The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 353

metrical nest, but the lion can do nothing eave destroy. You may cage it and curb its savage propensities a little, but it is not tamed; the lion-nature is there, and the smallest taste of blood will cause it to burst forth in all its fury. The lion being thus a destroyer, end nothing but a destroyer, it is needfol to present Israel as able to do more-able to destroy in order that there may be room for the construction of something more worthy to endure. It does not become God to etay the current of prophecy with a menace of dreadful destruction 11B the last word, and so he makes Balaam to speak of the star and the sceptre. The lion, 11B it rages about, can make 11 solitude ; it can take away wickedness by taking away all wicked men ; but 11 solitude is not a kingdom. The true kingdom of God is only gained when he gets willing hearts. The destruction which is spoken of with such energy and almost fierceness of illustration ie for the purpose of completely taking away the evil out of human socioty, so that only the good may remain to serve and glorify the Maker of mankind. II. THE BIClNlll'ICANCE 011' THE STAR, AS INDICATING THE METHOD IN WHICH Goo WILL WORK TO CONQUER EVIL AND ESTABLISH GOOD, The star, it is said, is mentioned here as the symbol of governing power, according to the astrological notions of antiquity. It is further said that the joining of the sceptre with the star shows that authority and supremacy are the main things to be indicated by the mention of the star. Certainly the prophecy is full of the idea of supremacy and authority; but if this idea was the only thing to be considered, the mention of the sceptre would be- enough. The star is a symbol of power, but it is also a symbol of many great realities besides. Let us ask not only why the sceptre is joined with the star, but why the star is joined with the sceptre. The very first thing that a Btar indicates is light. God will establish his rule by sending the Star out of Jacob to rise in the darkness. Christ, the fulfilment of the star, has come a light into the world, 11 riv~l to existent lights, and destined to outshine them all. He is II light ever protesting against the darkness, not comprehended by it, not swallowed up and lost in it. Rejoice in this, that the Star out of Jacob ie inaccessible to the meddling of those who hate its inconvenient revelations. Christ comes to destroy, and at thti same time to construct by letting light in upon all dark, idolatrous chambers and all self-deceiving hearts. The light is from him who knows what is in man, his wickedness, his weakness, and his wants. He brings reality where others only bring appearance, He brings truth where they, even in their very sincerity, bring error. There is no room for a Balaam in his kingdom. The Demas who makes a few steps within soon retreats from a light far too trying for the darkness of hie heart. Notice, further, that the light of the star is in some respects more significant of the work of Christ t/i,an would be the light of the sun. We must have a figure which will keep beforn us both the light and the darkness. To us, individually, Christ may be as the sun (and may he be I), filling our hearts with light. We know, alas, that he is far from being a sun to many. Their light i11 still darkness, but the Star of Bethlehem shines in the firmament, waiting for the hour when in humility they may betake themselves to it. After all the search for truth, and whatever knowledge may be gained, there is still the sense of incompleteness ; the knowledge stops with the intellect ; it doos not find its way to enlighten and comfort the whole heart. We cnn by no means dispense with the Star out of Jacob, the Star that shines from every page of the Scriptures, 111. THE SIGNIFICANCE OB' THE SCEPTRE, AS INDICATING THE REALITY 011' THI!: DOMINION, The sceptre is that of Christ's truth, wielded with nil the power of God's Holy Spirit. We must have much assurance, not only of the illumin11tion that comes from Christ, but of the consequent actual illumination in accepting human he11rte. We must ever be ready in our approaches to God to say, "Thine ia the kingdom and the power. Thine is not only the riglttful authority, but aiso the actual authority." What is a more offensive sight than II merely nominal submission to Christ? How soon it becomes evident to the discerning eye that there is nn utter want of harmony I Those who are really Christ's subjects soon justify their loyalty by the commotion they make among the accepted customs and traditions of the world. There is 11 sense in which they may covet often to hear the word, "They that have turned the world upside down have come hither nlso." As we rend the Acts of the Apostlos,  THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. (CH. nu. 41-XXIV,