The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 24

HOMILETICS. Vers. 7-13.-lnfluence. Jo~bun holds n distinguished pince among the worthie~ of the Old Testament. As the faithful miniijter of Moses, as the servant of God, a'i the bold and believing spy, as the successor of Moses, as the captain of the hosts of Israel, as the conqueror of Canaan, as the type of the Lord ,Jesus, whose name he bore, he stands in at least the second rank of the great men of the sacred hi~tory. But in nothing is he more conspicuously great than in the INFLUENCE which he exercised upon others by his authority and example. We learn in this section that bis weight and influence with the Israelitish nation was such that for a periorl of not much less tlrnn half o. century it sufficed to keep the fickle people steadfast in their allegiance to tl1e God of their fathers. By his own influouce while he lived, and after his death by the influence of those whom Le had trnined during his lifetime, the contagiun o.f  22 'rtU: BOOK OF JUDG E:S. [en. 11. 7-13. ---------------- idolnt r~· wns. chechd, and_ ihe se~vice of God maintained. It is not all great mer who haYe this faculty of mfluencmg othtm, but it is a most invaluable one. I. THE QUALITIES WHICH SEEM NECESSARY TO GIVE IT ARE-(1) Force of character. There mus_t be 8: firm 11:nd_ stea~y will, moving always in the orbit of duty, and pro- pelled by m_flen~le prmc1ple, m thos~ who are to _influence others. (2) '!'here must be also a qmck discernment, a sound Judgment winch makes few or no mistakes and a high rnnge of morals and of intellect. (3) There must be a lofty courage to 'cope with difficulties without flinching, to inspire confidence, and to break down obstacles. ( 4) There must ~e unselfishness, and a noble, generous purpose soaring high above petty worldly ohJects, so. a_s to pi:ovoke no rivalries and to excite no suspicions. (5) Tl!ere must ~e the qualities which attach men-kindness, geniality of disposition, fairness, considerateness, love ; and the qualities which excite admiration and make it a pleasure ai:id an honour to j_ollow him that has them. (6) There ::Uust be an a?sence of vamty and self-conceit and l?v~ of praise, and a genuine simplicity of a.1m. (7) And above all, to make a man s mfluence strong and lastin"' there must b~ in hi~ the true _fear and love of God, and the conscious endeavo;{; to promote his gl?rr m everythm~. Joshu:i, seems to have possessed all these in a high degree, and l11s mfluence was m proportion. That he not only possessed but actively exerted this influence for good we see by his address to the people recorded in Josh. xxiv. And this perhaps should make us add, ( 8) as one more quality necessary in those who are to influence others largely, that moral courage which makes a. man speak out boldly what he knows to be true for the express purpose of persuading and guiding others. II. ·while, however, influence on the scale in which Joshua. exercised it can be possessed by few, EVERY CHRISTIAN MAN OR WOMAN, whatever may be their station, CAN Al\'D OUGHT TO BE EXERCISING A HEALTHY INFLUENCE IN THEIR OWN IMMEDIATE cmcLE. The light of a genuine Christian life is a light which will make itself seen wherever it shines_ In the home, be it palace or cottage, in the village street, in the town court, in the shop, in the factory, in the camp, in the ship, in the social circle, be it humble or be it exalted, be it rude or be it refined, be it unlettered or be it literary and scientific, the influence of a pure, humble, vigorous, devout Christian life must be felt_ It must be a power wherever it is. The object of these remarks is to stimulate the reader to desire and to endeavour to exercise such an influence for good, and to supply a. motive for checking any action, or course of action, which may weaken or impede such influence. An outbreak of temper, a single grasping or unscrupulous action, a single step in the path of selfishness, or uncharitable dis- regard of another's feelings or interests, may undo the effect of many good words and o-ood works. A conscientious desire to influence others for their good and for God'~ glory will supply a strong motive for watchful care to give offence ~n nothing. III. But this section supplies an important caution to those who are mfluenced When Joshua and the elders were dead, the children of Israel did evil in the sio-lit 0 of the Lord. THEY HAD NO selbsUindigkeit, NO INDEPENDENT STRENGTH, NO po WER TO STAND FIRM BY THEMSELVES. Their religion, their good conduct, depended upon another. He was the buttress that supported them ; when the buttress was taken away they fell. Hence the caution not to trust in mere influence, b1:t to look well to the foundations of our own faith. The influence of another man 1s no sub- stitute for a converted heart, and for soundness in faith and love. St. Paul well knew the difference in some of his followers when he was present and when he was absent, and so would have their faith stand not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. It behoves us all to take care of our real p~ciples ~f action, to examine ourselves, to prove our own selves, whether we be ID the faith, whether Clirist be really fonned in us, whether we are seeking only to please _those who have influence over us, or to please God. Else that may happen to us which happened to tl,e Israelites our upright Christian walk will last as long as we have the support of the good ~nd strong, and no longer. We shall serve the Lord for a while only, and end by serving Baalim and Ashtaroth. The sober Ch_ristian life ':'i!I be exchan~cd for folly and dissipation, and the pure creed degenerate mto superstition or unbelief. CB, II. 7-13.] THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 23