Vers. 19-40.-L·i·ecoverableness of wasted opportunity. I. THE CULMmATIO~ OF OPPORTUNITY OFTEN FINDS A MAN UNPREPARED TO OCCUPY IT. The point of time referred to here was the supreme moment in Israel's history. They had relinquished Egypt, endured privation, performed n. toilsome journey, for one object, viz. to possess Caaaan; yet, when they touched the threshold of the inheritance, they failed to rise to the conception of their.privilege. They hesitated, dawdled, feared-and failed. Men play with opportunity as a toy, and when their eyes open to see its value, lo! it bas vanished. Possibly, there is.a supreme moment in every man's history; yet often he is too indo- lent to improve it. Every morning is not a May-day. Many reach the margin of a. glorious destiny, and then turn back to the desert. The path of duty is very pl:i.in; but self-indulgence mn.kes us blind as a mole. II. TnE DISHONESTY OF PRUDENTIAL PLEAS. These Hebrew men thought themselves very sagacious to suggest the experiment of the spies.; and God endured their whim. Yet there was no reason for this precaution. With God as a Pioneer and Protector, they might have known that it was safer to follow the fiery pillar than to remain at ease in their tents. The command was plain-" Go up and possesR." 'l'herefure all delay, and all reconnoitring, was sin. If we were to deal honestly with inclination, if every whisper of conscience were obeyed, wo should often see through the thin guise of our own pretences; we shoulcl strip the veneer of insincerity from our deeds. In some dark cavern of our hearts we may find, by honest search, some wish that we are ashamed to avow. There is often a conspiracy in the man against himself. We hunt for excuses to cover disobedience. III, UNDELIEF DEVELOPS, TUR0U0U MANY ,STAGES, INTO RANK REDELLION. The report of the spies confirmed the word of God. This always accords with external fact, and with human oxperienco. God had nut said that the Canaanites were few or weak. What mattered it how tall and brawny they were, if so be God were on their side, and TH~ BOOK 01<' DEU'l'EtwNOMY, [clt. I, 10--l.0,
fou~ht, for them? Old Unbelief is a fool, and ought to be decorated with cap and bell~. Unb<'lief is poison, and imps the basis of our strength, enervates our conmge, and melts our iron into flux. UnbC'lief develops into falsehood, and perverts the truth of God into l:dng. Unbelief maligns and traduces God-d1arges him with the basest crime, It calls e,·il good; pur<'st love it styles blackest hate. It is the essence of blasphemy. ft is the crime of crimes-the seed of misery-the germ of hell. n·. TIIE RETRIDUTIONS OF GOD ARE SEVERE AND EQUITADLE. Much that human judgmcnt deems to be retlibution is not penalty. Bodily suffering is usually corrective, not destructive. The retributions of God are co-related to the sin. Men pamper the 11assion for drink: inappeasable thirst shall be their <loom. Men say to God, "Depart from me!" God responds, "Depart from me I" The Hebrews would not march into possession of Canaan: therefore they shall dwell and die in the desert. Retribution is related to sin as fruit to blossom-as wages to work. There comes a point where return is impossible. God swears that it shall be so. 'l.'he oath is an oath of righteousness, Ne,ertheless, out of the crowds of the nameless ungodly, individual liegemen shall be hou,rnred, even Caleb and Joshua. These are elect spirits-choice natures. In the day of 01"0r\\"helming calamity, God does not overlook the solitary righteous. "He hideth him in the hollow of his hand." The proofs of inviolable equity are written in gigantic capitals on the heavens and on the earth. Y. THE FORECASTS OF FEAR ARE. OFTEN THE REVERSE OF REALITY. Cowardly and disobedient Hebrews pretended a far-reaching concern for their children. "If we are slain in this invasion of Canaan, what will become of our little ones? "-thus argued these malcontents. "Can we endure to think that they shall become a prey to these lrnman woh·cs ? " They were frightened at a mirage-terrified at the shadow of their own folly. Facts were the vEry reverse of their fears. 'l.'hese "little ones" God would take into training-drill them by the hardy discipline of the wilderness, and qualify them for warfare and for conquest. TI. REPEKTANCE HAS MANY COUNTERFEITS. There is often confession of our folly, and yet no repentance; promise of amendment, yet no repentance, '!'here may b~ poignant regret for the past, bitter shame, sharp remorse, deep compunction, severe sclf-judgment, yet no repentance. For repentance is soul-submission unto God. It brings our feeling, desire, will, into harmony with God's feeling and will. Hepentance has not thoroughly penetrated the soul until we love what God loves, and hate what God hates. True repentance works for· righteousness. Deceit may so "ivorni itself in the heart as to intertwine itself round every fibre of our being. vVe may ultimately become so blind as not to discern between truth and falsehood. The repentance of thesQ Jews was a carnal sorrow that produced fruits of death. ,II. I>nESUlllPTION IS AS CllIMINAL AS PUSILLANIMITY. ,ve dishonour God as much hy going beyond the line of duty, as by falling short of it. Each alike is an act of disobedience. Vi'e cannot atone for cowardice yesterday by an excess of rashness to-day. The essence of obedience is promptitude. It is not the same whether we observe the command to-day, or to-morrow. Between the two there may be a gulf deep as hell jtself. The prohibitions of God are as sacred as his positive commands. What is a duty to-day may be a sin to-morrow, because the precept may be withdrawn. Some commands are eternally permanent; some have only temporary prevalence. VIII. REPENTANCE OFTEN coMEB Too LATE. During life-time, repentance has moral productiveness. "'e may not attain the precise object, which by repentance we hoped to gain ; nevertheless, real repeutance brings relief and gladness to the soul I Esau was afterwards a b_ctter man for his repentance, though be could not recover his birth~ right. To these Hebrews, repentance came too late for them ever to possess the earthly Canaan: let us hope it availed to gain them the heavenly. It is possible for repentance, long-delayed, to be unavailing. "Because," says God, "I have called, and ye refused ... I also will laugh at your calamity.. , . Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer." "He sware in his wrath, 'l'liey shall not enter into my rest." W L@ all gracious remedies are exhausted, "it is impossible to renew men unto repent~ ance." It is a perilow; thing to tam1)er with conscience, or to trifle with God.-D.
Ver. 19.-" That gi-eat and terrible wilderness." An emblem of the rough and afflictive way by which God leads his people to the higher rest, VII, I, Hl-4.G.J 'l'Irn DOOK OF DEUTERONOMY, 25