The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 152

Divine fa,·our? W c shall regard the actual history before our eye as at once II basis for, nnd an illustration of, our remarks. J. <i-OD RAD IN GREAT MERCY REMOVED JSRAEL FROM EGYPT, WIIICH WAS NOT ONLY 'l'HE SEAT OF l'OLITIOAL OPPRESSION, AND A REGION OF FOUL IDOLATRY, BU'l' ALRO A LOCUS AND FOCUS OF MANY PESTILENTIAL DISEASES. (See Mr. Lane's I Modern Egyptians;' the art..' Egypt' in 'Encyc. 13iit.;' and in Smith and Kitto's Dictionaries of the Bible.) rrobably the land of Goshen might be a healthier district tho.n tho region of the city itself; still it is extremely questionable whether such II race as Israel was designed to be, could, even physically, have been with any certainty developed in EgyJ't itself. It is no mean mercy to have our earthly lot cast in a healthy locality. It is not possible, indeed, to escape temptations from without or from within, go where we may, but it is certain that (cret. par.) it is much easier to resist evil and to cultivate virtue where climate and atmosphere tend to promote bodily vigour. The history of the world affords proof enough that climatic influences will not do everything for man ; but that is no reason for underrating their value, nor for losing sight of the mercy where "the lines are fallen to us in" healthful and health-giving places. II. THOUGH FREE FROM LIABILITY TO EGYPTIAN DISEASE, ISRAEL'S HEALTHFULNESS AKD WEAL WOULD DEPEND ON OBEDIENCE TO GoD'S LAW. No land can give us any immunity from the consequences of breaking law, however life-giving its breezes. God's physical and moral laws are interlaced and intertwined. Obedience or dis- obedience to either may have its full effect in its own direction. Obedience or dis- obedience to both will have its complicated effects in both directions. Many speak of law as if it acted without God; and, maybe, some think of God as if he acted without law. We need not commit either mistake. Let us carefully avoid both. Let us reverence every law of God, physical or moral, because it is his; and let it be our study to understand them in e,·ery department in which they are presented to us. Mr. Dinuey once made the startling statement, that, "barring accidents, a man can live pretly much as long as he pleases!" By which he meant, of course, that there are certain Divine laws and rules, obedience to which tends to the preservation of health, and consequently to the prolongation of life. And, if these laws are neglected, we may create disease, affliction, and trouble for ourselves, and breed even death, however healthful the locality in which we dwell Hence it is not surprising to find in this paragraph another principle indicated. III. SuPPOSING THE PEOPLE TO BE OBEDIENT TO GoD'B LAW, HEALTH AND WEAL WOGLD FOLLOW DY WAY OF JS"ATUBAL CONSEQUENCE. The original (ver. 12), by a. peculiar Hebrew idiom, shows this. "And (it) shall be (the) heel," i.e. the end, and so the consequence. V,Thatet"er may be the kind of weal desired, the laws of God in that direction should be studied, understood, and followed. Whether in the regula- tion of the production or sustentation of life; in agricultural pursuits; in the spheres of capital and Jabour, and thdr mutual relations; in the creation, distribution, increase, and expenditure of wealth; in the higher region of the cultivation of the national and social ,irtues of truth and goodness; in the still higher region of fa!llilY piety; or in tbe high"st region of all, even that of personal love and devotion to God, the old words will be prot'ed true, "Them that honour me, I will honour." No doubt we are often meeting with cases which seem anomalous; they accord with no known rule whatever. But we shall find that we do not know the whole of such cases, nor even enough of them to enable us to judge concerning them. Till we know more we must suspend judgment. No perplexities of this sort give any warrant for disturbing first principles. I o uny region in which God bas laws we may have duties; and it is a very partial and unl,ealtby piety which would underrate intelligent act.ion in any department. In whatever department there is neglect, in such we may expect failure. And where there is obedience, there will be the reward. JY. 'fHOUGH THE BEWAJ!D MAY COME IN THE WAY OF NATURAL CONSEQUENCE, YET JS"OJS"E THE LESS IS IT Goo's BLESSING. The result is from him, because the Law is from him. Nor is it one whit the less from God, if we are able to trace every step of the coming of a blessing. A mau's work is not less his because he does it somehow. Nor is it attributed the less to him because it is known how be did it. Why should men be less reasonable in recognizi.r.g God's work, when the laws of the working are manifest to us? "The hand of the diligent maketh rich," is one truth; "the blessing OH, VII, 1-26.] 'l'HE BOOR OF DEUTERONOMY. 141