PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers
Rayner Winterbotham [1842-1924] · 425,969 words · 472 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 361
but n spontaneous deed, having a moral value of its own. Partly at least for the sake of what it was, not merely what it showed in a figure, it was accepted as an atonement for the sin of Israel (which was very gross), and was imputed to its author for an everlasting righteousness. Phinehas, therefore, in one very impo…
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that tl1e instigation c6.me from him. Even so tl1ere is the same double origination of all grave failings away from God and grace. A man is drawn away of his own lust (James i. 14), and enticed by the lust of the flesh nnd of the eyes (l John ii. 16); but benenth and behind all these temptations is the craft of nn evil…
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their pre8Umption, as sliielding themfr()'m, pui1ishment. Even so in the Churches of Christ it has ever been the rich and: the great who have dragged down the moral lnw and outraged the holiness of their calling, becanse they seemed to be beyond the reach of discipline or correction in this world. 3. 'J.'hat their sin …
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this was the moral element, the controlling motive power, in the life and denth of Christ, which made it infinitely precious in the eyes of God, and infinitely availnble for the remission of sins. 2. That God had sought for suck an atonement before and it kad not bem given, (see ver. 4: "Hang them up, ... that the fier…
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reached its climax, there it received such sudden retribution as to stamp it as an abominable thing which God bates. Zimri and hie paramour are branded with eternal infamy, while Pbinebas is rewarded by "the covenant of an everlasting priesthood." We lenm thus that there ia more than one way of making an atone- ment to…
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live in this world as knowing how corruptible we are, and that ceaseless vig·ilnnce is the price of spiritual safety. II. BALAK, FOLLY PERSUADED OF THE roWER OF ONE WEAPON, IS UTTERLY UNClON- scrous OF THE GREATER POWER OF .ANOTHER, Dalak, sending all this long way for Balaam, was utterly ignorant of a resource lying …
854 wordsSECTION 367The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 367
sin whioh provoked his wrath ; it was as if he looked to heaven in going forth and said, "Against thee, thee only have they sinned." To be easily tolerant in the presence of great sins eh owe a heart far from right towards God. Mere cynical observations on the frailties and eccentricities of fallen human nature do not …
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EXPOSITION. the original but the brief instruction given CH.APTER llVL to the census-takers-" from twenty reara T:n SEOOND MUSTll.RING (vers. 1- 66). old and upward, as on the former ocC88lon." Ver. 1.-n ea.me to pass after the plague. And the children of Iuael which went fcnh This plagae wa.s the last event which s…
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·"•ith the Reubcnites, then it might be posed that Pharez had other sons not men. ..:i~Nne.i necessary to force this statement tioned here or in Gen. xlvi. 12, or in 1 Chron. ,into accordance with that certo.inty; but it ii. 3, 4, 6. ii, nowhere stated, or even cleo.rly implied, Ver. 23.--The aons of IQachar. As in t…
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Jnda.h. 5 74,600 76,500 " 21 'p. G. Js.sachar. Zebulan. 4 s 54,400 67,400 64,300 60,500 18 ,. 5l . Ephraim. Manasseh. 4 8 40,500 32,200 32,600 62,700 20 " 63 .•• Benjamin. Dan. Asher. Naphta.li. 7 1 5 4 85,400 62,700 41,500 45,600 64,400 58,400 29 21 28 . •• 53,400 45,400 15 603…
1,059 wordsSECTION 371The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 371
HOMILETICS. Vere. 1~5.-The final numbering of the elect. Both the numberings of the -ehildren of Israel are to be spiritually interpreted of that knowledge which God has of his elect, and of their inscription in the registers of life. The people of God are to him as his dock is to the shepherd ; he knows his sheep, an…
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will of God concerning us, as declined at large in the gospel, but one election an~ one enrolling in the ranks of salvation. All who are called to grace are designed" for glory; none lire enlisted under the cross but may, and should, att~in the crown; the Christian name and calling is not a mockery in any case. That…
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doomed at Kadesh (11ee Deut. ii; 14), but of those who would have inherited Canaan in a few months. So 'it is " after the plague" of fleshly sin and of its ruinous effects that the servants of God are numbered for eternal life. "The pure in heart shall see God" (cf. Gal. v. 19-21; Ephee. v. 5; Rev. :nii. 15). IX. THAT…
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vidential ordering of the momentous turning-point in life which he and hit1 com- panions had now roached, the same thoughtful and wise Hand which appointed to the tribes under Joshua their inheritance in the promi11ed land ; and the language of the Old Testament history rose naturally to his lips. I. To do justice t…
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reposing in una'ccuetomed and grateful quietude, with the promised Canaan juet over againet them, it is being impreHeed upon them in many waye that they must win it by conquest. The children, while inheriting the promises given to their fathers, in- .berit at the same time the services which the fathers had been found …
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as to nnmbere; the fluctuations of the tribes, some increasing, others decrerising; in particular, the extraordinary decrease in Simeon arrests attention. But all these are passed over as not needing notice. There is one thing, however, to which attention is specially called, nnd indeed it must have been kept in vie…
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profession of submission to the will of God. Tlie will of God would sooner be com- plied with in this ignorant, purblind world if Christians, who pray that God's will may be·done on: earth as·in heaven, would only set themselves to discover what the- will of God really is. Surely it is a strange and horrible thing that…
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lies& in oo~uence of the rebellion at Kadesh Arboth l[oe.b, and left only unma.rried girls (see the nut not.e). Apparently his da.ught.ers to represent him. meant to acknowledge that they had no com- Ver. 5.-Koees brought their oau.1e before pla.int against the Divine justice beca.nse of the Lord. Presumably by going…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-11.-The disabilities of sez. I. THE POSSIBLE INJUSTICE CONSEQUENT ON A STRICT ADHERENCE TO SOCIAL TRADITIONS. Try to imagine how this appeal of the daughters of Zelophehad arises. Canaan is now very near, the borders of it visible across the flood ; and God has jnst told Moses the …
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women speaking in the churches was of course very good· as point.ing out a &"eneral rule, but probably he would have allowed, on a prudent occasion for allowing 1t, that it was a rule not without exceptions. He may have reckoned it well at the time, for reasons drawn from the state of a particular church, to rn&ke the …
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bleeeed thing that such lawe get broken and ultimately deetroyed by the energy of an expanding life which cannot be contained within them? (Mitt. ix. 10-13; xii. 1-13; :xv. 1-20; x.ix. 3-9; xxii 84---40; Rom. :ir.iv, 6; Gal. iii. 28).-Y. Ver. 3.-The man wlw dud in hu, own sin. I. A PLEA ll'OR ll'A.VOUBABLE CONSIDER• …
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:you do not stop it in time. Those who have passed through untold agonies because of conviction of sin, once hmghed at sin as a little thing. They did not dream it would g·ive them such trouble, and drive them about inreseantly till they got th& question answered, ",vhat must l do to be saved? " Sin sleeps i11 most,…
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to clear up an obvious confusion between the done B8 11.n outward and public token of the "strife" at Rephidim (Exod. :r:vii. 7) and committal of authority to Joshua as the that at Kadesh. successor of Moses. Vor, 16.-And llloaea 1pake unto the Ver. 19.-Give him a charge. TlJ;l'W. Lord. The behaviour of Moses as here …
924 wordsSECTION 384The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 384
L THAT MOSES MUST NOT I.EAD THE PEOPLE INTO THE PROMISED LAND DEOAUBm OJ' TBE PROVED IMPERFECTION OF BIS CHARACTER. It can hardly indeed be supposed that Joshua was in himself more perfect, or on the whole more dear to God, than Moses: but Joshua was not known to have failed distinctly and publicly as Moses was at Meri…
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Jesus of the decease (l(ooo,,) which he should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke ix. -31, &c.). And note, that in Mosee and Joshua we may clearly see the distinction between the Divine treatment of men as types and a.e individuals. Moses, e. g.,was ,made in hie own time to yield to Joshua, to die in exile while Joshua led…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 12-14.-0<>d', t.1Jord t.l> hiB d1ft!ll,g seiw:nt. The death of Mosee wae lltJI singulai:, as his life had been. T_he setne of it, a mounta~-top, where he might be alone with God and yet have a wide prospect of the promised land• tile f'IUUl.ner of' it, not by gmdual failure of nat…
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to overcome the reluctance of the present leader by a Divine command. No sooner does Moses receive notice to demit than he prays for a successor, and begs that his .eyes may see him before he dies. His experience of the government makes him dread the dangers of an interregnum. "Sheep without a shepherd," such would the…
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place, but publicly, and before 1111 the congregation, that they as well as Joshua, might hear. On the other hand, Moses laboured to strengthen hie aucoeasor's heart. No man was so well able to comfort Joshua as Moses ,vas. The Lord in calling Moses at the bush had given him the promise, "Surely I will be with thee."· …
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spot where there was the most suggestive view of Canaan. Not of necessity the view of greatest geographical extent, but probably one that would sufficiently in- dicate the variety of surface and products, showing also something of the populous cities. There would be everything to impress on "Moses a moat decided and ch…
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worse still, in the brick-yards of Egypt. Moses had brought them with him or rnther God bad brought him and them together. All humble, unselfish, and God-;especting hearts, who work through evil report and good report to make the world better will assuredly have something of the reward of Moses from the top of .Abar…
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them out to find pasture, and he lee.de them in to insure security. The Good Shepherd is in himself the guarantee both for nourishment and security, and the sheep follow him, as if to show the.t the real nourishments and securities of religion must come by 11 voluntary acceptance. There is much difference between being…
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Vers. 18--23.-The solicit'IUU relieved by the appoi,ntmentof Jooluia. God make& an immediate, gracious, and full compliance with the request of Moses. It is a '\\"elcome sight when the will ,of God rnns forward as it were to meet the wiahos of man. God has so often to reveal himself refusing and thwarting the wishes of…
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•CHAPTERS XXVIII., XXIX. throughout an nlmost immediate settlement in Canaan. It is also plain thnt a system so TU ROUTINE OJ' SAORII!'IOIAL OI!'I!'ERINGS elaborate, and entailing so much care and (cha. :a:viii., :nix.). Ver. 1.-The Lord expense, could he.rdly have come into regular spake unto lllloaes. It is impossi…
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Ver. 3.-This is the off'ering made by lire. Ver. 10. -The b11l'Jlt off'ering of every The da.ily offering prescribed at Exod. xxix. aabbath. Literally, "the sa.bbath burnt 88--42, and which had presumably never offering for its sabba.th." been intermitted since, is specified again here Ver. 11. - In the beginnings o…
1,046 wordsSECTION 395The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 395
bumt oll'ering in the morning, i. e. in ad- day of atonement (Levit. xvi 29 ; xxiii. dition to, and immediately after, the usuo.l 27 sq.), morning so.crifice. Even when it is not ex- Ver. 12.--0n the fl.tteenth day. The first pressly stated, the presumption is that all day of the feast of tabernacles, which com- the sa…
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minC'd their character &nd mutual relation, can hardly be doubted by any one who belie.,.es the system to have been of Divine origination; and this, ngain, can hardly be doubted by any one who recognises the profound congruity between the sacrificial 11ystem of Moses and the sacrificial aspect of Christianity. It is…
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Belf-ee.crifice of Christ wrought/or us on the cross, the self-sacrifice of Christ wrought in us by hie Spirit. II. THAT THE WHOLE SYSTEM BESTED UPON THE DAILY SACRIFICE, WHICH WA8 NEVER OMITTED, TO WHICH ALL OTHER SACRIFICES WERE BUPERADDED. Not even the triumph of the passover or the affliction of the day of aton…
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the 'tl'orld" (Rev. :xiii. 8), but in outward act onlJ II in these last days" (Heh, i. 2)~ i. e. in the morning and the evening of the world. III. THAT WHIL& OTHER SACRIFICES WERK MOSTLY CONFIN&D TO TH& M0RNIN0 HOURS, THE DAILY LAMB WAS OFFERED AT MORN AND EVE. Even BO each day of life is to be 1Janctified by praye…
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I. It consisted of two parts: (1) a lamb, a bleeding sacrifice; (2) a meat and drink offering, flour, &c., bloodless; but the whole was to be burned before God. We see here-I. Expiation. This we need every morning, for we awake and leave our beds sinful, and requiring an atonement that we may be able to present acce…
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abode in Shittim (eh. xxv.). The only guarantee ag·ainst the soul lapsing into idolatrous offerings is to be continually engaging in hearty and intelligent offerings to Goel. II. IT MUST BE A MORNING AND EVENING OFFERING. To make a daily offering was not enough. Israel was not left to its own will as to the time of…
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Vera. 9, 10.-The sabbath ojferimg. I. THE LESSON OF THE SPECIAL OFFERING. Special blessings belonged to the s11bb11th, over and above those of the ordinary day, and it became II duty to recognise them, The s11bbath offerings represented what Israel had go.ined by the rest of the sabbath. We make our gains not only by t…
851 wordsSECTION 402The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 402
known then to God, and is known now to us. The commandments of God took into consideration not only what was known at the time of their announcement but what would be further discovered in the progress of human inquiry. We ~an see n propriety in this ordinance of the monthly offering, as we think of the peculiar rela…
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the obst!lclee which lie in the way of a complete and profitable reception of the blessings. II. IT WAB A REMINDER OD' HOW COMPLETELY GOD HAD TAKEN THE OBSTACLES OUT OF THE WAY, The week of unleavened bread was a period for joyous commemora- tion of the delivcmnce from Egypt; and by their offerings Israel recognised t…
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called to obsorve in the redemption of the world, would he.ve us to see the snme presence and power wherever we have faculties to see them. To go from the orosM with the meaning of it and the spirit of it filling our minds, and in such a mood t~ receive the common mercies of God as one by one they come to us, will fill…
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lesson. Hebrew Christiane were not likely to give up their old times and seasons, nnd so the Passover feast was still further glorified by the recollect1on of Jesus dying for them, and the Pentecost feast by the recollection of how the Spirit had been poured upon all flesh. It ie very certain that we do not sufficientl…
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is, Man's leisure must be fl.Sedfor God. Let there be a month largely occupied with special national approach to God. And, depend upon it~ something similar ie expected from us. There ie nothing in which the lot of men is Ieee equal than in the amount of leisure time which they have at their disposal. One man hae to la…
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different source.. There Is no reason what- Ver. 6.-If her father disallow her. It ever for supposing that the "hee.da of the apptars from the previous verse that the die- tribes" were more interested in these par• allowance must be spoken, and not mental ticular regulations than in many others which only. If the vow h…
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HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-16. - Vows unto the Lord,. This section, although fragment•cy, yet reveals to us with great -cJeamess the Divine mind concerning one important portion of practical religion. It lays down directly the princ:i-plo that vows to God were lawful and binding. It lays down indirectly the limitation (altho…
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our (e.nd wherever practicnble in lnw too) to keep his promise to his brother man; if nn honest man (even nmong savuges), having given his word to his neighbour, may not disappoint him, though it were to his own hindrance (Ps. xv. 4); if God himself have vouchsafed to make promises to man (and with an oath too-Heh. vi.…
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other men. It must lie within the proper province of & man's own free will; it must concern such things as he can really control. This was what gave the vow its virtue and significance. Certain things were commanded, with respect to which there was no choice but obedience; and outside of these there was still a larg…
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sooner we discover that the most practicable life and the most blessed one is that of being not our own masters, but what the apostles learned to be, servants of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. i. 1; Philip. i. 1; James i. 1; 2 Pet. i. 1; Rev. i. 1), the better it will be for us. We shall not then enter upon undertakings…
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Let us take the relation of the father and daughter, similar things being true, mutatia m:1aa1ulus, with respect to the husband and wife. 1. This command honoured parental authoriJ1y. God had laid a aolemn injunction on children to honour father and mother, and we see liere how careful he was to honour the pl\rental r…
1,014 wordsSECTION 413The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 413
EXPOSITION. ver. 16 (see note there), e.nd in these two CHAPTER XXXI. places not in the same sense. The context, EXTERMINATION OF THE MIDIANITES however, leaves little or no doubt as to the (vers. 1-64). Ver. 1. -The Lord apake meaning which it must bear. unto Moaea. The command to "vex the Ver.6.-And Phinehas the s…
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tuagint, roii!,' /3a11,>..,1r: •• a,r,11:ruvav tiµa in~ the holy nation with which they were to roic rpavµaria,r: avrwv : "they put to bo incorporated beyond the usual lustration death (JJC,) the kings, in addition to those with the water of separation. In after times they would have beon baptized. who fell in battle"…
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only the twelve thousand had risked their away their lives in blind confidence that lives to smite Midian, For the application some advantage will accrne thereby to the of a like principle to other cases see Josh. army at large ; rather, he fonght under the xxii. 8 ; 1 Sam, xxx. 24 ; 2 Mace. viii. conviction that to…
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deliberntely, craftily, nnd successfully, under the advice of Balaam. 'l'hey had so acted ns if e.. g. a modern nation were to pour its opium into the ports of a dreaded neighbour in time of peace, not simply for the sake of gain (which ia base enough), but with deliberate intent to ruin the morals and destroy the man…
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by. Indeed the argument ehowe an entire failure, eo to speak, in moral perspective. Harlotry and idolatry are great sins, but there is no reason to believe that God deals with them otherwise than he does with other sine. It was no part of the Divine intention concerning Israel that he should go about as a knight-err…
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consid1:r for a moment> that on no other condition was the Old Testament di8pcnsation possible. If God was to be the Head of a nation nmong nations, he must l'egulate all its affairs, personal, social, and national. We escape the difficulty, and wnge wars of vengeance, and commit other acts of doubtful morality, wit…
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cupidity or the mistaken pity of the soldiers which brought them there. 2. That Moses could not tolerate their presence in the host. It seems a vile thing to kill a woman, but it was the women more than the men of Midian of whom they had just reason to be afraid. In justice to the men, in fairness to the wives, of I…
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HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-54.-The extermination of si,,iful lmt8. The religious value of this chapter for Christian people must be based upon a " spiritual" interpretation • otherwise it can but excite abhorrence, and can only serve the negative purpose of showing by contrast with that darkness how fair is the light whic…
724 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.