten princes1 representing the ten tribes1 to have an interview with the heads of the two and a half tribes4 ,when they met1 the deputation opened very fiercely on their brethren4 ,they charged them with unheard-of wickedness4 ,what they had done was a daring act of rebellion4 ,it was worthy to be classed with the iniquity of ,peor--one of the vilest deeds that ever disgraced the nation4 ,it was fitted to bring down ,god's judgments on the whole nation1 and would certainly do so4 ,if the secret act of ,achan involved the congregation in wrath1 what calamity to the whole people would not result from this daring and open deed of rebellion8 ,they were not safe for a single day4 ,the vials of the ,divine wrath could not but be ready1 and in twenty-four hours the whole congregation of ,israel might be overwhelmed by the tokens of ,his displeasure4 ,one should have said that if anything was fitted to have a bad effect on the two and a half tribes1 it was this mode of dealing4 ,it is not wise to assume that your brother is a villain4 ,and scolding1 as has been well said1 does not make men sorry for their sins4 ,but one thing was said by the deputation that was fitted to have a different effect4 ,notwithstanding1 if the land of your possession be unclean1 then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the ,lord1 wherein the ,lord's tabernacle dwelleth1 and take possession among us3 but rebel not against the ,lord1 nor rebel against us1 in building you an altar beside the altar of the ,lord our ,god4 ,here was a generous1 a self-denying proposal2 the ten tribes were some of them in straits themselves1 finding the room available for them far too narrow2 nevertheless they were prepared to divide what they had with their brethren1 if their real feeling was that the east side of the ,jordan was outside the hallowed and hallowing influence of the presence of the ,lord4 ,instead1 therefore1 of firing up the fierce reproof of their brethren1 the two and a half tribes were softened by this really kind proposal and returned a reassuring answer4 ,they solemnly repudiated all idea of a rival establishment4 ,they knew that there was but one place where the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant could be1 and they had not the remotest intention of interfering with the spot that had been chosen for that purpose4 ,they had never entertained the thought of offering burnt offerings1 or meat offerings1 or peace offerings on their altar4 ,they solemnly abjured all intention to show disrespect to the ,lord1 or to ,his law4 ,the altar which they had built had a very different purpose4 ,it was occasioned by the physical structure of the country1 and the effect which that might have on their children in years to come4 ,in time to come your children might speak unto our children1 saying1 ,what have ye to do with the ,lord ,god of ,israel8 ,for ,lord hath made ,jordan a border between us and you1 ye children of ,reuben and children of ,gad2 ye have no part in the ,lord3 so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the ,lord4 ,therefore we said1 ,let us now prepare to build us an altar1 not for burnt offering1 nor for sacrifice2 but that it may be a witness between us1 and you1 and our generations after us4 ,it was not a rival1 but a witness1 a pattern2 a reminder to the two and a half tribes that the true altar1 the ,divine sanctuary1 hallowed by the token of ,god's presence was elsewhere1 and that there1 and only there1 were the public sacrifices to be offered4 ,the acquaintance with the physical structure of ,palestine which we have obtained in recent years enables us to appreciate the feeling of the two and a half tribes better than could have been done before4 ,the mere fact that a river separated the east from the west of ,palestine would not have been enough to account for the sense of isolation and the fear thence arising which had taken hold of the heads of the two and a half tribes4 ,it is the peculiar structure of the valley in which the river runs that explains the story4 ,the ,jordan valley1 as has already been mentioned1 is depressed below the level of the ,mediterranean ,sea1 the depression increasing gradually as the river flows towards the ,dead ,sea1 where it amounts to #acjj feet4 ,in addition to this1 the mountainous plateau on each side of the ,jordan valley rises to the height of #bjjj or #bejj feet above the sea1 so that the entire depression1 counting from the top of the plateau to the edge of the river1 is between three and four thousand feet4 ,on each side the approach to the ,jordan is difficult1 while1 during the warm season1 the great heat increases the fatigue of travelling and discourages the attempt4 ,all these things make the separation between the two parts of the country caused by the river and its valley much more complete than in ordinary cases of river boundaries4 ,there can be no doubt now that the heads of the two and a half tribes had considerable ground for their apprehensions4 ,there was some risk that they should cease to be regarded as part of the nation2 and their explanation of the altar seems to have been an honest one4 ,it was designed simply as a memorial1 not for sacrifices4 ,we see what a happy thing it was for the whole nation that the deputation was sent across before resorting to arms4 ,a new light was thrown on what had seemed a daring sin2 it was but an innocent arrangement2 and the terrible forebodings which it awakened are at once scattered to the winds4 ,but who can estimate all the misery that has come in almost every age1 in circles both public and private1 from hasty suspicions of evil1 which a little patience1 a little inquiry1 a little opportunity of explanation1 might have at once averted8 ,history1 tradition1 fiction1 alike furnish us with instances4 ,we recall the story of ,llewellyn and his dog ,gelert1 stabbed by his master1 who thought the stains upon his mouth were the blood of his beloved child2 while1 on raising the cradle which had been turned over1 he found his child asleep and well1 and a huge wolf dead1 from whose fangs the dog had delivered him4 ,we remember the tragedy of ,othello and ,desdemona2 we see how the fondest love may be poisoned by hasty suspicion1 and the dearest of wives murdered1 when a little patience would have shown her innocent--shown her all too pure to come in contact with even a vestige of the evil thing4 ,we think of the many stories of crusaders and others leaving their homes with their love pledged to another1 detained in distant lands without means of communication1 hearing a rumour that their beloved one had turned false1 and doing some rash and irrevocable deed1 while a little further waiting would have realized all their hopes4 ,but perhaps it is in less tragic circumstances that the spirit of suspicion and unjust accusation is most commonly manifested4 ,a rumour unfavourable to your character gets into circulation2 you suspect some one of being the author1 and deal fiercely with him accordingly2 it turns out that he is wholly innocent4 ,a friend has apparently written a letter against you which has made you furious2 you pour a torrent of reproaches upon him2 it turns out that the letter was written by some one else with a similar name4 ,but indeed there is no end to the mischief that is bred by impatience1 and by want of inquiry1 or of waiting for explanations that would put a quite different complexion on our matters of complaint4 ,true charity thinketh no evil1 for it rejoiceth not in iniquity1 but rejoiceth in truth4 ,it beareth all things1 believeth all things1 hopeth all things1 endureth all things4 ,if its gentle voice were more regarded1 what a multitude of offences would vanish1 and how much wider would be the reign of peace6 ,the explanation that had been offered by ,reuben1 ,gad1 and ,manasseh proved satisfactory to ,phinehas and the princes of the congregation1 and likewise to the people of the west generally1 when the deputation reported their proceedings4 ,the remark of ,phinehas before he left his eastern brethren was a striking one3 ,this day do we perceive that the ,lord is among us1 because ye have not committed this trespass against the ,lord2 now ye have delivered the children of ,israel out of the hand of the ,lord4 ,there was a great difference between the ,lord being among them1 and their being in the hand of the ,lord4 ,if the ,lord were among them they were under all manner of gracious influence2 if they were in the hand of the ,lord they were exposed to the utmost visitations of ,his wrath4 ,it was the joy of ,phinehas to find not only that no provocation had been given to ,god's righteous jealousy1 but that proof had been afforded that ,he was graciously blessing them4 ,if ,god often departs from us without our suspecting it1 ,he is sometimes graciously present with us when we have been fearing that ,he was gone4 ,so it was now4 ,phinehas in imagination had seen the gathering of a terrible storm1 as if the very enemy of man had been stirring up his countrymen to rebellion and contempt of ,god2 but in place of that1 he sees that they have been consulting for ,god's honour1 for the permanence of ,his institutions1 and for the preservation of unity between the two sections of the nation2 and in this he finds a proof that ,god has been graciously working among them4 ,for ,god is the ,god of peace1 not of strife1 and the ,spirit is the ,spirit of order1 and not of confusion4 ,and when two sections of a community are led to desire the advancement of ,his service and the honour of ,his name1 even by methods which are not in all respects alike1 it is a proof that ,he is among them1 drawing their hearts to ,himself and to one another4 ,perhaps the common adage might have been applied to the case--that there were faults on both sides4 ,if the ten tribes were too hasty in preparing for war1 the two and a half tribes had been too hasty in deciding on the erection of their altar1 without communication with the priests and the civil heads of the nation4 ,in a matter so sacred1 no such step should have been taken without full consultation and a clear view of duty4 ,the goodness of their motive did not excuse them for not taking all available methods to carry out their plan in a way wholly unexceptional4 ,as it was1 they ran a great risk of kindling a fire which might have at once destroyed themselves and weakened the rest of the nation through all time4 ,in their effort to promote unity1 they had almost occasioned a fatal schism4 ,thus both sections of the nation had been on the edge of a fearful catastrophe4 ,but now it appeared that the section that had seemed to be so highly offending were animated by a quite loyal sentiment4 ,phinehas gladly seized on the fact as a proof that ,god was among them4 ,a less godly man would not have thought of this as of much importance4 ,he would hardly have believed in it as anything that could exist except in a fanatical imagination4 ,but the more one knows of ,god the more real does the privilege seem1 and the more blessed4 ,nay1 it comes to be felt as that which makes the greatest conceivable difference between one individual or one community and another4 ,the great curse of sin is that it has severed us from ,god4 ,the glory of the grace of ,god in ,christ is that we are brought together4 ,man without ,god is like the earth without the sun1 or the body without the soul4 ,man in fellowship with ,god is man replenished with all ,divine blessings and holy influences4 ,a church in which ,god does not dwell is a hold of unclean spirits and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird4 ,a church inhabited by ,god1 like the bride in the ,song of ,solomon1 looketh forth as the morning1 fair as the moon1 clear as the sun1 and terrible as an army with banners4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,jehovah ,,the ,,champion ,,of ,,israel4 ,,joshua xxiii4 ,the last two chapters of ,joshua are very like each other4 ,each professes to be a report of the aged leader's farewell meeting with the heads of the people4 ,no place of meeting is specified in the one2 ,shechem is the place named in the other4 ,the address reported in the twenty-third chapter is in somewhat general terms2 in the twenty-fourth1 we have more of detail4 ,the question arises1 ,were there two meetings1 or have we in these chapters different reports of the same8 ,the question is of no great importance in itself2 but it bears on the structure of the book4 ,in our judgment1 both reports bear on the same occasion2 and if so1 all that needs to be said as to their origin is1 that the author of the book1 having obtained two reports from trustworthy sources1 did not adopt the plan of weaving them into one1 but gave them separately1 just as he had received them4 ,the circumstance is a proof of the trustworthiness of the narrative2 had the writer put on record merely what ,joshua might be supposed to have said1 he would not have adopted this twofold form of narrative4 ,joshua had been a close follower of ,moses in many things1 and now he follows him by calling the people together to hear his closing words4 ,on the edge of the future life1 on the eve of giving in his own account1 in the crisis when men are most disposed to utter the truth1 the whole truth1 and nothing but the truth1 he calls his children around him to hear his parting words4 ,he knows1 as ,moses also knew1 the impulsive1 fitful temper of the people4 ,all the more did he regard it as desirable not to omit such an opportunity of impression4 ,all pathetic occasions1 it has been well said1 should be treasured in the memory2 the last interview1 the last sermon1 the last prayer1 the last fond1 lingering look2 all these things may be frivolously treated as sentimental2 but he who treats them so is a fool in his heart4 ,whatever can subdue the spirit1 chasten the character1 and enlarge the charity of the soul1 should be encouraged as a ministry from ,god4#bi #bi ,the ,people's ,bible1 by ,joseph ,parker4 ,what was the burden of ,joshua's address8 ,what was alike the keynote1 and the central note1 and the closing note--the beginning1 and the middle1 and the end8 ,you have it in the words--,the ,lord your ,god is ,he that fighteth for you2 therefore cleave unto the ,lord your ,god4 ,you owe everything to the ,lord2 therefore render to ,him all ,his due4 ,let ,him receive from you in the proportion in which ,he has given to you2 let ,him be honoured by you in the ratio in which you have been blessed by ,him2 and see that none of you ever1 to the last day of your lives1 give the faintest countenance to the idolatry of your neighbours1 or consent to any entangling connection that would furnish a temptation to join in their wickedness4 ,this starting-point of ,joshua's address--,the ,lord your ,god is ,he that fighteth for you--is a serious one1 and demands careful investigation4 ,god is expressly set forth as the champion of ,israel1 fighting for him against the ,canaanites1 and driving them out4 ,he is here the ,god of battles2 and the terrible desolation that followed the track of ,israel is here ascribed to the championship of the ,most ,high4 ,there are some expositors who explain these sayings in a general sense4 ,there are great laws of conquest1 they say1 roughly sanctioned by ,providence1 whereby one race advances upon another4 ,nations enervated through luxury and idleness are usually supplanted by more vigorous races4 ,the ,goths and ,vandals overcame the ,romans2 the ,anglo-,saxons subdued the ,britons1 to be in time conquered by the ,normans2 ,dutch rule has prevailed over the negro1 ,english over the ,hindu1 ,american over the native ,indian4 ,in the treatment of the conquered races by the conquerors1 there has often been much that is gross and objectionable4 ,even when a civilized and cultured race has had to deal with a barbarous one1 instead of the sweetness and light of culture you have often had the devices of injustice and oppression4 ,we cannot vindicate all the rule of the ,british in ,india2 greed1 insolence1 and lust have left behind them many a stain4 ,still1 the result on the whole has been for good4 ,the ,english have a higher conception of human life than the ,hindus4 ,they have a higher sense of order1 of justice1 of family life1 of national well-being4 ,there is a vigour about them that will not tolerate the policy of drifting2 that cannot stand still or lie still and see everything going wrong2 that strives to remedy injustice1 to reform abuse1 to correct what is vicious and disorderly1 and foster organization and progress4 ,in these respects ,british rule has been a benefit to ,india4 ,there may have been deeds of oppression and wrong that curdle the blood1 or habits of self-indulgence may have been practised at the expense of the natives that shock our sense of humanity1 as if the inferior race could have no rights against the superior2 but these are but the eddies or by-play of a great beneficent current1 and in the summing up of the long account they hold but an insignificant place4 ,in themselves1 they are to be detested and denounced2 but when you are estimating great national forces1 when you are trying the question whether on the whole these forces have been beneficent or evil1 whether they have been of heaven or of the devil1 these episodes of wrong are not to be allowed to determine the whole question4 ,you are constrained to take a wider view4 ,and when you survey the grand result2 when you see a great continent like ,india peaceable and orderly that used to be distracted on every side by domestic warfare2 when you see justice carefully administered1 life and property protected1 education and civilization advanced1 to say nothing1 of the spirit of ,christianity introduced1 you are unable to resist the conclusion that the influence of its new masters has been a gain to ,india1 and therefore that the ,british rule has had the sanction of heaven4 ,we say there are some expositors who hold that it is only in a way parallel to this that the conquest of ,canaan by the ,israelites enjoyed the sanction of ,god4 ,without making a great deal of the wickedness of the ,canaanite tribes1 they dwell on their weakness1 their poor ideas of life1 their feeble aims1 their want of developing power1 their inability to rise4 ,into the heart of these tribes there comes a race that somehow possesses extraordinary capabilities and force4 ,history has shown it to be one of the great dominant races of the world4 ,the new people apply themselves with extraordinary energy to acquire the country of the other4 ,dispossession of one race by another was the common practice of the times1 and in a moral point of view was little thought of4 ,the times were rude and wild1 property had not become sacred1 human life was cheap1 pain and suffering got small consideration4 ,having spent some centuries in ,egypt1 the new race brought with it a share of ,egyptian culture and accomplishment2 but its great strength lay in its religious ardour1 and in the habits of order and self-control which its religion fostered4 ,the memory of their ancestors1 who had dwelt as pilgrims in that country1 but under the strongest promises on the part of ,god that ,he would give it as an inheritance to their descendants1 increased the ardour of the invasion and the confidence of the invaders4 ,with all the enthusiasm of a heaven-guided race1 they dashed against the old inhabitants1 who staggered under the blow4 ,to a large extent the former occupants fell under the usual violence of invaders--the sword of battle and the massacre after victory4 ,the process was accompanied by many wild deeds1 which in these days of ours would excite horror4 ,had it been completely successful it would have utterly annihilated the native races2 but the courage and perseverance of the invaders were not equal to this result2 many of the original inhabitants remained1 and were finally amalgamated with their conquerors4 ,now1 in this case1 as in the conquest of ,india by ,britain1 a process went on which was a great benefit on a large scale4 ,it was not designed to be of benefit to the original inhabitants1 as was the ,british occupation of ,india1 for they were a doomed race1 as we shall immediately see4 ,but the settlement of the people of ,israel in ,canaan was designed and was fitted to be a great benefit to the world4 ,explain it as we may1 ,israel had higher ideas of life than the other nations1 richer gifts of head and heart1 more capacity of governing1 and a far purer religious sentiment4 ,wherever ,israel might be planted1 if he remained in purity1 mankind must be benefited4 ,a people so gifted1 with such intellectual capacity1 with such moral and spiritual power1 with such high ideals1 and producing from time to time men of such remarkable character and influence1 could not but help to elevate other races4 ,that such a people should prevail over tribes emasculated by vice1 degraded by idolatrous superstition1 and enfeebled and stunted through mutual strife1 was only in accordance with the nature of things4 ,on the principle that a race like this must necessarily prevail over such tribes as had occupied ,palestine before1 the conquest of ,joshua might well be said to have ,divine approval4 ,god might truly be said to go forth with the armies of ,israel1 and to scatter their enemies as smoke is scattered by the wind4 ,but this was not all4 ,there was already a judicial sentence against the seven nations of which ,israel was appointed to be the executioner4 ,even in ,abraham's time we have abundant proof that they were far gone in corruption1 and the destruction of ,sodom and ,gomorrah was but an early stroke of that holy sword which was to come down over a far wider area when the iniquity of the ,amorites should become full4 ,we have no elaborate account of the moral and religious condition of the people in ,joshua's time1 but we have certain glimpses which tell much4 ,in the story of ,baal-peor we have an awful picture of the idolatrous debauchery of the ,moabites2 and the ,moabites were not so sunk in vice as the ,canaanites4 ,the first ,canaanite house that any of the ,israelites entered was that of an immoral woman1 who1 however1 was saved by her faith1 as any and every ,canaanite would have been had he believed4 ,the most revolting picture we have of ,canaanite vice is connected with the burning of children alive in sacrifice to the gods4 ,what a hideous practice it was6 ,who can estimate its effect on the blithe nature of children1 or tell how the very thought of it and the possibility of suffering from it must have weighed like a nightmare on many a child1 converting the season of merry childhood into a time of dreadful foreboding1 if not for themselves1 at least for some of their companions4 ,loathsome vice consecrated by the seal of religion2 unnatural lust1 turning human beings into worse than beasts2 natural affection converted into an instrument of the most horrid cruelty--could any practices show more powerfully the hopeless degradation of these nations in a moral and religious sense1 or their ripeness for judgment8 ,israel was the appointed executioner of ,god's justice against them1 and in order that ,israel might fulfil that function1 ,god went before him in his battles and delivered his enemies into his hands4 ,and what ,israel did in this way was done under a solemn sense that he was inflicting ,divine retribution4 ,that the process was carried out with something of the solemnity of an execution appears1 as we have already seen1 from the injunction at ,jericho1 which forbade all on pain of death to touch an atom of the spoil4 ,and this lesson was burnt into their inmost souls by the terrible fate of ,achan4 ,afterwards1 it is true1 they were allowed to appropriate the spoil1 but not till after they had been taught most impressively at ,jericho that the spoil was ,god's1 so that1 even when it became theirs1 it was as if they had received it from ,his hand4 ,we cannot suppose that the people uniformly acted with the moderation and self-restraint becoming ,god's executioners4 ,no doubt there were many instances of unwarrantable and inhuman violence4 ,such excesses are unavoidable when human beings are employed as the executioners of ,god4 ,to charge these on ,god is not fair4 ,they were the spots and stains that ever indicate the hand of man1 even when doing the work of ,god4 ,it is not necessary to approve of these while we vindicate the law which doomed the ,canaanites to extermination1 and made the ,israelites their executioners4 ,it is not necessary to vindicate all that the ,english have done in ,india1 while we hold that their presence and influence there have been in accordance with a ,divine and beneficent purpose4 ,where ,god and man are in partnership1 we may expect a chequered product1 but never let us ascribe the flaws of one to the influence of the other4 ,if it be said that the language of the historian seems sometime to ascribe to ,god what really arose from the passions of the people1 it is to be observed that we are not told in what form the ,lord communicated ,his commands4 ,no doubt the ,hebrews were disposed to claim ,divine authority for what they did to the very fullest extent4 ,there may have been times when they imagined that they were fulfilling the requirements of ,god1 when they were only giving effect to feelings of their own4 ,and generally they may have been prone to suppose that modes of slaughter that seemed to them quite proper were well pleasing in the sight of ,god4 ,they may have believed that ,god participated in what was in reality but the spirit of the age4 ,thus they may have been led to think1 and through them the impression may have come to us1 that ,god had a more active hand1 so to speak1 in many of the details of warfare than we ought to ascribe to ,him4 ,for ,god often accomplishes ,his holy purposes by leaving ,his instruments to act in their own way4 ,but we have wandered from ,joshua1 and the assembly of ,israel4 ,what we have been trying is to show the soundness of ,joshua's fundamental position--that ,god fought for ,israel4 ,the same thing might be shown by a negative process4 ,if ,god had not been actively and supernaturally with ,israel1 ,israel could never have become what he was4 ,what made ,israel so remarkable and powerful a nation8 ,if you appeal to heredity and go back to his forefather1 you find the whole career of ,abraham determined by what he undoubtedly regarded as a supernatural promise1 that in him and his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed4 ,if you speak of ,moses as the founder of the nation1 you find a man who was utterly defeated and humiliated when he acted on his own resources1 and successful only when he came in contact with supernatural might4 ,if you inquire into the cause of the military superiority of ,israel1 you cannot find it in their slave condition in ,egypt1 nor in their wandering1 pastoral life in the desert4 ,you are baffled in trying to account for the warlike energy and skill that swept the ,canaanites with all their resources before their invincible might4 ,that an ,alexander the ,great1 or a ,csar1 or a ,napoleon1 with their long experience1 their trained legions1 their splendid prestige and unrivalled resources1 should have swept the board of their enemies we do not wonder4 ,but ,moses and his bevy of slaves1 ,joshua and his army of shepherds--what could have made such soldiers of these men if the ,lord had not fought on their side8 ,the getting possession of ,canaan1 as ,joshua reminded the people1 was a threefold process3 ,god fighting for them had subdued their enemies2 ,joshua had divided the land2 and now ,god was prepared to expel the remaining people1 but only through their instrumentality4 ,emphasis is laid on expelling and driving out 7ver4 #e71 from which we gather that further massacre was not to take place1 but that the remainder of the ,canaanites must seek settlements elsewhere4 ,a sufficient retribution had fallen on them for their sins1 in the virtual destruction of their people and the loss of their country2 the miserable remnant might have a chance of escape1 in some ill-filled country where they would never rise to influence and where terror would restrain them from their former wickedness4 ,joshua was very emphatic in forbidding intermarriage and friendly social intercourse with ,canaanites4 ,he saw much need for the prayer1 ,lead us not into temptation4 ,he understood the meaning of enchanted ground4 ,he knew that between the realm of holiness and the realm of sin there is a kind of neutral territory1 which belongs strictly to neither1 but which slopes towards the realm of sin1 and in point of fact most commonly furnishes recruits not a few to the army of evil4 ,alas1 how true is this still6 ,marriages between believers and unbelievers2 friendly social fellowship1 on equal terms1 between the ,church and the world2 partnership in business between the godly and the ungodly--who does not know the usual result8 ,in a few solitary cases1 it may be1 the child of the world is brought into the kingdom2 but in how many instances do we find the buds of ,christian promise nipped1 and lukewarmness and backsliding1 if not apostasy1 coming in their room6 ,there is no better help for the ,christian life1 no greater encouragement to fellowship with ,god1 than congenial fellowship with other ,christians1 especially in the home1 as there is no greater hindrance to these things than an alien spirit there4 ,and if men and women would remember that of all that concerns them in this life their relation to ,god is infinitely the most momentous1 and that whatever brings that relation into peril is the evil of all others most to be dreaded1 we should not find them so ready for entangling connections which may be a gain for the things of this world1 but for the things of eternity are commonly a grievous loss4 ,it is a very vivid picture that ,joshua draws of the effects of that sinful compromise with their ,canaanite neighbours against which he had warned them4 ,if ye do in any wise go back1 and cleave unto the remnant of these nations1 even these that remain among you1 and shall make marriages with them1 and go in unto them1 and they to you3 know for a certainty that the ,lord your ,god will no more drive out any of these nations from before you2 but they shall be snares and traps unto you1 and scourges in your sides1 and thorns in your eyes1 until ye perish from off this good land which the ,lord your ,god hath given you4 ,the ,garden of ,eden was not the only paradise that sin ruined4 ,here was something like a new paradise for the children of ,israel2 and yet there was a possibility--more than a possibility--of its being ruined by sin4 ,the history of the future showed that ,joshua was right4 ,the ,canaanites remaining in the land were scourges and thorns to the people of ,israel1 and the compliance of ,israel with their idolatrous ways led first to invasion and oppression1 then to captivity and exile1 and finally to dispersion over the face of the earth4 ,however sin may deceive at the beginning1 in the end it always proves true to its real character--the wages of sin is death4 ,the trouble is that men will not believe what they do not like to believe4 ,sin has many a pleasure2 and as long as the pleasure is not gross1 but wears an air of refinement1 there seems no harm in it1 and it is freely enjoyed4 ,but1 unseen1 it works like dry-rot1 pulverising the soul1 destroying all traces of spiritual relish or enjoyment of ,divine things1 and attaching the heart more strongly to mere material good4 ,and sometimes when death comes in sight and it is felt that ,god has to be reckoned with1 and the effort is honestly made to prepare for that solemn meeting by looking to the ,divine ,redeemer1 the bent of the heart is found to be entirely the other way4 ,faith and repentance will not come2 turning ,godwards is an uncongenial1 an impossible attitude2 the heart has its roots too much in the world to be thus withdrawn from it4 ,they allowed themselves to be drawn away from their early hope by the influence of worldly fellowship1 to find that it profits a man nothing to gain the whole world if he lose his own soul4 ,how awful are the words of ,st4 ,james3 ,ye adulterers and adulteresses1 know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with ,god8 ,whosoever1 therefore1 will be a friend of the world is the enemy of ,god4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 ,,joshua',s ,,last ,,appeal4 ,,joshua xxiv4 ,it was at ,shechem that ,joshua's last meeting with the people took place4 ,the ,septuagint makes it ,shiloh in one verse 7ver4 #a71 but ,shechem in another 7ver4 #be72 but there is no sufficient reason for rejecting the common reading4 ,joshua might feel that a meeting which was not connected with the ordinary business of the sanctuary1 but which was more for a personal purpose1 a solemn leave-taking on his part from the people1 might be held better at ,shechem4 ,there was much to recommend that place4 ,it lay a few miles to the north-west of ,shiloh1 and was not only distinguished 7as we have already said7 as ,abraham's first resting-place in the country1 and the scene of the earliest of the promises given in it to him2 but likewise as the place where1 between ,mounts ,ebal and ,gerizim1 the blessings and curses of the law had been read out soon after ,joshua entered the land1 and the solemn assent of the people given to them4 ,and whereas it is said 7ver4 #bf7 that the great stone set up as a witness was by the sanctuary of the ,lord1 this stone may have been placed at ,shiloh after the meeting1 because there it would be more fully in the observation of the people as they came up to the annual festivals 7see #a ,sam4 i4 #g1 #i74 ,shechem was therefore the scene of ,joshua's farewell address4 ,possibly it was delivered close to the well of ,jacob and the tomb of ,joseph2 at the very place where1 many centuries later1 the ,new ,testament ,joshua sat wearied with ,his journey1 and unfolded the riches of ,divine grace to the woman of ,samaria4 #a4 ,in the record of ,joshua's speech contained in the twenty-fourth chapter1 he begins by rehearsing the history of the nation4 ,he has an excellent reason for beginning with the revered name of ,abraham1 because ,abraham had been conspicuous for that very grace1 loyalty to ,jehovah1 which he is bent on impressing on them4 ,abraham had made a solemn choice in religion4 ,he had deliberately broken with one kind of worship1 and accepted another4 ,his fathers had been idolaters1 and he had been brought up an idolater4 ,but ,abraham renounced idolatry for ever4 ,he did this at a great sacrifice1 and what ,joshua entreated of the people was1 that they would be as thorough and as firm as he was in their repudiation of idolatry4 ,the rehearsal of the history is given in the words of ,god to remind them that the whole history of ,israel had been planned and ordered by ,him4 ,he had been among them from first to last2 ,he had been with them through all the lives of the patriarchs2 it was ,he that had delivered them from ,egypt by ,moses and ,aaron1 that had buried the ,egyptians under the waters of the sea1 that had driven the ,amorites out of the eastern provinces1 had turned the curse of ,balaam into a blessing1 had dispossessed the seven nations1 and had settled the ,israelites in their pleasant and peaceful abodes4 ,we mark in this rehearsal the well-known features of the national history1 as they were always represented2 the frank recognition of the supernatural1 with no indication of myth or legend1 with nothing of the mist or glamour in which the legend is commonly enveloped4 ,and1 seeing that ,god had done all this for them1 the inference was that ,he was entitled to their heartiest loyalty and obedience4 ,now therefore fear the ,lord1 and serve ,him in sincerity and in truth3 and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood1 and in ,egypt2 and serve ye the ,lord4 ,it seems strange that at that very time the people needed to be called to put away other gods4 ,but this only shows how destitute of foundation the common impression is1 that from and after the departure from ,egypt the whole host of ,israel were inclined to the law as it had been given by ,moses4 ,there was still a great amount of idolatry among them1 and a strong tendency towards it4 ,they were not a wholly reformed or converted people4 ,this ,joshua knew right well2 he knew that there was a suppressed fire among them liable to burst into a conflagration2 hence his aggressive attitude1 and his effort to foster an aggressive spirit in them2 he must bind them over by every consideration to renounce wholly all recognition of other gods1 and to make ,jehovah the one only object of their worship4 ,never was a good man more in earnest1 or more thoroughly persuaded that all that made for a nation's welfare was involved in the course which he pressed upon them4 #b4 ,but ,joshua did not urge this merely on the strength of his own conviction4 ,he must enlist their reason on his side2 and for this cause he now called on them deliberately to weigh the claims of other gods and the advantages of other modes of worship1 and choose that which must be pronounced the best4 ,there were four claimants to be considered3 7#a7 ,jehovah2 7#b7 the ,chaldan gods worshipped by their ancestors2 7#c7 the gods of the ,egyptians2 and 7#d7 the gods of the ,amorites among whom they dwelt4 ,make your choice between these1 said ,joshua1 if you are dissatisfied with ,jehovah4 ,but could there be any reasonable choice between these gods and ,jehovah8 ,it is often useful1 when we hesitate as to a course1 to set down the various reasons for and against1--it may be the reasons of our judgment against the reasons of our feelings2 for often this course enables us to see how utterly the one outweighs the other4 ,may it not be useful for us to do as ,joshua urged ,israel to do8 ,if we set down the reasons for making ,god1 ,god in ,christ1 the supreme object of our worship1 against those in favour of the world1 how infinitely will the one scale outweigh the other6 ,in the choice of a master1 it is reasonable for a servant to consider which has the greatest claim upon him2 which is intrinsically the most worthy to be served2 which will bring him the greatest advantages2 which will give him most inward satisfaction and peace2 which will exercise the best influence on his character1 and which comes recommended most by old servants whose testimony ought to weigh with him4 ,if these are the grounds of a reasonable choice in the case of a servant engaging with a master1 how much more in reference to the ,master of our spirits6 ,nothing can be plainer than that the ,israelites in ,joshua's time had every conceivable reason for choosing their fathers' ,god as the supreme object of their worship1 and that any other course would have been alike the guiltiest and the silliest that could have been taken4 ,are the reasons a whit less powerful why every one of us should devote heart and life and mind and soul to the service of ,him who gave ,himself for us1 and has loved us with an everlasting love8 #c4 ,but ,joshua is fully prepared to add example to precept4 ,whatever you do in this matter1 my mind is made up1 my course is clear--as for me and my house1 we will serve ,jehovah4 ,he reminds us of a general exhorting his troops to mount the deadly breach and dash into the enemy's citadel4 ,strong and urgent are his appeals2 but stronger and more telling is his act when1 facing the danger right in front1 he rushes on1 determined that1 whatever others may do1 he will not flinch from his duty4 ,it is the old ,joshua back again1 the ,joshua that alone with ,caleb stood faithful amid the treachery of the spies1 that has been loyal to ,god all his life1 and now in the decrepitude of old age is still prepared to stand alone rather than dishonour the living ,god4 ,as for me and my house1 we will serve the ,lord4 ,he was happy in being able to associate his house with himself as sharing his convictions and his purpose4 ,he owed this1 in all likelihood1 to his own firm and intrepid attitude throughout his life4 ,his house saw how consistently and constantly he recognised the supreme claims of ,jehovah4 ,not less clearly did they see how constantly he experienced the blessedness of his choice4 #d4 ,convinced by his arguments1 moved by his eloquence1 and carried along by the magnetism of his example1 the people respond with enthusiasm1 deprecate the very thought of forsaking ,jehovah to serve other gods1 and recognise most cordially the claims he has placed them under1 by delivering them from ,egypt1 preserving them in the wilderness1 and driving out the ,amorites from their land4 ,after this an ordinary leader would have felt quite at ease1 and would have thanked ,god that his appeal had met with such a response1 and that such demonstration had been given of the loyalty of the people4 ,but ,joshua knew something of their fickle temper4 ,he may have called to mind the extraordinary enthusiasm of their fathers when the tabernacle was in preparation2 the singular readiness with which they had contributed their most valued treasures1 and the grievous change they underwent after the return of the spies4 ,even an enthusiastic burst like this is not to be trusted4 ,he must go deeper2 he must try to induce them to think more earnestly of the matter1 and not trust to the feeling of the moment4 #e4 ,hence he draws a somewhat dark picture of ,jehovah's character4 ,he dwells on those attributes which are least agreeable to the natural man1 ,his holiness1 ,his jealousy1 and ,his inexorable opposition to sin4 ,when he says1 ,he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins1 he cannot mean that ,god is not a ,god of forgiveness4 ,he cannot wish to contradict the first part of that gracious memorial which ,god gave to ,moses3 ,the ,lord1 the ,lord ,god merciful and gracious1 longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth1 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin4 ,his object is to emphasize the clause1 and that will by no means clear the guilty4 ,evidently he means that the sin of idolatry is one that ,god cannot pass over1 cannot fail to punish1 until1 probably through terrible judgments1 the authors of it are brought to contrition1 and humble themselves in the dust before him4 ,ye cannot serve the ,lord1 said ,joshua2 take care how you undertake what is beyond your strength6 ,perhaps he wished to impress on them the need of ,divine strength for so difficult a duty4 ,certainly he did not change their purpose1 but only drew from them a more resolute expression4 ,nay2 but we will serve the ,lord4 ,and ,joshua said unto the people1 ,ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen the ,lord to serve ,him4 ,and they said1 ,we are witnesses4 #f4 ,and now ,joshua comes to a point which had doubtless been in his mind all the time1 but which he had been waiting for a favourable opportunity to bring forward4 ,he had pledged the people to an absolute and unreserved service of ,god1 and now he demands a practical proof of their sincerity4 ,he knows quite well that they have strange gods among them4 ,teraphim1 images1 or ornaments having a reference to the pagan gods1 he knows that they possess4 ,and he does not speak as if this were a rare thing1 confined to a very few4 ,he speaks as if it were a common practice1 generally prevalent4 ,again we see how far from the mark we are when we think of the whole nation as cordially following the religion of ,moses1 in the sense of renouncing all other gods4 ,minor forms of idolatry1 minor recognitions of the gods of the ,chaldans and the ,egyptians and the ,amorites1 were prevalent even yet4 ,probably ,joshua called to mind the scene that had occurred at that very place hundreds of years before1 when ,jacob1 rebuked by ,god1 and obliged to remove from ,shechem1 called on his household3 ,put away the strange gods that are among you1 and be clean1 and change your garments4444 ,and they gave unto ,jacob all the strange gods which were in the land1 and all the ear-rings which were in their ears2 and ,jacob hid them under the oak which was by ,shechem4 ,alas6 that1 centuries later1 it was necessary for ,joshua in the same place to issue the same order1--,put away the gods which are among you1 and serve ye the ,lord4 ,what a weed sin is1 and how it is for ever reappearing6 ,and reappearing among ourselves too1 in a different variety1 but essentially the same4 ,for what honest and earnest heart does not feel that there are idols and images among ourselves that interfere with ,god's claims and ,god's glory as much as the teraphim and the ear-rings of the ,israelites did8 ,the images of the ,israelites were little images1 and it was probably at by-times and in retirement that they made use of them2 and so1 it may not be on the leading occasions or in the outstanding work of our lives that we are wont to dishonour ,god4 ,but who that knows himself but must think with humiliation of the numberless occasions on which he indulges little whims or inclinations without thinking of the will of ,god2 the many little acts of his daily life on which conscience is not brought to bear2 the disengaged state of his mind from that supreme controlling influence which would bear on it if ,god were constantly recognised as his ,master8 ,and who does not find that1 despite his endeavour from time to time to be more conscientious1 the old habit1 like a weed whose roots have only been cut over1 is ever showing itself alive8 #g4 ,and now comes the closing and clinching transaction of this meeting at ,shechem4 ,joshua enters into a formal covenant with the people2 he records their words in the book of the law of the ,lord2 he takes a great stone and sets it up under an oak that was by the sanctuary of the ,lord2 and he constitutes the stone a witness1 as if it had heard all that had been spoken by the ,lord to them and by them to the ,lord4 ,the covenant was a transaction invested with special solemnity among all ,eastern peoples1 and especially among the ,israelites4 ,many instances had occurred in their history1 of covenants with ,god1 and of other covenants1 like that of ,abraham with ,abimelech1 or that of ,jacob with ,laban4 ,the wanton violation of a covenant was held an act of gross impiety1 deserving the reprobation alike of ,god and man4 ,when ,joshua got the people bound by a transaction of this sort1 he seemed to obtain a new guarantee for their fidelity2 a new barrier was erected against their lapsing into idolatry4 ,it was natural for him to expect that some good would come of it1 and no doubt it contributed to the happy result2 for ,israel served the ,lord all the days of ,joshua1 and all the days of the elders which overlived ,joshua1 and which had known all the works of the ,lord that ,he had done for ,israel4 ,and yet it was but a temporary barrier against a flood which seemed ever to be gathering strength unseen1 and preparing for another fierce discharge of its disastrous waters4 ,at the least1 this meeting secured for ,joshua a peaceful sunset1 and enabled him to sing his ,nunc dimittis4 ,the evil which he dreaded most was not at work as the current of life ebbed away from him2 it was his great privilege to look round him and see his people faithful to their ,lord4 ,it does not appear that ,joshua had any very comprehensive or far-reaching aims with reference to the moral training and development of the people4 ,his idea of religion seems to have been1 a very simple loyalty to ,jehovah1 in opposition to the perversions of idolatry4 ,it is not even very plain whether or not he was much impressed by the capacity of true religion to pervade all the relations and engagements of men1 and brighten and purify the whole life4 ,we are too prone to ascribe all the virtues to the good men of the ,old ,testament1 forgetting that of many virtues there was only a progressive development1 and that it is not reasonable to look for excellence beyond the measure of the age4 ,joshua was a soldier1 a soldier of the ,old ,testament1 a splendid man for his day1 but not beyond his day4 ,as a soldier1 his business was to conquer his enemies1 and to be loyal to his heavenly ,master4 ,it did not lie to him to enforce the numberless bearings which the spirit of trust in ,god might have on all the interests of life--on the family1 on books1 on agriculture and commerce1 or on the development of the humanities1 and the courtesies of society4 ,other men were raised up from time to time1 many other men1 with commission from ,god to devote their energies to such matters4 ,it is quite possible that1 under ,joshua1 religion did not appear in very close relation to many things that are lovely and of good report4 ,a celebrated ,english writer 7,matthew ,arnold7 has asked whether1 if ,virgil or ,shakespeare had sailed in the ,mayflower with the puritan fathers1 they would have found themselves in congenial society4 ,the question is not a fair one1 for it supposes that men whose destiny was to fight as for very life1 and for what was dearer than life1 were of the same mould with others who could devote themselves in peaceful leisure to the amenities of literature4 ,joshua had doubtless much of the ruggedness of the early soldier1 and it is not fair to blame him for want of sweetness and light4 ,very probably it was from him that ,deborah drew somewhat of her scorn1 and ,jael1 the wife of ,heber1 of her rugged courage4 ,the whole ,book of ,judges is penetrated by his spirit4 ,he was not the apostle of charity or gentleness4 ,he had one virtue1 but it was the supreme virtue--he honoured ,god4 ,wherever ,god's claims were involved1 he could see nothing1 listen to nothing1 care for nothing1 but that ,he should obtain ,his due4 ,wherever ,god's claims were acknowledged and fulfilled1 things were essentially right1 and other interests would come right4 ,for his absolute and supreme loyalty to his ,lord he is entitled to our highest reverence4 ,this loyalty is a rare virtue1 in the sublime proportions in which it appeared in him4 ,when a man honours ,god in this way1 he has something of the appearance of a supernatural being1 rising high above the fears and the feebleness of poor humanity4 ,he fills his fellows with a sort of awe4 ,among the reformers1 the puritans1 and the covenanters such men were often found4 ,the best of them1 indeed1 were men of this type1 and very genuine men they were4 ,they were not men whom the world loved2 they were too jealous of ,god's claims for that1 and too severe on those who refused them4 ,and we have still the type of the fighting ,christian4 ,but alas6 it is a type subject to fearful degeneration4 ,loyalty to human tradition is often substituted1 unconsciously no doubt1 for loyalty to ,god4 ,the sublime purity and nobility of the one passes into the obstinacy1 the self-righteousness1 the self-assertion of the other4 ,when a man of the genuine type does appear1 men are arrested1 astonished1 as if by a supernatural apparition4 ,the very rareness1 the eccentricity of the character1 secures a respectful homage4 ,and yet1 who can deny that it is the true representation of what every man should be who says1 ,i believe in ,god1 the ,father ,almighty1 ,maker of heaven and earth8 ,after a life of a hundred and ten years the hour comes when ,joshua must die4 ,we have no record of the inner workings of his spirit1 no indication of his feelings in view of his sins1 no hint as to the source of his trust for forgiveness and acceptance4 ,but we readily think of him as the heir of the faith of his father ,abraham1 the heir of the righteousness that is by faith1 and as passing calmly into the presence of his ,judge1 because1 like ,jacob1 he has waited for ,his salvation4 ,he was well entitled to the highest honours that the nation could bestow on his memory2 for all owed to him their homes and their rest4 ,his name must ever be coupled with that of the greatest hero of the nation3 ,moses led them out of the house of bondage2 ,joshua led them into the house of rest4 ,sometimes1 as we have already said1 it has been attempted to draw a sharp antithesis between ,moses and ,joshua1 the one as representing the law1 and the other as representing the gospel4 ,the antithesis is more in word than in deed4 ,moses represented both gospel and law1 for he brought the people out of the bondage of ,egypt2 he brought them to their marriage altar1 and he unfolded to the bride the law of her ,divine husband's house4 ,joshua conducted the bride to her home1 and to the rest which she was to enjoy there2 but he was not less emphatic than ,moses in insisting that she must be an obedient wife1 following the law of her husband4 ,it were difficult to say which of them was the more instructive type of ,christ1 both in feeling and in act4 ,the love of each for his people was most intense1 most self-denying2 and neither of them1 had he been called on1 would have hesitated to surrender his life for their sake4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is probably a mere incidental arrangement that the book concludes with a record of the burial of ,joseph1 and of the death and burial of ,eleazar1 the son of ,aaron4 ,in point of time1 we can hardly suppose that the burial of ,joseph in the field of his father ,jacob in ,shechem was delayed till after the death of ,joshua4 ,it would be a most suitable transaction after the division of the country1 and especially after the territory that contained the field had been assigned to ,ephraim1 ,joseph's son4 ,it would be like a great doxology--a ,te ,deum celebration of the fulfilment of the promise in which1 so many centuries before1 ,joseph had so nobly shown his trust4 ,but why did not ,joseph's bones find their resting-place in the time-honoured cave of ,macpelah8 ,why was he not laid side by side with his father1 who would doubtless have liked right well that his beloved son should be laid at his side8 ,we can only say in regard to ,joseph as in regard to ,rachel1 that the right of burial in that tomb seems to have been limited to the wife who was recognised by law1 and to the son who inherited the ,messianic promise4 ,the other members of the family must have their resting-place elsewhere2 moreover1 there was this benefit in ,joseph having his burial-place at ,shechem1 that it was in the very centre of the country1 and near the spot where the tribes were to assemble for the great annual festivals4 ,for many a generation the tomb of ,joseph would be a memorable witness to the people2 by it the patriarch1 though dead1 would continue to testify to the faithfulness of ,god2 while he would point the hopes of the godly people still onward to the future1 when the last clause of the promise to ,abraham would be emphatically fulfilled1 and that ,seed would come forth among them in whom all the families of the earth would be blessed4 ,was there a reason for recording the death of ,eleazar8 ,certainly there was a fitness in placing together the record of the death of ,joshua and the death of ,eleazar4 ,for ,joshua was the successor of ,moses1 and ,eleazar was the successor of ,aaron4 ,the simultaneous mention of the death of both is a significant indication that the generation to which they belonged had now passed away4 ,a second age after the departure from ,egypt had now slipped into the silent past4 ,it was a token that the duties and responsibilities of life had now come to a new generation1 and a silent warning to them to remember how ,time like an ever-rolling stream ,bears all its sons away2 ,they fly forgotten1 as a dream ,dies at the opening day4 ,how short the life of a generation seems when we look back to these distant days6 ,how short the life of the individual when he realizes that his journey is practically ended6 ,how vain the expectation once cherished of an indefinite future1 when there would be ample time to make up for all the neglects of earlier years6 ,god give us all to know the true meaning of that word1 the time is short1 and so teach us to number our days1 that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom6 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii4 ,,joshua',s ,,work ,,for ,,israel4 ,it now only remains for us to take a retrospective view of the work of ,joshua1 and indicate what he did for ,israel and the mark he left on the national history4 #a4 ,joshua was a soldier--a believing soldier4 ,he was the first of a type that has furnished many remarkable specimens4 ,abraham had fought1 but he had fought as a quaker might be induced to fight1 for he was essentially a man of peace4 ,moses had superintended military campaigns1 but ,moses was essentially a priest and a prophet4 ,joshua was neither quaker1 nor priest1 nor prophet1 but simply a soldier4 ,there were fighting men in abundance1 no doubt1 before the flood1 but so far as we know1 not believing men4 ,joshua was the first of an order that seems to many a moral paradox--a devoted servant of ,god1 yet an enthusiastic fighter4 ,his mind ran naturally in the groove of military work4 ,to plan expeditions1 to devise methods of attacking1 scattering1 or annihilating opponents1 came naturally to him4 ,a military genius1 he entered con amore into his work4 ,yet along with this the fear of ,god continually controlled and guided him4 ,he would do nothing deliberately unless he was convinced that it was the will of ,god4 ,in all his work of slaughter1 he believed himself to be fulfilling the righteous purposes of ,jehovah4 ,his life was habitually guided by regard to the unseen4 ,he had no ambition but to serve his ,god and to serve his country4 ,he would have been content with the plainest conditions of life1 for his habits were simple and his tastes natural4 ,he believed that ,god was behind him1 and the belief made him fearless4 ,his career of almost unbroken success justified his faith4 ,there have been soldiers who were religious in spite of their being soldiers--some of them in their secret hearts regretting the distressing fortune that made the sword their weapon2 but there have also been men whose energy in religion and in fighting have supported and strengthened each other4 ,such men1 however1 are usually found only in times of great moral and spiritual struggle1 when the brute force of the world has been mustered in overwhelming mass to crush some religious movement4 ,they have an intense conviction that the movement is of ,god1 and as to the use of the sword1 they cannot help themselves2 they have no choice1 for the instinct of self-defence compels them to draw it4 ,such are the warriors of the ,apocalypse1 the soldiers of ,armageddon2 for though their battle is essentially spiritual1 it is presented to us in that military book under the symbols of material warfare4 ,such were the ,ziskas and ,procopses of the ,bohemian reformation2 the ,gustavus ,adolphuses of the ,thirty ,years' ,war2 the ,cromwells of the ,commonwealth1 and the ,general ,leslies of the ,covenant4 ,ruled supremely by the fear of ,god1 and convinced of a ,divine call to their work1 they have communed about it with ,him as closely and as truly as the missionary about his preaching or his translating1 or the philanthropist about his homes or his rescue agencies4 ,to ,god's great goodness it has ever been their habit to ascribe their successes2 and when an enterprise has failed1 the causes of failure have been sought for in the ,divine displeasure4 ,nor in their intercourse with their families and friends have they been usually wanting in gentler graces1 in affection1 in generosity1 or in pity4 ,all this must be freely admitted1 even by those to whom war is most obnoxious4 ,it is quite consistent with the conviction that a large proportion of wars has been utterly unjustifiable1 and that in ordinary circumstances the sword is no more to be regarded as the right and proper weapon for settling the quarrels of nations than the duel for settling the quarrels of individuals4 ,and the best of soldiers cannot but feel that fighting is at best a cruel necessity1 and that it will be a happy day for the world when men shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning-hooks4 #b4 ,being a soldier1 ,joshua confined himself in the main to the work of a soldier4 ,that work was to conquer the enemy and to divide the land4 ,to these two departments he limited himself1 in subordination1 however1 to his deep conviction that they were only means to an end1 and that that end would be utterly missed unless the people were pervaded by loyalty to ,god and devotion to the mode of worship which ,he had prescribed4 ,no opportunity of impressing that consideration on their minds was neglected4 ,it lay at the root of all their prosperity2 and if ,joshua had not pressed it on them by every available means1 all his work would have been like pouring water on sand or sowing seed upon the rocks of the seashore4 ,joshua was not called to ecclesiastical work1 certainly not in the sense of carrying out ecclesiastical details ,that department belonged to the high priest and his brethren4 ,while ,moses lived1 it had been under him1 because ,moses was head of all departments4 ,neither did ,joshua take in hand the arrangement in detail of the civil department of the commonwealth4 ,that was mainly work for the elders and officers appointed to regulate it4 ,it is from the circumstance that ,joshua personally confined himself to his two great duties1 that the book which bears his name travels so little beyond these4 ,reading ,joshua alone1 we might have the impression that very little attention was paid to the ritual enacted in the books of ,moses4 ,we might suppose that but little was done to carry out the provisions of the ,torah1 as the law came to be called4 ,but the inference would not be warranted1 for the plain reason that such things did not come within the sphere of ,joshua or the scope of the book which bears his name4 ,we may make what we can of incidental allusions1 but we need not expect elaborate descriptions4 ,there are many things that it would have been highly interesting for us to know regarding this period of the history of ,israel2 but the book limits itself as ,joshua limited himself4 ,it is not a full history of the times4 ,it is not a chapter of universal national annals4 ,it is a history of the settlement1 and of ,joshua's share in the settlement4 ,and the fact that it has this character is a testimony to its authenticity4 ,had it been a work of much later date1 it is not likely that it would have been confined within such narrow limits4 ,it would in all likelihood have presented a much larger view of the state and progress of the nation than the existing book does4 ,the fact that it is made to revolve so closely round ,joshua seems to indicate that ,joshua's personality was still a great power2 the remembrance of him was bright and vivid when the book was written4 ,moreover1 the lists of names1 many of which seem to have been the old ,canaanite names1 and to have dropped out of the ,hebrew history because the cities were not actually taken from the ,canaanites1 and did not become ,hebrew cities1 is another testimony to the contemporary date of the book1 or of the documents on which it is founded4 #c4 ,if we examine carefully ,joshua's character as a soldier1 or rather as a strategist1 we shall probably find that he had one defect4 ,he does not appear to have succeeded in making his conquests permanent4 ,what he gained one day was often won back by the enemy after a little time4 ,to read the account of what happened after the victory of ,gibeon and ,bethhoron1 one would infer that all the region south of ,gibeon fell completely into his hands4 ,yet by-and-by we find ,hebron and ,jerusalem in possession of the enemy1 while a hitherto unheard-of king has come into view1 ,adonibezek1 of ,bezek1 of whose people there were slain1 after the death of ,joshua1 ten thousand men 7,judg4 i4 #d74 ,with regard to ,hebron we read first that ,joshua fought against it and took it1 and smote it with the edge of the sword1 and the king thereof1 and all the cities thereof1 and all the souls that were therein2 he left none remaining1 but destroyed it utterly1 and all the souls that were therein 7,josh4 x4 #cg74 ,yet not long after1 when ,caleb requested ,hebron for his inheritance1 it was 7as we have seen7 on the very ground that it was strongly held by the enemy3 if so be the ,lord will be with me1 then ,i shall be able to drive them out1 as the ,lord said 7xiv4 #ab74 ,again1 in the campaign against ,jabin1 ,king of ,hazor1 while it is said that ,hazor was utterly destroyed1 it is also said that ,joshua did not destroy the cities that stood on their mounds 7xi4 #ac1 ,r4,v472 accordingly we find that some time after1 another ,jabin was at the head of a restored ,hazor1 and it was against him that the expedition to which ,barak was stimulated by the prophetess ,deborah was undertaken 7,judg4 iv4 #b74 ,whether ,joshua miscalculated the number and resources of the ,canaanites in the country2 or whether he was unable to divide his own forces so as to prevent the re-occupation and restoration of places that had once been destroyed2 or whether he over-estimated the effects of his first victories and did not allow enough for the determination of a conquered people to fight for their homes and their altars to the last1 we cannot determine2 but certainly the result was1 that after being defeated and scattered at the first1 they rallied and gathered together1 and presented a most formidable problem to the tribes in their various settlements4 ,there is no reason for resorting to the explanation of our modern critics that we have here traces of two writers1 of whom the policy of the one was to represent that ,joshua was wholly victorious1 and of the other that he was very far from successful4 ,the true view is1 that his first invasion1 or run-over1 as it may be called1 was a complete success1 but that1 through the rallying of his opponents1 much of the ground which he gained at the beginning was afterwards lost4 #d4 ,the great service of ,joshua to his people 7as we have already remarked7 was1 that he gave them a settlement4 ,he gave them--,rest4 ,some1 indeed1 may be disposed to question whether that which ,joshua did give them was worthy of the name of rest4 ,if the ,canaanites were still among them1 disputing the possession of the country2 if savage ,adonibezeks were still at large1 whose victims bore in their mutilated bodies the marks of their cruelty and barbarity2 if the power of the ,philistines in the south1 the ,sidonians in the north1 and the ,geshurites in the north-east was still unbroken1 how could they be said to have obtained rest8 ,the objection proceeds from inability to estimate the force of the comparative degree4 ,joshua gave them rest in the sense that he gave them homes of their own4 ,there was no more need for the wandering life which they had led in the wilderness4 ,they had more compact and comfortable habitations than the tents of the desert with their slim coverings that could effectually shut out neither the cold of winter1 nor the heat of summer1 nor the drenching rains4 ,they had brighter objects to look out on than the scanty and monotonous vegetation of the wilderness4 ,no doubt they had to defend their new homes1 and in order to do so they had to expel the ,canaanites who were still hovering about them4 ,but still they were real homes2 they were not homes which they merely expected or hoped to get1 but homes which they had actually gotten4 ,they were homes with the manifold attractions of country life--the field1 the well1 the garden1 the orchard1 stocked with vine1 fig1 and pomegranate2 the olive grove1 the rocky crag1 and the quiet glen4 ,the sheep and the oxen might be seen browsing in picturesque groups on the pasture grounds1 as if they were part of the family4 ,it was an interest to watch the progress of vegetation1 to mark how the vine budded1 and the lily sprang into beauty1 to pluck the first rose1 or to divide the first ripe pomegranate4 ,life had a new interest when on a bright spring morning the young man could thus invite his bride3-- ,rise up my love1 my fair one1 and come away4 ,for1 lo1 the winter is past1 ,the rain is over and gone2 ,the flowers appear on the earth2 ,the time of the singing of birds is come1 ,and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land2 ,the fig tree putteth forth her green figs1 ,and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell4 ,this1 as it were1 was ,joshua's gift to ,israel1 or rather ,god's gift through ,joshua4 ,it was well fitted to kindle their gratitude1 and though not yet complete or perfectly secure1 it was entitled to be called rest4 ,for if there was still need of fighting to complete the conquest1 it was fighting under easy conditions4 ,if they went out under the influence of that faith of which ,joshua had set them so memorable an example1 they were sure of protection and of victory4 ,past experience had shown to demonstration that none of their enemies could stand before them1 and the future would be as the past had been4 ,god was still among them2 if they called on ,him1 ,he would arise1 their enemies would be scattered1 and they that hated ,him would flee before ,him4 ,fidelity to ,him would secure all the blessings that had been read out at ,mount ,gerizim1 and to which they had enthusiastically shouted1 ,amen4 ,the picture drawn by ,moses before his death would be realized in its brightest colours3 ,blessed shalt thou be in the city1 and blessed shalt thou be in the field4 ,blessed shall be the fruit of thy body1 and the fruit of thy ground1 and the fruit of thy cattle1 the increase of thy kine1 and the flocks of thy sheep4 ,blessed shall be thy basket and thy store4 ,blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in1 and blessed when thou goest out4 ,but here a very serious objection may be interposed4 ,is it conceivable1 it may be asked1 that this serene satisfaction was enjoyed by the ,israelites when they had got their new homes only by dispossessing the former owners2 when all around them was stained by the blood of the slain1 and the shrieks and groans of their predecessors were yet sounding in their ears8 ,if these homes were not haunted by the ghosts of their former owners1 must not the hearts and consciences of the new occupants have been haunted by recollections of the scenes of horror which had been enacted there8 is it possible that they should have been in that tranquil and happy frame in which they would really enjoy the sweetness of their new abodes8 ,the question is certainly a disturbing one1 and any answer that may be given to it must seem imperfect1 just because we are incapable of placing ourselves wholly in the circumstances of the children of ,israel4 ,we are incapable of entering into the callousness of the ,oriental heart in reference to the sufferings or the death of enemies4 ,exceptions there no doubt were2 but1 as a rule1 indifference to the condition of enemies1 whether in life or in death1 was the prevalent feeling4 ,two parts of their nature were liable to be affected by the change which put the ,israelites in possession of the houses and fields of the destroyed ,canaanites--their consciences and their hearts4 ,with regard to their consciences the case was clear3 ,the earth is the ,lord's1 and the fulness thereof2 the world1 and they that dwell therein4 ,god1 as owner of the land of ,canaan1 had given it1 some six hundred years before1 to ,abraham and his seed4 ,that gift had been ratified by many solemnities1 and belief in it had been kept alive in the hearts of ,abraham's descendants from generation to generation4 ,there had been no secret about it1 and the ,canaanites must have been familiar with the tradition4 ,consequently1 during all these centuries1 they had been but tenants at will4 ,when1 under the guidance of ,jehovah1 ,israel crossed the ,red ,sea and the army of ,pharaoh was drowned1 a pang must have shot through the breasts of the ,canaanites1 and the news must have come to them as a notice to quit4 ,the echoes of the ,song of ,moses reverberated through the whole region3-- ,the peoples have heard1 they tremble3 ,pangs have taken hold of the inhabitants of ,philistia4 ,then were the dukes of ,edom amazed2 ,the mighty men of ,moab1 trembling taketh hold of them3 ,all the inhabitants of ,canaan are melted away4 ,terror and dread falleth upon them2 ,by the greatness of ,thine arm they are as still as a stone2 ,till ,thy people pass over1 ,o ,lord1 ,till the people pass over which ,thou hast purchased4 ,thou shalt bring them in1 and plant them in the mountain of ,thine inheritance ,the place1 ,o ,lord1 which ,thou hast made for ,thee to dwell in1 ,the sanctuary1 ,o ,lord1 which ,thy hands have established4 ,the ,lord shall reign for ever and ever4 ,it was well known1 therefore1 that1 so far as ,divine right went1 the children of ,israel were entitled to the land4 ,but even after that1 the ,canaanites had a respite and enjoyed possession for forty years4 ,besides1 they had been judicially condemned on account of their sins2 and1 moreover1 when they first came into the country1 they had dispossessed the former inhabitants4 ,at last1 after long delay1 the hour of destiny arrived4 ,when the ,israelites took possession they felt that they were only regaining their own4 ,it was not they1 but the ,canaanites1 that were the intruders1 and any feeling on the question of right in the minds of the ,israelites would rather be that of indignation at having been kept out so long of what had been promised to ,abraham1 than of squeamishness at dispossessing the ,canaanites of property which was not their own4 ,still1 one might suppose there remained scope for natural pity4 ,but this was not very active4 ,we may gather something of the prevalent feeling from the song of ,deborah and the action of ,jael4 ,it was not an age of humanity4 ,the whole period of the ,judges was indeed an iron age4 ,gideon1 ,jephthah1 ,samson1 were men of the roughest fibre4 ,even ,david's treatment of his ,ammonite prisoners was revolting4 ,all that can be said for ,israel is1 that their treatment of enemies did not reach that infamous pre-eminence of cruelty for which the ,assyrians and the ,babylonians were notorious4 ,but they had enough of the prevailing callousness to enable them to enter without much discomfort on the homes and possessions of their dispossessed foes4 ,they had no such sentimental reserve as to interfere with a lively gratitude to ,joshua as the man who had given them rest4 ,probably1 in looking back on those times1 we fail to realize the marvellous influence in the direction of all that is humane and loving that came into our world1 and began to operate in full force1 with the advent of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,we forget how much darker a world it must have been before the true light entered1 that lighteth every man coming into the world4 ,we forget what a gift ,god gave to the world when ,jesus entered it1 bringing with ,him the light and love1 the joy and peace1 the hope and the holiness of heaven4 ,we forget that the coming of ,jesus was the rising of the ,sun of ,righteousness with healing in ,his wings4 ,coming among us as the incarnation of ,divine love1 it was natural that ,he should correct the prevailing practice in the treatment of enemies1 and infuse a new spirit of humanity4 ,even the ,apostle who afterwards became the ,apostle of ,love could manifest all the bitterness of the old spirit when he suggested the calling down of fire from heaven to burn up the ,samaritan village that would not receive them4 ,ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of1 for the ,son of man came not to destroy men's lives1 but to save them4 ,who does not feel the humane spirit of ,christianity to be one of its brightest gems1 and one of its chief contrasts with the imperfect economy that preceded it8 ,it is when we mark the inveteracy of the old spirit of hatred that we see how great a change ,christ has introduced4 ,if it was the great distinction of ,christ's love that while we were yet enemies1 ,christ died for us1 ,his precept to us to love our enemies ought to meet with our readiest obedience4 ,not without profound prophetic insight did the angel who announced the birth of ,jesus proclaim1 ,glory to ,god in the highest1 on earth peace1 good-will to men4 ,alas6 it is with much humiliation we must own that in practising this humane spirit of her ,lord the progress of the ,church has been slow and small4 ,it seemed to be implied in the prophecies that ,christianity would end war2 yet one of the most outstanding phenomena of the world is1 the so-called ,christian nations of ,europe armed to the teeth1 expending millions of treasure year by year on destructive armaments1 and withdrawing millions of soldiers from those pursuits which increase wealth and comfort1 to be supported by taxes wrung from the sinews of the industrious1 and to be ready1 when called on1 to scatter destruction and death among the ranks of their enemies4 ,surely it is a shame to the diplomacy of ,europe that so little is done to arrest this crying evil2 that nation after nation goes on increasing its armaments1 and that the only credit a good statesman can gain is that of retarding a collision1 which1 when it does occur1 will be the widest in its dimensions1 and the vastest and most hideous in the destruction it deals1 that the world has ever seen6 ,all honour to the few earnest men who have tried to make arbitration a substitute for war4 ,and surely it is no credit to the ,christian ,church that1 when its members are divided in opinion1 there should be so much bitterness in the spirit of its controversies4 ,grant that what excites men so keenly is the fear that the truth of ,god being at stake1 that which they deem most sacred in itself1 and most vital in its influence for good is liable to suffer2 hence they regard it a duty to rebuke sharply all who are apparently prepared to betray it or compromise it4 ,is it not apparent that if love is not mingled with the controversies of ,christians1 it is vain to expect violence and war to cease among the nations8 ,more than this1 if love is not more apparent among ,christians than has been common1 we may well tremble for the cause itself4 ,one of the leaders of ,german unbelief is said to have remarked that he did not think ,christianity could be ,divine1 because he did not find the people called ,christians paying more heed than others to the command of ,jesus to love their enemies4 #e4 ,one other service of ,joshua to the nation of ,israel remains to be noticed3 he sought with all his heart that they should be a ,god-governed people1 a people that in every department of life should be ruled by the endeavour to do ,god's will4 ,he pressed this on them with such earnestness1 he commended it by his own example with such sincerity1 he brought his whole authority and influence to bear on it with such momentum1 that to a large extent he succeeded1 though the impression hardly survived himself4 ,the people served the ,lord all the days of ,joshua1 and all the days of the elders that outlived ,joshua1 who had seen all the great work of the ,lord that ,he had wrought for ,israel4 ,joshua seemed always to be contending with an idolatrous virus which poisoned the blood of the people1 and could not be eradicated4 ,the only thing that seemed capable of crushing it was the outstretched arm of ,jehovah1 showing itself in some terrible form4 ,while the effect of that display lasted the tendency to idolatry was subdued1 but not extirpated2 and as soon as the impression of it was spent1 the evil broke out anew4 ,it was hard to instil into them ruling principles of conduct that would guide them in spite of outward influences4 ,as a rule1 they were not like ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 or like ,moses who endured as seeing ,him who is invisible4 ,individuals there were among them1 like ,caleb and ,joshua himself1 who walked by faith2 but the great mass of the nation were carnal1 and they exemplified the drift or tendency of that spirit--,the carnal mind is enmity against ,god4 ,still ,joshua laboured to press the lesson--the great lesson of the theocracy--,let ,god rule you2 follow invariably ,his will4 ,it is a rule for nations1 for churches1 for individuals4 ,the ,hebrew theocracy has passed away2 but there is a sense in which every ,christian nation should be a modified theocracy4 ,so far as ,god has given abiding rules for the conduct of nations1 every nation ought to regard them4 ,if it be a ,divine principle that righteousness exalteth a nation2 if it be a ,divine command to remember the ,sabbath day to keep it holy2 if it be a ,divine instruction to rulers to deliver the needy when he crieth1 the poor also and him that hath no helper1 in these and in all such matters nations ought to be divinely ruled4 ,it is blasphemous to set up rules of expediency above these eternal emanations of the ,divine will4 ,so1 too1 churches should be divinely ruled4 ,there is but one ,lord in the ,christian ,church1 ,he that is ,king of kings1 and ,lord of lords4 ,there may be many details in ,church life which are left to the discretion of its rulers1 acting in accordance with the spirit of ,scripture2 but no church should accept of any ruler whose will may set aside the will of her ,lord1 nor allow any human authority to supersede what ,he has ordained4 ,and for individuals the universal rule is3 ,whatsoever ye do in word or deed1 do all in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 giving thanks unto ,god and the ,father by ,him4 ,each true ,christian heart is a theocracy--a ,christ-governed soul4 ,not ruled by external appliances nor by mechanical rules1 nor by the mere effort to follow a prescribed example2 but by the indwelling of ,christ's ,spirit1 by a vital force communicated from ,himself4 ,the spring of the ,christian life is here--,not ,i1 but ,christ liveth in me4 ,this is the source of all the beautiful and fruitful ,christian lives that ever have been1 of all that are1 and of all that ever shall be4 ,,the ,,end4 ,printed by ,hazell1 ,watson1 ,viney1 ,ld41 ,london and ,aylesbury4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 ,text enclosed by underscores is in italics 7italics74 ,small capital text has been replaced with all capitals4 ,the carat character 77 indicates that the following letter is superscripted 7example3 ,d#b74 ,variations in spelling1 punctuation and hyphenation have been retained except in obvious cases of typographical error4 ,page #ge3 who have never been required to work--,the transcriber has added been4 ,the cover for the e,book version of this book was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain4