nway? As their eyes ran through the sheep-folds, and they reckoned up in thought the wealth which they contained; as they thought of the lambing, and the sheep- shenring, and the sheep-market, and told the increase which they might expect, they seemed tied to those sheep-folds by bonds which could not be broken, and by a spell which could not be loosed. After a few doubts and heRitations they abode among the folds, and left their brothers a.cross the Jordan to fight by themselves. And so it was with Dan and Asher. The movements of Sisera had not interfered with the trade of Joppa, or the fishing-boats of the sea-coast. The ships of Ta.rshish were coming and going as of old, laden with merchandise from all parts of the world; some touching there on their way to Tyre, others supplying the markets of Palestine with wrought iron, and cassia, and sweet calamus. Already perhaps the silver and iron, the tin and the lead, brought by the ships of Tarshish from the Cassiterides, found their woy to the fairs of Joppa; and the wheat of Minnith, and the oil and honey and pastry (Hebrew,pannag) of Judah, went out through its harbour to Tyre and Sidon (Ezek. xxvii. 12, 17, 19). And the men of Dan were all busy by that sea-side. Lading and unlading the ships, carrying the bales of merchandise on their strong backs, giving and receiving orders, piloting the foreign ships into harbour, plying to and fro as they handled the oar, stopping the leaks or mending the sails of ships that had come out of rough waters-there was no end of business to be done, and of money to be made. Why leave these peaceful gains and rush inland to perish by the sword? Surely they might be excused if they remained in ships, and continued on the sea-shore, enriching their country by their industry, while they left it to others to jeopard their lives in the high places of the field. And they did so ; and in doing so have left us an instructive warning as to the hindrances which the world continually places in the way of high-minded action and generous self- sacrifice. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world," if yon would be free to serve either God or man, is the precept that settles upon the thoughts as we consider the gaps in the muster-roll of Israel at the battle by the waters of Megiddo. III. THE ENMITY OF NEUTRALITY. But ver. 23 reads us a yet sterner lesson. There are occasions when not to act for God is to act against God. There are occasions when a man cannot be neutral. When the Lord calls for help against the mighty, he that withholds that help is cursed. By so doing he is helping the enemies of God, and among the enemies of God he will fall. Here was Meroz in the very thick of the fight. Ephraim and Benjamin, Issa.char and Manasseh, Zebulun and N aphtali, were pouring out their thousands to defend their altars and their homes. The honour of God, the freedom of God's people, the cause of truth against heathen error, the kingdom of God against the tyranny of Satan, were trembling in the balance. A few hundreds more or less might tum the sea.le. All Israel was nwake and alive to the noble task before them. There was music in the tramp of the thousands of devoted men marching to the war which might have aroused the dullest soul and kindled the faintest spirit. It did not move the men of Meroz ; they hung back in sullen indifference; they skulked behind their walls. No zeal for the glory of God, no sympathy with their brethren, could pierce through their heartless selfishness. As the angel of the Lord looked out from the windows of heaven, he saw their cowardice. he marked their back-drawing, he pronounced them cursed. There are times, our own times are such, when the enemies of the cross of Christ are unusually active against the truth. At such times Sata.n musters all his forces, and would fain overthrow the Church of God. In.fidelity 'stalks through the land. The leaders of sceptical opinion join hand in hand. Science nnd literature, wit and intellect, the press and the platform, fashion and numbers, are pressed into the service, to cast discredit upon the everlasting gospel of the grace of God. At such a time to be neutral and indifferent is to be a traitor to the Lord Jesus Christ. At such a time he calls to his help ag·ainst the mighty all who believe in him, who love him, and who hope in his salvation. "Who is on the Lord's side, who?" is his appeal to his redeemed. Let no believer hold back from giving what help is in his power: the help of word and deed; the help of bold con- fession and of unflinching countenance; the help of tongue and pen; the help, if need be, of suffering and of martyrdom ; the help of a devoted life, and of a holy 41'l THE BOOK OF JUDGES. [err. v. 1-31,
Christian walk, in all humility, and purity, and faith, knowing whom he has believed nnd fu11:y assured that faith will be crowned with victory. ' IV. THE END OF THE UNGODLY (ver. 31). All the enemies u:f the Lord will surely perish. The day is not far off. which will mark the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that servoth him not. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his micrhty nngels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and th~t obey not' the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; and then they that love him shall be ns the sun i,hen he goeth forth in his might. The righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father, and they who confessed Christ before men will be con- fessed of him befor_e the angels of God. Su?h are the fuller prophecies of the New Testament, confirming the obscurer prophecies of the Old, and encouraging us to hold on our faith without wavering, in the certainty o:f the great reward.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS .AUTHORS. Ver. 2_.-Self-sacr_i}ice and i~s Inspirer. Ther~ ~re two other renderings of this '<'erse, nz., " That m Israel wildly waved the hair m the people's self-devotion - praise God" (Cassel) ; and, " For the leading of the leaders in Israel, for the f~ee self-offering of the people, praise Jehovah" (Stanley,-after LXX. ). It is immaterial which of these we prefer; the chief thought is evidently that which appears in all. It is the key-note of this heroic song, as it is the essence of heroism and true religion always-self-sacrifice to God. 0