The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 124

,vhen experience and faith are strong, they are withdrawn. Put not a dark con- struction on any mere want of signs, for while the sign of the presence is temporary, the presence itself is permanent with all God's people. Growing out of tbis a second lesson suggests itself, viz. : II. THEY ARE WELL LED WHO ARE ARK LED. Israel no longer had the pillar of cloud Emel fire, but they had the ark of God, and, as the event proved, the ark led them just as wisely a,s the pillar ; a,nd in following it they found just the same help of miraculous power. What was this ark of the covenant? A wonderful piece of sa,cred symbolism. Over it-in fact, forming the lid of it-was what was named the mercy-seat, God's earthly throne. ,vithin it were the ten command- ments, written on two tables of stone. This combination of symbols of law and mercy belonged to no religion but that of Israel. The gods of other nations required but little duty, and were hardly expected to show mercy. Ent the symbolism of the ark and the whole Mosaic economy projected these thoughts before t.he minds of Israel: The true God is a God of mercy. But at the same time He insists on duty. The ark proclaimed Him foe God of mercy and of law; of gracious promise, of ennobling precept; delivering men by the grace He gave, dignifying them by the duty He exacted. This was the God ofisrael. And DO'II", in lieu of signs, the symbol of mercy and of duty was to lead the way. Not eagles, symbols of victorious power, but tables of stone led them, and "marshalled them the way that they were going.'' And their successful following of this.le'.1d suggests that when any one marches to the lead of the ten co=andments, or of the promises of God, he is as well led and as grandly suecoured as when some cloudy pillar moves before him. There is importance in this. Often our signs are with- drawn ; as with the co=unity of Israel so with us, it is probably the case that signs grow fewer and that special experiences grow more rare as character ma- tures. Then comes a time, more or less clearly definite, when, instead of mysterious movings felt to be Divine, the guidance of the Lord is given, through a testimony of mercy and of duty. Before you goes the symbol of heavenly loYe and of earthly duty. And you have to march, coldly a,s it may seem, to the lead of tables of stone and verbal assurances only of God's care. Murmur not at this ; a hope and a·duty are guides sublime. The ark is just as good as the cloud. If you bad the choice of an enlightened conscience or a special angel to be your guide, you would do wisely to choose the conscience in preference to the angel. You may mistake the reading of your signs-you ra_rely will your duty. Next to His redeeming grace, the richest mercy He giYes us is a " word behind us,"' or within ns, "saying, this is the way, walk ye in it." And the grandest spirits of mankind-in tbeir pilgrimage from victory to victory-have marched under the lead of nothing grallller than some ark, something that whisperecl hope and demanded duty. Thus led, di,l Israel lose? Nay, as before the cloudy pillar the sea di,ided, so before the sacred ark did Jordan. If you have something like what the ru:k embodied-a, prnmise and a precept--ask no mo1·e ; where the tables of the coyenant leri,l you, there follow. Few get more, and none get nnything uetter, than these. God guides through enlightenment of conscience, or 13ible precept, or the devout example which you instinctively perceive is a pa,ttern to be followe,l. Seek not uny sign; Go,l's presence will ever be with all those that keep His precepts. If the a,rk of God, as replacing the pillar of cloud, has sncb suggestions, obserYe thinlly- I II. Goo's HYDRAULICS ARE NEVER FAULTY. In the ,vest of England just now there is considerable discussion about " dockising" the river Avon, i.e., so tbrowing a dam across the mouth that all the riYer up to Bristol wonlcl be conYerted into one huge dock. Ancl in the discussion the strength of such a diim, its cost, its leakage, the right place for it, how to provide for the outlet of all water above a certain level, are caµvassed by all. Here we have the· "dockising" for a day or two of the river Jordan, a very much larger river than the Avon, one whose very name suggests the swiftness of its current. And the dam that effects tins great collection of the waters is "the a1·k of God," set down in the midst of the Jordan bed, with the priests grouped on either side. How w~uld the_ philosophers of that da,y c1iticise that dam, a.ncl express with assumed an:uety thell' fears that the  60 THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. [en. m. 7-17, - ----------------- law of gTn1·itntion A,lld the law tlmt governs the flow of liquids would proYe too much for the legs of the priests, and e1·e11 for the weight of the tabks of stone. But whatever foar might be entertained by the peoplo before the nrk entered J onlnn and whatever misgfrings ?Y the priests when they were standing in its pebbly bed, there was n power winch operated from that ark which dammed the river as no engineer co_uld have d_one it. So that instead of_ reading of struggling with the water, ~f multitudes earned down the stream, of harrbreadth escapes, of multitudes !eft behind, all got safely across. A_nd here, I think, we have a specimen of what 1_s everywhere to be seen; the efficiency of spiritual bai·riers a,qainst all assail- mg forces. We see_ them on all_ hands; we dread lest they be overborne by some strong cun·ent heanng down agamst them. But lo I tiley stan_d against all force that threatens them. God's truth is such a ban-ier. ,vith error like a huge river rushing down upon it, it seems as slender and insufficient as was the ban-ier of the ark. Science is so an-ogant and captious, chronology so sure, metaphysics so disputatious, error so agreeable to the natural man, that it seems as if there could be no standing. But the Jordan of all tile philosopilies and all the heresies tilreaten in Yain, ancl God's ark of truth is sufficient to withstand them. God's grace in the heart is such a dam ; notiling seemingly more feeble, nothing really more strong, against the swelling tides of inward co1Tuption and outward tempta- tion that assail the character. Sometimes prayer silields a distant boy, an erring friend, and protects them witil a guard as really omnipotent as it appears feeble. Judge not by the outward appearance. The clock is not about to go backward, nor error usurp the place of truth. Don't tremble for the ark of God, as did Eli. WhateYer God wants guarded, it is omnipotent to guard. So that, amongst other lessons, tilis Rweet one comes to us that we are guarded better than we think. And what seems God's weakness is mightier than the strongest strength which can come against us.-G.