The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 452

of God hns the duty of posseesing the whole land, "the world" (1 Cor. iii. 22); but to do this they must "dispossess the inhabitnnts," i. e. they must make no compromise with the spirit of the men of the world. Worldliness is a spi;ru rather than a course of outward conduct, We must "use the world as not abusmg it." II. Tm: MOTIVES URGED. 1. '1.'he peril of perpetual unrest (ver. 55). Just so if Christians seek to make compromises with the sins and idolatries of the world they are called to overcome (1 John v. 4), and become subject to its maxims and fashions, there can be no true rest. The joy of entire obedience can never be known (Ps. xix. 11). Compromise is perpetual conflict, with the conviction of being on the losing dide, We are wounded in the tenderest part (" pricks in our eyes") and vexed in the secret chamber of conscience (" thorns in our sides"). 2. The peril of being regarded as "conformed to the world," and therefore treated as "enemies of God" (ver, 56; Ps. cvi. 34-42; Rom, xii. 2; Philip. iii. 18, 19; James iv. 4; 2 Pet. ii. 20-22), From such guilty compromises we may be delivered through Christ-through his atonement (Gal. i. 4), intercession (John xvii. 15), example (ihid. xvi. 33; xvii. 16), and Spirit (Rom. viii. 2; 1 Cor. ii. 12).-P. Vera. 50-56.-How to deal with the Oanaanites: an urgent warning. It is assumed here that Israel will conquer the Cnnannites ; probably by this time the people had grown to somewhat of confidence, by reason of their recent successes over Sihon, Og, and Midian. But it was a thing of the first importance, when the victory was gained, to follow it up in the right way. Victories have been gained, and then worse than lost by want of wisdom to use them aright. Here we have a plain, strict, and severe command concerning the very first thing to be done upon the defeat of the Cannanites. They themselves were to be driven from the land, and all the instruments of idolatry utterly destroyed. The need of this command will be clearly seen if we consider- I. THE GREAT OBJECT WHICH WAS BEFORE THE MIND OF GOD IN GIVING THE COMMAND. This is alluded to in ver. 54. Cannan was ever under the eye of God as being the destined inheritance of Israel ; it had been counted as such even from the time of Abraham. The sadness of the threat against Israel in the day of its apostasy lay in this, that it was a threat of disinheriting (eh. xiv. 12). And that which had been so long preparing for Israel, which even while the Cnnannites were dwelling in it had been under the peculiar supervision of God, was become at Inst an inheritance of great value. It was to be cultivated to the full, and would then richly repay for nil the cultivation. Such interest did God show in giving this land to the Israelites in nil its fulness, that he was about to portion it by lot. Each tribe in particular was to feel that the pince of its habitation had been chosen by God. Hence the need of lenviug no precaution unemployed to make this favoured land secure. It must be guarded from eYery kind of danger, however remote, improbable, and practically innocuous it may seem. If Israel lost this inheritance, there was no other place for it, no other possession on which it could advance with the certainty of conquest and, what was even more important, with the consciousness of being engaged in a righteous cause. In Cnnann, as long ns it kept its allegiance to God, Israel was the rightful possessor; but everywhere else it was 11 lawless, unblessed invader. That which is of inestimable value, and which once gone cannot be replaced, must first of all bo founded in security and surrounded with the same. "If the foundations be destroyed, what cnn the righteous do?" (Ps. xi. 3). The security of the people was threatened by nil that threatened the hononr of God. And it was 11 distinct dishonour to his name to allow idolaters to remain in the land openly to practise their vicious and degrading rites. Moreover, there was every chance that the people themselves would be subtly und gradually drawn to idolatry. Recollect nil these perils, and then you will see good reason why God made a stringent demand for such a sweeping treat- ment of the Cnnnnnites. The cause of a world's redemption was bound up with the safety of Israel's inheritance. And we also have an inheritance (Mutt. xix. 29; xxv. 34; Acts xx. 32; xxvi. 18; Rom. viii. 17; Gal. iii. 29; Ephes. i. 11, 14; iii. 6; 1 Pet. i. 4) far trunscending thnt Cannan which was so much in the eyes of the Israelites. If it is worth anything at nil, it is worth everything; worth nil the self- deninl, perseverance complete submission to God, and patient waiting which are 442 TllR BOOB: OF NUMBERS. (cu:. rumr. oO-n:uv. 29.