The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 136

There, thC'ir delinrance woul<l he entire and e"mplcte. Ko longer would they he wandorers hither and thither, but would be occupants of II land that they would cnll tbeir own. Neither from the nation to which they were once in bondage, nor from those which they were callcf! on to supplant, would they fear anghtnny longer I And yet there is throughout this p:irngrnph a voice of warning, as if danger would attend them still! It would be so. But the danger would he from within rather th1m from with- oul: ""-hen thou shalt have eaten and be full; then beware lest thou forget the Lord," etc. Whence, obsen·e- I. No AMOUNT OF OUTWARD PROSPERITY CAN DELIVER A MAN FROM IIIMSELFJ Dy the time the stote of calm was attainc<l, ,"11ich is here indicated, there would cease to be danger from hostile foes, at least for a while; but there would be perils of anothr kind, which w0ulct attend them even in the promised land. If Israel could have left thcm~clves behind, it had been otherwise; but alas! go where they might, they must perforce take themselves with them, with all their liability to err, nil the proneness to sin, nnd nil the temptation to doubt or to pride. And not nil the spears and slings of warriors c.ould put the people in such peril as the corruptions of their own hearts ! And so it is with us now and ever. ,v e carry ourselves about with us everywhere; we cannot escape. There is within each one's heart a "toot of bitterness," "a rbot that bcareth gall and wormwood;'' and let earthly circumstances be as fair, as easy, and as pleasant as they may, yet, unless we heed the danger within, they can do but very lit.tie to ensure our peace. And herein lies the great mistake of monasticism, as e'l'en Augustine reminded bis hearers. Ile told them that it was vain for them to attempt to flee out of the ,vorld in order to escape corruption, for wherever they might be tbey would carry the evil within them. Never let us look to outer circumstances alone to ensure our entire rest. Not even a perfect world could bring us that, unless we were first made perfect. II. TrrEnE ARE THREE PERILS SPECIFIED HERE TO WHICH PROSPERITY MAY EXPOSE us. 1. The first is that of" forgetting the Lord" (ver. 12). When fields and viueyards and oliveyards increase, and our cup is overflowing, then we are apt to lose sight of him to whom we owe all; and this not only in the receiving but in the using thereof (cf. Hos. x. 1). Too apt are we to say in our pride," My river is my own; I have made it for myself." So also are we apt to let our enjoyments conceal our God from view, and to think only of the mercies, while we forget to glorify God in tl:ie use of them. Nor is it any uncommon evil for men to be so set upon the enjoyment of this world's comforts, as to forget almost or altogether that higher world for which they are bound to live, and that future life on which all soon must enter. 2. .Another danger indicated is that of undue tolerance of the idolatries which were round about them (vcr. 14). One effect of prosperity is easy-goin'.!ness; and that, unless checked and guanlcd, will degenerate into a looseness of principle, whereby, under cover of suavity and amiability, respect for the convictions of others may come to be substituted by our having no very strong ones of our own. Nothing is more common than to sec worldly aggrandizement attended by deterioration of moral sensibility. 3. .A third dangct specified is that of" temptiDg the Lord" when prosperity meets with a check. 'l'hij seems to be the danger indicated in ver. 16, by a reference to "Massah" (sec Exod, xvii. 2-7). At this place of sojourn there was a lack of water. 'l'he people murmured. They tempted the Lord and said, " Is the Lord among us or not? " As if they ceased to believe in God's presence with them, the moment he made them thus feel their dependence upon him ! Strange perversity! Yet how like ourselves ! 'l'he course of worldly prosperity scarcely ever runs with absolute smoothness for many years together. And the self-will engendered and strengthened in times of ease leads men to repino and complain bitterly the moment that ease receives a check. In times of prosperity men forget God, and then when adversity comes they often complain as if God nad forgotten them. How much does God see, even in the people he takes for his own special care, to tax his patience, and to try his long-suffering love! III. BY WAY OF GUARDING THEM BEFOREHAND AGAINST THESE PERILS, MOSES snows ISRAEL THE DUTIES WHICH THEY A.RE DILIGENTLY TO ODSERVE, 1. '!'hey arc to fear the Lord only (ver.13). 2. They are to swear by him only (see LXX. and Matt. iv. 10), i.e. to cherish a profound reverence for him as the Author of all mercies, and as the sole Regulator of their lives. The honour of his Name is to be supreme. 3. They arc to give en. vr. 1-21>.] 'rlIE TIOOK OF DEUTEfiONOMY. 125