The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 122

Rt11rting-point of our s11nctification. And the work is all of God. He alone parts the watcrn for UA to cross from the world into His kingdom. ,Jordan is overflowerl. No passage is possible by hwnan means; that is, no works of our own can avail to place us where we may hope to carry on a successful war against our own and God's enemies. "Not of works, lest any man ehoulcl boast," but" by grace are ye savecl through faith, ancl even that (i.e., faith) not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." We attribute no magico,l power thus to the sacrament of baptism. It derives its sole power from being the means appointed by Jesus Christ Himself whereby we enter into covenant with Him. II. IT WAS NO LONGER THE PILLAR OF CLOUD THAT GUIDED THEM, Bt;T THE ARK OF THE COVENANT. That is, the mystery of the law was unveiled in the gospel. Like the veil on the face of Moses (2 Cor. iii.), so this figure teaches us that what was dark uncler the Mosaic clispensation should be macle clear by Jesus Christ. "For the law macle nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope clicl " (cf. also Heh. xii. 18-24). The law guided through the wilderness; the gospel, into the promised land. The law, which was enshrouclecl in darkness, lecl man only in uncertain wanderings; the gospel lecl them to favour ancl victory. Goel was with them, no longer by cloudy tokens in the skies, but by the visible symbols of His presence. And so the Goel who leacls us now is no longer a God who hicles Himself, but Goel manifest in the flesh; Goel clothed in a visible form, that thus we might see Him who is invisible. The humanity of Jesus is at once the revelation of God, and the perfection of man. Following Him, though at a respectful dis- tance, beholding Him, though not too nigh, we enter into the enjoyment of the promise. III. JORDAN WAS CROSSED AT THE TIME OF ITS OVERFLOWING. Thus God mani- fests His own glory and man's insufficiency. The miracle was the greater in that it was performed at such a time. So God always deals with His people. The time of trouble is the time when He manifests His power. It is then that He m11kes our way most " plain before our face." Both Churches and inclivicluals are apt in tl.ieir prosperity to say, "I shall never be removed," But in adversity they betake tl.iem- selves in all humility to God, and He makes them a way through the deep waters. "The swellings of Jordan " abate at His presence ; " the overflowings of ungoclli- ness" give ground at His worcl. When He speaks, sorrow and distress flee away "far off," ancl they whose "tree.clings hacl well-nigh slipt," who were "grieved ut the wicked," or ut the seeming tokens of Gocl's wmth, find that He has macle "straight paths for their feet" where all had seemed disappointment ancl despair. IV. HELP AND STRENGTH ARE TO BE FOUND IN THE ORDINANCES OF RELIGION. When the priests' feet touched the brink of the waters they flecl away. Ancl is it not a spiritual fact that the consolations and helps of religion are to be found at the hamls of the ministers of religion? How often clid the e~ortations of 11 Moses, a J oshna, or Samuel i:evive the drooping spirits of Gocl's people? How ofteu were the first converts of the gospel "provoked unto love ancl goocl works " by the mouth of a 8t. Peter or St. Paul I How many date their first serious impressions of Di vine things from an earnest sermon, or a few words of loving counsel spoken by a minister of Christ I How many have felt kincllecl to love and devotion by the prnyers reverently offered up in the sanctuary, where the sacred fire spreads from soul to soul till it has enkindled the warmth of zeal in all present I How often has the worshipper, either in the congregation or on the sick bed, been moved to teare ancl stirred to the depths of his soul by the "blost memorials of a dying Lord," con- secrated and aclministerecl according to His word I It is one of the privileges of the Christian ministry of the New Covenant, when faithfully carried on, as of the priests at the command of the Jesus of the Okl Covenant, that as their feet touch lhe swelling waters of neglect, thoughtlessness, and indevoutness, they subside, they flee far off, at least when, at the root of the inclividual life, there lies the spark- even though ahnost quenched-of faith. Not that the ministers are to take cre,lit to themselves for this. They are but the organs of the Spirit of Christ. As l\fatthow Henry remarks, "God could have divided the rivc1· without the priests, but they coulcl not do without Him," But He is pleusou to use human means, ancl He 68 THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. tcH. JU. "f-11, ----------------•-----. ---- blesses them. Though the " tre:isure is in earthen vessels," yet the " excellency of the power is of God." Y. THE PRIESTS STOOD FIRM. They were "caused to sta,nd upright," a,s the Hebrew says ; that is, there was no faltering or wavering. Had they drawn bo.ck nflcr entering Jordan, had they shown signs of uncertainty, the waters would ho.ve returned, or t-he people had neYer dared to cross. So great is the responsibility that rests on God's ministers. The people look to them for guida,nce-for encomage- rnent.. If they "faint by the wa~-," if they falter in their work of contending for the faith. of promoting the s1n·fa·l of Christ's Gospel, if their trumpet gives an uncertain sonnd, or if they retrea,t from their appointed task, the conflict with evil stands still; the pathway for God's Church to proceed to further conquests is not opened. How many great works for the spread of Christ's Gospel, for the proclaJTia• tion of His truth, for the ,ictory of His cause among men, have foiled because the •·priests" haYe not " stood firm" in the waters of Jordan; because timidity, half- heartedness, divided counsels, profitless controversies have obscured the witness for God's truth ! If " the kingdoms of this world" have not "become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ," if the number of Christ's elect is not yet filled up, if the pathway to the final fulfilment of God"s promises be not yet open, how much of it is because His ministers have not yet learned to " stand firm in the midst of J,,rdan ,. ?