The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 363

no! ought of any good thing the Lord had spoken. The sea was crossed; the desert had its food RU<l water; llashan we.s subdued; Jordan crossed; the whole land possessed. And all this took place easily, without any hitch whatever, so long as Israel wns willing simply to go on. And from then till now the experience of the Church of Christ has, on a large scale and with invariable uniformity, been, that however impossible the fulfihnent of God's promises might seem, they ho.ve e.11 been realised exceeding abundantly above all e.sked or thought. God is the same lo-day 11,s yesterday: not further from us in heart, not feeble1· in powers. His anointing is not exhausted ; He is still fresh to do what He he.s promised. And if ll'e faithfully follow on in the way in which He leads us, there will not fu.il ought of the good that God ha.th spoken to us.-G. Yers. 48-45.-Last among the tribes to know the particulo.r inheritance o.ssigned to them came the Levites, since they were not to occupy a distinct territory, but certa1n selected cities in each district. By this arrangement each tribe recognised the duty of providing for the support of the service of God, and bad religious instructors abiding within its borders. The sacred historian having finished bis narrative of the partition of the land, deems it a fitting oppo1·tumty to bear witness to the fact that God had pro,•ed equal to His word. He bad brought His people into their possession, and they were busily engaged in arranging their habitations, tilling the soil and other occupations of landed proprietors. The Israelitish dis- pensation was typical, foreshadowing the dispensation of the fulness of times, of which theirs was but a dim anticipation, an emblem and a shadow. As mind is superior to matter, and spiritual are preferable to bodily satisfactions, as righteous- ness is more important than wealth, and elevation of soul more desirable than prowess in war, so do the advantages of which believers in Christ are partakers immeasurably outweigh all that was the portion of the Israelites in their brightest period. I. A~ E:KUMERA.TION OF PRIVILEGES. (1) Mention is made of the inheritance, the land which they now possessed, and wherein they dwelt. Hope was at last fruition. Buoyed up in their journeys by the thought of. the " land flowing with milk and honey," they had crossed the Jordan and planted their feet on the soil that was to be theirs. When a man realises bis sonship to God, the whole earth becomes bis. For him the trees unfold their leaves and the birds sing. He takes fresh interest in the world of nature, it is bis Father's garden. But our thoughts centre chiefly in those mercies bought for the Church by Christ at such enormous cost. For- giveness, justification, adoption, sanctification, whole acres of fruitful soil that yield susteUBJ1ce to the soul, yea, spiritual luxuries, if only we be diligent. Our inheritance is not to be enjoyed without appropriating effort. The word of God is the register of our estate. The territory expands by viewing, " 'tis a broad land of wealth unknowu." The higher we ascend on the hill of meditation, the better shall we behold our property, stretching far and wide, up to heaven and away to eternity. The ground furnishes all manner of fruit; the graces of the Spirit are many. The believer enters into the kingdom of God, an empire larger than that of Charlemagne and be is made richer than Crresus. Angels are his attendants. (2) Rest is spoken of, rest from wanderings. There may be some of vagabondisb tendencies to whom incessant travelling, with the variety it affords, is pleasing, but a nomadic life is neither desired by the majority nor healthful for them. Forty years in the wilderness did not reconcile the Israelites to the continual shifting of the Cf1!llp. Perhaps no more piteous nor clamorous cry is beard to-day than the demand for rest. The rush of life is everywhere bewailed. Turmoil and bustle may delight for a season, but soon pall upon the taste and tire the faculties. A gospel intended for men must be capable of meeting the legitimate demands of every age. And the gospel of Jesus Christ claims to give rest to the weary. Not that the Christian is summoned to a position requiring no vigilance nor exercise of bis talents. To superficial observers, the disciples who embraced the offer of Jesus may have appeared to lead an extremely unquiet life, now tossing on the waves at their Master's command, then journeying on foot through hamlets and towns, and finally OR. XXI. 1-46.] THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 311