Vers. 21-29'.-Moses' longing to enter tlie promised land refused, The two conquests over Sihon and over Og had tilled Moses with a sense of God's matchless power. With a warrior's instiuct-for he had had a warrior's training, it is believed, in Egypt, in his youth-he saw in this first portion of the fight the assurance of a glorious invasion. He longed to be at its head, and to see the land which God had promised nct.ually won. Will he not get complete the work he has been instrumental in beginning? He pleaded with God for it, but all he gets is a Pisgah-view; he is denied an entrance into the land. J. IT WAS NATURAL FOB MOSES TO LONG FOB THE COMPLETION OF HIS WORK, The E:i::odus was his special work. All else in his life was preparatory to this. But the Exodus was to be finished in the invasion of Canaan and the settlement of the people there. Moses is now so interested in the work which he has had on hand for forty years tbat he is loth to leave it. . .. So with God's servants often. They form plans, plans mamfestly D1vme, and they jon" to complete them. But God does not respond always to these very natural desires, Public work is attempted-literary work-but the sowing and the reaping are often separated. One sowetb, another reapeth. Il. IT IS A GilEAT PilIVlLEGE TO DE ALLOWED TO ENCOUUAGE THOSE COMING AFTEI? us. :Moses is directed to encourage Joshua. 'l'his is something done towards suc- cessful invasion. An encouraged Joshua may do better than an ever-present Moses, And the privilege of encouragement is greatly prized, Josl)ue. receives_ all fro~ Moses tbat son could receive from father, that a leader could receive from his super10r and guide (vers. 21, 22). And our successors should be encouraged by us all we can, as one of life's last and best privileges. Ill. A P1SGAH-VIEW IS FITTING COMPENSATION, BACKED UP AS IT WAS DY SPECIAL CARE. Moses saw the land at last, and died with God, reserved by the All-wise for an entrance into Canaan at the transfiguration of Christ. The view from Pisgah was grand, but the view on Hermon was grander. His entrance of the land with Elijah in glory was grander than an .entrance at t)1e head of ~he hosts of Israel. . . And these views from P1sgah may still be ours 1f we seek the appomted mountnm• top of God. He calls us to mountain-tops of prayer and meditation, and shows us wondrous glimpses of his glory and his promises. To be with him there is compensa• tion for much disappointment, IV. A FAITliFUL SON MAY EXPERIENCE .& FATHER'S DE8EBVED Wll4T.Et, Mosell tilt tV. 1-24.) THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 57
dmits the.t God was wroth with him, and states the reason. It is well to recognize ~h t deserved wro.th and chastisement may coexist with profound and tender love. M~ses was well beloved, even though excluded from the land of promise, God gave him paradise instead of Canaan.-R. M. E.