The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 242

there be the least flaw, implicit tnrnt cannot be expected of us. Herein all heathen systems of religion are defect.iYe, presenting to us a deity whom we cannot worship, a creature maimed, lial>le to the same passions as ourselves. The Christian re- ligion bears traces of its Divine origin in the grandeur of its conceptions concerning the character of God. There is a height that dwa1·fs into littleness the puny gods invented by man; there is a many-sidedness of view which could not have been the produ«!'t of imagination. Just and holy, merciful and gracious, nil-knowing and Ahnighty, the Creat.or and Sustainer, a Friend and Judge, our Father and King, such He is declared to be. Hence it is that those objections are felt to be most serious which are urged, with any show of reason, against the reality of God's per- fections. Especially when His benevolence is challenged do we fear lest the dark shadow becloud the shies and chill our hearts. Now, in tho text there is an account of a sweeping destrnction executed on the south of Canaan by command of God. No quarter was girnn. So dreadful the desolation that some have called it cruelty, And though it is not incumbent on us to justify all the ways of God, yet as some are led from passages like the present to entertain hard thoughts of God, it may be well for once to look the implied objection cahnly in tbe face. A command from God may rend,r that action lawful a11d right, which done with- ont His anthority would be deserving of reprobation. He is the Lord and owner of life. He gave, and it is His to take away. He commits no more injustice than wben a parent redemands from his children the goods of which they are making an improper use. The text is therefore no excuse for the unauthorized seizure of the land of one nation by another, or for those violent acts for which no direct behest of God cau be alleged. These were single detached commands against particular foes. There was no injunction "to cultivate the principles of treachery or cruelty; " "none of these precepts are contrary to i=utable morality "(Bp. Butler). When an army was led blindly into Se.maria the king said, "Shall I smite them?" "No," answered the prophet Elisha in effect (2 Kings vi. 21, 22). On another occasion the prophet Elijah had rebuked King Ahab b~ause he had allowed a king to escape, whom " the Lord had appointed to utter destruction." The reason of the case alters the natnre of the action. The extermination of the Canaanites was a punishment for wickedness. See Lev. xviii "The land is defiled . . . vomiteth out her inhabitants." The very eartb stank with their practices, and yearned to be rid of its unhallowed burden. '' Ye shall not walk in the manners . . . for they committed all these things, there- fore I abhorred him." Again, in Dent. xviii., "Because of their abominations the Lord doth dr:i,e them out from before thee." So also Deut. ix. 5. It is to be re- membered tbat the things censnred were not mei-ely occasional acts, but abomi- nable customs. Indeed, the odious practices were a part· of their religion, incor- poro,ted into their most solemn services. So degraded had they become. A consideraule period of respite had been granted, but without avail. God had said to Abraham, "The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." When _the cup of iniquity was filled to overflowing, then did the righteous fiat issue. Dnnng that period warnings of the severest character were given. Sodom and Gomormh perished in a terrible manner, and later the kings of Og and Sihon had fallen. Still no repentance. It is useless to say that the warnings were not sufficiently distinct. We see the same indifference to-<';,:·- Men destroy their health by sinful habits, grow woroe and worse. Do they need a Divine hand on their shoulder or an actual voice in their ear to warn them ? The warning is plain, if only they will attend to it. But no ! and the fearful end arrives. The method of punishment adopted was one of which the nations of Palestine would not compl"in, since it was in koeping with their own conduct. They would find no injustice done thou. They would defeat other nations and dispossesR them of life and territory if tbey could. They believed in the tenure or lease of the strong arm. Granted, therefore, that God was executing righteous judgment, the prevailing code remoYes all charge of cruelty. The judgrnents iis well o,s the favours of God must be conditioned as to form by men's surroundings. In legialating fol' dil. xi. 1-28.] TRE BOOK OF JOSHUA. i85