The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 281

(see verse 14). (1) They who serve a.t the alta.r ha.ve a. right to live by the altar (1 Cor. ix. 7). Thie is (a) just (1 Cor. ix. 11), (b) necessa.ry for unhindered service, ancl (c) not injurious to true devotion Bo long a.s the serva.nt of God does not degra.de his voccttion into a tracle by working for money instea.cl of receiving money that he may ha.ve mea.ns for work. (2) In contributing to the support of God's servants we are offering sacrifices to God. The sacrifices were the priests' and Levites' portion (Deut. xviii. 1). We ca.nnot bonefit God by our gifts, but we can give to God through His servants (Matt. xxv. 40). It is our duty to provide in temporal things for those who minister to us in spiritual things. He who sta.rves the ministers of Christ is a.s guilty 11s if he starved their Master (Matt. xxv. 45). III. THE TRIBE OF LEVI FOUND ITS TRUE INHERITANCE IN GOD. The sacrificial gifts of the people were not its chief inheritance, but only the small necessary earthly portion of what it was to receive. Its true heritage was spiritual. (1) The Christian minister should not rega.rd the earthly returns which he receives for his service a.s his main rewa.rd. To do so is to commit the sin of simony. His real rewa.rd is spiritual. (2) He who makes a.ny sacrifice for God will be amply com- pensated in Divine riches (Mark x. 29, 80). (3) It is better to have God for our portion tha.n e.ny earthly inherita.nce (Paa. lxxiii. 26). To ha.ve God for an inherit- ance is (a) to enjoy communion with Him; (b) to be protecte:l by Him; (c) to live for His service. This is the best inheritance, because (a) it is satisfying to the soul, while the earthly inheritance is full of dissatisfaction, and can never supply our greatest wants; (b) it is eternal; a.nd (c) it is pure a.nd lofty. Note: In the Christian Church, though there is diversity of orders (Rom. xii. 6-8) there is no distinction of ca.ste. All Christians a.re called to the alta.r of sa.cri• fice (Heb. xiii. 10), all are to serve a.s priests of the temple (1 Pet. ii. 9), e.nd all should find their true inherita.nce in God (1 Pet. i. 4).-W. F. A. Ver. 22.-The fate of Balaam. I. WHEN SPIRITUAL GIFTS A.RE USED FOR UN- SPIRITUAL PURPOSES THEY LOSE THEIR SPIRITUAL VALUE. In the Book of Numbers Balaam appears as a. prophet inspired by God. In the Book of J oshue, he is only na.med as a common soothsa.yer. All spiritual gifts, of insight, of power, of sym- pathy, are worthy only so long as they are well used. As they become degraded by evil uses they lose their Divine character and become mere ta.lents of cleverness a.nd ability. II. THE ABUSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS FOR PERSONAL GAIN IS A SIN WHICH CANNOT GO UNPUNISHED. Balaam ha.d sold his prophetic powers for money, consenting to use them on the side of evil and falsehood. Now bis sin has found him out. He who receives great gifts incurs great responsibility. No spiritua.l power is bestowed for merely selfish uses. The greater the talents we abuse, the greater will be the juclgment we sha.ll invoke. III. THE POSSESSION OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS IS NO GROUND FOR THE ASSURANCE OF PERSONAL SALVATION. Balaam had great gifts, yet he suffered the fate of the heii,then. Our privileges a.re no proof of a Divine favour which will overlook our sins. Salvation comes not from the gifts of the Spirit, but from the grace of Gou in Christ. The least gifted has as goou ground for salva.tion as the most highly en- clowecl. Pulpit power, the "gift of prayer," theological insight, and religious sus- ceptibilities may all be found in a Christless life, and if so they will be of no ave.il as grounds of merit in the clay of judgment. IV. THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH ONLY INCREASES THE GUILT OF THOSE WHO WILL NOT FOLLOW IT. Bala.am knew the true God and the way of right. But not living accorcling to his knowledge, his guilt wa.s a.ggra.vated, and his doom certain. It is worse than useless to know Christian truth unless we obey it (Jas. i. 22-24). The faith in Christ which secures to us sa.lvation is not the bare intellectn11,l belief in the doctrines of redemption (J as. ii.19), but submissive trust a.ncl loya.l obedience to Christ as both Lorcl and Saviour (Mark ii. 14).-W. F. A. Ver. 22.-Gocl is patient in the exercise of His justice a.swell as in His compa.s- sions, for He is the Lord, with whom " a thousa.nd yea.rs are as one de,y.'' He JOSHUA, Q 226 THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. [oB, XIII, 1-88,