The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 252

I. JosHU" NEEDED SPECIAL EN0OURAGEMENT ON0E MORE, in spite of his previous sig1rnl victory. This was because he had a new class of eneh1ies to contend against. These kings, with the king Razor at their head, seem to have possessed a higher ci,ilisation than the southern tribes. We read (vers. 4, 6) of their chai·iots, and these, as "'e have seen (see Exposition), seem to have been regarded with peculiar terror by the Israelites. So it is ever with the Christian Church, It was so at the beginning. At first she had only to contend with the obstinate jealousy a,nd pre- judice of the Jews, but as her sphere of operations enlarged she had to contend with the whole force of the civilised Roman empire. It is so still. The Church has confronted the barbarism of the middle ages, the superstition and formalism that followed it. But now she has to contend with modern civilisation, with its horses and chariots of iron-that is to say, its modern developments of physical force, as well as knowledge. These ha,e to be attacked and brought under Christ's yoke. II. THE PROGRESS OF CHRISTIANITY INVITES COMBINATION AMONG HER ENEMIES. Tbis, too, ~rns tbe case at tbe outset of Christianity. As soon as our religion was seen to be a power in the world, capable of surviving the execution of its leader, and the punishment of His followers, and of spreading nevertheless from city to city, from country to country, a widespread combination, formed of elements the most opposite, arose against it. Jew joined with Gentile to put it down. The emperor waged war against it, because it had formed a secret society, dangerous, he thought, to the stability of his throne. The lawyer and statesman opposed it, because it had taken upon itself to exist without the permission of the law. The priest opposed it, because it set up an altar against his. The philosopher opposed it, because it struck a blow at his proud exclusiveness, and combated some of his favourite dogmas. The tradesman opposed it (Acts xix. 27), because it struck at his gains. The mob opposed it, because it robbed tbem of their spectacles and brutalising amusements. The man of vicious life opposed it, because it put a curb upon hi9 habits of sinful :indulgence. Yet our heavenly Joshua led his forces against these enemies, and tbe unholy combination was utterly defeated. Nor is it altogether different now. To Christianity as a creed no such opposition is offered. But let us stri,e to put the practical precepts of Christi_anity in operation, and we still meet on many points with the combined opposition of various· sections of society. The statesman is indifferent to measures which will array an interested opposition against him, or diminish his sources of revenue. The philosopher derides the movement, because sncces:, from a hlllllan point of view, is improbable, or because it offends against the canons of his school of philosophy. The man of rank, perhaps, opposes it because it strikes a blow at his privileges ; the man of fashion Lecause he is incapable of earnest thought, and hates everything that gives him trouble. The ,icious does his utmost agR:inst it for the same reason as of old; while it is still not impossible to array against it the clamours of an unthinking mob. Yet bere, as elsewhere, perseverance is success. III. JOSHUA NOW WAS AT WAR WITH CIVILISATION. This is one of the enemies whicb must be brought under the yoke of Christ. (a) Civilisation inci·eases 1Juxury. and luxury is a foe to Christian self-denial. Luxlll'Y leads to ease and self-pleasing, and ease and self-pleasing are the very opposite o"f the Christian spirit. One great work of the Cbristian Church will be to teach men thankfully to accept the good gifts of their heavenly Father, and yet to consecrate those gifts to His ~ervice, and not to the formation of selfish habits. (b) Civilisation augments enormously the liOWer of man for evil as well as for good. Who can predict the tremendous results for evil which may result from modern disc<llvery, unless, under our Joshua, we manfully confront its advance, destroy its power for evil, and convert what it migbt misuse into instruments of good? Again (c) Moliern discovery exalts the pride of man. And the first requirement of Christianity is that he shall lay that .Pride aside. Therefore it is our duty to show modern knowledge its limits, to remind him who is puffed up by it that there is a gulf which his highest efforts cannot pass. He can but tell us what is; he cannot tell us how it is. He may consider himself entitled to overleap the barrier which separates us from the unknown, but the attempt involves as great an assumption as it ever did. The barrier is as wide as ever, CH. XI. 1-28.J THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 195