Moses tells them that, nnmericnlly, they were the fewest of all people. It wns not numNicnl strmgth, nor national ad,•antages of any kind, which induced God to select them. II. 'l'HEY WERE SELECTED DEOAUSE GOD CHOSE TO SET ms LOVE UPON TIIE~I. "The Lord did not set his lm·e upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in nnmber than an~· people; ... but because the Lord loved yon." It was sovereign love which is its own reason. And, in the last resort, it is to this we must come. We cnu give no better nccount of the matt.er than that God chose to do it. III. Tm: nET,IYERANCE FROM EGYPT WAS THE PROOF OF IIIS SOVEREIGN LOVE. Hereby he kept his promise made to their fathers, and fulfilled his own gracious purpose. The series of ,iudgrnents, the outcome of his mighty hand, which proved how infinitely strong<'f it was than the hand of Pharaoh, while severe to Egypt, were love-tokens to Israel. IV. THE CHOICE OF ISRAEL WAS WITH A VIEW TO THEIR DEING A HOLY PEOPLE AND A RPECIAL PEOPLE UXTO THE LORD. Electing love extended to a nation or a people is really a Divine invr,stme11t. The result: is the holiness and consecration of the people. J t is this holiness, this sense of consecration, which proves the ekcting love of God. Aud this is all the more intense when it is seen clearly that God's love is manifested, not on lhe ground of national or personal merit, but as a matter of free grac~. • And, doubtless, the Jews proved themselves a special people, although far from a !'erfort people. They were the custodians of the holy oracles for ages. '!'hey showed, and they still show, ,vonderfnl linguistic and other qualifkations. All this, let us helieYe, is due to that grace and Divine development through which, as a nation, they were permitted t-0 pass. 'l'hc practical application of this subject is surely this: 1. To receive God's mercy under an abiding sense that it is undeserved. 2. To cultivate the sense of obliga!ion to God for his undeserved mercy, which it is intended to foster. 3. And to realize the consecration of spirit through which all that is noble in human life comes. God saves us that we may serve him. He shows us his loving-kindness that we may become through it "a peculiar people, zealous of good works.'''--R. M. E. ,crs. 9-1G.-T71e Divine veracity, Moses here speaks of the Divine faithfulness to those that love him, and also t-0 those that hate him. Those who love him will have his mercy unto a thousand generations; those who hate him will have their hatred returned. He will repay such to their face. Let us look at the Divine veracity in the two aspects of blessing and of judgment. I. GoD's GRATITUDE FOB MAN'S LOVE. God has a love of sovereignty, as we have just. seen, "·hich has no reason but itself; and he has also a love of gratitude for love shown to him. It is of this Moses here speaks. It is thus expressed elsewhere: "I love them that love me." And here no!ice- 1. TT7,en we love God we try to keep his commandment.,. This is exactly what Christ, incarnate Love, claimed. "If ye lo,·e me, keep my commandments." Love is the spirit in which Law should be kl'; t, and through which Law becomes blessedness. 2. OLdin1ce secures blessing. God promised Israel certain temporal blessings: increase of the nation and fertility of soil and increase of their flocks and herds. And, in the rude age in which they lived, it waB needful to encourage them by such very sensible sigas. This is uot so needful now. The blessing comes now in more spiritual ways, bnt still it comes in the wake of obedience. Answers to prayer are still doubted by men "·l,o doubt God's existence and reign, but they are most thoroughly believed in by LelieYers. 'l'he blessing comes to those who look for it. 3. It is expected to cliaracterize g,,nerations. For this is the greatest blessing of all "l,cn tl,e suc:ceediug geueration grows up true to God. It is this form of the Divine faitl,fuluess which ii; n:ost sought-that even to a" thousand generations." they may J<:lllaiu true to him. 11. GoD':; lllGIITEOOB WRATH AT MAN's HATRED. Under a righteous government, liatr(;(l ohould have its retribution just as well as love its reward. So is it with God. M~n n,ay lrnte him, and when he repays them to their face they are getting only ilie1• <lw,. en. VIII. 1-20.J 'l'HE BOOK OF DEU'l'ERONOMY. 151
Goel is ns faithfol in his threatcnings as in his promises. Why should he not be ,o? Arn\ bis lmtrod can have but one issue-destruction I How needful, then, t,i by down the arm~ of our rebellion I If our hare\ hearts cherish any hatred towards him, tho sooner wo ropent of this the better, ancl take refuge in his love. He waits to hri <rmcions; but, should we despise his mercy and still do him the injustice to hate him ~vo must preparo for encountering his righteous wrath.-R. M. E. '