The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 31

enormous wickedness (eh. ix. 1, 6). (9) Israel was consequently only the means in the J)ivino han<l of cnrrying out nn explicit Divine purpose. (10) To Rpu.re the Canaanitcs woul<l lmvo been to infect Israel with their u.bominations. (11) God would deliver the nntions into Israel's hand, (12) On a land and among a people recognized as God's, the Most High would reassert in the worl<l the well-nigh forgotten truth, "The Loni our God is holy." (13) Even Israel's continuance in the land would depend on their mainteuu.nco of the principles which had been entrusted to their keeping, and on their loyalty to the God who had chosen them for his own (eh. xxviii. 49). When we put nil these principles together, the two questions suggested at the outset receive a direct and sufficient reply. II. AccESB l'0 CANAAN DIVINELY SECURED. "I will send an angel before thee" (Exod. xxiii. 14; xxxii. 34; Isa. !xiii. 9; Mai. iii. 1 ; Acts vii. 38, 53; John i. 51). It is only as we study the more advanced revelations of the New Testament as to the place of angels in the Divine administration, and the lordship of Jesus Christ over them, that all these texts of Scripture are seen to fit in together. Note the specific statements in Exod. xxiii. as to God clearing Israel's way. III. DUTY IN REFERENCE TO CANAAN DIVINELY REGULATED, Negatively: they were neither to bow down to fal~e gods nor to mix with the heathen. Positively: they were to serve and fear God and to practise the right. IV. PROMISES CONCERNING PROSPERITY IN CANAAN DIVINELY GIVEN (Exod. xxiii. 25). Blessing on fo'.J<l, health, long life (cf. Matt. vi. 33; Ps. xci. 16). A separate homily might well be devoted to the temporal benefits naturally resulting from obedience to God. The application of all this to us in these days is manifest. 1. What Israel was once in the world God expects his Church to be now (cf. Exod. xix. 5, 6 with 1 Pet. ii. D). 2. In Jesus Christ we have a new covenant, a better ministry, greater promises (Heb. viii. G). 3. We have a commission for the world. We have to co-operate with God in bringing about new heavens and a new earth, by working in accordance with his 1ilan of redeeming and educating our race. ·we have no commission to destroy. The Lord bath given us a power for edification but none for destruction. Our commission runs, "Go, baptize and teach." We have not to supersede the occupation of territory held by a barbarous nation, through its enforced occupation by a civilized one, but to go and teach all nations that each nation may super,ede its own barbarism by a civili- zation that is equally its own. 4. '!'his commission is to be fulfilled by the Word of Truth, by the power of God. By spiritual weapons only can our victories be won. In the might of a love that has conquered us, and in that might a.lone, we are to go forth to mu.kc the conquest of the world. "These weo.pons of the holy wo.r, Of who.t almighly force they are, To mo.ke our stubborn passions bow, And lo.y the proudest rebel low I" Vers. 6-18.-Rules to be observed in choosing rulers. This paragraph may with o.dvantage be compared with Exod. xviii., in which there is o. fuller account of the circumstirnces under which the choice of judges nnd magistrates was propose<l. and made; this important step towards the order and consolidation of the national life was taken at the suggestion of Jethro, the father-in-law of l\loses. Referring to the exposi- tion of that chapter for the historic detail, we note here simply : 1. That the choice of rulers, etc., is put into the people's hands; they are to select, Moses is to ratify the selection. 2. '!'hoy are to choose men of righteousness, who will fear God and do justice. 3. \Vhen the judges are chosen, Moses seeks solemnly to impress on them tho high and holy responsibilities of their office. 4. The supreme reason for this care in judging rightly is found in the fact that the cause is God's, i.e. that they are rulers unde1· God and for him-representing Divine laws in the earthly sphere. The stnte is sacredly to be governed by the laws of righteousness, and by such laws alone. Hcnco a subject is opened up to us which is of no small moment, viz. Principles and facts to be borne in mind in choosing rulers of the people. Observe- !. 'l'IIAT TUE 0H0OBING OF lllEN TO TAKE PART IN MAKINO OR ADmNIBTEBING A NATION'S LAWB IBA SOLEMN AND MOMENT0VS CONCERN, It matters comparatively little, J() THE DOOK OF DEUTE)JONOMY. [cu. I. 1-18.