The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 140

Ycrs. 4-9.-Loue, the root-p,·inciple of obedience. Attention is summoned for the recqition of central truth, viz. the unity of the Godhead. At that period, this doctrine was in great peril. All the Orientals believed in "lords many and gods many." Science here confirms Scripture. The unity of design, running through all. natural law and force, indicates clearly unity of the Creator, 'l'o know the true God is, for hones( minds, to lorn him. Dut rebellion of heart has engendered repugnance towards God-dislike, hatred, enmity. I. 'l'HE SouncE OF ALL AUTHORITY IS A BEING OF ESSENTIAL GOODNESS. 1. He is .sole Monarch, incomparable and unapproachable. He dwells alone, hicrher than the highest creature. The disparity between him and an archangel is immeasurable. 2. llc is absolutely perfect. Every attribute and quality that is essential to perfection is found in him. " He is light," having no dark shade aoywhere. 3. He is the Source of life: Jehovah-the Living-the Life-giving. All we have, and are, and hope to be, is dcri ved from him. 4. He has deigned to come into intimate relation with us. He has made a voluntary compact with us. He calls us his people, He allows us to call l,im our God. We have a proprietorship in him. II. TuIS GoD DESERVES THE CENTRAL PLACE IN oun HEARTS. Because of the moral beauty and essential goodness of our God, he is incomparably most worthy of human lm·e. To give to any other a higher place in our affection than we give to God, would be an outrage against righteousness, fitness, and self-interest. For all these faculties aud susceptilJilities of the human heart have been fashioned by God himself, and have been fashioned for this very purpose, viz. that we should bestow our worthiest love on him. If this eternal design be frustrated, there is violence, disharmony, misery within. Such love is commanded. It is a duty as well as a privilege. Though we cannot instantly and summarily command our love, we can indirectly. We can fix our thought on the worthiest object of love. We can contemplate his charms. We can appreciate his goodness. \Ve can assure ourselves of bis love. It is to be an intelli- gent, reasonable, practical love. III. THE LOVE OF THE LA WGIVEB PRODUCES J,OVE TO HIS LA w. Law is a pro- jection of God's thought, a mirror of his mind, an overt act of love. '!'he true child ,rill highly esteem every known wish of its father. 'l'o have practical direction from an unseen father will be treasured as a choice token of that father's regard. If children, we shall hide every word of our father in our memory and in our love. Every wish of his heart will be a visible feature in our life. It may be painful to Jhe flesh, but it will be pleasant to the soul. 'l'o the dutiful child, obedience is a luxury, a banqllet of joy. "Oh! how I love thy Law!" exclaims the pious Psalmist. "Thy Law is within my heart." Thy Vvord is to me as honey, as the droppings of the honeycomb. IV. LoVE 1s THE MOTIVE-POWEn OF SPEECH. The tongue is the servant of the l,eart. We speak freely and fluently of tha.t which is dear to our hearts. The child will speak freely of its toys and games, the farmer of his crops, the artist of his works. Ii' men esteemed and valued God's Word, they would spontaneously converse of it, n,orning, noon, and night. It would be a. painful restraint upon our desire if we with- hdd our speech. This precept of Moses need not be an external law imposed upon us from without; it may become the living law within, "the law of the Spirit of life!' V. LOVE CONSTRUCTS ITS WHOLE LlFE ON THE MODEL OF GoD's LAW. 'l'he hand will become the instrument of righteousness. On it will be written God's Word, viz. industry, honesty, restraint, generous kindness, helpfulness. God's Word will be our ornament. Instead of gold and jewels upon the forehead, "our adornment will be" modesty, ch~stity, cheerfulness, moral beauty. God's Name will be in<lelibly inscriqe( en. vr. 1-26.J THE IlOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 12'.)