The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 82

Ver. 8.-Thc study of the Bible. Who without secret misgiving could succeed to the position of Moses, that large-hearted, clear-sighted, faithful servant of God? How onrwhebning the anxiety of him who would aspire to be leader of the Israelites; a fickle people who, "like bees about to swarm, were ready to alight on an>· bough." He who sn=oned Joshua to occupy the vacant post promise,1 to stand hy and strengthen him. He gave him the direction contained in the text, to study well the book of the law. He seemed to say, "Take it; it shall be thy food, live upon it: carry it as a torch, and it will illumine thy pathway in the thickest darkness : in the vigour of thy manhood it shall be thy wand of truth to scatter doubt and error from before thee, and it shall be a staff to sustain thee in the decrepitude of age." Surely the advice given to Joshua is applicable to all who are in positions of responsibility or perplexity. How fitted for the young I What better can any of us do than seek wisdom at the oracles of God ? Let us group our thoughts under three beadings. I. MEDITATION. 1. Its subject-matter. "This book of the law." This recommendation stamps the Pentateucb with authority. Joshua was favoured with direct communications from the .Almighty, sometimes by an inward revelation, sometimes by the appear- ance of an angel in visible form. He could also consult the wishes of God by means of the high priest's Urim and Thummirn. Yet was he to study the written word. Mcteoric flashes were not to make him careless of the steady light that burned in the lamp of God's truth. Provision was made for a public rehearsal of the law every seYen years, at the Feast of Tabernacles (Dent. xxxi. 10), and it was the duty of a king on ascending the throne to write out a copy of the law (Dent. xviii. 18). How intense should be the eagerness with which we meditate on the whole Bible. The rapturous strains of the Messianic prophets, the simple and sublime gospel nana- tins, the epistles-those commentaries on the preparatory dispensation and on Christian doctrine-do not all these " testify" of the Saviour? Well may we •· search the Scriptures.'' Consider the fitness of the Bible to be a general text-book. It contains lessons suited to all capacities ; the flowing river for the man, the purling brook for the little child, doctrines for the learned, pictured stories for the common people. It contains all truth needful to make us" wise unto salvation," and contains it in a compact form, so portable that each may have a Mentor always at his side. It tells us things of the utmost importance which we could not know without it ; and it comes in to verify the conclusions of our reasoning. It lends to tbt utterances of conscience the might of Divine testimony. 2. The character of the meditation enjoined. Constant-" day and night." So close a companion that it was not to " depart out of his mouth." It should become his mother-tongue; bis speech should be redolent of the law. Constant reading alone CH, I, o-9.] THE BOOK OF ,JOSEIUA. ----------------------- ------------------ can metke us fo.milietr with the contents of Scripture, so as to be well equipped at all points for the Christian warfare. Many knotty questions wonld Joshna have to decide; ancl many are the occasions on which men err grievously throt1gi1 " not knowing the Scriptures." The co=and of the text implies that it was 10 he no formal perusal, but an encleavour to grasp the real meaning of the law. Glaneing ett Lho pages of the worcl can clo little good; we want to enter into and imbihe the spirit of thett we read. A goocl plan to reacl. the Scriptures regularly through. 'l'here will be many an oasis in what we called a clesert, ancl many a pretty flower on what we deemed only a sterile rock. It is profitable to read "at morning ancl at night." He is well armed for his struggle with temptations and annoyances who goes to his work fortified by previous study of the Scriptures; ancl after the battls of the day is over, when the shadows of evening surround him or t.he gloomier shadows of trouble threaten to enclose him, there is naught so effectual to clissipn,te the darkness as the kindled rays of the heavenly lamp. Then "at evening time it shall be light.u II. ACTION. J),Ieditation is to be followed by appropriate concluct. "That thr,11 marest observe to clo ·according to all that is written therein." The inference js plam-that the law contains, as we should expect in a law, precepts to be observed. And the whole Bible may be considered as a law. There are general regulations and positive institutions. "This do and thou shall live" is common both to the Old ancl New Testament, tlie difference being in the things to be done, and the spirit that is to characterise the doing thereof. TVe may test the value of our meditation by the obedience which results. Obedience is a proof of holding the things read in due estimation. " Why call ye me, Lord, and do not . . . . say ? ~ Obedience springs from faith, a hearty acceptance of tlie will and ways of Goel. Obedience brings its own confirmation of the trutli. "If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him." "If any man will do his will, he shall know of tlie doctrine whether it be of God." "Hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his co=andments." Obedience ia to extend to the smallest matters. "Observe to do according to all." The only question with Joshua to be, " What is written ill tlie law? how readest thou ? " \\-e do not plead for the" letter" as a~ainst the "spirit," nor forget that many Scriptme precepts are expressed in a general form, and one must be compared with another to ascertain the intention of Olll' Lawgiver. But many persons are for drawing distinctions, for keeping greater and violating lesser commandments. Some "ill compound with God. These ordinances they will observe, those they will neglect. Such resemble the strangers imported into Samaria, who "feared tlie Lorcl llllll served their own gods" (2 Kings xvii. 33). A little Christian service and a little idolatry, a little self-denial, and a little worldliness to make the former palatable. We see the necessity _of the frequent injunction, "Be strong, very courageous.'' Joshua would have often to act in opposition to the prejudices and desires and clamours of the multitude. He who will follow Christ must "be courageous," must be prepared to act in the teeth of worl,lly wisdom, to forego " good openings." to refuse to give dishonest measure, though ws gains be thereby slow in accumulating. We want a knowledge of the Bible, not merely as words and sentences but as influential principles. Not the Hebrew and not the Greek do we want so mucl1 as a translation of them into thought a"nd feeling and conduct. He has not read his Bible to good pw-pose who has not repented of sin ancl thankfully accepted God's well-beloved Son as his Saviour, his Redeemer" from all iniquity.'' III. PROSPERITY. The reward of obedience. 1. Regarcl prosperity, first, as ths nat·ural consequence of acting on good advice. The rules framed for the guidance of the Israelites evince consummate wisdom. Experience proved how disastrous was any attempt to depart from the lines of procedure there laid down. And many familiar instances show that, in modern days, he who steers by God's compass und chart is preserved from many rocks and shallows, ancl is most likely to reuch tl.ie l111ven of his legitiwate desire. A pme, temperate Christian life is likeliest to wiu real success in any department of activity. 2. Regard prosperity as a promised resnlt. He who consults Omniscience iii helpecl by Omnipotence. A finger-post 16 THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. [ CH. I, 10-15.