The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 386

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 natural strength, but ,vhile he was still able to breast the- l'tt?ep rnount~in eid!l; !he m1J!Uf1'1!_ of it, such that no man knew where he was buried. Yet underneath this smgulanty there was much that ie often seen in the departure- of God's servants, and which we shall 1lnd it profitable to contemplate. I. THB Lo1m REMINDS BIS DYING SERVANT OF BIS SIN (ver. 14). Dying thoughat are serious thoughts, and it would be strange if they did not often tum on the falte and shortcomings of the past life. Thoughts about sin are of two kinds :-1. There may be the recollection of sin without any knowledge of forgiveness. It wne not eo, the.t Moses remembered Meribah. The remembrance of un£orgiven sin banishes peace. The soul cannot bear to look back, for the past is full of shapes of terror • it cannot bear to look up, for it sees there the face of an offended God ; it cannot bear to look forward, for the future is peopled with unknown terrors, 2. There may be- the recollection of sin and at the same time an assured persuasion of forgiveness. This is by no means inconsistent with peace. Not that, even thus, the remembrance- of sin is pleasant. Moses is put in mind of Meribah to keep him humble. Sin remembered cannot but cause shame ; yet it is quite compatible with great peace of mind. Not only so, there is a calm and soul-filling peace which is the fruit of for• giveness, and di'lfases itself most abundantly when the soul expatiates on the remembrance at once of its own sin and the Lord's forgiving grace. "Bless the- Lord, oh my soul, who forgiveth all thine iniquities." lL THE LoRD COMFORTS BIS SERVANT IN TBE PROSPECT OF DEPARTURE. 1. By giving him a sight of the good in store for the Church. It is remarkable how often saints who have spent their strength on some great Christian enterprise, and earnestly desired to see it accomplished before their departure, have been denied this gratifica• tion. Moses did not cross the Jordan ; David did not see the Temple, nor Daniel the Reto.rn,norJohn the Baptist the manifestation of Christ's glory. Yet to all those saints there we.e granted some such view as that which gladdened the eye of Moses on Nebo. He who knows the hearts knew how dear to Moses' heart was the good of IsraeL It is an excellent token of grace in the heart when the prospect of gooili days in store for the Church and cause of God is a cordial in one's last sickness. 2. By telling him of the good and congenial society that awaits him in the other world.. " Thy people." Wben we die we go to God. The ascension of Christ in our nature- Las filled heaven for 1l8 with such a blaze of fresh light that we must ever think of heaven chiefly as a" being with the Lord.'' Yet it is a precious thought, and full of comfort, that those who fall asleep in Jesus are gathered to their people, their true- kindred. Moses goes to be with .Abraham and lea.no and Jacob, with Joseph, with. Miriam and Aaron.-B. Vere. 18-20.-.TJie appoi~t of Joshua to be Hosea: BUCCeasor. Moses, aft!:r having been the leader of his people ~or forty y~ars, 1s at length to g'E;t ~1s- diecbarge, Nothing has yet been determmed regarding a successor. The pomt 1s~ on every account, too important to be left open till the present leader has passed' away. A change of leadership, al!l'ays hazardous, is especial_!)'. haza_rdoua ~hen th_e- army is in the field and the enemy 1s on the watch. If the D1vme wisdom Judged 111 necessary that Eleaze.r should be invested with the high priesthood before Aaron died much more is it necessary that, before Moses lays down the sceptre, a successor- sho~\d be appointed and placed in command. We are now to see how this was done.. The story, besides its intrinsic interest, which is not ~mall, is interesting_, moi:eover,. on this account, that the mode of procedure prescnbed and followed 1Il this case- fumiahed precedents which continue to be observed amongst us down to the present day. Three topics claim notice. LAT WHOSE lliBTA.NCE TBIS APPOINTMENT TOOK PLACE. It was Moses who sued for • successor. lt was not the people who urged on the business, nor was it necesear., ()H. xxvn. 12-23.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 873